VietTESOL International Convention 2026

Despite learners’ increasing adoption of AI tools in English language learning, limited attention has been paid to how they relate to the internal structure of deep approaches to learning, particularly the distinction between deep motive and deep strategy. This study examines how Vietnamese EFL students engage with AI across these two dimensions. It draws on data collected from 313 university students, combining survey responses based on an adapted Deep Approach sub-scale of the R-SPQ-2F with open-ended accounts of students’ experiences using AI in learning English. Findings indicate that AI use is more closely associated with deep strategy than with deep motive. Students report using AI to support meaning-oriented practices, yet this engagement is not consistently accompanied by intrinsic motivation. Qualitative responses further suggest that AI is primarily positioned as a tool for task support rather than as a source of motivation, denoting an imbalance between how students learn English and why they choose to learn it. This study underscores the need to support both strategic use of AI and sustained learner motivation, particularly as English use expands beyond classroom settings in Vietnam’s ongoing shift toward an ESL-oriented environment.