Rethinking Elementary Education's Writing Instruction in The Age of Generative AI: A Systematic Review

Synthesis: This systematic literature review synthesizes 8 peer-reviewed studies (2019–2025) on AI literacy for elementary writing instruction, finding that AI integration efficiently supports writing practices and fosters creativity through multimodal application while creating nuanced approaches to writing assessment — alongside unresolved limitations for future research.

Key Findings

1. Eight studies reviewed. The review synthesizes 8 peer-reviewed studies published between 2019 and 2025 focusing on AI literacy for writing instruction at the elementary level.

2. AI supports writing practices efficiently. Findings report that AI integration has efficient results in support of writing practices in elementary classrooms.

3. Creativity through multimodality. AI fosters creativity through multimodal application, enabling new forms of expression in young learners' writing.

4. Nuanced assessment approaches. AI creates nuanced approaches to writing assessment, though the review notes certain limitations remain for future research.

Implications

This review contributes to the growing literature on Generative AI and AI Literacy in K 12 settings, focusing specifically on elementary writing. Its finding that multimodal AI tools can foster Creativity in young writers counters the common framing of AI purely as an automation threat, while the attention to Assessment reflects ongoing debates about how to evaluate writing in AI-integrated classrooms.

For Writing Education, the small evidence base (8 studies) underscores how nascent this area is and the need for more empirical work, particularly around equitable access and the developmental appropriateness of AI tools for early writers. The review connects to LLM discussions about scaffolding young students' interactions with Generative AI and to broader questions of Educational Policy AI for elementary classrooms.

The integration of AI into elementary writing also raises Equity considerations, echoing concerns about the Equity and differential access across schools.

Connected Concepts

AI Literacy

Assessment

Creativity

Educational Policy AI

Connected Articles

GenAI Higher Education Systematic Review 2026 — GenAI in higher education review

LLM Children Reading Story Generation — LLM children's story generation

Enhancing Creative Writing With Robot LLM Integration The Interplay Of Embodimen — Creative writing with robots

Mindcopilot LLM Co Writing — MindCopilot co-writing

Citation

Abedini, P. (2026). Rethinking Elementary Education's Writing Instruction in The Age of Generative AI: A Systematic Review. EdArXiv preprint.