Yunxi District Senior High School, Suzhou, Jiangsu Province, China

Abstract: This paper presents an innovative instructional approach called the AI-Scaffolded Three-Stage (AI-3S) Critical Writing Model, developed to enhance senior high school students' argumentative writing proficiency and critical thinking skills within the Chinese language education context. Grounded in the Chinese curriculum standards emphasizing core competencies in language development and thinking advancement, this model integrates artificial intelligence as a layered scaffolding tool to support students at different stages of the writing process while preserving the teacher's central role in value guidance and aesthetic education. Implemented in a Grade 11 classroom at Yunxi District Senior High School in Suzhou, the AI-3S Model features three progressive stages: the Ideation and Resource Integration Stage supported by an AI thinking companion, the Structuring and Argumentation Deepening Stage facilitated by AI analytical feedback, and the Value Guidance and Aesthetic Enhancement Stage led by the teacher. A twelve-week classroom case study was conducted with two Grade 11 classes (n=84), comparing the AI-scaffolded approach with conventional writing instruction. Results indicate that students in the AI-3S class demonstrated significantly better argumentative writing quality (t=4.35, p<.001, d=0.95), enhanced critical thinking skills including logical reasoning and multi-perspective analysis (t=3.92, p<.001, d=0.86), and improved attitudes toward writing (t=3.18, p<.01, d=0.70) compared to the control group. Qualitative data from classroom observations, student work samples, and semi-structured interviews further revealed that the AI-3S approach helped students overcome "writer's block," develop more nuanced arguments, and build confidence in expressing their ideas. This study contributes to the growing body of research on technology-enhanced Chinese language education in China and offers practical insights for frontline teachers seeking to integrate AI thoughtfully into writing instruction while upholding the humanistic essence of Chinese language education.

Keywords: AI in education, argumentative writing, critical thinking, scaffolding instruction, senior high school Chinese language, core competencies, Chinese language education