AI with English Language Learners

Hagley College English Language Learner teacher Sally has been using ChatGPT with her beginner-level adult English class. ChatGPT is an Artificial Intelligence 'chat bot' that produces human-like text-based content. 

Sally used ChatGPT to help students create a clear, accurate email inquiring about flights for a fictitious holiday. Students in this particular class had very good ideas and could identify key points needed for the email, however creating a clear and accurate email was challenging. 

Step 1: Students used the classroom whiteboard to brainstorm important points for their email: 

Step 2: Students discussed key things they needed to know or ask in the email:

Step 3: Sally collaborated with the class to gather key requirements for the email. These were very informally entered into ChatGPT: 

Step 4: Sally clicked "generate" and created the following email and shared this with students to critique. 

Step 5: Sally used the 'Regenerate' feature in ChatGPT to create several different versions of the email. Students could see the common English language features of a formal email and then use these as a template to create their own email. 

Key points: 

• With only very basic prompting ChatGPT was able to create an excellent example email. 
• The Regenerate feature was valuable as students could identify the common language and structural features of several examples of good-quality emails. 
• All students in this class are adults so parental consent was not required. 
• The most commonly used version of ChatGPT can be accessed via a website and requires users to create an account.
• ChatGPT has many uses for ELL students in many other aspects of their lives. From creating a formal email to creating a script to be read aloud.
• If you want to know more about using AI, you may like to consider this Microsoft Learn course.