“This can’t be happening!” I gasped, clutching my new textbooks tightly to my chest.
Some of the students had already graced me with their presence the previous year. Teaching them for a second consecutive year was not my idea of a good time. Adding three more students to the mix, whose reputation as delinquents preceded them, made me ponder my career choice. Regardless, I entered the classroom with my usual smile, hoping the summer had eased their attitudes and instilled a fresh perspective on learning.
Little did I know, that wasn’t the case.
The first reading comprehension task was a complete disaster. Half the class was indifferent. Those who weren’t, kept asking me to translate every single word into their mother tongue. As they struggled to make sense of the text, I noticed one of the new students struggling with the follow-up tasks.
“Miss Katherine? Why can’t I understand this like the others?!” she exclaimed in despair, flinging her pencil, not out of disrespect, rather frustration with her own limitations.
“How in the world can I finish this exercise if I don’t understand anything?” Mary cried, shutting her book and crossing her arms defiantly.
Two students were doodling. Another was checking her mascara. Moments like these make me feel like I have failed as a teacher.
Is it actually our fault, or the students’? That’s a discussion for another time. Let’s just say that it is our fault if we fail to adapt our teaching to meet the diverse educational needs of our students. The responsibility was mine to bear, and I knew I had to try a new approach.
Now, this is not your typical story that ends with, “Oh! I tried this amazing new educational innovation, and they excelled, and everyone lived happily ever after!”
No, not like that at all.
It seems like every now and then, something new sparks our educational intrigue. We teachers are curious beings who strive for growth. We make a habit of trying new methods not just to improve our own practice, but to offer our students the best we can. In this case, I decided to try Artificial Intelligence.
Don’t get me wrong, I’m actually one of those who dread AI’s rapid development and fear the notion of a post-apocalyptic world dominated by machines. Sounds like something out of a movie, doesn’t it? Still, fear aside, the present state of AI has actually become intricately intertwined with our everyday routines. I would be remiss not to explore its potential firsthand.
Let’s see how this goes.
Admittedly, my students’ language levels were mixed. If I were to place them in the CEFR scale, I had students at Intermediate and Upper-Intermediate levels, and a few barely over Elementary. Disappointing as that may sound, I decided to put AI to the test, and hope for the best.
“Let’s see now… I’ll use ChatGPT to produce the same text into different levels. The original was B2. Let’s generate A2 and B1 versions, shall we?” I calmy thought to myself.
Sure enough, within seconds, I had simplified versions of the text. As an added bonus, the AI produced multiple choice questions, a complete vocabulary list with synonyms and examples, and bullet points summarizing the main ideas.
I sped to the office and printed the copies.
“Students? Here is a worksheet with texts and some questions I’d like you to work on,” I said with a hopeful smile.
To my relief, all the students breezed through the A2 level text and quickly tackled the B1 version.
“Miss? Isn’t this the text we worked on earlier? The one from our textbooks?” Mary asked more confidently this time.
“Yes, it is! Do you understand it better now?” I asked cautiously.
“I do!” Mary replied, eyes and pen focused on the task.
My students’ confidence was renewed. They were all working meticulously on the task before them. After finishing the worksheets, I prompted them to open their textbooks again.
“Let’s try again,” I encouraged. Although still slightly hesitant, they complied.
Sure enough, the reading task now seemed more accessible. A few mistakes were made, but that didn’t bother me in the slightest. There is a difference between despair and challenge. And challenge, of course, is what all teachers aspire for.
Perhaps this whole AI thing isn’t so bad after all. Unless, of course, machines do enslave us and I turn out to have been right all along!
Putting personal fears aside, over the past year, I have been training teachers to incorporate Inclusive AI in Language Learning. AI most certainly caters to our students’ diverse educational needs. I can attest to the fact that it reduces our workload significantly, as preparation time is minimized, and the adapted materials accommodate all students, regardless of learning preference or ability.
If you wish to view a training session of Inclusive AI for ELT, visit the following link by TeachingEnglish – British Council. My session includes a handout with links and step-by-step instructions to all the AI tools you need to boost your students’ potential and confidence.
TeachingEnglish – British Council:
https://www.teachingenglish.org.uk/news-and-events/webinars/webinars-teachers/ai-inclusion-webinars
Also, on Facebook live:
Katherine Reilly 