My AI teacher

This lesson is designed to enable learners to use two AI prompts. One will enable an AI chatbot to become their English-speaking friend. It will ask them questions appropriate to their age and level and help them if they get stuck. The second prompt will enable the chatbot to create activities based around their level and the topic of their choice. 

Note: Before using this lesson plan, make sure the relevant people - learners, parents and school communities - are informed about what data will be collected and shared while using AI tools. Ensure that you get consent when needed. ChatGPT requires that children ages 13 to 18 obtain parental consent before using it. 

Lesson outcomes

All learners will:

• develop their AI-related vocabulary 
• discuss some issues related to the use of AI
• learn how to use two AI prompts
• reflect on what they have learned. 

Some learners will:

• practise using the AI prompts independently and report back on what they learned.

Age and level

13–17 and adults at A1+ level

Time

60–70 minutes

Materials

• My AI teacher lesson plan
• Student worksheet
• Presentation
• Access to an AI chatbot such as ChatGPT, Gemini, Perplexity

Lead-in (10 minutes)

• Show the learners the image on Slide 1 and ask them what they think is happening. 

• Get their suggestions and ask if they think the image is real. 

• Get their feedback. 

Focus on vocabulary (10 minutes)

• Show the learners Slide 2 and ask them what they think the words mean. 

• Show the learners Slide 3 and ask them to match the words to the definitions. 

• Give them some time to work together and then elicit their answers and clarify. 

• Show the learners Slide 4 and ask them to use the words to complete the sentences.

• Get their feedback and clarify their answers. 

Answers: 

AI = a computer program that can learn and solve problems

Prompt = to tell a computer what to do 

Chatbot = a computer program that talks with people like a person 

Interact = to talk or do things with a computer or another person

Response = what happens after you ask or say something, like an answer or action 

Answers: 

1. The chatbot helps people by answering questions and giving information. 

2. When you ask a question, AI thinks and gives you a response. 

3. I like to interact with my smart speaker by asking it to play music. 

4. The teacher uses AI to create a story for her students. 

5. I type my prompt into the computer, and the AI writes a short story for me. 

Discussion (5–10 minutes)

• Show the learners Slide 5 and put them into small groups to discuss the questions. 

• Give the learners time to discuss and then get their feedback and see what they think.

Prompt demonstration (10 minutes)

• Tell the learners you are going to demonstrate how AI can be both an English-speaking friend and a teacher. 

• Ask them to watch and decide which they think is better. 

• Tell them you will start with the English-speaking friend. 

• Show the learners the first prompt and how to edit it. You'll need to replace the parts in the [square brackets] to do this. You can enter the age of your learners and their level.  

• Next go to an AI chatbot and paste in your edited prompt. The chatbot will then start asking questions. (Some chatbots can also use audio, so learners will be able to listen to the questions.) Get suggestions from the learners for responses. Respond to 5–6 of the chatbot's questions. 

• Try telling the chatbot you don’t understand something it said and ask it to simplify or explain. You can also ask it to translate any words your learners don't understand. 

• Ask the learners to rate the prompt out of 10 (10 should be really useful – 1 should be not helpful at all). 

Prompt demonstration 2 (10 minutes)

• Now tell the learners you will demonstrate how the AI chatbot can become a teacher. 

• Show the learners the second prompt and show them how to edit the part in the [square brackets]. 

• Add the learners' level and the topic of the vocabulary. Paste the prompt into your AI chatbot of choice.

• Look at the activities the chatbot produces and see if the learners can do them. 

• Once they have finished the activities, ask the chatbot for the answers and get the learners to correct their own work. 

• Ask the learners to rate the prompt out of 10 (10 should be really useful – 1 should be not helpful at all).

Discussion (5–10 minutes)

• Show the learners Slide 8 and ask them to discuss the questions in small groups.  
• Get some feedback and let the learners share their views. 

Reflection (10 minutes)

• Show the learners Slide 9 with the reflection questions. 

• Ask the learners to think about the questions. You can then either ask them to discuss the questions with a partner or ask them to write a short summary and submit it to you

Homework (20 minutes) optional

• Give the learners the handout with the prompts and ask them to try them at home. Look into data security. Most AI platforms have privacy policies outlining how they collect and use data. Make sure the relevant people – learners, parents and school communities – are informed about what data will be collected and shared while using AI tools. Make sure you get consent where needed. 
• Ask learners to make a digital copy of their interactions with the chatbot and bring them to the next lesson.
• As a warmer in the next lesson, ask them to share in pairs or small groups what they learned by using the prompts.

By Nik Peachey