LESSON OVERVIEW

In this ESL speaking lesson about generative AI, students listen to a 3-minute excerpt from a podcast, talk about generative AI applications and discuss how AI might change our lives. 

This is a Speaking Class worksheet. It includes a variety of tasks that let your students practise their speaking skills. This lesson format does not focus on grammar or vocabulary. Learn more about it here.

DISCUSSING APPS & PODCAST

This ESL speaking lesson about generative AI starts with a warm-up in which students read some information on generative AI and discuss general questions about it. They also share other details they know about the technology (e.g. about ChatGPT, Bard, Midjourney, DALL-E). Then, students read short descriptions of generative AI apps (e.g. a website builder, a chatbot builder, a co-writer, a communication coach) and talk about their features. They also share how the apps might facilitate their work. Before listening to the podcast excerpt, students get some general information about the topic and discuss what ideas might be mentioned. Then, they listen to the podcast excerpt and complete some statements with what they hear as well as their own ideas. After that, students decide how ChatGPT might change journalism and marketing by choosing words in sentences. They also need to explain their choices.

TALKING ABOUT AI

In this part of the ESL speaking lesson about generative AI, students do three discussion tasks. First, they look at a list of professions that might be affected by generative AI (e.g. scientists, lawyers, teachers) and discuss their views on the topic. They also talk about whether some professionals shouldn’t use generative AI. Then, students answer some questions related to generative AI and their job. They also share their views on the possible developments of AI in the near future. 

In the final task of this lesson plan about generative AI, students decide whether certain points related to AI (e.g. copyright issues, computing power issues, bias, etc) are serious issues or not by choosing a category for them. They also need to explain their views in detail.