A.I IN ENGLISH LANGUAGE AND CLIL TEACHING

artificial intelligence in english language and clil teachinG

Attilio Galimberti - Rete Internazionalizzazione docenti - Garbagnate M. - 31st March 2023

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A.I., chatbots and ChatGPT

Definition and uses

• A.I.: ability of a machine to show human abilities such as reasoning, learning and planning

• Chatbot: natural language processing model that simulates human conversations and enables people to interact with digital devices as if it were communicating with a real person

• ChatGPT (Generative Pretrained Transformer) is a very performing version of a chatbot, launched at the end of November 2022.

Link to register: https://chat.openai.com/chat

Pros and cons of ChatGPT

Why shouldn't we trust ChatGPT? (1)

... because there are PRIVACY CONCERNS: ChatGPT collects data, which can be shared with third parties ... because the TERMS OF USE state that users must be at least 13 years old and have the consent of an adult if under 18 ... because MISLEADING OR FALSE TEXTS could be used for inappropriate or illegal purposes

Why shouldn't we trust ChatGPT? (2)

... because there are fears that they could REPLACE required skills in WRITING and information processing (and make professions such as journalism disappear) ... because it could favour PLAGIARISM and FAKE NEWS

Why shouldn't we trust ChatGPT? (3)?

... because it might write MALICIOUS VIRUSES that would attack cybersecurity ... because at an academic level the contents could be IMPOVERISHED in terms of originality, critical and creative thinking ... because it is often OVERLOADED and may not work for a certain period of time

Its declared limitations

Other important limitations

- not all the information provided is correct or truthful - it is unable to speak (till now it can only write) - sometimes it contradicts itself - it can't support an argument with quotes taken from scientific texts - it is unable to provide the sources from which it processes and returns the information

Immediate mixed reactions

- an apocalyptic scenario is unfolding! - these systems must be banned immediately from schools and universities! - teachers will be replaced and disappear soon!

- long live the new frontier of automatic writing! - finally we will save time and efforts, having an 'electric bicycle' at our disposal!

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Read the whole article HERE

Why know the uses of ChatGPT (1) ?

... because schools have to CRITICALLY CONSIDER AND ANALYSE what comes from the outside world ... because many STUDENTS already KNOW and USE it without our knowledge ... because it does NOT have the intelligence of human beings and as a 'statistical machine' it always needs a human being to instruct or correct it

Why know the use of ChatGPT (2) ?

... because it can HELP in some REPETIVE OPERATIONS and support teachers ... because teachers can create useful teaching activities to be carried out FOR and WITH their students ... because it is a support for PERSONALISING student activities

Other features of ChatGPT

- much more precise in English than in other languages (it has little knowledge in Italian literature!) - 'learns' from the corrections that an expert user can provide (with the risk of deliberately falsifying the information!)

Examples of interactions with ChatGPT

Interacting with ChatGPT

What can you do to help Content and Language Integrated Learning (CLIL) teachers in their job?

Interacting with ChatGPT

What can you do to help English teachers in their teaching activities?

Language Practice and Exercises

Write a reading text on environmental disasters for English language learners at a B1 level of about 150 words.

Language Practice and Exercises

Write a vocabulary test on clothes and accessories made up of 3 exercises. The first must be a multiple choice question, the second a gap fill and the third a True/False one. The test must be at an A2 language level.

Language Practice and Exercises

Rewrite the test at a B2 language level. Add two open- ended questions.

Writing a CLIL lesson plan

Could you prepare a CLIL lesson plan on Biomolecules and DNA for 16-year-old students?

Personalised activities: instructions for students

- Open a Google document and write a 200-word essay on the problem of fake news and propaganda - Copy and paste your text into ChatGPT, then ask to check spelling, grammar and punctuation.

Text written by a student

Text corrected by ChatGPT

Changes made by ChatGPT

Personalised activites: instructions for students

- Now ask to rewrite your essay at a higher linguistic level, highlighting the pros and cons of fake news and propaganda - Take a screenshot of your initial text, the text corrected by ChatGPT and the essay rewritten by ChatGPT at a higher level. Copy and paste all of these texts into the file shared with the class in Drive. - In pairs, now compare the content and language of the three texts with your partner and share what you have learnt.

Essay rewritten by ChatGPT (1)

PROS AND CONS

Essay rewritten by ChatGPT (2)

Have ChatGPT mark and assess tests

Have ChatGPT mark and assess tests: assessment rubric

Have ChatGPT mark and assess tests: assessment rubric

ChatGPT assessment

Developing critical and creative thinking with Character.ai

Character.ai: main features

• Character.ai is another A.I. platform, with a more attractive layout (like video games), whose knowledge is NOT limited to 2021. Link: https://beta.character.ai/

• same characteristics as ChatGPT, but it can also interact from an 'emotional' point of view (e.g. it accepts appointments)

Character.ai: definition and uses

• Character.ai allows you to interview or talk with characters FROM THE PRESENT OR THE PAST

• It offers different assistants specialised in various sectors

Talking with George Orwell (1)

Talking with George Orwell (2)

Talking with George Orwell (3)

Talking with George Orwell (4)

Talking with George Orwell (5)

Talking with George Orwell (6)

Talking with George Orwell (7)

Talking with George Orwell (8)

To sum up... how A.I. can be used to TEACH and LEARN language and content

TEACHERS CAN: - Prepare lesson plans of any kinds - Write dialogues or reading texts based on specific vocabulary - Create tests of any kinds, with answer keys - Go deep into grammar, functions, literature, specific content, ESP, etc. - Be assisted in correcting texts, with the use of an assessment rubric

STUDENTS CAN: - Self-practise grammar and vocabulary - Interact in various dialogues and conversations - Improve reading comprehension - Improve written production - Get corrected - Develop CRITICAL and CREATIVE thinking

In conclusion...

What will be the future for Artificial Intelligence in education?

Case study: "Setting school policy about A.I.: A cautionary tale"

Videos for teachers

Videolink 2

Videolink 1

Thank you for your attention!

Attilio Galimberti Rete Internazionalizzazione docenti Garbagnate M. - 31st March 2023