July 2024 Vol 6 Issue 7
Tell Your Story Newsletter (TYSN):
Teaching English as a Second Language
Let us help you tell your story!
Welcome Mid-July 2024! Summer is here!
Late spring and early summer in Saskatchewan began so cool and rainy that many of us lamented (around the proverbial office water-cooler): “Will we ever see the sun this summer?”
But less than three weeks later, high heat set in, with temperatures reaching 30 degrees Celsius or higher. After a brief reprieve last weekend (marked by refreshing breezes and short downpours), we can expect to return to the low 30s by the end of this week.
Journalist and author Joanne Paulson lamented in a message to me how “ridiculous” it is that we complain about both the cool and the intensely hot weather, never satisfied with either (and often not noticing whatever comes in-between).
Marketing maverick Sara Wheelwright (of Trusted Saskatoon) reminded us over Facebook how summer should be done, soaking up the sun and the melodies last week of Saskatoon’s Jazz Festival, fast on the heels of a joyous visit with extended family at her lakefront cottage. . . . And
much more to come!
After too many years of what I call “Pandemic summers,” I spent Canada Day with close friends in Burlington, walking some of the shoreline of Lake Ontario. And, since holidays are seldom times to eat wisely, some of the memorable meals we enjoyed included delicious hamburgers at Canada’s “The Works” and (one day later) Japanese fare at “k & b sushi,” in Oakville.
Since I’ve been hoping that “high summer” may take you into the great outdoors, good reader, I’ve kept this month’s features shorter and simpler than earlier ones.
In “Article One,” I visit ESL teacher and teacher-trainer, Carl Cameron Day, on what Artificial Intelligence (AI) tools can be useful in the ESL classroom.
In “Storytellers’ Corner,” I have fun visiting five “common Latin terms everyone should know,” from contributors to the online resource, “Grammar Check.”
Rather than insisting that everyone “should” know these Latin terms, I offer them instead as a source for experimentation and laughter, at your next BBQ or party. (More Latin terms will follow, next month.)
Enjoy this beautiful season, good readers, so that wonderful memories (forged by your closest relationships) will buoy your spirits as we proceed through the last half of this year’s orbit around the sun.
Sincerely,
Elizabeth Shih
Principal
Storytelling Communications
www.elizabethshih.com
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IN THIS ISSUE:
ARTICLE 1: What AI tools can be used to teach English-as-a-Second Language?
STORYTELLERS’ CORNER: Five Common Latin Terms to Know
SHOP NEWS
ABOUT US
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ARTICLE ONE: What AI tools can be used to teach English-as-a-Second Language?
In a recent webinar from my language training institute, TEFL.org, English-as-a-Second Language teacher (ESL) and teacher trainer, Carl Cameron-Day, shared his insights on how we can use Artificial Intelligence (AI) tools in the ESL classroom.
For many teachers and writers, AI raises complex, ethical questions that Carl acknowledged. But to start, he addressed: How is AI currently used to teach the English language? Here are some of his answers:
(1) Some standard examinations for non-native speakers of English (e.g. Duolingo, Trinity) are now being graded by AI.
(2) ESL teachers use AI platforms to grade and check for plagiarism in student assignments. (For e.g., teachers can copy and paste student work into AI to test for originality and correct citation of sources. One such platform is “Originality.ai,” although critics have already said these sites function imperfectly).
(3) AI can be used to generate materials for class, such as reading exercises. Otherwise, preparing teaching materials can consume hours of teachers’ time and challenge us to make them fresh and interesting.
(4) Problematic: Students may use AI to write assignments. So teachers should still manually review assignments and be wary of plagiarism (see also #2, above).
(5) Apps are now being used for language study (e.g. Duolingo), so students can practice their oral skills in their own time and space, without having to visit a language lab or library.
Carl also cited some applications of AI that may help ESL teachers:
(1) To help to make syllabi – writing syllabi is a hard task to do, when you have limited experience as a teacher. AI can help to create a first draft. Similarly, you can create an outline for one-on-one tutoring via AI.
(2) To prepare exercises pitched to students’ literacy levels.
(3) To prepare yourself if you haven’t taught a particular type of class before (e.g. Business English or IELTS preparation classes).
(4) To adapt content to your student(s) because AI is generic and needs customizing to meet
students’ needs.
(5) To derive curriculum (e.g. Type into ChatGPT: “Show me a syllabus in English for a Chinese CLB level 3 speaker with poor pronunciation.”) You will likely need to break down your research to use more than one prompt, to retrieve complex/detailed knowledge. But remember that the AI retains your earlier prompts and its answers to them, as you continue in the
same session.)
(6) To practice your skills at writing effective prompts (e.g. “Make me an elementary reading lesson for an eight-year-old boy who is learning English.”) You can derive a story, activities, test for comprehension, vocabulary, etc.
(7) To assess students: AI can review errors and weaknesses in students’ writing, as well as their speaking and pronunciation.
(8) To review AI’s own ideas for quality, accuracy and appropriateness for your audience. Tools like Otter.ai will transcribe students’ speaking, during a Zoom/Teams meeting, to show problems and mistakes you can correct for them (e.g. “Please show me the errors in the following text . . .” (You can also paste writing into Grammarly.com, which is powered by AI, or
into MSWord, which everyone expects to integrate AI . . . )
Other uses of AI for teachers:
(1) To find/make pictures for “warmers” to lessons or
activities (e.g. https://www.craiyon.com/)
(2) To create quizzes for students (e.g. https://www.quizgecko.com)
Troubleshooting tips for using AI in classrooms:
(1) Check anything created by AI—where did it come from; don’t assume its source is good, or that the material is error-free.
(2) Be careful when talking about AI with colleagues—personalize your lessons and don’t publicize that you use AI; some older or more experienced teachers will think you lack a work ethic (and not that you are “working smarter, not harder.”)
(3) Show students how to use AI effectively and not just as an “easy way out.” Check the ages of your students to avoid overusing AI with young children.
(4) Experiment with prompts, especially with writing more verbs than normal.
If, like some teachers participating in Carl’s webinar, you fear you’ll be replaced by an AI bot, his advice was to take heart.
Carl said there will still be a need for a teacher at the front of the room, to effectively correct students’ errors. He concluded the webinar by mentioning that particularly difficult for AI is to correct pronunciation well (e.g. to decipher foreign accents and how to remedy them); and to explain grammar, structure, style and so on, with warmth, humour and kindness. (Carl has these qualities
in spades and encourages other teachers to use them, too.)
So what other uses of AI can you think of, for ESL teaching, or for any educational purposes, overall? How can we prevent AI from overthrowing our teaching of English and other languages and skills?
And now it’s your turn. How do we maintain firm ground as teachers or writers, in this age of AI? How can we remain what Nick Usborne terms, “humans in the loop?”
Please write in; I’d be delighted to share your insights in future issues of TYSN.
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STORYTELLERS’ CORNER . . . .
STORYTELLERS’ CORNER: Words, Stories, Riddles and Jokes on Writing and Editing . . .
Five Common Latin Terms to Know (from grammarcheck.net)
(1) A priori (From what is before). E.g.: ” ‘All bachelors are unmarried’ is an a priori statement.”
(2) Ad hoc (For this situation). E.g. ” ‘The library was turned into an ad hoc shelter, during the storm.”
(3) Ad infinitum (To infinity). E.g. “Sandra complained about her work ad infinitum.”
(4) Ad libitum or Ad lib (As you desire). E.g. “Some actors were great at ad lib during their scenes.”
(5) Ad nauseam (To the point of sickness). E.g. “We heard an ad nauseam speech about his medical problems.”
There will be more Latin terms to use, in next month’s issue of “Tell Your Story Newsletter!”
If you have never studied Latin (for long), how might you make use of these terms in common parlance–for entertainment if not edification?
Please share your stories with me; I’d be delighted to cite you in a future issue.
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SHOP NEWS:
As I mentioned earlier, I am grateful to have enjoyed several days of holidays with old friends in Burlington. A change of scene is so important, especially for those of us who work from home. My deepest thanks to Arian and family for sharing their home and many dinners out with me!
I loved walking near Lake Ontario and admiring the glorious blue and mauve hydrangea bushes, which were more limited in number and size than the white variety. I especially enjoyed evening walks with Arian in her family’s “Orchard” neighbourhood, and hope to host their visit to Saskatoon in upcoming years.
I also remain grateful for smooth air travel to the staff of Air Canada, including no labour strikes in summer’s high travel season.
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Extra special thanks to Steve Cavan, whose many hats include those of ESL teacher, mentor and
editor. Steve graciously took over a recent project on a short time frame for a new client, when my schedule was overbooked.
He also continues to mentor me as I adapt to teaching on different platforms and using some new resources.
For all of these reasons–and more–I have only high praise for Steve. . . I wish him and his lovely wife, Kathy, all the very best as they explore retirement in Italy, this fall!
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Many thanks also go this month to Cathy M., a research librarian at U of S Murray Library, for assisting me in finding and printing an article available to alumni (in-person). The process reminded me of the importance of alumni updating/resetting our passwords on the U of S network–details needed to allow alumni to download journal holdings efficiently, when visiting campus libraries.
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Thank you also to client Greg Gilroy for asking me to edit his memoir this summer. It is a “legacy” document about his career as a veteran Saskatoon bus driver.
The audience for his memoir is newbie drivers (who can benefit from his experience) and senior colleagues, who will find that Greg’s thoughts, memories and laughter resonate with them.
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I’m glad to share housesitting and elder care duties with Parish Nurse, Laura, whose deep knowledge of nursing and patient care have supported me throughout the past six years of my elder care. And thank you to all of you who quietly and sometimes thanklessly visit the elderly throughout our city and province, when loneliness and sadness among them are such an epidemic.
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Thank you to my dear friend Lesley who invited me to enjoy a lovely afternoon in her glorious garden in River Heights.
Luscious flowers (from ornate peonies and hydrangeas to the self-seeding miniature violets and bachelor buttons) in vivid colours provided a visual feast; and conversation with Lesley brought much serenity, too.
The garden took me back to early childhood memories of flowers grown by my grandmother’s cousin, some 45 years ago.
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Although deadlines caused me (and several others) to miss our freelance writers’ “roundtable” meeting in early July, I plan to catch up with members’ updates at our August meeting.
Our group’s collective articles for the Saskatchewan Writers’ Guild’s “Ask a Freelancer” series were well-received and fun to write! (We offered our insights on topics of creativity, writerly resources, pitching for contracts and time management.)
The group plans on repeating collective articles on new topics, in a few years’ time. Special thanks to writer Ashleigh Mattern for coordinating these articles!
There are always new people to thank and new work to promote. But this is a wrap for mid-July!
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ABOUT US:
Between 2011 and December 2018, Elizabeth Shih Communications chronicled the stories of B2B marketing and communications on the Prairies and across the country.
Effective January 1, 2019, I rebranded as “Storytelling Communications.” I help new and economic immigrants to secure better jobs or contracts by improving their English skills; and I help individuals and companies to tell their legacy stories.
Interested in learning more? Please contact me through my CASL-compliant
website (www.elizabethshih.com).
After I receive your message, I’ll be pleased to discuss projects with you!
Please visit my website for more information (www.storytellingcommunications.ca).