In this webinar, Dr. Evelina Galaczi and Anna Peterson discuss how to use “generative AI” to teach writing to teenagers. They explain that teenagers, or “Generation Alpha,” are digital natives who have unique needs, such as “metacognitive” abilities and “language anxiety”. The speakers insist that teachers must still teach essay writing because it develops important “reasoning skills” and “critical thinking”.
The speakers share practical activities for different English levels. For example, students can use Microsoft Copilot to research unsuccessful explorers and compare different accounts. Another activity involves using AI tools like Sparky or Google Arts & Culture to create art, which students then review. Advanced students can write stories and use Google Gemini to generate images based on their text, checking if the AI understood their writing.
However, the speakers warn about risks. Teachers must be careful of “hallucinations” (inaccurate information) and bias in AI. They must also protect “intellectual property” and never upload student work without permission. Finally, “generative AI” hurts the environment because it uses massive data centers. Therefore, teachers should use a “human-centered” approach, only using AI when it adds value, and continue to use traditional methods like handwriting.
