Winter 2024/2025
Advances in AI are revolutionizing the way we live, work, teach and learn, bringing many exciting opportunities as well as some tricky challenges for both learners and teachers. This issue of the Journal focuses on topics, questions and conundrums connected with AI in language education. We explore both theoretical and practical aspects, diving into subjects like prompt engineering, AI-powered language learning platforms and chatbots, and the ethics of learning with, through and in spite of AI. We also report on recent ETAS workshops and conference presentations as well reviewing as an inspiring selection of teaching tools and resources.
Focus: Artificial Intelligence (AI)
Table of Contents
6 Call for articles and reviews
8 President’s welcome
9 Meet the Journal team
10 Meet the Newsletter team
11 Meet the volunteers
FOCUS • Artificial Intelligence (AI)
12 AI development since the 1960s: The good and the bad • Carol Waites
15 The best of times, or the worst of times? How AI is disrupting human decisions in English education • Pete Atherton
18 Generative AI in the language classroom: Problems and potential solutions • Nathan Hall
20 Will generative AI kill off the coursebook? • Savannah Davis and Daniel Xerri
22 Differences between human intelligence and AI • Steve Lander
25 AI in the language classroom: Helping students continue learning in an age of possible shortcuts • Filomena Montemarano and Lynn Williams
28 Navigating text composition with generative AI in taught-in-English courses • Jillaine Farrar, Sandrina Meldau and Verena Batt
30 Spelling bias in AI chatbots and its implications • Christopher Hunt
A CLASS ACT
32 Defying AI: A practical guide for sceptics • Urs Kalberer
34 Prompt engineering in language teaching: A practical guide • Daniel Xerri
38 Presence as a beacon: Exploring language teachers’ roles in creating safe and brave classroom spaces • Eva Göksel
THE INTERVIEW
40 Interviewee: Joe Dale • Interviewer: Lynn Williams
T2T PROJECT
42 t2t project • Saidia children’s charity (Kenya) • Project coordinator: Carol Waites
CONFERENCE HIGHLIGHTS
44 Introduction and impressions • Sonja Vigneswaren, National Events Chair
46 AI and tomorrow’s language education: Is it still about the people? • Sylwia Macinska
46 Spice up your learners’ reading experience • Diana Bosio
47 Navigating the digital age: Why critical thinking is a must • Louise Carleton-Gertsch
47 Mastering microlearning: Short in time, powerful in results • Jane Kaskova
48 Creative writing, drama and presentation • Nicole Küpfer
49 Working in international teams: How can AI (and IA) help? • Ian McMaster
49 Do we need a ‘different’ approach to teaching business English? • Ridha Mejri
50 Using generative AI to create test questions: Our journey • Anoushka Üzüm
50 AI tools to improve students’ writing tasks at work • Carol Waites
51 Off to the museum! How engaging with museums can support language learning • Lynn Williams
RESOURCES
54 Introduction to resources • Laura Wilkes
DIGITAL TOOLS REVIEWS
55 What magic is happening in Canva in 2024? • Review by Clare Hayward
56 AI speaks, we teach: ChatGPT as an ally for the ELT industry • Review by Andy Lucchesi
57 Skeleton Fingers AI transcription / History Timeline Generator / Padlet • Reviews by Charlie Cranmer
BOOK REVIEW
58 ChatGPT in the Language Classroom • Nik Peachey
Login to view PDF of Journal
Articles
PRESIDENT’S WELCOME
- President's welcome