As AI tools are increasingly used in students’ daily lives, many instructors feel uncertain about whether to allow students to use AI in their classes. Since students are already using AI tools for their assignments, this session will demonstrate how English as a Second Language (ESL) instructors can integrate ChatGPT into their classes and teach students to use it ethically and responsibly as a learning tool.

The session will begin with a brief overview of AI, including its advantages and disadvantages in ESL classes. It will also emphasize how teachers can guide their students in using these tools for ethical, responsible learning. In this session, I will share an AI experiment I conducted with my advanced ESL grammar and writing class using ChatGPT. The students learned and practiced using the tool for vocabulary development and grammar learning, rather than asking ChatGPT to do their assignments on their behalf. I will also present my students’ feedback on their overall learning experience by highlighting what they found useful and challenging.

During the session, participants will try out this hands-on AI–ChatGPT experiment using prompts designed to support students’ vocabulary and grammar learning and learner autonomy. Attendees will also adapt the prompts to their own courses or to their students’ needs.

By the end of this session, attendees will learn how to incorporate ChatGPT as a meaningful learning tool in their classes and how to guide students in its responsible use. They will have ready-to-use prompts they can immediately apply in their classes.