Estimated reading time: 4 minutes
It’s a new school year, and AI in the ESL secondary classroom might be part of your evolving teaching strategy. You’re probably getting your ESL classroom routines in place, printing out fresh handouts, and maybe even remembering how to run on caffeine again while incorporating AI tools.
But this year, there’s a new “student” in the room—AI, changing the dynamics of the ESL secondary classroom environment.
Maybe you’ve already seen it creeping into your classroom, especially in the ESL secondary setting. An essay that’s a little too perfect. A Google Doc that magically has semicolons in all the right places. And you know your student still mixes up “he go” and “he goes.”
If you’ve felt a little burned by AI already, you’re not alone. But here’s the thing: it’s not going away. So instead of fighting it every day, what if we learned to guide our students to use it wisely—and maybe even make it work for us in the ESL secondary classroom?
Why ESL Teachers Feel Burned by AI
ESL teachers already face unique challenges when it comes to assessing student writing. We know our students’ language level. We know who is still figuring out basic sentence structure. So when a paper comes back polished like a college essay, it feels personal.
And it should. Academic integrity matters. But AI makes cheating easier, sneakier, and more frustrating to catch in the ESL secondary classroom. We’re not just grading essays—we’re wondering if ChatGPT wrote them.
How to Prevent AI Cheating Without Losing Your Mind
Here are a few back-to-school strategies you can implement that discourage AI misuse while supporting honest student growth:
1. Do More In-Class Writing
Start the year with short, low-stakes writing tasks completed in class. This gives you a clear baseline of each student’s writing ability—and it’s really hard to cheat on paper.
2. Assign Oral Reflections
After submitting a writing assignment, ask students to record or explain how they wrote it. You’ll quickly hear who understands what they submitted.
3. Use Personal Prompts
AI stumbles with specificity. Ask things like, “What’s a challenge you’ve overcome since coming to the U.S.?” or “Describe your weekend using at least three past tense verbs.”
4. Require a Drafting Process
Build in checkpoints: brainstorming, rough drafts, revisions, peer review. Cheating is less tempting when students are engaged the whole way through.
Ways to Use AI With ESL Students
Here’s where we flip the script. AI isn’t going anywhere, but it can actually help our students develop skills in a way that’s safe, scaffolded, and empowering.
1. AI as a Pronunciation Coach
Have students type short sentences and use AI tools to hear proper pronunciation. Tools like ElevenLabs or text-to-speech features can reinforce spoken English.
2. AI for Grammar Practice
Let students ask ChatGPT for examples: “Can you give me five sentences using the present perfect tense?” It gives them immediate exposure to structures they’re learning.
3. AI for Roleplay Practice
Use prompts like: “Pretend you are a waiter. Ask me three questions.” This encourages realistic, back-and-forth conversation.
4. AI as a Writing Support Tool
Once students write their own paragraph, they can ask AI to check their grammar. This is not about writing for them—it’s about editing with guidance.
5. AI for Vocabulary Expansion
Challenge AI to generate 10 teen-friendly idioms, slang phrases, or synonyms for common words in the ESL secondary classroom. Have students guess meanings or use them in a short skit.
Final Thoughts: AI Can’t Replace You
AI can be helpful, but it doesn’t know your students. It can’t scaffold lessons, give a pep talk, or understand the cultural nuances your students bring to class. You are still the most important tool in the ESL classroom.
Although AI in the ESL secondary classroom is becoming common, this year, let’s model how to use AI, not just block it. Let’s teach our students to be curious, ethical, and independent thinkers—even in the age of AI.
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