Integrating English language learning and digital literacy aims so we can develop students’ abilities to be critical and reflective users of digital technologies available and yet to come is crucial in these times of overwhelming amounts of resources and information in which remote and online learning teaching contexts have become commonplace. 

Rudd (2015, p. 25) asserts that digital literacy “includes the ability to understand how digital tools can be used meaningfully, and how they can be harnessed to solve problems and create opportunities that were not previously possible. Being digitally literate also means individuals can fully participate in democratic, economic and social processes in informed, safe and meaningful ways”. Actively working to develop these skills is necessary for our learners to thrive in our present educational landscape.

In order to foster this, we invited teachers to contribute lesson ideas in the form of either a full lesson plan or a stand-alone activity that addresses this subject in the context of the British Council Argentina 2023 ELT week.

This entry provides a lesson plan that was selected for publication as a result of a call for submissions for this event. It was designed by teacher from the British Council Argentina Remote Teaching Centre Lucía Navarro.

The lesson plan focuses on producing descriptions of monsters while using AI to generate pictures. The target audience are children aged 10 to 11 with an A1 level of English. It promotes understanding and simple reflection about what an AI is, how to instruct it properly and contrasting their drawing with the AI-generated one. We encourage the use of this material taking the necessary precautions to keep students safe as well as fostering critical reflection about the use of AI, within the constraints of the level.

References

Rudd, T., 2015. Digital Literacy. Why schools and teachers need to take action. In Unlocking a world of potential. Core skills for learning, work and society. [Online] British Council, Pp. 24-28. Available from https://www.teachingenglish.org.uk/sites/teacheng/files/core_skills_broc...