Creating effective ESL materials with AI is as much about how you prompt as it is about what you prompt. Crafting clear, purposeful prompts helps AI deliver more relevant and high-quality content for your language lessons. In this post, we’ll explore practical prompting tips. These tips will help you get the best results. They will also help you save time and enrich your ESL materials.
- Be Specific with Details
The more specific your prompt, the better the AI will understand your request. Include details about the language level, context, and desired format to narrow down the output.
• Example: Instead of “Create sentences using past tense,” try “Generate five sentences using past tense verbs in the context of a vacation.”
• Result: The AI provides sentences directly related to vacations, making them more suitable for your lesson. - Define the Language Level
Language levels can significantly influence vocabulary complexity, grammar structures, and context. Clearly stating the CEFR level or general proficiency helps AI generate content appropriate for your learners.
• Example: “Write a 100-word passage about visiting a museum for A2-level English learners.”
• Result: The AI will use simplified vocabulary and structures, suitable for beginners. - Include the Skill Focus in the Prompt
Specify which language skill the content is meant to support—such as vocabulary, grammar, listening, or speaking. This helps the AI tailor its output to target specific skill development.
• Example: “Create a role-play conversation between two friends planning a weekend trip. Focus on using future tense and phrases for making suggestions.”
• Result: The AI generates a dialogue that emphasizes the future tense and phrases like “How about we…?” or “Let’s try…” - Ask for Formatting or Structure
Sometimes, your prompt may require a specific format or structure, such as a list, dialogue, or quiz format. By asking for these details, you give the AI clear guidelines.
• Example: “Create a list of 10 vocabulary words related to cooking, with definitions and example sentences.”
• Result: You receive a structured vocabulary list that includes word definitions and practical examples. - Combine Prompts for Layered Results
For complex tasks, break down your request into a sequence of prompts. This “layered prompting” technique lets you build on each output, ensuring all aspects are covered.
• Example:
1 “Create a 150-word reading passage about recycling for B1 learners.”
2 “Now, write three comprehension questions for the passage.”
3 “Generate five vocabulary words from the passage with definitions and example sentences.”
• Result: You get a cohesive set of materials—a passage, questions, and vocabulary—that align with the topic. - Request Example Outputs
When experimenting with new prompts, ask the AI, for example outputs, to clarify its approach. This can also give you ideas on how to refine your prompts.
