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AI, How to Boost Writing, Speaking and Vocabulary Skills.

 AI, How to Boost Writing, Speaking, and Vocabulary Skills

After more than two decades of teaching English, I’ve learned to be cautious with trends. I’ve seen “revolutionary” methods come and go, often repackaged versions of ideas we were already using. So when AI tools first started appearing in education, I’ll admit my reaction was mixed: curiosity, skepticism, and a fair bit of concern.

Fast forward to today, and I’m still cautious, but I’m also convinced of one thing: AI is not replacing good teaching, but it is changing how we can support learning. Used thoughtfully, it can significantly boost writing, speaking, and vocabulary skills. Used carelessly, it can do the opposite.

What follows isn’t theory. It’s what I’ve been testing, adjusting, and sometimes abandoning in real classrooms and with real learners.

AI and Writing: From Fear to Feedback

Writing has always been one of the hardest skills to teach well. Students struggle with confidence, organization, and clarity—and teachers struggle with time. Correcting the same types of errors again and again can be exhausting for both sides.

What AI has done well, when guided properly, is lower the emotional barrier to writing.

Students are more willing to:

Draft freely

Take risks

Rewrite multiple times

Why? Because AI offers immediate, non-judgmental feedback.

However, and this is critical, I do not allow AI to replace the thinking. I use it to:

Ask students to compare their version with AI suggestions

Identify patterns in errors rather than “fix everything”

Reflect on why a correction was made

The biggest improvement I’ve seen is not in accuracy alone, but in editing awareness. Students begin to notice their own habits. That’s real learning.

AI and Speaking: Practice Without Pressure

Speaking has always been limited by time, class size, and anxiety. Many learners simply don’t get enough chances to speak, especially without fear of embarrassment.

AI has quietly become one of the most effective low-stress speaking partners I’ve ever seen.

Students can:

Practice answers before a real conversation

Rehearse presentations

Experiment with vocabulary and structures they wouldn’t risk using in class

What surprised me most was how AI helped quiet students find their voice. When learners practice speaking privately first, they come into class more prepared and more confident.

Still, I’m very clear with my students:

AI practice is preparation, not performance.

Human interaction is still the goal.

AI and Vocabulary: Depth Over Lists

Vocabulary teaching used to mean lists, definitions, and repetition. And while repetition still matters, AI has made contextual learning far easier.

Instead of asking, “What does this word mean?”, students now ask:

How is it used differently in formal and informal contexts?

What collocations sound natural?

Why does this word feel wrong in my sentence?

AI excels at providing examples, variations, and explanations on demand. But again, the key is how we frame its use.

I push students to:

Create personal example sentences

Compare AI examples with real-world texts

Decide which words are actually useful for them

Vocabulary sticks when learners feel ownership. AI can support that process, but it can’t replace it.

The Teacher’s Role in an AI World

After 20+ years, I’m more convinced than ever that methodology matters more than tools.

AI does not:

Know your students

Understand their emotional barriers

Recognize when confusion is masking insecurity

That’s still our job.

What AI can do is free us from repetitive tasks and allow us to focus on:

Feedback that matters

Strategy training

Motivation and confidence-building

Teaching students how to think, not just what to produce

What I Tell My Students Now

I say this openly in class:

“AI is a tool, not a shortcut.

If you use it to avoid thinking, it will slow you down.

If you use it to support thinking, it will speed you up.”

That mindset has made all the difference.

In conclusion, AI hasn’t made me rethink whether students should write, speak, or learn vocabulary. It’s made me rethink how much support they need, and when to remove it.

Good teaching has always been about balance:

Guidance and independence

Structure and freedom

Correction and confidence

AI doesn’t change that.

It just gives us new ways to get there.

And after all these years, that’s what keeps teaching interesting.


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