15 ChatGPT Prompts For Language Learners
When recruiting ChatGPT as your ally in the classroom, crafting a precise prompt is super important! It helps the AI give students exactly the conversations they need to really help them practice their language skills.
ChatGPT as a conversation partner
What makes ChatGPT a great conversation partner for your language learners?
On top of giving your students personalized interpersonal and interpretive writing practice that you don’t have time to provide on your own, it’s a great way to stay in the target language and infuse playful learning into your routine.
Add the interactive nature of ChatGPT plus the instant feedback it gives, and students stay engaged and motivated during language practice sessions.
ChatGPT is also an ideal conversation partner for language learners due to its versatility; it supports multiple languages that students can practice.
To use the following prompts, tell students to copy and paste them into the ChatGPT chat box. Remember to adjust and modify these prompts based on specific learning goals and language proficiency — for example, instead of [target language], write Spanish, French, or German.
1. Let’s have a conversation in [target language].
2. Pretend you are a high school student from [target country]. I will ask you a series of questions in [target language], and I’d like you to respond as if you were human.
3. Let’s pretend you are a tour company in [target country] called [name of company]. I will pretend to be a tourist. I will ask you a series of questions in [target language], and I’d like you to respond as if you were human.
4. Let’s pretend you are at a restaurant in [city] called [name]. I will pretend to be someone who went to the restaurant but got food poisoning. I will ask you a series of questions in [target language].
5. We’re going to role-play as classmates. Your name is [name], and you’re originally from [target country]. We are going to speak to each other in [target language].
AI chatbots as language teaching assistants
How can students use ChatGPT to get help in their language learning without using it as a translator?
They’ll need the right prompts.
When your students have questions about grammar, usage, or vocabulary, but you don’t have the bandwidth to answer 35 questions before the bell rings, ChatGPT can act as a perfect teaching assistant… with some guardrails.
Instead of telling your students to ask ChatGPT their questions, which may devolve into a new version of Google Translate, equip them with thoughtfully designed prompts. That way, you teach them how to use ChatGPT in a way that helps them grow as lifelong language learners.
Give your students these prompts:
6. How do I use the [verb tense] in [target language]?
7. I’m struggling with [grammar topic]. Could you provide some examples of [grammar rule] in sentences?
8. How do I form questions in [target language]?
9. Can you explain the verb conjugation rules in [target language]?
10. I need help with the correct word order in [target language].
ChatGPT as a cultural liaison
Language teachers act as cultural liaisons for every country where the language is used. Yet, most of us haven’t traveled to every country — French alone is spoken in 29 countries!
That’s when AI can be an ace up your sleeve: It can answer questions related to culture that you may not have an immediate answer to, which makes cultural immersion a more approachable goal.
Your students can use these ChatGPT prompts for cultural research projects, presentational speaking assignments, or even background research on a novel they’re reading.
11. Tell me about traditional celebrations and festivals in [target language/country].
12. What are some popular traditional dishes or cuisine in [target language/country]?
13. What are famous landmarks or historical sites in [target language/country]? What stories do they tell?
14. What customs or etiquette practices are essential in [target language/culture]?
15. How do I greet someone politely in [target language]?
For the full blog post with more prompts, please see the below link:
