Choose the task and set up the practice
Use the target language your class is studying. Check the learner assumptions below, teach any missing phrases, and adjust the time to your class. For pair work, give partners their role instructions and let them switch roles after one attempt. For AI practice, put the partner's role and information into the activity setup, then review the generated activity before assigning it.
- Allow two minutes to prepare key words and questions, without writing a full script.
- Use the suggested times as lesson plans. In ChitterChatter, set the activity's required time to match your instructions.
- Ask students to finish with a clear outcome and name one phrase they would change on a second attempt.
Task 1: Buy supplies within a budget
Objective: ask for prices and quantities, respond to an unavailable item, and confirm a purchase within a budget. Allow three to four minutes for the exchange.
- Learner assumptions: students know greetings, numbers up to 20, familiar supply words, and how to ask for a price or repeat information. Provide a small phrase bank if needed.
- Student instructions: you have 12 classroom tokens to buy two notebooks and two pens. Greet the shopkeeper, ask the prices, check availability, and confirm what you will buy and the total. Tokens are pretend currency for this task.
- Partner instructions: you are the shopkeeper. A notebook costs 3 tokens, a pen costs 2, and a pencil costs 1. Answer the shopper's questions and ask how many of each item they need.
- Complication: only one pen is left. Tell the shopper when they ask for two. They can replace the second pen with a pencil or choose a different quantity, while staying within 12 tokens.
- Teacher review: check whether the student asked a price question, responded to the shortage, and confirmed an affordable order. Note one clear question and one phrase to revise. Correct arithmetic separately from the language goal.
- Follow-up: have the student repeat the closing exchange with their revised phrase, then switch roles or change one price.
Task 2: Reschedule a group meeting
Objective: compare available times, explain a scheduling problem, and agree on a new meeting. Allow four to five minutes for the exchange.
- Learner assumptions: students can state days and times, explain a simple reason, and suggest an alternative in connected sentences.
- Student instructions: your project group planned to meet Tuesday at 4 p.m., but you now have another commitment. You can meet Wednesday at 3 or Thursday at 4. Explain the change, ask what works for your partner, and agree on a day, time, and place.
- Partner instructions: you can meet Wednesday at 3 or Thursday at 4, but you prefer Thursday. The original meeting place is the library. Ask why the original time no longer works and compare the two options.
- Complication: the library closes at 4 on Thursday. Explain this after the student suggests Thursday. Agree either to meet Wednesday at the library or Thursday in a classroom that stays open until 5.
- Teacher review: look for an explanation, a follow-up question, a response to the closing time, and a final confirmation of all three details. If the partners reached different conclusions, ask the student to clarify the final plan.
- Follow-up: students give a brief spoken reminder of the agreed meeting, then try the conversation again with a different unavailable time.
Task 3: Choose an event for a visiting class
Objective: compare options, support a recommendation with reasons, and respond to a practical objection. Allow five to six minutes for the exchange.
- Learner assumptions: students can compare choices, explain preferences, ask follow-up questions, and politely disagree. Give less experienced learners sentence starters for giving reasons.
- Student instructions: help plan an event for a visiting class of 20 students. The budget is 100 classroom tokens. Compare a park picnic costing 60 tokens with an indoor games afternoon costing 80. Recommend one option, ask your partner's opinion, and agree on a plan.
- Partner instructions: you are the other organizer. You prefer the picnic because it gives visitors time to talk outdoors. Ask the student to explain their recommendation and account for the budget.
- Complication: rain is forecast. The park shelter holds only 10 people. Raise this concern after the student recommends an event. Together choose a plan that includes all 20 visitors and stays within the budget.
- Teacher review: check for reasons tied to the visitors' needs, an answer to the objection, and a workable final choice. Note whether the student built on the partner's reply. An alternative plan is acceptable if the student explains how it meets the constraints.
- Follow-up: students summarize the decision and one tradeoff, then revise a phrase they used to agree or disagree.
Review the work and choose one next step
For pair work, listen to part of the exchange and use the final plan or order as a quick check. In ChitterChatter, start with completion and the submitted session when one is required. Use available feedback, transcript, and audio to check the task goal. AI feedback can miss context, so keep the final judgment with the teacher.
- Check the communication goal before counting language errors.
- Choose one useful phrase or moment of clarification to discuss with the student.
- Give students one specific revision to try in a second exchange, rather than asking them to fix everything at once.
Questions teachers usually ask first
What makes an AI speaking assignment different from a chat prompt?
A speaking assignment has a classroom goal, student role, communication task, expected practice window, and review evidence. A generic chat prompt usually lacks those teaching decisions.
Can AI speaking assignments be used as homework?
Yes. Teachers can assign speaking practice students complete outside class, then review completion, feedback, transcripts, audio, and submitted attempts when needed.
Do all AI speaking assignments need to be graded?
No. Many assignments work best as low-stakes practice. Teachers can use completion, reflection, feedback themes, or selective transcript review instead of grading every recording.
Can students repeat an AI speaking assignment?
Yes. Repeat attempts can help students use feedback, try stronger phrases, and build confidence before submitting or returning to live classroom speaking.
Which languages can teachers assign?
ChitterChatter supports 32 languages, including Spanish, French, German, Italian, Portuguese, Chinese, Japanese, Korean, Arabic, Hindi, Tagalog, Vietnamese, Yoruba, Bangla, Persian (Farsi), Burmese, and English.