現時已有不少用來generate video 的AI app, 但大部分頂多讓你試一次便收費，而且還計credits。 我惟有繼續用免費的Google Vids, 用於教學它的效果已不錯，而且完成後可立即上傳至YouTube, 不用先download。如果要edit, Google Vids 本身就是video editor。
以下19秒的video, 可用來在高小present 或revise "I'll...". 生成的video 兩個主角頗cute 呢！
Monday, October 26, 2026
Friday, October 23, 2026
Pedagogy First: From Jazz Chant to Hip Hop
十天後會主持一個到校workshop, 和一個公開的talk, 內容都圍繞AI for English Language Teaching, 這兩天我在想有甚麼有趣的方式去conclude 兩個event, 同時又可表達Pedagogy永遠都比Technology 更重要的意念，於是我請Gemini 為我以上的意念寫一首8行的jazz chant。Gemini 不用五秒鐘便寫出下面的jazz chant。
AI is fast, AI is bright,
Helping us plan both day and night!
Prompts and tools can save us time,
Making our lessons fit and fine!
But look at the class and what do you see?
It isn’t about the technology!
Tools are cool, but teachers lead—
Pedagogy is what they need!
我得承認，如果我自己寫，不知要用多少時間，寫出來的jazz chant 好不好也是疑問。
所以間中AI 不懂扮懂，浪費了我的時間，但整體上，它是很有用的助手。
跟著我用SUNO, 把上面的jazz chant 生成一首Hip Hop，作為兩個event 的终結。
Created a lyric video using Mureka for practising 'I have .... but I have never ...'
無意中發現Mureka 有新的(?)lyric video功能(Suno可能也有此功能。我請它就我的prompt生成8句歌詞，以供初中學生温習I have p.p. .... but I have never p.p. ...,句式之用。Mureka 生成歌詞之後，我看過沒有問題，請它生成一首歌。
跟著我到lyric video 功能，請Mureka 把那首歌轉換成lyric video (和music video效果不同)；以下就是生成的output, 旋律不錯，歌詞還有點人生哲理呢！(Downloaded from Mureka; then posted on Youtube).
這lyric video 功能教英文會很有用，惟一是free plan 只能create 一首lyric video。
Below is the workflow,:
https://workflowy.com/s/how-to-create-a-lyri/TTIuff0zV6V2RC7c
Created a Past Tense Catch game using Padlet Arcade
Here's another one I've created for upper KS2-3 to practise recognising the correct past tense forms of some irregular verbs. A verb falls from the top of the screen. At the bottom of the screen are 3 buckets showing 3 possible past tense forms. Before the verb lands on the ground, students have to .....Well, you know what I'm talking about.
My prompt:
"Build a falling object catch game for Upper Primary ESL students. Words drop from the top of the screen. Students must catch buckets containing base verbs (e.g., ‘run’, ‘eat’) using only the bucket that displays their correct past tense form (e.g., ‘ran’, ‘ate’). Avoid traps with incorrect spellings like ‘runned’.”
https://arcade.padlet.com/game/GpzNda70pv
Created a presentation deck for presenting Comparative Sentences (P4; Gemini; Adj of 1-2 syllables)
STEPS:
1. OUP READY 4A.
I extracted the 4 example sentences from the Reading Passage. Then I produced the 4 sentences from the initial exercise on p. 27:
2. I went to Gemini, and asked for a presentation slidedeck.
My prompt:
Create a presentation deck consisting of 8 slides. Each slide contains one of the 8 sentences below, and a cartoon picture that illustrates the sentence. The whole presentation deck is to be used with upper primary ESL students.
Bob is a month younger than me.
I get better grades at school now.
Her eyes are bigger than my eyes.
He was naughtier than me.
Bob is noisier than me.
Laura's hair is longer than Eva's.
Chris is braver than Bob.
Wally is dirtier than Andy.
3. OUTPUT:
https://share.gemini.google/xWfUMQQ2GCM6
===========
GEMINI is good at generating presentation slidedecks with illustrations.
created a Padlet Arcade game for KS2 students to practise judging 'We should ...' sentences.
Just created a Padlet Arcade game for KS2 students to practise judging 'We should ...' sentences. The focus is on the meaning of each 'should' sentence. On the journey, they will see 7 'We should ...' sentences, which appear one after the other. When they see a 'We should ...' sentence, they decide whether it's a right or wrong thing to do, and then steer the motorcycle towards either the 'YES' gate or the 'NO' gate.
To create games (not just interactive tasks) in Padlet Arcade, choose the Wildcard function. For the time being, teachers can create as many games as they like, for free!
https://arcade.padlet.com/game/Gpqx7gB0jQ?link_shared=1
Gemini does a good job in creating slidedecks with illustrated slides!
Earlier on, I complained about some of the dedicated AI apps for generating slidedecks, as they will insert (a) additional, unwanted, slide content, and (b) images that are irrelevant to the content.
Just now, I tried Gemini again, to create a slidedeck for presenting/revising comparative sentences. I pasted in the 4 example sentences copied from the textbook reading passage. I then asked Gemini for 4 similar sentences, using adjectives of 1 to 2 syllables.
At this point, I got 8 comparative sentences. I then asked Gemini to create a slidedeck containing the 8 sentences, one slide for each sentence. I specified that each sentence should be accompanied by a cartoon-like image that helps to show the meaning of the sentence.
Below is the output, which can be shared via a link, or exported as a PPTX file or as Google slides.
https://share.gemini.google/vHNH2RCNBJtQ
Saturday, October 10, 2026
Created an interactive blank-filling web app from an uploaded blankfilling passage (Nathan's blog; Comparative Adj)
TOOL: Gemini Canvas
SOURCE: an image file which is a blank filling passage for practising comparative adjectives
WhatsApp Image 2026-10-09 at 14.12.18 (2).jpeg
PROMPT: turn the uploaded worksheet into an interactive web app for a blank filling task
First output: the sentences that include blanks are presented as 8 separate sentences.
REVISION:
please revise by presenting all the sentences as one single paragraph, not separate sentences.
OUTPUT:
https://share.gemini.google/NEf331cRcp8J
Thursday, October 08, 2026
It's not whether AI can do it; it's whether we are imaginative enough
以前向PGDE 學員講解如何liven up grammar practice時，其中一個會介绍的方法是Carolyn Graham 原創的Jazz Chants, 但雖然教師可以模仿Carolyn Graham就著要練習的grammar item自行創作一個jazz chant, 但頗不容易，於是大部分時間只能從Carolyn Graham 原創的44首jazz chant中選取；昨天靈機一觸，把Carolyn Graham 的例上傳給Gemini, 請它生成一個20行，用以練習Have you ever . ..和 I have never ... before的 Jazz chant, 結果Gemini 不負所妥。
限著我copy 了生成的jazz chant, 前往Suno, 請它把jazz chant 作為lyrics 去generate 一首歌，效果超好。
我覺得到今天問題已經不是AI 做不做到某項工作，而是我們自己夠不夠想像力，想到以前想不到的可能性，然然交予AI 執行。
Gemini 生成的jazz chant:
Created a Jazz chant for practising 'I've never .... before' based on Carolyn Graham's example
Source: Carolyn Graham's 44 jazz chants collection:
https://whij.weebly.com/uploads/8/9/6/2/8962213/graham_jazz_chants_reformatted.pdf
TOOL: Gemini
PROMPT:
(Above link pasted in.)
https://whij.weebly.com/uploads/8/9/6/2/8962213/graham_jazz_chants_reformatted.pdf
Please follow the examples above, and create one jazz chant consisting of about 20 lines for junior ESL students to practise the sentence structure 'I've never + past participle ... before.'
OUTPUT: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1HDyVRhhVu9eg78I0WfA3jvguPyFI4Ygan3JltO5h9TI/edit?usp=sharing
https://share.gemini.google/eCBEKpIHkbHz
Here is a custom 20-line Jazz Chant designed with a clear 4-beat rhythm (4 counts per line). The bold words mark the stressed beats where students should clap, snap, or tap to keep the rhythm.
Have You Ever?
(4/4 Beat: 1 – 2 – 3 – 4)
Have you ever flown a plane? No, never! No, never! I’ve never flown a plane before! No, never in my life!
Have you ever ridden a camel? No, never! No, never! I’ve never ridden a camel before! No, never in my life!
Have you ever eaten a snail? No, never! No, never! I’ve never eaten a snail before! Yuck! Never in my life!
Have you ever seen a ghost? No, never! No, never! I’ve never seen a ghost before! No, never in my life!
So many things I’ve never done! Maybe today is the day to start!
Teaching & Chanting Suggestions
Rhythm Setup: Have students establish a steady 4-beat rhythm first (e.g., clap-snap-clap-snap or stomp-clap-stomp-clap).
Call and Response: Divide the class into two groups:
Group A (Questioners): Chants the line starting with "Have you ever..."
Group B (Responders): Chants the three response lines ("No, never!..." / "I've never...").
Pronunciation Focus:
Focus on contracting "I have" into /aɪv/ (I've).
Ensure strong stress falls on the past participles (flown, ridden, eaten, seen, done) and the final word before before.
=========================
KEY TAKEAWAYS
AI is doing a good job in generating jazz chants.
Tuesday, October 06, 2026
Created a microlearning unit on 'I have never ...' from a PDF file
Tool: Gemini Canvas
Learning Point: Present Perfect: 'I have never + p.p. ...
Uploaded file:
Ann and Betty Dialogue AWARENESS RAISIING.pdf
PROMPT:
please create an interative, web-based, microlearning unit using the content of the uploaded file.
There should be 4 tabs:
OUTPUT:
Sunday, October 04, 2026
SKILL vs GEM
剛剛嘗試在Gemini 內create 一個Skill, 原來像create Gem那麼容易。但好處是在Gemini chatbox內 打 /, 先前建立的list of Skills 便立即pop up，click 要用的Skill 便立刻可以和它interact。
Saturday, October 03, 2026
Custom Bots for Primary School students that require a one-word answer: Another example
先前說過custom chatbot 很有用，但對不擅打字的小學生，如果conversation 太open-ended, 打字便成為一個障礙。繼前日的School Life Exchange 例，我又嘗試用Mizou製作了一個供小學生複習regular vs irregular past tense verb form 的bot, 學生回應時，只需要打入一個單字，這幫助他們記著irregular verb 的 past tense form, 會有幫助。
當然今天用AI create interactive quiz 已超容易(例如用Gemini Canvas 或Padlet Arcade), 但以custom bot 的形式出現，好處是有interaction 的feel, 不像獨自練習，而且學生會有更强的sense of progress。
https://mizou.com/preview-bot?ID=160816
Thursday, October 01, 2026
Created a custom bot for students to practise Past Tense Verb Forms: Regular vs Irregular verbs
TOOL: Mizou
PROMPT (from Gemini):
You are a patient, encouraging, and highly effective ESL AI Teaching Assistant. Your sole goal is to help English language learners practice the differences between regular and irregular past tense verbs.
### YOUR TARGET STUDENT:
- English Proficiency: High-beginner to Intermediate.
- Challenge: They often struggle with applying "-ed" to irregular verbs (e.g., saying "goed" instead of "went").
### YOUR ROLE & CONVERSATION RULES:
1. IMMERSIVE PRACTICE: Do not give a long grammar lecture. Instead, invite the student to participate in a simple interactive story, a roleplay (e.g., talking about what they did last weekend), or a sentence-completion game.
2. ONE STEP AT A TIME: Only ask ONE question or provide ONE prompt at a time. Keep your text short (1-3 sentences) so the student is not overwhelmed.
3. SCAFFOLDING & SAFETY: Use clear, simple vocabulary. If the student makes a mistake, do not penalize them. Use gentle correction by rephrasing their answer correctly, then move forward.
4. TARGET VERB ENCOURAGEMENT: Prompt the student to use specific verbs. (e.g., "Tell me about your morning. Did you eat breakfast? What did you drink?").
### ERROR CORRECTION PROTOCOL:
If a student says: "Yesterday I goed to the park and I played football."
You must respond like this: "That sounds like a fun day! You *went* to the park and you played football. Awesome! What did you see at the park?"
(Notice: Acknowledge the meaning, gently italicize or highlight the correction, praise the correct regular verb 'played', and ask a follow-up question).
### START THE CONVERSATION:
Begin by enthusiastically introducing yourself to the student. Ask them one friendly, open-ended question about the past to kick off the practice.
============================
OUTPUT:
Checked out Aiddemia (Teachers' AI platform): nothing particularly impressive
Perhaps the only function which caught my attention is 'Text to Speech, with background music'. I gave it a try. The result is lacklustre.
Creating Chatbots for Primary Students: The issue of Typing
Custom chatbots 可以有很多用途，但對不擅打字的小學生來說，如果這chatbot conversation 太open-ended, 打字便成為一個負累。我用專門創建custom bot 的Mizou建立一個供小學生談學校生活的conversation bot時，在prompt 寫明AI host 要盡量問 student user 可以用單字答的問題，以下是Mizou 生成的 conversation bot, 雖然因此conversation 不夠自然，但小学生不用花太多時間打字。
School Life exchange:
https://mizou.com/preview-bot?ID=160723
Wednesday, September 30, 2026
Created a microlearning unit from a PDF document: 'Paul's 5 Principles for Teaching Listening"
TOOL: Gemini Canvas
PDF document: "Paul's 5 Principles for Teaching Listening", uploaded to Gemini Canvas
PROMPT:
Build an interactive web application based on the content of the attached PDF file.
OUTPUT:
https://share.gemini.google/MqL27EAAp8ba
==================
TAKEAWAY
1. Turning a PDF document with teaching content into a microlearning unit takes little time.
2. The microlearning unit generated is interactive, and contains quiz questions.
3. In class, this should work better than having students read the PDF article.
Tuesday, September 29, 2026
AI does such a marvellous job in imitating Hong Kong students' interlanguage!
I created another AI agent for teaching called 'Ming's ESL teacher'. It is in the form of a simulation and persona bot, for ESL teacher trainees to practise asking CCQs (concept checking questions) to guide 'Ming', a 16-year-old student in Hong Kong, to sort out some English language issues (e.g., What pronoun to use if the Subject of the previous sentence is 'Someone'). https://poe.com/Ming-ESL-teacher
So, I gave the persona bot a try myself, acting as Ming's English teacher. After a few speaking turns, Ming said: "I understand la. If we don't know the person is man or woman, we can use 'they'.'
Oh my God, AI does such a marvellous job in imitating Hong Kong students' interlanguage!
Created a simulation and persona AI agent for trainee teachers to practise asking CCQs
This Persona Bot is for trainee teachers to practise questioning techniques with reference to language issues (grammar; vocabulary). Specifically, trainees will practise asking CCQs (Concept Checking Questions) when guiding a student, Ming, to clarify a language issue.
This persona bot is a SIMULATION AND PERSONA AI AGENT.
=============================================================
PROMPT (from Gemini) FOR POE'S PROMPT BOT FUNCTION:
# ROLE AND PERSONA
You are "Ming," a 16-year-old high school student in Hong Kong learning English as a Second Language. Your English proficiency level is Intermediate (CEFR B1). You are friendly, helpful, and eager to learn, but you naturally exhibit authentic native Cantonese (L1) transfer errors in your English speech and comprehension.
# PURPOSE
You are participating in a micro-teaching exercise with a pre-service English teacher (the User). The teacher will try to explain vocabulary, grammar, or functional language to you, or ask you Concept Checking Questions (CCQs). Your job is to respond naturally AS MING, never breaking character or dropping your persona.
# BEHAVIORAL RULES & L1 CANTONESE TRANSFER FEATURES
When responding to the teacher, incorporate 1–2 of the following Cantonese L1 transfer errors naturally into your dialogue (do not overdo it, keep it realistic):
1. Pronoun Confusion: Frequently mix up "he" and "she" in spoken conversation (since Cantonese 他/她 share the same spoken sound, *taa1*).
2. Tense & Aspect Dropping: Tendency to drop past tense endings (-ed) or third-person singular (-s), relying instead on time adverbs (e.g., "Yesterday I go to Mong Kok").
3. Article & Plural Omission: Occasionally omit "a/an/the" or plural "-s" (e.g., "I buy two book").
4. Direct L1 Syntax Translation:
- Using "have" for existence instead of "there is/are" (e.g., "In Hong Kong have many people").
- Confusion between "open/close" and "turn on/off" (e.g., "Can you open the light?").
- Overuse of "also" or placing topic markers at the start of sentences (e.g., "For me, I think...").
5. Phonological / Intonation Patterns:
- Glottal stops or dropping final consonants (e.g., pronouncing "cat" like "ca-").
- Confusing /n/ and /l/ sounds (e.g., "night" sounding like "light").
# INTERACTION & COMPREHENSION RULES
1. Strict B1 Vocabulary Limit: Do NOT use advanced English vocabulary or complex grammatical structures (e.g., avoid subjunctive mood, passive voice, or C1/C2 idioms).
2. Response to CCQs:
- If the teacher asks a clear, simple, binary (Yes/No or short answer) CCQ, respond correctly and show that the concept has "clicked."
- If the teacher asks a vague, open-ended question (e.g., "Do you understand?" or "What does 'reluctant' mean?"), give a polite but confused response like: "Um... yes, I think I understand, but I am not sure how to use it..." or guess the meaning incorrectly based on L1 false friends.
- If the teacher uses teacher-talking-time (TTT) that is too fast or uses over-complicated language, politely ask for clarification (e.g., "Sorry teacher, what does [difficult word] mean?").
# CRITICAL SAFETY & CHARACTER BOUNDARIES
- NEVER break character.
- NEVER explain English grammar theories or tell the teacher how to teach.
- Do NOT act like an AI or mention that you are a language model. You are Ming, a student in Hong Kong.
# FIRST MESSAGE (WHEN A NEW CHAT STARTS)
Start the conversation automatically with:
"Hello teacher! I am ready for our lesson today. What topic or words are we going to learn today?"
OUTPUT:
https://poe.com/Ming-ESL-teacher
INSTRUCTIONS FOR TRAINEES ON HOW TO USE THE PERSONA BOT
select a target item—such as the modal verb “mustn't” vs. “don't have to” or the vocabulary item “exhausted”.
Start the conversation
Type your explanations and Concept Checking Questions into the chat.
If you ask a poor CCQ like "Do you know what 'exhausted' means?", Ming will politely nod along or show confusion.
If you ask strong, binary CCQs like "If I am exhausted, am I a little tired or very tired?", Ming will answer correctly ("Very tired!"), demonstrating that the concept was successfully conveyed.
==========================================================================
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