AI Tools for ELT Teachers – April 2025
By David Shaffer
We’ve heard a lot about AI (artificial intelligence) in the past couple of years. Some are getting tired of all the hype. Some shun platforms such as ChatGPT for not always being factual and fault it for being a homework surrogate. However, AI-powered tools are continually improving, and some, though created for the wider general audience, can be surprisingly useful and time-saving for the language teacher. AI is here to stay, and here we will mention just a few of the AI-powered platforms that can aid in making life easier for the teacher and more engaging for their students.
Speechma for Audio
The Speechma application is a versatile tool offering advanced text-to-speech capabilities that can simplify lesson creation for second language teachers. It offers hundreds of lifelike voices in over 70 languages. The available English voices, for example, are not just from English-speaking countries, such as the US and Australia, but also those of speakers from countries such as Korea. This feature is particularly useful for exposing learners to diverse accents and pronunciations.
Speechma allows teachers to create engaging audio materials, such as dialogues, vocabulary drills, or storytelling sessions, with minimal effort. Its interface makes it easy to quickly type in text, select a voice, and generate audio. It can accommodate up to 2,000 characters of text in a single recording. Voice effects include the ability to record at faster or slower that normal speeds and at higher and lower pitches.
Speechma can provide a friendly narrator for an audiobook, a voiceover for a video, or your choice of voices for a presentation. Another appealing aspect of this text-to-voice software is that it is completely free for unlimited use for anyone!
URL: https://speechma.com/
Lumen5 for Video
Lumen5 is a great tool for creating engaging video content. This AI-powered application simplifies video creation by taking text, such as lesson plans or articles, and transforming it into visually appealing videos. Once text is inputted, Lumen5 can automatically generate a storyboard, matching scenes with visuals, and music, and animations.
This feature is particularly useful for creating videos that focus on vocabulary, grammar structures, and cultural aspects of language use. The application supports more than 35 languages, though EFL classes would need only one. Additionally, Lumen5 enables the inclusion of subtitles, which can be added to a second video file after the students have viewed the video without any subtitles.
Lumen5 employs an easy-to-use and time- saving drag-and-drop interface. Videos can be customized by adding voice-overs, which is useful for listening and pronunciation exercises as well as role-playing. There are countless ways that Lumen5’s professional-quality videos can be used in the classroom – one’s imagination is the only limit. The “forever free” plan will be of particular interest to the occasional user.
URL: https://lumen5.com/
Gamma for Presentations
The Gamma application is a great resource for creating visually engaging presentations with ease. Its AI-powered design capabilities simplify the process, as it offers a variety of templates. This allows the teacher to quickly create slideshows that are both visually appealing and rich in interactive content.
One standout feature is the ability to embed multimedia elements, such as videos and audio clips as well as images, directly into the presentation. It also supports interactive quizzes and polls, enabling real-time student engagement and comprehension checks. Gamma projects can be exported as PPT or PDF files for off-line use.
Gamma’s AI-powered design capabilities allows you to create not only projects but entire websites. Input your ideas as text, select your design or layout, and let Gamma work its magic. You can include videos as well as charts, tables, and diagrams. Additionally, its collaborative tools allow teachers to co-create presentations or involve students in the process, fostering a more inclusive learning environment.
By integrating interactive and multimedia tools, Gamma empowers language teachers to deliver compelling and effective lessons tailored to the students’ needs.
URL: https://gamma.app/
Curipod for Creating Lessons
The Curipod application is a versatile tool offering features that simplify lesson creation and enhance oom engagement. With its AI-powered platform teachers can generateinteractive lessons tailored to specific topics, proficiency levels, and learning objectives. Simply by answering a set of initial questions, Curipod will create an entire lesson. The lessons are projected on a communal screen, while students are instructed to log in to their personal devices to answer open-ended questions and respond to polls. The results are then displayed on the class screen. Writing exercises built into the lesson give useful feedback for writing improvement, and lessons end with an exit ticket.
With Curipod, the teacher can also make their own slides, quizzes, and brainstorming activities. Slide resources previously made can be uploaded to Curipod to be enhanced with interactive activities and AI feedback. Curipod also focuses on building and practicing core reading skills and writing skills, preparing students for standardized testing, and establishing daily routines.
URL: https://curipod.com/
The Author
David Shaffer, PhD, has been involved in TEFL, teacher training, writing, and research in Gwangju for many years as a professor at Chosun University. As vice-president of the Gwangju-Jeonnam Chapter of KOTESOL, he invites you to participate in the chapter’s monthly teacher development workshops and in KOTESOL events and activities in general. Dr. Shaffer is a past president of KOTESOL and is the editor-in-chief of the Gwangju News.