Using Chat GPT as an Innovative Approach to Narrative Writing Instruction
Are you avoiding and ignoring Chat GPT or any AI Writer, like I was? Maybe you’re using it for your classroom needs, and you’re loving it.
In this episode, I decided to put Chat GPT to the test and asked it to suggest ways to use Chat GPT with students for narrative writing. I was pleasantly surprised with Chat GPT’s answer and wanted to share it with you!
Whatever end of the spectrum you land on with AI, using it and lovin’ it or pretending like it doesn’t exist, this episode shares seven ways to use Chat GPT with students as a tool for narrative writing.
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Melissa Burch 0:00
Hey friends, welcome to Annotated ELA. I am excited that you're joining me. Today, we are going to talk about Chat GPT in the classroom, and guiding students through the use of Chat GPT. Specifically with their narrative writing, I wanted to start this episode with my personal feelings about Chat GPT. And some of the other AI writers, although I've really only explored Chat GPT at this point, and some of the Canva magic writer. I did ignore and intentionally avoid any of these AI writers for as long as I could. I had no real reason other than I'm old school and felt as though this technology would somehow make writing obsolete. It sounds silly, saying it out loud now, and this was a change that I just wasn't really ready to make. And let me be clear, I love technology. I love trying all the new technology with my students. But I was still stubbornly against any AI writer, but the chatter grew on Facebook, among the teacher groups that I was in, especially a high school teacher group. Those kids didn't waste any time checking it out and using it, and all of the fear and the worry about plagiarism and students using it incorrectly got me thinking, do I want to make chat GPT, my friend, or my foe?Oof course, I wanted to be friends, I wanted to be ahead of my students, and be able to help them use it to their advantage and not as a crutch; not as a way to do the work for them. Although I know that's what they're going to be looking for. I started telling myself that if I get on, and learn how to use this, even just a little, and by the way, I am not an expert, I have in no way, harnessed the power of Chat GPT. But I have now at least used it. So in all of this thinking, I realized that my real fear was that it would be a crutch and not be used as a resource or a tool. So I caved and checked it out. I was impressed and slightly upset with myself for waiting so long to try it out. After planning my podcast episodes around narrative writing, I started thinking about how students could use Chat GPT to improve their writing. And since just improving writing is a fairly big topic, and I think that what I'm going to discuss today, you can take and use for any writing. But I did narrow it down to specifically using a Chat GPT to improve narrative writing, since that was what my previous episodes were about. And that's where my focus is right now, and what I'll probably do with my students, when we get back in the fall. I went to the source and I asked Chat GPT about using Chat GPT in the middle school classroom to teach narrative writing. And the rest of the episode is what Chat GPT had to say about using Chat GPT in the classroom. I hope that made sense. I asked chat GPT all about itself. Let's dive in. And let me tell you what Chat GPT suggested.
Melissa Burch 3:17
Number one, Chat GPT suggested that we introduce our students to the concept of narrative writing, before they ever start writing or get on to Chat GPT.Tthis lovely apps first suggestion was to teach students about the elements of a story. For example, characters, setting, plot, conflict and not using Chat GPT immediately. Oh, my goodness, this is great. The app also suggested using examples of different types of narratives, and analyzing and evaluating the structure of those mentor texts that you are using. Wow, that's exactly what we do.
Melissa Burch 3:56
Number two, Chat GPT suggested using its app for brainstorming and story ideas. So now we're getting into using the app. It suggested students use the app to brainstorm ideas for narratives, and it suggests having students ask Chat GPT open-ended questions such as, "Can you suggest an interesting story idea?" Or "Can you suggest interesting story ideas?" Or "What would be a unique setting for a story?" Whatever prompts you and your students ask, spend time as a class discussing the responses and coming up with ideas that spark imagination or memories.
Melissa Burch 4:49
Number three, use chat GPT for character development. Chat GPT can guide students in developing their characters. Students should engage with the app to brainstorm character traits, names, backgrounds, and motivations. They can ask questions like, "What are some personality traits for my main character?" Or "Can you help me come up with a name for my protagonist?" Spend time discussing responses and guiding students through the process of using information that fits their story and ideas, just because Chat GPT said it, doesn't mean that it's right or useful.
Melissa Burch 5:31
Number four, use Chat GPT for plot and conflict. Chat GPT can help students explore ideas for plot and conflicts by asking for suggestions on how to introduce conflict, how to build tension, or how to reveal a change in a character encourage students to seek advice on plot twists, or ways to keep readers hooked. So students can ask questions such as, "How do I keep my readers hooked in a story?" Or "How can I develop an interesting plot twist?"
Melissa Burch 6:07
Number five is using Chat GPT for writing dialogue. Students can ask for prompts like, "Write a dialogue between two characters," or "Describe a suspenseful scene." Have students engage in a conversation with Chat GPT, to practice writing realistic dialogue and get inspiration for their own stories, really, this is modeling writing for them. And let me just say this, as teachers, we should be modeling writing, I think that is so powerful. And I'm going to talk a little bit about that when I'm finished with all of the ideas that Chat GPT came up with. But this is so wonderful, in a writer's workshop if students are working on their own while you're conferencing, to have another tool or resource at their fingertips.
Melissa Burch 6:59
Number six, using Chat GPT for peer review and feedback. As students are sharing their written work with peers and their teacher, they can also seek feedback from Chat GPT. Students can copy and paste their narratives or excerpts from their narratives into the app and ask for feedback. Encourage students to ask for suggestions on how to improve descriptions, pacing, character development, dialogue, and more. Nothing compares to having a conference with our students and ensuring that they are grasping the lessons and ideas surrounding narrative writing. This is just a great tool and another resource at our fingertips.
Melissa Burch 7:43
And finally, the last suggestion number seven using Chat GPT for editing and revision. Chat GPT can support students on the mechanical side, as well as the revising side. They can ask for help on sentence structure, grammar, word choice, spelling, and punctuation. There is no substitution for a second or third pair of eyes on their writing and having a discussion with a peer or their teacher.
Melissa Burch 8:13
Let's recap all the ways you can use Chat GPT to support narrative writing with your students. Number one is introduce students to the concept of narrative writing before ever using Chat GPT. Number two is to use Chat GPT for brainstorming and story ideas. Number three, use Chat GPT for character development suggestions. Number four, use Chat GPT for plot and conflict. Number five, use Chat GPT to help students write dialogue. Number six, use Chat GPT for peer review and feedback. And finally, number seven is use Chat GPT for editing and revising.
Melissa Burch 8:55
Here are Chat GPT's final thoughts. "It's important to note that while Chat GPT can provide valuable assistance, it's crucial to encourage student's creativity and originality in their writing. Remind them to use Chat GPT as a tool and to develop their unique story telling voices." I could not agree more.
Melissa Burch 9:22
On a personal, final note for the end of this episode. Strong mentor text and intentional prompting can do everything that Chat GPT does. I am in no way affiliated with nor am I promoting Chat GPT in any way other than this is a cool technology that I'm preparing myself to guide my students through. I'd also like to mention that even though my school is a one-to-one computer school, I implement tech free days a lot; and we do the majority of our writing by hand. However, I do find this technology fascinating and I want to have prompts and have some ideas prepared for the best way to utilize this with my students. A way for me to get ahead of the curve and be ready for when my students are ready to use it. And it never hurts to have another tool. I love that there's another place for my students to go when I'm not readily available for them. And if they can use it well, it will become a really great tool for them and not a crutch. There's going to be students out there who use it to write their entire narrative and I am on the hunt for ways to check that and be ready to combat that.
Melissa Burch 10:37
I hope you found this helpful today. If you have any questions or more ideas for prompts to use in Chat GPT, send me a DM on Instagram @annotatedela.
Until next time, the magic is in the process.
