GenAI Policy

ChatGPT Image Jul 15, 2026, 12_43_55 PM
Image generated with ChatGPT image generation by OpenAI on July 15, 2026, using a prompt supplied by the author. The image was created to illustrate responsible, transparent, and learner-centered use of generative AI in language education.
ChatGPT Image Jul 15, 2026, 12_43_55 PM - Notes

Letter to Learners

Hey everyone,

Let’s talk about AI in our world, especially as it impacts writing and language learning – and how we can best guide our future English language teachers in this rapidly changing landscape. It’s becoming nearly ubiquitous, and as trainers, it’s our role to help navigate it. This isn’t about setting rigid, fearful rules; it’s about building trust, fostering open communication, and setting expectations together. Think of this as a guide for us to think through how we’ll address AI in class, drawing on some insights and approaches shared in the sources provided.

First off, know that I’m committed to patience and understanding as we figure out how AI can genuinely be helpful in academic and real-world scenarios. We need to consider when these tools can be beneficial, how to use them effectively, and critically, when they might actually hinder learning or performance. We should also discuss the bigger picture – how we want to use AI personally and professionally, and its societal implications.

My core belief is that we all are readers, writers, and thinkers first. AI is a tool to supplement – never to replace – that fundamental reading, writing, and thinking process. My goal is to help future and novice teachers develop their own authentic voice and critical thinking skills, even while exploring how AI might assist them and their (future) students.

So, how do we approach the use of AI? It’s about transparency, guidance, and accountability, framed with empathy.

What I want to emphasize with you as an English language teacher trainer:

• Open Communication is Key: I want to create an environment where you feel comfortable communicating when and how we are using AI in class, and if you are getting the desired results. This builds trust and allows for open communication between learner and instructor.

• Understanding AI’s Potential (and Limitations): I want to guide you towards valid use cases for AI, such as brainstorming ideas, doing keyword searches, narrowing down topics, or even exploring assessment strategies. We can explore this together first if this becomes part of the goal of the activity.

• Championing Originality: This is crucial for academic integrity and developing a writer’s voice. I want to help you understand and teach what originality means in the age of AI.

  • Explain that tools designed for text generation (like translation software, ChatGPT, Gemini, etc.) or even sophisticated editors/paraphrasers (Grammarly, ProWritingAid, Quillbot, Microsoft Word Editor, etc.) can negatively impact originality scores because they can produce text that is detectable as non-original. Even using them to organize ideas or create outlines might cause issues.

  • Help them understand the indicators of AI-generated text, such as a lack of natural flow or coherence, repetition, or unusual grammatical structures.

  • Stress that the goal isn’t perfection, but genuine expression. Human writing, especially for English language learners, will have “moments of awkward phrasing, mechanical errors, etc.”. These characteristic errors are okay, especially if learners show improvement over time through revision. The focus should be on improving the unity, coherency, and cohesion of their writing.

  • We can share strategies for improving originality, such as focusing on analytical sentences in paragraphs that connect evidence to ideas rather than just adding more information. These analysis sentences should primarily be their own original thoughts.

• Context Matters for AI Use: Using generative AI is okay within specific, defined contexts. Some assignments might even encourage using AI for particular steps, like brainstorming or exploring concepts. The key is that the use must be tied to the specific assignment’s purpose.

• The Non-Negotiable of Acknowledgment: If AI is used, even for allowed purposes, it must be properly acknowledged. This means specifying the tool used and the date, identifying the prompts or providing links to chats, and explaining exactly how the AI output was used in the work. Failure to do this is an academic integrity violation. This reinforces accountability – they are the authors and responsible for their work, regardless of the tools used.

• Process Over Product: Remember that writing is a process involving multiple drafts and revisions. I am prepared to provide you with originality reports on initial drafts to give you a chance to improve your scores if needed.

Thus, my goal is to guide you in seeing AI as a supplementary tool, preserving the value of the human voice, understanding what constitutes originality, emphasizing the writing process, and maintaining transparency and accountability through attribution.

We’re in this together, navigating these new tools while staying true to the core goals of developing strong, original writers and thinkers.

Looking forward to discussing how we can bring these ideas into our class!

Sincerely,

Benjamin L. Stewart - About me

AI-assisted — GenAI helped with brainstorming, outlining, revising, or editing, but a person remained the primary author.

This letter to stuudents was created using NotebookLM on April 28, 2025 and then modified slightly according to personal preference. The output was based on three AI policy examples taken from Vee (2025) along with my personal and professional expectations.

Course Expectations

What do I expect from learners?

• I expect English language learners (writers) to recognize and embrace their original voice through a creative expression of viewpoints along with a certain set of standard writing conventions relevant to genre, purpose, and audience.

• I expect English language learners (writers) to turn in final drafts with certain writing errors characteristic of their English proficiency level. This may include moments of awkward phrasing, mechanical errors, etc. A certain degree of non-standard writing in English will not negatively affect your grade if learners can demonstrative improvements to the unity, coherency, and cohesion of their writing.

• As I measure (grade) writing as a process with several iterations (drafts), I expect learners to make revisions and edits to their initial drafts to show improvements in their writing over time.

• I expect learners to use AI in a way that does not negatively impact one’s originality score by achieving a score between 90%-100%.

• Throughout the writing process, I expect learners to communicate with me, their instructor, when they are using AI and whether or not they are getting the desired results.

What can learners expect from me?

• Learners can expect a level of patience and willingness to understand how AI can be used for the purposes of the class and in real-world (non-academic) cases.

• Learners can expect direction when it comes to use cases when AI may be used to improve your writing and thinking processes (e.g., brainstorming, key word search, narrowing down a topic, assessment, etc.)

• Learners can expect to receive an originality report from Originality.ai on their initial drafts with time allowed to make improvements to your originality score if needed. Only the essay itself will be scanned and not the references page.

Use of AI, Plagiarism, and APA

• Before getting into the use of AI, take this time to review the definition of plagiarism: Plagiarism: The copycat crime in academia and beyond (APA).

• Review the departmental policy on plagiarism: UAA language departmental plagiarism policy 2024 (under revision).

• Review (APA) APA Guide

• Use of AI in the classroom

  Review your course syllabus to review the GenAI syllabus statement appropriate.

  GenAI Syllabus Statement: “Generative AI tools may be used to support specific learning tasks (e.g., brainstorming, research) when approved by the instructor, but they must never replace your own reading, writing, and thinking. Any use of AI must be transparently acknowledged with attribution, and all submitted work must maintain an originality score of 90–100% and reflect your authentic voice.”

  • The GenAI Assessment Scale adapted for skill-development courses is as follows:

    Level 1: No AI. Best for timed writing, live speaking tasks, in-class reading/listening checks, and baseline diagnostics.

    Level 2: AI for comprehensible input + planning (graded texts, glossaries, models, practice items). Student output remains fully human.

    Level 3: AI as a coach (feedback, error noticing, reformulation options). Require a short “change log” explaining which suggestions were used and why.

    Level 4: AI supports complex performance tasks (e.g., extended presentations, debate prep, integrated reading-to-write). Grade the student’s verification, selection, and revision of AI help + accuracy and appropriateness for the target level.

    Level 5: AI integrated into personalized learning systems (e.g., students build a weekly micro-syllabus, spaced-repetition deck, or speaking practice plan). Grade the quality of the learning design + reflection on progress and transfer to real communication.

  • The GenAI Assessment Scale adapted for EAP courses is as follows:

    • Level 1: No AI. Best for in-class academic paragraphs, source-use quizzes, summary/paraphrase under supervision, and timed argument writing.

    • Level 2: AI for finding, clarifying, and planning (concept checking, outline options, question refinement). Student drafts are human; require an “AI planning appendix” (prompts + what was kept/discarded).

    • Level 3: AI as editor + critical friend (clarity, cohesion, hedging, register). Require a revision trail + academic integrity statement (no fabricated references; verify all claims).

    • Level 4: AI supports research tasks (literature mapping, gap statements, methodological options). Grade the student’s fact-checking, source verification, citation accuracy, and substantive rewriting (not surface-level edits).

    • Level 5: AI integrated into advanced scholarly workflow (synthesis across many papers, building a theoretical frame, designing an original study/argument). Grade the student’s synthesis quality, epistemic caution, and strategic prompting + transparent documentation.

  • The GenAI Assessment Scale adapted for practicum courses is as follows:

    • Level 1: No AI. Best for live teaching performance, observation notes, and spontaneous classroom decisions.

    • Level 2: AI for idea generation + planning support (activity options, instructions, differentiation ideas). Require the student to justify choices using course principles (e.g., SLA/UDL).

    • Level 3: AI as a design partner (worksheet drafts, rubrics, feedback phrasing). Require annotated revisions showing how the student adapted materials for learners and context.

    • Level 4: AI supports complex professional tasks (unit plans, assessment systems, intervention plans). Grade the student’s evaluation of AI suggestions, feasibility in the real classroom, and evidence-based rationale.

    • Level 5: AI integrated into advanced teacher expertise (data-informed reteaching cycles, curriculum innovation, inclusive design at scale). Grade the student’s strategic orchestration of AI across planning–teaching–assessment–reflection, with clear safeguards and documentation.

How can you increase your originality score?

💡 If you have created a text and need to increase your originality score, see ELT Cast 126: How to increase one’s originality score when writing an academic text Increase Originality Scores (unlisted).

• Avoid using any tools for generating text:

  • Grammarly, ProWritingAid, Quillbot, Microsoft Word Editor, and the like.

  • ChatGPT, Gemini, and the like. Avoid using Genative AI to produce text, organize ideas for your text, and paraphrase (putting into your own words) any generative AI text.

  • Translation software.

• Avoid paraphrasing any text generated by AI (e.g., Grammarly, Microsoft Word Editor, etc.).

• Avoid generating a (sentence) outline using AI. Even a phrasal outline could negatively effect one’s originality score.

• When writing a body paragraph using the M.E.A.L. Plan (See The M.E.A.L. Plan: A Comprehensive Approach to Paragraph Development.), make sure that analysis sentences are providing warrants (See Toulmin Method in Organizing an effective argument: Methods and examples, and not adding additional evidence taken from outside sources. Analysis sentences should connect the evidence to the main idea (topic sentence) of each body paragraph, and for the most part are original ideas.

• Here are some indicators to take into consideration as it relates to originality scores.

  • Consistency and Flow: AI-generated text may sometimes lack the natural flow and coherence that human writing typically has.

  • Repetition: Repeating certain phrases can be indicative of AI generation.

  • Grammar and Syntax: Certain grammatical structures and unusual syntax is sometimes characteristic of AI-generated content.

Links

GenAI Assessment Scale for BA in ELT Programs

GenAI Syllabus Statements (restricted access)