What Do High School English Students Actually Need to Learn in the Age of AI?
“Can I use ChatGPT for this?”
Ahhhh the modern classroom refrain… and that’s when they ask.
In today’s AI-driven world, English teachers everywhere are asking the same question: how do we design AI-proof English activities that keep students engaged and authentic in their learning? The rise of AI has made it clear: if students can outsource our assignments to a robot, maybe we have to rethink this whole shebang. With teachers regulated to playing detective and students tempted to give up their learning to machines, it feels like the right moment to ask the bigger question: what should students actually be learning in high school English class in the age of AI?
Luckily, (or not) English lovers have had to spend YEARS explaining the importance of an English education—and it’s worth repeating. We know:
how to advocate for the critical thinking skills that close reading requires.
that in order to write an orderly paper, you have to have an orderly mind, which is 90% of what we want students to learn.
that writing and reading creatively give students skills to deal with the most challenging things in life and strengthen the link between the mind, the heart, and the hands.
that learning to analyze a variety of texts will lead to young people who can filter all the information that the world throws at them with a critical lens—and hopefully have the ability to distinguish what is real from what is not.
that literature opens a window to the past and to the experience of others with a depth that is hard to achieve in any other media.
that being patient when reading a poem can teach us about the intricate connections between all living things and open the door to a profound feeling of connectedness.
Ultimately, we know that reading literature regularly and closely, learning to express ourselves through writing, and gaining real experience speaking and listening in discussions is critical for whatever our future looks like.
Related Resource: 15 AI-Proof English Class Activities Freebie
AI-Proof English Activities:
Build Student Engagement Through Discussion
This is all well and good, but at this moment, what can we do to ensure that students actually learn these skills and don’t just outsource their thinking to AI? I have a few ideas here and I’d love to hear what you’re coming up with!
Make everything you can a discussion. And, vitally, do the hard work of building a strong culture of universal discussion in your classroom. There’s no way to outsource on-the-spot classroom communication to anyone else. Live, student-led discussions are one of the best AI-proof English class activities.
My essential elements to creating a strong discussion are:
Choose texts that you love, are relevant to your students, and ones you’re able to breathe real life into.
Spend time crafting engaging discussion questions that you KNOW your students will be interested in.
Set the expectation that everyone will contribute and link it to some sort of grading incentive or essential classroom routine.
Try out different discussion strategies to see what works for you and your students!
If you want a discussion-based unit that’s completely prepped for you (and ends with the perfect project-based learning podcast project), check out my Poetry Unbound Mini Unit. And if you want to go all in on a discussion-based novel study, my full Red Rising Unit has everything ready to go.
Related Posts: The Easiest Way to Teach Poetry This Year (That Students Will Actually Love) and From Rebellion to Relevance: Using Red Rising to Spark Real-World Conversations
Creative Assignments Instead of AI Essays
I do still believe that learning to write well is a critical skill, not because students will necessarily need to write essays in an AI future, but because of how learning to write transforms the brain.
Luckily, it’s more fun for everyone to have students practice analysis through creative projects that AI can’t replicate. Some ideas are to:
make collages
work with paints
create dioramas
act out scenes
put together costumes
fancast novels with reasoning
And bonus—you can have them do all of this during class, so you can control their computer usage. Add in a handwritten analytical statement and you’ve got a strong sense of their thinking!
If you need a starting point, grab my Creative Projects Freebie or my free Fan Fiction Creative Writing Prompts.
Related Post: Creative Projects for the End of the Year (Or Anytime!)
Why Group Work Still Matters in an AI World
While group work isn’t anyone’s favorite, teaching collaboration and communication is one of the most future-proof English class skills we can offer. Most careers students step into will require clear communication, delegation, and teamwork. Let’s help them get there now.
Tips for making group work effective:
Know your students’ strengths and group accordingly
Assign roles or checkpoints to keep things balanced
Offer creative, open-ended tasks that allow for multiple contributions
Check in often and be present all around the classroom
Related Post: The Peer Editing Day of Your Dreams!
Don’t Give Up: Teaching English Is More Important Than Ever
Whatever you decide to do in your classroom to answer the rise of AI, don’t give up hope! Our students need real teachers who work their hardest to teach them real, actionable skills. High school English is still where students learn to think critically, express themselves, and connect deeply with literature. We just need to get a little more creative in the delivery.
If you’re ready to bring AI-proof learning into your classroom, explore my Poetry Unbound Mini Unit for discussion-based learning or my Red Rising Unit for a project-based dystopian novel study. Both are designed to keep students engaged, thinking critically, and doing work AI simply can’t do. And for a free intro to my work, check out my 15 AI-Proof English Class Activities that you can use today in your classroom!
FAQ: Teaching English in the Age of AI
How do I stop students from using ChatGPT to write essays?
Focus on AI-proof assignments like in-class discussions, handwritten reflections, and creative projects that require personal voice and originality.
What are the best AI-proof activities for English class?
Podcasting projects, live Socratic seminars, creative projects (like fan fiction or dioramas), and collaborative group work are all resistant to AI outsourcing.
Do students still need to learn essay writing in the age of AI?
Yes—but more for the critical thinking, organization, and analysis skills it builds than for the product itself. Writing strengthens the brain, not just the essay grade.