REFLECTIONS ON USING CHATGPT TO GENERATE ESP MATERIALS. A CASE STUDY
REFLECTIONS ON USING CHATGPT TO GENERATE ESP MATERIALS. A CASE STUDY

Summary/Abstract: Reflections on Using ChatGPT to Generate ESP Materials. A Case Study. Although artificial intelligence (AI) and its use in language teaching is not new, its more recent configurations and the launch of ChatGPT in 2022 have sparked controversies, resumed discussions about potential apocalyptic consequences and spread fears of an imminent extinction of numerous professions, including teacher. This article endeavors an exploration of the previous research on the use of ChatGPT for language teaching in general, the benefits and limitations ascertained by others who have studied the phenomenon over the past year, since the launch of the chatbot, and their conclusions as to whether language teachers are indeed in danger of extinction. The main purpose of the article, however, is to ascertain certain aspects of ChatGPT’s use for ESP, namely whether it can generate relevant results that can actually help teachers save time in creating useful, comprehensive and interesting materials using specific terminology, especially from niche fields such as horticulture, for which ready-made materials or extensive glossaries may not be available or suitable for their students. A line of questioning was developed within a case study in order to build a corpus of responses that can be used to analyze its utility in generating useful ESP materials. The findings of the study support to a large extent those of previous researchers in terms of reserve towards the reliability of the information generated. However, it also offers options and ways in which adequate prompts can lead to useful teaching materials that are generated according to the teachers’ parameters and their students’ needs.

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