BC TEAL 2026 Annual Conference

Generative AI (GenAI) tools such as Microsoft Copilot and ChatGPT are becoming increasingly capable of offering detailed, pedagogically useful feedback on student writing, particularly in areas such as grammar, diction, clarity, organization, and academic style (Alnemrat et al., 2025; Gjorevski et al., 2025; Hyland, 2025; Ofgan, 2024; Yin, 2025). This Ed Tech Jam session demonstrates how Copilot can serve as a practical support tool for teachers working with EAL learners in EAP contexts. 
During the session, the presenters will use a sample student essay and showcase Copilot’s capabilities by prompting the AI tool to: 1) Distinguish whether the student text appears human‑ or AI‑generated. 2) Apply two rubrics, one teacher‑provided and one AI‑generated, to assess the sample student essay and justify the scoring. 3) Provide targeted feedback on grammar, diction, and clarity. 4) Comment on content development and organizational effectiveness. 5) Check APA citations and reference formatting. 
The presenters will also discuss pedagogical strategies for integrating Copilot into feedback workflows, including using AI for formative feedback, preliminary assessment, or initial comments that are reviewed and refined by the teacher in a complementary hybrid fashion.
Participants will have hands‑on opportunities to try Copilot for the five tasks above and explore additional prompts of their choosing. They will also share questions and insights related to AI feedback reliability and responsible classroom integration.
This hybrid human‑AI approach especially supports large‑class essay marking, accelerates formative feedback, and assists less‑experienced teachers. Participants will leave with a set of adaptable prompts and a clearer understanding of Copilot’s strengths, limitations, and potential for enhancing feedback practices in EAP writing classes.