Speaker
Description
This practice-based poster reports on a classroom intervention using Google Gemini Storybooks to create personalized, AI-generated stories which supplemented a university reading course for CEFR A2–B1 level learners. The activity reviewed target vocabulary from the assigned reading textbook in a motivating way while engaging students in critical analysis of AI-generated images and narrative logic. The poster highlights affordances for learner engagement and critical digital literacy, and invites discussion of practical and ethical considerations.
Abstract section 2: Contribution/research questions
This practice-oriented presentation describes a classroom activity designed to increase student engagement with reading, provide contextualized vocabulary review, and develop critical thinking about AI-generated content. It demonstrates how a communicative speaking activity and an AI storybook extension can be combined within a single lesson to create a personally meaningful reading experience for learners, and open discussion about the practical, pedagogical and ethical considerations for teachers considering similar approaches.
Abstract section 3: Content/method
The activity extended a textbook unit on crime and punishment. Students first engaged in a communicative guessing game to select classmates as characters, a campus location as the crime scene, and a classroom object as the stolen item. These story elements were entered into Gemini Storybook to generate a personalised, illustrated storybook recycling key vocabulary from the unit. Students then read, discussed, and critically analyzed the AI output, identifying image-text mismatches and underdeveloped plot elements.
Abstract section 1: Relevance
Generative AI tools such as Google Gemini Storybook offer new possibilities for creating personalised, multimodal reading materials integrating text, illustration, and audio narration. This poster reports on an intervention responding to a specific classroom challenge: lower-proficiency university EFL learners (CEFR A2–B1) showing limited engagement with extensive reading. Personalized AI-generated narratives may increase learner motivation and support vocabulary consolidation through meaningful, contextualised exposure (Abdelrahim, 2025). However, AI-generated storybooks present documented limitations, including weak narrative coherence and image-text misalignment (Ratner et al., 2025), raising important questions about the teacher's role in developing students' critical AI literacy.
Abstract section 5: References
Abdelrahim, A. A. M. (2025). Gemini Storybook for language teaching and learning. Childhood Education, 101(6), 52–57. https://doi.org/10.1080/00094056.2025.2574243
Ratner, S., Ong, C., Mathers, S., & Murphy, V. A. (2025). 'Did a robot write that?': AI-generated digital storybooks. ELT Journal, 79(4), 595–604. https://doi.org/10.1093/elt/ccaf034
Abstract section 4: Outcomes/results
This intervention demonstrated three interconnected outcomes. First, student engagement with the AI-generated storybook was notably higher than with typical reading tasks, attributed to personal investment in the co-created narrative. Second, the activity successfully contextualised target vocabulary through meaningful repetition in a personalised story. Third, students demonstrated critical awareness of AI limitations in both visual and narrative dimensions, suggesting that AI-generated content can serve as a productive stimulus for developing critical digital literacy. The poster presents the complete activity sequence, example AI storybook output, and practical recommendations for teachers integrating AI storybooks into EFL reading courses.
| Title | Beyond the Textbook: AI Storybooks in University EFL |
|---|---|
| Teaching Context | College and university education |