Chatting with the Past: My AI Experience as an ELT Student

 

Bonjour mon amis!

How was your week? Mine wasn't great but I can't complain! :)

So again I and an assignment... Wanna see what it is about?

When I first saw the assignment, I was both excited and nervous. Chatting with a historical figure using AI? It sounded interesting, but I wasn’t sure what to expect. I chose Jane Austen because she’s one of my favorite authors—I’ve read all her books.

Using Magic School’s Character Chatbot, I started a conversation with her. At first, it felt a bit strange. But as the chat continued, I found myself genuinely engaged. Her answers felt surprisingly real. When she said, “My dear friend, I wrote what I observed,” I actually paused and smiled. That sentence stayed with me. It reminded me how powerful observation and honesty are in writing.

Here is the full chat if you want to check!

After finishing the chat, I wrote a report about the chat. 

And here's my report.

Then, I submitted it to Magic School’s Writing Feedback Tool. I was curious (and a bit scared😁) about what it would say. It pointed out that I could improve my word choices and make my paragraph transitions smoother, which I totally agreed with. I made those changes, and I honestly think the second version of my report was much better.

Second version of my report:)

What I really liked about this experience was how it combined creativity, technology, and learning all in one task. It didn’t feel like a typical assignment. It felt more like something I would do just for fun. 

If I ever become a teacher, I’d love to use similar tools in class. I think students would enjoy learning this way, especially if they can talk to characters or people they’re interested in. Of course, AI can’t replace real feedback from a teacher or peer, but it can be a great tool.

In the end, this task reminded me why I love writing and literature and how new tools like AI can actually bring us closer to voices from the past.

Farewell!