AI-Supported Academic Reading Book
What is the AI-Supported Academic Reading Workbook?
This AI-supported academic reading workbook for international university students focuses on strengthening reading skills at paragraph level across a range of academic texts on digital learning, helping learners interpret meaning, structure, and writer intention without relying on AI to generate content.
Booklet Content
| Theme | Reading Focus | |
| 1. | Digital learning in higher education. | Identifying main ideas. |
| 2. | Digital learning tasks and activities. | Understanding supporting detail. |
| 3. | AI-powered personalised learning. | Distinguishing between key and minor information. |
| 4. | Benefits and limitations of AI in education. | Recognising writer stance and hedging. |
| 5. | Digital learning platforms and course design. | Understanding text organisation. |
| 6. | Student engagement in online learning. | Interpreting reference and cohesion. |
| 7. | Automated assessment in higher education. | Interpreting description and process. |
| 8. | Ethical and practical challenges of digital education. | Inferring meaning and writer intention. |
| 9. | Impact of digital technology on learning outcomes. | Evaluating scope and limitation. |
| 10. | Digital technology and the future of higher education. | Integrated critical reading and AI reflection. |
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ANSWER KEY |
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Lesson Downloads
FREE READING LESSON 4: Recognising writer’s stance and hedging language [new 2026]
Lesson 4 focuses on recognising a writer’s stance in academic texts, including whether a position is positive, cautious, or critical. Students identify common hedging language and learn to distinguish between strong claims and cautious academic claims using short digital-learning texts, supporting more critical reading in later lessons. Level ***** [B1/B2/C1] TEACHER MEMBERSHIP / INSTITUTIONAL MEMBERSHIP
AI-supported Academic Reading 10-Lesson Workbook [new 2026]
The AI-supported academic reading workbook helps international students develop core academic reading skills for university study. Lessons move from sentence-level understanding to paragraph and text analysis, using neutral academic themes linked to digital education. Students practise identifying main ideas, supporting details, reference, cohesion, and stance. AI tools are used in a controlled way to support checking and reflection rather than replace reading, supporting accurate comprehension, critical reading, and academic judgement. LESSON EXAMPLE Level ***** [B1/B2/C1] TEACHER MEMBERSHIP / INSTITUTIONAL MEMBERSHIP
How to use A.I responsibly in academic reading
A short lecture on using AI as a support tool in reading rather than just asking it for answers.
If you can’t access this YouTube video in your country, go here
Worksheet Download: click here
EXAMPLE LESSON
Lesson 4: Recognising Stance and Hedging
Aims of the Lesson
By the end of this lesson, you will be able to:
- recognise whether a writer’s stance ispositive, cautious, or
- identify commonhedging language used in academic texts.
- distinguish between strong claims and cautious academic claims.
- evaluate AI feedback on writer stance critically.
Tip: Focus onhow confidently ideas are expressed, not whether you agree with them.
Note: The theme of this lesson is the ‘benefits and limitations of AI in education’. You do not need any specialist knowledge, but you may like to use a dictionary to check unknown words.
Task 1: Noticing writer’s stance
Read the paragraph below. Underline words or phrases that show the writer’s stance towards AI in education and decide whether the overall stance is positive, cautious or critical. Write your answer in the following box.
Reading Text 1
| AI tools are increasingly used in higher education to support teaching and learning. These tools may enhance efficiency by providing faster feedback and personalised learning pathways. However, concerns have been raised about data privacy and the potential over-reliance on automated systems. As a result, many institutions appear to be adopting AI cautiously rather than fully integrating it into all aspects of education. |
| The writer’s stance is (✓) | Positive | Cautious | Critical |
Task 2: Identifying stance and hedging
Look again at the paragraph in Task 1 and answer the questions below:
| 1. | Which words or phrases reduce the strength of the claims? | |
| 2. | Which sentence introduces a limitation or concern? | |
| 3. | Why do you think the writer avoids strong or absolute language? |
Task 3: AI-supported stance and hedging check
Now use an AI tool to support your learning.
Copy reading text 1 into your chosen AI tool and copy this prompt exactly as it is written:
Compare the AI’s response with your answers by completing these questions:
| i. | Did the AI identify the same stance as you? | |
| ii. | Did it highlight the same hedging expressions? | |
| iii. | Do you agree with the AI’s interpretation? Why or why not? |
Task 4: Independent transfer
Read the paragraph below. Decide whether the writer’s stance is positive, cautious, or critical. Underline any words or phrases that show hedging.
⚠ Do NOT use an AI tool for this task.
Reading Text 2
| AI-driven study support tools are increasingly used in higher education to guide independent learning. These tools can be understood to facilitate the recommendation of resources and study strategies based on learner behaviour, helping students focus on areas where additional support is likely to be beneficial. When integrated with clear guidance and thoughtful course design, automated study support has the potential to encourage more targeted engagement with course content and is expected to contribute to the development of students’ ability to manage their own learning effectively. |
| The writer’s stance is (✓) | Positive | Cautious | Critical ✓ |
Task 5: Feedback
Step 1: Check your own work
Read your answers from task 4 and tick (✓) the statements that are true.
| 1. | I identified the writer’s overall stance accurately. | ✓ |
| 2. | I recognised hedging language rather than strong claims. | ✓ |
| 3. | I recognised both positive points and limitations expressed by the writer. | ✓ |
Step 2: Use an AI tool to support your learning
Copy reading text 2 and the following prompt into the AI tool.
Task 6: Reflection
How did using AI help you confirm or question your understanding of writer stance and hedging in this lesson? Give ONE specific example.
Task 7: Optional extension task
Read the text below and identify the stance and hedging language. For each choice, write a brief rationale explaining how the hedging language affects the strength or certainty of the writer’s position.
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The use of AI-generated feedback on short academic tasks is increasingly discussed within higher education contexts. Although this approach is often promoted as a way of providing timely responses to student work, particularly in large courses where individual feedback is limited, its educational value remains contested. AI systems are generally limited to identifying surface-level features such as recurring language errors or incomplete responses, which offers only partial support during early stages of task completion. As a result, AI feedback is more accurately viewed as a constrained supplement to human input rather than a meaningful alternative. Moreover, AI-generated comments are typically based on pattern recognition and do not consistently account for task purpose or disciplinary expectations. There is also a growing concern that students may rely on automated feedback without critically evaluating its relevance or accuracy. Taken together, these limitations indicate that AI feedback should be treated with caution and carefully embedded within a broader learning framework. Even when used selectively and with guidance, its contribution to student learning appears uneven and is likely to depend more on student interpretation than on the capability of the technology itself. |
- Apply the strategies you learned in this lesson to check your answers.
AI-Supported Academic Reading 10-Lesson Workbook
FREE READING LESSON 4: Recognising writer’s stance and hedging [new 2026]
Lesson 4 focuses on recognising a writer’s stance in academic texts, including whether a position is positive, cautious, or critical. Students identify common hedging language and learn to distinguish between strong claims and cautious academic claims using short digital-learning texts, supporting more critical reading in later lessons. Level ***** [B1/B2/C1] TEACHER MEMBERSHIP / INSTITUTIONAL MEMBERSHIP
AI-supported Academic Reading 10-Lesson Workbook [new 2026]
The AI-supported academic reading workbook helps international students develop core academic reading skills for university study. Lessons move from sentence-level understanding to paragraph and text analysis, using neutral academic themes linked to digital education. Students practise identifying main ideas, supporting details, reference, cohesion, and stance. AI tools are used in a controlled way to support checking and reflection rather than replace reading, supporting accurate comprehension, critical reading, and academic judgement. LESSON EXAMPLE Level ***** [B1/B2/C1] TEACHER MEMBERSHIP / INSTITUTIONAL MEMBERSHIP
AI-Supported Academic Writing 10-Lesson Workbook
FREE LESSON 1: Sentence Accuracy – Identifying Errors [new 2026]
Lesson 1 focuses on developing sentence-level grammatical accuracy, particularly subject–verb agreement and singular/plural nouns, using short academic sentences on digital learning as practice. It introduces controlled use of AI to help students check and reflect on their own corrections, laying the foundation for the remaining lessons in the ten-lesson sequence.Level ***** [B1/B2/C1] TEACHER MEMBERSHIP / INSTITUTIONAL MEMBERSHIP
AI-supported Academic Writing 10-Lesson Workbook [new 2026]
The AI-Supported Writing Workbook helps international students develop clear, accurate academic writing for university study. Lessons progress from sentence-level accuracy to paragraph-level writing, using a neutral academic theme focused on education in the digital age. AI tools are used in a controlled way to support checking, reflection and critical evaluation rather than content generation. LESSON EXAMPLE. Level ***** [B1/B2/C1] TEACHER MEMBERSHIP / INSTITUTIONAL MEMBERSHIP
More AI Lesson Downloads
AI Lecture Listening Test Worksheet [new 2025]
This listening lecture lesson examines how generative AI is reshaping higher education by exploring its opportunities, risks, and implications for assessment design. Students take notes using the PPT slide and then answer a range of questions: open, matching, multiple-choice, and critical thinking. EXAMPLE Level *****[B2/C1] VIDEO [14.30] / MP3 / PPT link in download / TEACHER MEMBERSHIP / INSTITUTIONAL MEMBERSHIP
An Introduction to AI in the Classroom [new 2025]
This lesson introduces students to the key opportunities, risks, and ethical considerations of using generative AI in higher education. Through reading, writing, and discussion tasks, students learn how to apply AI responsibly, evaluate its limitations, and understand institutional policies such as the AI Traffic Light System for academic integrity. EXAMPLE Level ***** [B1/B2/C1] WEBPAGE TEACHER MEMBERSHIP / INSTITUTIONAL MEMBERSHIP
AI Student Checklist [new 2025]
This Student AI Checklist helps learners use generative AI safely, ethically, and within university guidelines. It is important because it promotes academic integrity, protects personal data, and ensures students remain responsible for their own understanding and original work. Level ***** [B1/B2/C1] INFORMATION WEBPAGE TEACHER MEMBERSHIP / INSTITUTIONAL MEMBERSHIP
TED TALK: AI in the Real World
How AI will step off the screen and into the real world – Daniela Russ (2024)
This inspirational TED talk discusses how the convergence of AI and robots will unlock a wonderful world of new possibilities in everyday life. The listening tests includes multiple choice, short answer questions, sentence completion, table completion and summary completion. Example. Level: ***** [B1/B2/C1] / Video [12:54] TEACHER MEMBERSHIP / INSTITUTIONAL MEMBERSHIP
TED TALK: Losing Control of A.I
Losing control of Artificial Intelligence (AI)? Sam Harris
TED Talk: An informative talk about the worries of A.I and how we fail to address the seriousness of what A.I could become. Listening worksheets use a range of test type questions (T/F/NG, open questions, information gap fills, table completion, summaries, etc..). Example of test Level: ***** [C1] / Video [14:27] TEACHER MEMBERSHIP / INSTITUTIONAL MEMBERSHIP
TED TALK: A.I Save Humanity
How can A.I save humanity? – Kai Fu Lee
TED TALK: This lecture discusses how China has embraced A.I technology and is accelerating its advancement. It focuses on the main challenges that we all face with an A.I future and how it will positively compliment our lives.The lesson includes teacher’s notes, comprehension questions, critical thinking questions and an answer key. Example. Level: ***** [B2/C1] / Video [14:42] TEACHER MEMBERSHIP / INSTITUTIONAL MEMBERSHIP
