Companies want to hire people who know how to use a special kind of computer thinking called AI. They are putting more jobs online that ask for AI skills. AI can make work faster and better in many jobs. But some people are worried because they don’t know much about AI and think it’s hard to learn.

Small companies like using AI because it helps them do more work without needing more people or things. A lady who runs a company uses AI to write things and make computer programs. This helps her company grow fast. But companies have to be careful to keep their work friendly and make sure their AI is fair and safe.

People who want to be good at AI can learn by trying things and taking classes on the internet. Leaders and workers should think about how AI can help their work before they use it. To use AI well at work, people need to work together with the AI, using their own skills and the AI’s help.

Original news source: What do employers expect staff to know about AI? (BBC)

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Vocabulary:

Group or Classroom Activities

Warm-up Activities:

– Charades
Instructions: Divide the class into two teams. Each team will take turns acting out a word or phrase related to the article, using only gestures and body language. The other team must guess what the word or phrase is. The team with the most correct guesses wins.

– News Summary
Instructions: In pairs or small groups, students will summarize the main points of the article. They should focus on the key information and try to condense it into a short paragraph. Afterward, each group can share their summaries with the class.

– Opinion Poll
Instructions: Create a list of statements related to the article, such as “AI will replace human workers in the future” or “Using AI at work is a good idea.” Have students move around the classroom and ask their classmates for their opinions on each statement. They should record their classmates’ responses and then discuss their findings as a class.

– Vocabulary Pictionary
Instructions: Give each student a vocabulary word from the article, such as “AI,” “computer program,” or “work together.” Students must draw a picture that represents the word and have their classmates guess what it is. This activity helps reinforce vocabulary and comprehension.

– Future Predictions
Instructions: In pairs or small groups, students will discuss and make predictions about the future of AI in the workplace. They should consider both the positive and negative impacts of AI and how it may affect different industries. Afterward, groups can share their predictions with the class and engage in a discussion.

Comprehension Questions:

1. What kind of computer thinking do companies want people to know?
2. Why do small companies like using AI?
3. How does AI help a lady’s company grow fast?
4. What should companies be careful about when using AI?
5. How can people learn to be good at AI?
6. What should leaders and workers think about before using AI at work?
7. How do people need to work with AI to use it well at work?
Go to answers ⇩

Listen and Fill in the Gaps:

Companies want to hire people who (1)______ how to use a special kind of (2)______ thinking called AI. They are putting more jobs online that ask for AI skills. AI can make (3)______ faster and better in many jobs. But some people are worried because they don’t know much about AI and think it’s hard to learn.

(4)______ companies like using AI because it helps them do more work without needing more people or things. A (5)______ who runs a (6)______ uses AI to write things and make computer programs. This helps her company grow fast. But companies have to be careful to (7)______ their work friendly and make (8)______ their AI is fair and safe.

People who want to be (9)______ at AI can learn by trying things and taking (10)______ on the internet. Leaders and workers should think about how AI can (11)______ their work before they use it. To use AI well at work, people need to work together with the AI, (12)______ their own skills and the AI’s help.
Go to answers ⇩

Discussion Questions:

Students can ask a partner these questions, or discuss them as a group.

1. What is AI and why do companies want people who know how to use it?
2. How do small companies benefit from using AI?
3. Do you think AI is difficult to learn? Why or why not?
4. How can AI help a company grow fast?
5. Have you ever used AI before? If so, what was your experience like?
6. How do you think AI can make work faster and better in many jobs?
7. What are some ways that companies can ensure their AI is fair and safe?
8. Do you think it’s important for leaders and workers to think about how AI can help their work? Why or why not?
9. How do you think people can learn to be good at AI?
10. How can people work together with AI to use it well at work?
11. Do you like the idea of using AI in your future job? Why or why not?
12. How would you feel if your job was replaced by AI? Why or why not?

Individual Activities

Vocabulary Meanings:

Match each word to its meaning.

Words:
1. hire
2. computer
3. online
4. skills
5. worried
6. learn
7. companies
8. friendly
9. fair
10. internet
11. leaders
12. together

Meanings:
(A) A machine that can do many different things and helps people with their work
(B) A place where you can find information and play games on the computer
(C) Things you are good at doing
(D) To give someone a job
(E) People who are in charge and make important decisions
(F) Being kind and nice to others
(G) Treating everyone the same and not being unfair
(H) To gain knowledge or information about something
(I) Using the internet to do something
(J) Working with someone to achieve a goal
(K) Big groups of people who work together to make and sell things
(L) Feeling anxious or concerned about something
Go to answers ⇩

Multiple Choice Questions:

1. Why do companies want to hire people who know how to use AI?
(a) AI can make work faster and better in many jobs.
(b) AI is a new trend and companies want to be trendy.
(c) AI is easy to learn and everyone should know how to use it.
(d) AI is not useful in the workplace.

2. How can AI help small companies?
(a) It makes the work slower and less efficient.
(b) It increases the number of employees needed.
(c) It is too expensive for small companies to use.
(d) It helps them do more work without needing more people or things.

3. How does AI help the lady who runs a company?
(a) It helps her company grow fast by writing things and making computer programs.
(b) It makes her company slower and less successful.
(c) It increases the number of employees needed in her company.
(d) It is too complicated for her to use in her company.

4. What should people do if they want to be good at AI?
(a) Give up because AI is too difficult to learn.
(b) Learn by trying things and taking classes on the internet.
(c) Ignore AI and focus on other skills.
(d) Only learn about AI from books.

5. What should leaders and workers do before they use AI at work?
(a) Avoid using AI because it is not helpful.
(b) Think about how AI can help their work.
(c) Use AI without considering its impact on their work.
(d) Only use AI if everyone in the company knows how to use it.

6. How should people use AI well at work?
(a) They should rely solely on the AI and not use their own skills.
(b) They should avoid using AI because it is not useful.
(c) They need to work together with the AI, using their own skills and the AI’s help.
(d) They should use AI without considering their own skills.

7. What should companies be careful about when using AI?
(a) They should not use AI because it is too expensive.
(b) They should use AI without considering its impact on their work.
(c) They should keep their work friendly and make sure their AI is fair and safe.
(d) They should only use AI if everyone in the company knows how to use it.

8. Why are some people worried about AI?
(a) Because AI is not useful in the workplace.
(b) Because AI is too expensive for companies to use.
(c) Because AI is a new trend and they don’t want to be trendy.
(d) Because they don’t know much about AI and think it’s hard to learn.

Go to answers ⇩

True or False Questions:

1. Some people are worried about AI because they think it’s hard to learn.
2. AI cannot make work faster and better in many jobs.
3. Companies are looking to hire people who know how to use AI.
4. Small companies like using AI because it helps them do more work without needing more people or things.
5. Fewer jobs are being posted online that require AI skills.
6. People can learn AI by trying things and taking classes on the internet.
7. AI cannot help a company grow fast by writing things and creating computer programs.
8. Companies do not need to make sure their AI is fair and safe.
Go to answers ⇩

Write a Summary:

Write a summary of this news article in two sentences.

Writing Questions:

Answer the following questions. Write as much as you can for each answer.

1. What kind of computer thinking are companies looking for when they want to hire people?
2. Why do small companies like using AI?
3. How does AI help a lady’s company grow fast?
4. How can people learn to be good at AI?
5. What do people need to do to use AI well at work?

Answers

Comprehension Question Answers:

1. What kind of computer thinking do companies want people to know?
Companies want people to know how to use AI (Artificial Intelligence) computer thinking.

2. Why do small companies like using AI?
Small companies like using AI because it helps them do more work without needing more people or things.

3. How does AI help a lady’s company grow fast?
AI helps the lady’s company grow fast because it can write things and make computer programs, which makes the work faster and better.

4. What should companies be careful about when using AI?
Companies should be careful to keep their work friendly and make sure their AI is fair and safe.

5. How can people learn to be good at AI?
People can learn to be good at AI by trying things and taking classes on the internet.

6. What should leaders and workers think about before using AI at work?
Leaders and workers should think about how AI can help their work before they use it.

7. How do people need to work with AI to use it well at work?
People need to work together with AI, using their own skills and the AI’s help, to use it well at work.
Go back to questions ⇧

Listen and Fill in the Gaps Answers:

(1) know
(2) computer
(3) work
(4) Small
(5) lady
(6) company
(7) keep
(8) sure
(9) good
(10) classes
(11) help
(12) using
Go back to questions ⇧

Vocabulary Meanings Answers:

1. hire
Answer: (D) To give someone a job

2. computer
Answer: (A) A machine that can do many different things and helps people with their work

3. online
Answer: (I) Using the internet to do something

4. skills
Answer: (C) Things you are good at doing

5. worried
Answer: (L) Feeling anxious or concerned about something

6. learn
Answer: (H) To gain knowledge or information about something

7. companies
Answer: (K) Big groups of people who work together to make and sell things

8. friendly
Answer: (F) Being kind and nice to others

9. fair
Answer: (G) Treating everyone the same and not being unfair

10. internet
Answer: (B) A place where you can find information and play games on the computer

11. leaders
Answer: (E) People who are in charge and make important decisions

12. together
Answer: (J) Working with someone to achieve a goal
Go back to questions ⇧

Multiple Choice Answers:

1. Why do companies want to hire people who know how to use AI?
Answer: (a) AI can make work faster and better in many jobs.

2. How can AI help small companies?
Answer: (d) It helps them do more work without needing more people or things.

3. How does AI help the lady who runs a company?
Answer: (a) It helps her company grow fast by writing things and making computer programs.

4. What should people do if they want to be good at AI?
Answer: (b) Learn by trying things and taking classes on the internet.

5. What should leaders and workers do before they use AI at work?
Answer: (b) Think about how AI can help their work.

6. How should people use AI well at work?
Answer: (c) They need to work together with the AI, using their own skills and the AI’s help.

7. What should companies be careful about when using AI?
Answer: (c) They should keep their work friendly and make sure their AI is fair and safe.

8. Why are some people worried about AI?
Answer: (d) Because they don’t know much about AI and think it’s hard to learn.
Go back to questions ⇧

True or False Answers:

1. Some people are worried about AI because they think it’s hard to learn. (Answer: True)
2. AI cannot make work faster and better in many jobs. (Answer: False)
3. Companies are looking to hire people who know how to use AI. (Answer: True)
4. Small companies like using AI because it helps them do more work without needing more people or things. (Answer: True)
5. Fewer jobs are being posted online that require AI skills. (Answer: False)
6. People can learn AI by trying things and taking classes on the internet. (Answer: True)
7. AI cannot help a company grow fast by writing things and creating computer programs. (Answer: False)
8. Companies do not need to make sure their AI is fair and safe. (Answer: False)
Go back to questions ⇧