Lesson Plan: Enhancing Opinion Writing with Socratic Method & Generative AI

 

Lesson Plan: Enhancing Opinion Writing with Socratic Method & Generative AI

Course: Academic Writing / Advanced English Composition
Level: University Students
Duration: 60 minutes
Topic: Writing and Revising Opinion Essays
Objective: Students will develop well-reasoned opinion paragraphs by critically evaluating their ideas through Socratic questioning and refining their writing with the assistance of Generative AI tools.

1. Learning Objectives

By the end of this lesson, students will be able to:

1. Articulate a clear and nuanced opinion in writing.
2. Support their opinion with logical reasoning and examples.
3. Use Socratic questioning to reflect critically on their own and peers’ writing.
4. Leverage Generative AI tools to generate ideas, suggestions, and alternative phrasings while maintaining critical evaluation.
5. Integrate AI suggestions into their writing thoughtfully, maintaining their own voice.

2. Materials

• Laptops / devices with internet access
• AI writing tool (e.g., ChatGPT)
• Worksheet with Socratic question prompts
• Sample opinion essay or paragraph

3. Lesson Procedure

Stage	Time	Teacher Activity	Student Activity
Warm-Up / Activation	5 min	Pose a provocative topic (e.g., “Should social media platforms be regulated by the government?”). Ask students to share initial opinions.	Discuss briefly in pairs; note initial thoughts.
Introduction	5 min	Explain the combined approach: Socratic questioning for critical reflection and Generative AI for drafting, exploring alternatives, and refining language.	Listen and ask clarifying questions.
Modeling / Guided Practice	15 min	Demonstrate Socratic questioning on a sample paragraph:  • “What is your main argument?”  • “Why is that argument valid?”  • “Can you find an exception or counterexample?”  • Show how AI can suggest alternative phrasing or additional examples.	Observe and interact. Students suggest questions AI could answer or refine.
Independent Practice (Writing + AI Integration)	15 min	Students write their own opinion paragraph. They:  1. Draft their idea.  2. Use Socratic prompts to self-question their reasoning.  3. Ask the AI for alternative expressions, examples, or counterarguments.	Draft paragraph, respond to Socratic questions, experiment with AI suggestions, decide which ideas improve their writing.
Peer Review / Socratic Dialogue	10 min	Teacher facilitates pairs or small groups to ask each other Socratic questions and evaluate AI-generated suggestions critically.	Discuss each other’s drafts, ask Socratic questions, and provide constructive feedback.
Closure & Reflection	10 min	Ask students to revise their paragraph based on Socratic reflection and AI assistance. Summarize how AI can support but not replace critical thinking.	Share revised paragraphs, reflect on the combination of AI and Socratic questioning for improvement.

4. Assessment

• Formative: Participation in Socratic dialogue and peer questioning.
• Written: Evaluate clarity of opinion, reasoning, supporting evidence, and integration of AI suggestions.
• Reflective: Students write 1–2 sentences explaining how Socratic questioning and AI improved their paragraph.

5. Notes / Tips

• Encourage students to treat AI as a thinking partner, not a source of ready-made answers.
• Model critical evaluation of AI suggestions (“Does this example really support my argument?”).
• Use open-ended Socratic questions to foster deep reasoning, especially regarding counterarguments.
• For larger classes, consider using AI collaboratively in small groups to generate discussion prompts or alternative perspectives.