OVERVIEW & OBJECTIVES

This ESL lesson plan on AI, Romance, & Dating offers engaging activities, PDF worksheets, and digital materials designed for advanced C1 students. In this lesson, students will:

• Share and compare their views on emotional relationships with AI through structured discussion prompts.
• Learn and use vocabulary related to companionship, regulation, and emerging technology.
• Watch a news video about people forming romantic bonds with AI companions and answer comprehension questions.
• Practice using phrases to evaluate realism and plausibility in tech-based relationship scenarios.
• Engage in thought-provoking debates and discussions about AI, ethics, and the future of human connection.

PREVIEW & DISCUSSION

Students begin this lesson by discussing different types of human–AI relationships, such as friendships, therapy support, and romantic partnerships. They consider why some people might choose AI over human connections, and which of these relationships they personally view as acceptable or problematic. Next, students explore a set of sentence endings about romantic AI relationships, reflecting on ideas they agree or disagree with. They then match AI-related vocabulary words like surge, frontier, and regulation with headlines, analyzing which stories are interesting or raise critical concerns. Finally, they imagine what it might look like when someone “falls in love” with an AI chatbot, leading into the viewing section.

VIEWING ACTIVITY

In this video segment, students watch a news report about the growing use of AI companion apps, featuring real stories from people who form romantic relationships with AI chatbots, including one man who created a girlfriend using ChatGPT. The video highlights how these relationships work, the emotional impact, public reaction, and expert concerns. After viewing, students answer short comprehension questions about key details, such as how Jason describes his relationship with his AI partner Jennifer, how others react to it, and what psychologists say about these trends. In the next activity, they choose three accurate reasons why Chris's real-life girlfriend, Sasha, is comfortable with his AI companion Soul, based on multiple-choice options.

VIEWING FOLLOW-UP

Students reflect on the most surprising or interesting parts of the video, then discuss how their own opinions may have changed. They explore how they might feel if a real-life partner had an AI relationship and whether they view AI as a passing phase or the beginning of a deeper societal shift. After that, they read a short synopsis of the film Her, which deals with a man falling in love with an AI. Students share whether the story seems plausible, far-fetched, or something that could soon happen. They then match several phrases expressing levels of realism to definitions and think of movies or shows that reflect similar ideas.

IMAGINING AI: REAL OR SCI-FI? ETHICAL DILEMMAS TO DEBATE

In this creative activation, students analyze futuristic or current-sounding scenarios involving AI, including synthetic bees, digital afterlives, and AI-fueled delusions. They discuss whether each one seems grounded in reality or like science fiction, using expressions such as just around the corner and outlandish. Students also consider the ethical issues raised by each situation. For further challenge, they can invent their own AI-related scenario. In the second option, students explore and debate a list of controversial AI statements, explaining their level of agreement and providing thoughtful reasons. This activity allows for open-ended discussion and language practice in expressing nuanced viewpoints.

BENEFITS OF USING THIS AI, ROMANCE, & DATING ESL LESSON PLAN

This AI, Romance, & Dating ESL lesson plan gives teachers a highly engaging way to explore timely and thought-provoking topics through discussion, critical thinking, and vocabulary development. Students practice advanced-level speaking, improve listening comprehension with authentic media, and explore cultural, ethical, and psychological dimensions of AI relationships. The lesson helps students connect personally to the material, fostering rich conversations and deeper learning. It also provides structured opportunities to practice speculative and evaluative language useful for academic and professional settings. Teachers can easily adapt the flexible lesson materials for in-person, hybrid, or online classes.