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How to use AI responsibly in academic reading (writer stance and hedging language)
Feb 7, 2026
A short video on using AI to recognise whether a writer’s stance is positive, cautious, or critical, how to identify common hedging language used in academic texts, and distinguish between strong claims and cautious academic claims.
WORKSHEET DOWNLOAD: https://academic-englishuk.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/AI-Supported-Reading-VIDEO-WORKSHEET-AEUK.docx
WEBSITE PAGE: http://www.academic-englishuk.com/ai-supported-academic-reading
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0:06
Hello and welcome to this short lesson
0:08
on how to use AI responsibly in academic
0:12
reading. Before we begin, there is a
0:14
worksheet that accompanies this video.
0:17
So, pause and download from the link
0:19
below.
0:22
As we are all aware, AI has begun to
0:24
significantly influence university
0:27
education and learning.
0:29
While AI offers many benefits, its
0:32
impact on developing literacy is
0:34
increasingly being questioned. The
0:37
following recent headlines highlight
0:39
common reading concerns.
0:42
Global Education Network examines how AI
0:45
is undermining the benefits of literacy.
0:48
The Guardian reports on how pupils fear
0:51
AI is eroding their ability to study,
0:54
read, and write. The New York Times
0:57
raises concerns about why even the basic
0:59
use of AI is bad for students.
1:03
And the BBC News discusses concerns
1:06
about how AI is damaging students
1:09
thinking skills.
1:11
So with these headlines in mind, the
1:13
primary focus of this video is on
1:16
developing reading skills to help
1:19
students in basic terms to analyze what
1:22
a text says, how it's organized, and
1:24
what the author is trying to achieve.
1:28
At present, the key issues associated
1:30
with using AI for university reading
1:33
include one, reduce deep reading
1:36
engagement. This is the frequent use of
1:38
AI summaries discourages close
1:41
engagement with full academic texts.
1:44
Two, weak development of academic
1:47
reading strategies. Basically, by
1:50
relying on AI explanations, it limits
1:53
the practice of skills such as skimming,
1:55
scanning, and identifying main ideas.
1:59
Three, limited vocabulary acquisition.
2:02
AI simplified texts reduce continued
2:05
exposure to discipline, specific
2:07
vocabulary, and contextual inference.
2:11
Four, over reliance on AI
2:14
interpretation. Obviously, AI
2:17
explanations replace students own
2:19
analysis of meaning, stance, and
2:21
relevance. And number five, misalignment
2:24
with assessment expectations. There is a
2:27
significant discrepancy between AI
2:30
mediated comprehension and the
2:32
independent analytical skills required
2:35
under exam conditions.
2:38
So then to address these key issues, we
2:41
have developed an AI supported academic
2:44
reading workbook that focuses on
2:46
strengthening reading skills at
2:48
paragraph level, helping learners
2:50
interpret meaning, structure, and writer
2:53
intention without relying on AI to
2:56
generate content.
2:58
There are 10 lessons in total covering
3:01
areas from identifying main ideas to
3:04
recognizing writer stance and hedging to
3:08
inferring meaning and writer intention.
3:10
All of which use AI as a tool rather
3:13
than a producer of answers.
3:17
Today's video will focus on the fourth
3:19
lesson which is recognizing writer
3:22
stance and hedging.
3:24
The aims of this video lesson are that
3:26
by the end you will be able to recognize
3:30
whether a writer's stance is positive,
3:32
cautious, or critical.
3:35
Identify common hedging language used in
3:37
academic texts. Distinguish between
3:40
strong claims and cautious academic
3:43
claims.
3:45
Okay, let's begin. Task one is noticing
3:48
writer's stance. Dance refers to the
3:51
position or attitude an author takes
3:54
toward the ideas in an academic text.
3:57
Writers use stance to show whether they
4:00
support, question, or distance
4:02
themselves from a claim and how
4:04
confident they are. Readers can identify
4:07
stance through reporting verbs,
4:09
evaluative language, and modal verbs.
4:14
Okay, so read the paragraph below.
4:17
Underline words or phrases that show the
4:20
writer's stance towards AI in education
4:23
and decide whether the overall stance is
4:26
positive, cautious or critical.
4:29
Pause the slide and do the activity.
4:36
Okay, so the answer is cautious. But
4:39
why?
4:41
Task two is identifying stance and
4:44
hedging.
4:46
So, we know what stance means. It refers
4:49
to the position or attitude an author
4:51
takes toward the ideas in an academic
4:53
text.
4:55
But what is hedging? Hedging refers to
4:58
the use of cautious language to limit
5:00
the strength or scope of a claim.
5:03
Writers hedge to avoid
5:04
overgeneralization and to acknowledge
5:07
limitations in evidence. Common hedging
5:10
devices include modal verbs, adverbs,
5:12
and phrases such as may, likely, or in
5:15
some cases.
5:18
Okay. Task two. Look again at the
5:21
paragraph in task one and answer the
5:23
questions below.
5:25
One, which words or phrases reduce the
5:29
strength of the claims?
5:31
Two, which sentence introduces a
5:33
limitation or concern? Three. Why do you
5:37
think the writer avoids strong or
5:39
absolute language? Pause the slide and
5:42
do the activity.
5:48
Okay, so there are no answers at this
5:50
stage. Let's move on to the next
5:53
exercise.
5:55
Task three is an AI supported task.
5:59
Copy reading text one into your chosen
6:01
AI tool and copy this prompt exactly as
6:04
it is written. Identify the writer's
6:07
overall stance in this paragraph and
6:10
highlight any hedging language. Do not
6:13
summarize the paragraph.
6:15
So you can see what we are doing here.
6:18
We do the work first then check with AI
6:21
rather than just ask AI. This way we
6:24
actively engage with the task and
6:26
develop our own understanding.
6:30
So here I paste the instruction and then
6:32
the reading text.
6:36
I can also ask AI to highlight in the
6:38
paragraph too like this
6:41
and color code too.
6:45
Once I've done this, I move on to step
6:47
two to compare the AI's response with
6:50
your answers by completing these
6:52
questions.
6:54
So, one, did the AI identify the same
6:58
stance as you?
7:00
Two, did it highlight the same hedging
7:02
expressions?
7:04
Three, do you agree with the AI's
7:07
interpretation? Why or why not?
7:11
Pause the slide, compare your work with
7:13
the AI, and analyze your understanding.
7:21
Okay, on to task four, which is
7:22
independent transfer.
7:25
Independent transfer refers to a
7:27
learner's ability to apply knowledge and
7:30
skills acquired in one learning context
7:33
to a new unfamiliar task or situation
7:36
without external support.
7:40
Task four, read the paragraph below.
7:43
Decide whether the writer's stance is
7:45
positive, cautious, or critical.
7:48
Underline any words or phrases that show
7:50
hedging. Pause the slide and do the
7:53
activity.
7:58
So, like before, there are no answers.
8:01
We move on to the next exercise.
8:04
Task five feedback.
8:07
Step one, check your own work. Read your
8:10
answers from task four and tick the
8:12
statements that are true. One, I
8:15
identified the writer's overall stance
8:18
accurately. Two, I recognized hedging
8:21
language rather than strong claims.
8:24
Three, I recognized both positive points
8:27
and limitations expressed by the writer.
8:31
Pause the slide and check this.
8:38
Okay, to step two. Use an AI tool to
8:42
support your learning.
8:44
Copy reading text to and the following
8:46
prompt into the AI tool.
8:49
So first I copy in the prompt. Identify
8:52
the writer's stance and any hedging
8:54
language in this paragraph. Do not
8:57
summarize the paragraph. Then paste in
9:00
the text. Here are the results.
9:05
You can ask AI to highlight in a
9:07
paragraph like this
9:11
and color code like this.
9:15
Now analyze the results and compare to
9:17
your findings of stance hedging language
9:20
strengths and limitations.
9:23
Pause this slide and make the changes.
9:30
Okay, finally we move to task six,
9:33
reflection. How did AI help you confirm
9:36
or question your understanding of writer
9:39
stance and hedging in this lesson?
9:42
Give one specific example. Pause the
9:45
slide and do the activity.
9:52
Okay, if you're enjoying this, we have
9:54
task seven, an optional activity to
9:57
apply all the strategies you have
9:58
learned today.
10:02
Read this slightly longer text below and
10:04
identify the stance and hedging
10:06
language.
10:08
Pause and do.
10:14
Obviously, there are no answers as this
10:16
is developing independence.
10:18
Hopefully you now have a better
10:20
understanding of your stance and hedging
10:23
language.
10:25
That's the end of this video lesson. I
10:27
hope you found it beneficial. If you'd
10:29
like more lessons on AI supported
10:32
learning, then go here for our 10 lesson
10:34
academic reading booklet. Or if you'd
10:37
like more academic English AI lessons,
10:40
then please go here to
10:41
academicenglish.uk uk/ai
10:44
in education. Until next time, thanks
10:47
for watching.