DrillKit is an AI-powered tool that turns your online lesson chat from Zoom, Google Meet, Skype, or Microsoft Teams into professional, print-ready ESL lessons in under 30 seconds. It automatically extracts vocabulary, generates exercises (gap-fill, error correction, vocab match, word formation, and more), and produces beautiful PDFs tailored to the student's CEFR level and native language.

Does DrillKit support Zoom chats?

Yes! Simply copy the chat text from your Zoom, Google Meet, Skype, or Microsoft Teams lesson and paste it directly into the input area. You can also paste vocabulary lists or handwritten notes. DrillKit's AI strips out timestamps, sender names, and other noise automatically.

Can I export lessons to PDF?

Absolutely. Every lesson is generated as a high-quality, print-ready PDF. Pro users can also export to Google Docs and customize branding with their school logo and accent colors.

Which languages are supported?

DrillKit supports translations in 11 languages: Spanish, French, German, Italian, Portuguese, Japanese, Korean, Chinese, Arabic, Turkish, and Russian. The AI auto-detects the student's native language from the chat transcript.

What exercise types can DrillKit generate?

DrillKit generates 11 exercise types: Gap Fill, Vocab Match, Error Correction, Sentence Completion, Multiple Choice, Word Scramble, Sentence Reorder, Translation, Word Formation (Cambridge Part 3), Key Word Transformation (Cambridge Part 4), and Dialogue Builder.

How does the AI extract vocabulary from chat transcripts?

The AI scans your pasted chat transcript, strips out noise (timestamps, reactions, media placeholders), identifies teachable vocabulary, phrasal verbs, idioms, and student errors, then scores each item by relevance. You review and select the best items before generating exercises.

Is DrillKit free to use?

Yes! The free plan includes 20 generations per month with full access to all 13 exercise types, all lesson styles, and custom branding. The Pro plan ($5.99/month or $4.00/month billed yearly) unlocks unlimited generations and priority AI processing.

Can I customize the lesson with my school branding?

Pro users can add their school or institution name, choose custom accent colors, select from 5 lesson styles (Standard, Classic, Modern, Playful, Academic), and add footer text to every generated lesson.

ESL Homework Design Best Practices | DrillKit Blog

The Homework Compliance Problem

Most ESL teachers assign homework. Most students don't do it. Teachers draw conclusions about student motivation; students feel guilty; the homework relationship deteriorates. The real problem is usually homework design, not student motivation.

Effective homework is: short enough to feel achievable, relevant enough to feel worthwhile, and followed up in class in a way that makes non-completion visible and valuable.

Design Principles for Homework Students Do

1. Maximum 15 minutes
Beyond 15 minutes, completion rates drop dramatically for adults with busy lives. Design 10-15 minutes of focused, high-quality practice. A 15-minute focused vocabulary exercise beats a 45-minute unfocused task every time.

2. Clear connection to class content
Homework that reviews today's lesson content (not introduces next lesson's) makes the connection obvious. 'Here's practice on what we did today' is a more compelling proposition than 'preparation for an unknown future lesson.'

3. An answer key included
Self-checking homework is more effective than unmonitored submission. Students who check their own answers immediately encode correct forms. Students who submit and wait a week for feedback have lost the correction opportunity.

4. Spaced retrieval
Bring back vocabulary from 2-3 lessons ago, not just this lesson. Spaced repetition is the most evidence-supported memory enhancement available — build it into every homework set.

5. Real follow-up in class
Discuss the homework at the start of the next lesson: 'What did you find difficult? Did anything surprise you?' This makes homework feel valued, not performed. Students who know you'll discuss it in class complete it at higher rates.

Homework Design Principles

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10-15 minutes

The optimal homework length for adult ESL learners — achievable, surmountable, completable

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Spaced Retrieval

Recycling vocabulary from 2+ lessons ago is 4x more effective for retention than same-lesson review

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Answer Key Always

Self-checking homework produces better retention than delayed teacher correction

Teacher Tip

“At the end of every lesson, generate a DrillKit worksheet from the session's vocabulary before the student leaves. Email it or send it via WhatsApp immediately. The worksheet is relevant (today's words), immediate (ready now), and focused (10-15 minutes). Homework completion rates for immediately-sent, session-relevant worksheets are dramatically higher than for delayed generic assignments.”

Frequently Asked Questions

Should homework be graded or just acknowledged?

For adult private learners, acknowledgment and discussion is far more motivating than grades. 'I noticed you got the collocations perfectly but struggled with the third exercise — let's look at why' is better feedback than a percentage score.

What types of homework completion are most effective?

Retrieval practice (recall without looking) > production (writing sentences) > recognition exercises (multiple choice) in terms of long-term retention. Design homework to require retrieval, not just recognition.

How do I handle students who consistently don't do homework?

Adjust the type and volume, not the expectation. Ask: 'Is the homework too long? Too difficult? Not relevant?' Often a reduction to 5 focused minutes produces more completed homework than 30 minutes of ignored assignment.

ESL Homework Design: What Actually Helps vs. What Feels Like Homework