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.

Using Films in the ESL Classroom: Guide and Activities | DrillKit Blog

Why Film Is the Ultimate Authentic Input

Films pack extraordinary linguistic richness into every scene: natural speech rates, authentic intonation, cultural references, idiomatic expressions, emotional context, and the body language cues that shape how language is interpreted. No textbook replicates this.

For ESL learners, watching English films does something that reading and grammar exercises can't: it shows how language feels, not just how it works. Students begin to develop intuitions about register, informality, emotion, and timing that are nearly impossible to teach explicitly.

The 3-Stage Film Lesson Framework

Stage 1: Pre-Watching (10 minutes)
Activate schema and pre-teach key vocabulary. Show the movie poster/title. Ask: What do you expect this to be about? Pre-teach 5-7 key words that will appear in the clip. This sets up successful comprehension.

Stage 2: Watching (10-20 minutes)
Watch a specific clip (3-10 minutes is optimal). Give a clear task: note specific words, identify character attitudes, count how many times they use a specific phrase. Passive watching without a task wastes the input.

Stage 3: Post-Watching (15-20 minutes)
Language analysis: What did they say when X happened? How did the character express hesitation? Role play: replay the scene with students in the roles. GeneratE a vocabulary worksheet from the dialogue transcript using DrillKit.

Best Film Types by Learning Goal

😂

Comedy

Idioms, informality, timing, and cultural humor — great for B2+ students

🎭

Drama

Emotional language, hedging, apologies, and relationship vocabulary

📺

TV Sitcoms

Short episodes, repetitive characters and settings, high colloquial density

Teacher Tip

“Use scenes where characters have conflicting agendas — a negotiation, an argument, a difficult conversation. Ask: 'What did each character really want? Did they say it directly or indirectly?' This teaches pragmatic competence — understanding what language *does* beyond what it says.”

Frequently Asked Questions

Is there a copyright issue with using film clips in class?

Using short clips (under 10 minutes) for private educational purposes generally falls under fair use/fair dealing in most countries. Sharing clips publicly or commercially is different. Stick to short extracts for in-lesson use.

Should I use subtitles?

English subtitles help A1-B1 learners connect speech to text. B2+ learners benefit from no subtitles for listening work, then subtitles for language analysis. L1 subtitles should be avoided — they shift processing into comprehension mode rather than language acquisition mode.

What if my student doesn't like the film I've chosen?

Ask for student input on genre and let them suggest a scene from something they've seen. When students choose the content, engagement is markedly higher — and they're more willing to analyze language in something they actually enjoy.

Using Films in the ESL Classroom: A Practical Framework