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Assignment
Consider one of the AI application examples highlighted and explain how you would introduce this to your pupils. Post a reflective piece (150 words min) to this Module forum as a Reply to this post.
Also, please respond to at least one other participant’s post in this forum.
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I’ve actually never used OSMO before, but after exploring it in this module, I’m really keen to try it out in my SET room. It uses a clever little red mirror over the iPad camera to read physical objects on the table, which seems like a brilliant way to get our kids moving tactile pieces around instead of just staring at a flat screen.
To introduce it, I’d keep it incredibly simple and just pitch it as a new magic game for our small group table. I’d set up the iPad, pop the reflector on, and scatter some of the physical letter or shape tiles on the table. Instead of giving a big explanation, I’d just let them slide a piece in front of the camera and watch their faces when the screen instantly reacts to what they did.
For SET, the biggest draw for me is that it’s self-correcting. If a child makes a mistake, the game gently guides them to try again, which takes the pressure off and builds up their independence. It’s fun, interactive and a resource that will help keep my pupils keep engaged.
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I really like this idea! I hadn’t heard of Osmo before this module either, but it definitely caught my attention. I think the hands-on aspect is what makes it so appealing. So many of our pupils learn best by doing, so being able to move real objects around instead of just tapping a screen is a big plus.
I also agree with what you said about it being self-correcting. I think that’s especially valuable in an SET setting because it gives children the chance to figure things out for themselves without worrying about getting it wrong. It sounds like a really engaging way to build confidence as well as their literacy and problem-solving skills. It’s definitely something I’d love to try out in my own classroom.
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I completely agree Tracey. I think OSMO is a great way to make learning more interactive, and I really like that it lets children learn through trial and error without feeling like they’ve got something wrong. It seems like a fun resource that would keep pupils engaged while building their confidence.
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For lesson planning, I am so impressed and looking forward to magic school, gemini and co pilot. I’ve already used chat gpt but I feel magic school is better. As I said previously, I do wonder about costs and ultimately, one probably has to narrow it down to 2 or 3 AI tools.
I really can see the value of the AI tools for developing the children’s awareness of bias. I think for the older classrooms, thia would be amazing preparation for critical thinking in secondary school.
I think for my class levels, scratch or khan would be the better option. We have enough chrome books for each child. I think Khan would bring history to life and really help with difficult concepts in science. I think Scratch is a lovely tool for that mid section in schools to help them develop imagination and in a fun way to build projects. It would also be useful for EAL students as it can switch languages. It would also help with problem solving by helping the children break things down into smaller steps.
I also feel that children are instinctively better at navigating these platforms and thay themselves would be able to get more out them than they would with us showing them.
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I agree MagicSchool AI really appealed to me. It looks like a brilliant resource that will be a wonderful time saver for prep, especially for EAL. You just log in and use their pre-made templates to make resources in seconds.In September I intend to use it to generate visual vocabulary lists of school items, or to translate essential, everyday phrases into our newcomers’ native languages for communication cards. There’s also a text leveler that simplifies wordy stories and worksheets into short, easy sentences for infants. It is a fantastic shortcut for pulling together tailored materials for the classroom without spending hours on planning.
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I work in SET in a junior school Martha and do quite a lot of small-group literacy work, so hearing how you have used MagicSchool in an EAL setting makes me more inclined to explore it for myself. I particularly like the potential to quickly adapt resources to suit individual children and different language levels.
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Hi Tracey,
I completely agree with your plan for introducing OSMO. Keeping it simple and pitching it as a “magic game” is a brilliant way to hook them right from the start. That self-correcting feature is the real selling point for me too, especially when you are trying to manage multiple children at once. It builds up their independence and takes the pressure off them entirely since they can learn through trial and error without worrying about getting a red mark on a page. Getting them away from just tapping a flat screen to moving physical blocks around on the table is fantastic for their engagement. -
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I think the AI I found most useful in this course so far for the children in my class is Microsoft Reading Coach. While I feel I will use all of them to come extent I love how this AI tool empowers children in their learning. It is their choice how to develop the story, their choice and then reward to stay on task and read the story to unlock extra characters, settings, etc. I feel that we could use this as a stand-alone lesson once a week. The children can work independently reading the text and receiving feedback on their reading, highlighting words they need to work on while I can keep an overview of how the pupils are doing and work with individual pupils. I will then have feedback from each of the pupil’s session. I also feel for pupils who are shy to read aloud or EAL pupils this will help them to gain confidence as each pupil is working at the same time and not listening to each other.
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Using Microsoft Reading Coach as a standalone weekly session sounds like a brilliant way to free you up for targeted, one-to-one checking while the rest of the class works independently. Your point about EAL and shy readers is spot on, the fact that it creates a low-stakes, quiet environment where they can practice without the fear of judgment is a massive confidence booster. It’s a powerful tool for the classroom!
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Using Reading coach as a standalone weekly task sounds like a brilliant idea. It would be structured, as sometimes when we get our chrome book slot, I end up giving the class a project but this would be so structrued and they could continue a story for a period or improve reading skills without the pressure of reading aloud to the class.
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Having looked at ScratchJr, I think before turning on the laptop I would have to pre-teach coding concepts like ‘forwards’, ‘left’ right’ and maybe playing with arrow directional cards and a miniature figurine to allow the children to become familiar with giving instructions. Sequencing is a topic familiar to Senior Infants so some work on questioning ‘what did you do first, next, then and last’? would be worthwhile. Clicking and Dragging objects won’t be a problem as most are playing computer games at home. I think starting with selecting a character and moving it to an object using the blocks and green flag would be an achievement in itself. Keeping the goal short and manageable at this level I think would be important. Using the repeat button will give them longer sequences of movement to enjoy. Having worked through ScratchJr myself it can become very ‘busy’ and maybe a bit overwhelming for younger kids. I think sharing and explaining what they have done with each other in the group would have huge benefits for oral language development, building confidence and motivating learning.
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Hi Caroline, I love your idea of keeping the goal short and manageable, it is so important for the junior classes. It is a great idea for them to share with their group what they have done. It is a great way for them to develop their oral language and also lets us know as teachers if they really understand what they are doing.
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I think it is important to teach the basic vocabulary before diving into scratch. I recently came across a course and there was a session on “unplugged” and it was very good as it thought the basic without any ipads for the initial lesson. So the children were being programmed “take three steps forward, turn left”. It also improved their listening skills as they had to listen and then remember what they were asked to do and then carry out the task. It is a nice precurser to introducing ipads etc.
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Hi Caroline,
I agree with you that Scratch for Kids is an excellent resource for children but elements certainly need to be pre taught before starting the app. In our school we have Beebots and these are fantastic programmable ‘robots’ that children can use to help with their directional language. They are a fantastic first introduction to the idea of coding. As mentioned, sometimes Scratch can get more challenging quite quickly so its important that children are made aware to take it step by step and not get overwhelmed. It is a fantastic progression step from basic programming, like coding and I have found that the children always surprise me with their ability and are often better than I am!
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As a teacher of senior Infants, I would consider using Scratch Junior with my pupils next year .It is usually started in the older classes in our school. Using Scratch Junior in senior Infants supports the Primary Curriculum by developing digital literacy, creativity, communication and problem solving skills. It gives the children the opportunity to learn through play while also building confidence with technology. There are lots of opportunities for integration with other curricular areas and before we turn on the screen at all, I think that we would do lots of work and games around positional language..left , right, above, below and so on.
When they are confident in the vocabulary that we need before we engage with the program, I would introduce the app to the children on the Interactive Whiteboard and show them the different parts of the screen, such as the characters, backgrounds and coding blocks. I would model how to choose a character and background, drag and connect motion blocks to make a character move and press the green flag to start the program. I would get the children to work in pairs to create a simple animation. For the children who need more of a challenge, I would give them more complex animations and for the children who need extra support, it would be a good idea to provide picture-based instruction cards.-
Hi Barbara – I have used Scratch Junior coding with second class before. It’s very interactive and great fun! I agree that some pre-teaching of directional vocabulary and concepts would be beneficial at Senior Infants level. It might work well in smaller groups when there is SET support in the classroom. There are some good child-friendly Scratch Junior lessons on Youtube that would be worth having a look at. My second class loved the tips and tricks they learned from these lessons!
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I agree , I would be willing to explore Scratch junior with my senior infant class. Thank you for sharing the idea to watch some lessons on YouTube. Ive a feeling they would be beneficial for the children and for the teacher!!!!
Giving the children the correct language and concepts would be a very important area to cover first with the children.
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I think Scratch is a lovely tool for learning to code. BeeBots are also really good for younger classes. You can get children to create muliple lines of instructions together (essentially code) to guide the BeeBot through a particular task or journey. I think there it also links in really well with developing an understanding of algebra in maths.
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After watching some of the videos available on the Khan Academy Kids website I would introduce this app to my Senior Infant pupils next year, as it seems to have a wide variety of activities, books and videos to help younger children learn. From what I have seen, this app appears to be a very child-friendly and engaging tool that even has its own narrator character named Kodi Bear. This programme offers a personalised learning app that adapts to the child’s level. I would like to research this AI tool a bit more before introducing it to my students. However, in theory I would use this app during literacy lessons. Each class in our school works with 3 teachers during literacy groups, so this would be an ideal time to strengthen various literacy skills while using this app on the ipads. I would choose books and activities to work on based on the particular literacy abilities and needs of the group I’m working with. There appears to be lots of interesting phonics games and books in their library. I also really like that the app is free to download. This makes it much more accessible for schools and educators.
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I am interested in film-making and run a film-making club for children in our school. It’s a great outlet for creativity, is very closely linked to the writing process and film projects draw on a range of subjects- drama, art, literacy and music. We make films for the Fresh Film Festival in Limerick. In recent years, there has always been a note on the application form re. informing them if any element of the films were made using AI. I didn’t pass much heed to this until I tried out one of the websites mentioned on this course- Pika. It is fantastic. It opens up all sorts of new imaginative avenues for film-makers. Up to know, our film-making has been confined to the realities of what’s available to us in terms of location, cast, costumes and video editing effects. Pika and similar AI video generation tools adds a fantastic new dimension to what we can produce. If it can’t be filmed, just give Pika the prompts and it will produce what you need. It is quite creative too in that the better and more creative the prompts, the better Pika is at reproducing what you have imagined. Here’s an example of a film clip I have in mind for a project where I want to film a crow trying to move a (too) heavy rock. I need the scene to take place in a woodland, in evening light and to be shot from underneath the crow. By the way, Microsoft Copilot or similar will guide you in putting together the prompts- https://pika.art/video/9ffdb227-36be-46d0-9cae-48d6f37e5c1e
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The AI application I think I would love to try is Scratch Junior. There is plenty of scope for integration. From what I can see, you can link your iPad to the interactive whiteboard and explain the various concepts to the children.
It is a great introduction to coding for children in a fun interactive way. Terms such as forward, back, left, right etc are a lesson in themselves before ever touching Scratch Junior. The concept of having your characters, setting, changing backgrounds etc are linked with writing. I think I should be able to teach it to a level where children will be able work independently or if less competent they could work in pairs. There is scope for getting children to explain to the class what they have done. I would like children also to question others and be questioned to explain their work. This will help develop confidence in their own ability to do more challenging work. All levels of ability can be catered for.
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Although I can see myself using lots of the apps/ resources covered in this course, I really like Image Creator. I would probably begin by introducing AI Image Creator in really simple terms – That we type in words and AI creates an image from that information. The more information that we give AI as a ‘prompt’ then the more detailed our image will be and it will be more like what we have in our imagination – already the children are being creative, editing, using literacy skills, digital skills etc.
I think it would be fun to read a story to the children and then get them to list the adjectives they will come up with for the prompt to create an image. It will be fun for the children to see how other people’s perceptions are different to their and that is ok, but it will also show the children that they need to give clear descriptions to AI so that it produces a relevant image.
It would be important that it is made clear to the children that we don’t share any of our personal information and that they should check before submitting information to AI. -
One of the examples that really stood out to me was the ‘Analysing Bias’ task using ChatGPT, where the AI was asked to write a newspaper article from 1916 criticising the leaders of the Easter Rising. I think this could be adapted really well for my 4th class.
Rather than have the pupils use the AI tool directly themselves, I would prepare two contrasting AI-generated accounts of the same historical event in advance, for example differing perspectives on a key event from our SESE history topics. I would then read both accounts aloud to the class and ask the pupils to compare them, looking at whose perspective is being shown, what language is used to persuade the reader, and which parts are fact versus opinion. This would be a nice way to introduce media literacy and critical thinking skills, while also linking directly to our history curriculum, without pupils needing direct access to the tool themselves.
More broadly, this module made me realise that a lot of the AI tools we looked at, such as Gemini, NotebookLM and Google Workspace, are aimed more at teachers for planning and productivity rather than something pupils would use directly. It’s a good reminder that introducing AI concepts to primary pupils doesn’t always mean putting the tool in their hands – sometimes it’s about using AI-generated content as a resource to prompt discussion and critical thinking in the classroom.
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I really thought that the approach to using AI for critical thinking was excellent especially when it came to History and lookin at the different views of the political system around 1916. Again the information an bias given very much depended on the prompt and from what side it was coming from ne it the English or the Irish. I have SET next year and there is one student I am thinking of that is highly motivated by historical stories and this approach would work really well for him and motivate and engage him while using history to integrate with literacy. I could see this AI approach being used as well in persuasive writing. A teacher could prompt two sides of a debate into AI based on a topic e.g. “advantages and disadvantage of children having mobile phones at ten years of age” The children could then critique both responses and get them to debate their findings. I have really enjoyed this module 4 very much as it has given us practical examples of how to use AI for the older end of the school. I very much feel more open to the use of AI. We are currently updating out Literacy policy and AI will be referenced in it frequently as a tool/strategy to enhance teaching and learning very much in the classroom.
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I realised this in module 4 also Darragh, that a lot of the AI tools that I am familiar with such as Chat GPT, Gemini and Copilot are more tailored to the teacher or senior level pupils. I hadn’t really considered AI tools for pupil use such as Khan Academy, Robo Garden, Osmo, Microsoft Reading Coach and Google teachable. I’ll certainly be introducing them to my pupils now that I know about them.
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Hi Darragh I also think that this module has reminded us how useful AI tools can be in the classroom without actually having to allow the children access to these tools individually. Some schools do not have the resources to allow each child access to explore these tools individually but they can be easily modelled on a whiteboard and discussed in a whole class setting. There are also many schools who have not updated their Digital Learning policies yet and may be reluctant to allow their pupils access to AI tools without a full overview of their policies. The tools can be used to benefit the teacher and the learner without (as Darragh said) putting the tools in their hands.
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Hi Carol, thanks for sharing this – I really like the idea of running Reading Coach as a stand-alone weekly session rather than trying to fit it in alongside everything else. Your point about it giving shyer readers and EAL pupils a chance to practise without the pressure of reading aloud in front of the class is a great one – that kind of low-pressure practice can make such a difference to their confidence. I’ll definitely keep this approach in mind for my own 4th class.
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I really thought that the approach to using AI for critical thinking was excellent especially when it came to History and lookin at the different views of the political system around 1916. Again the information an bias given very much depended on the prompt and from what side it was coming from ne it the English or the Irish. I have SET next year and there is one student I am thinking of that is highly motivated by historical stories and this approach would work really well for him and motivate and engage him while using history to integrate with literacy.
I could see this AI approach being used as well in persuasive writing. A teacher could prompt two sides of a debate into AI based on a topic e.g. “advantages and disadvantage of children having mobile phones at ten years of age” The children could then critique both responses and get them to debate their findings. I have really enjoyed this module 4 very much as it has given us practical examples of how to use AI for the older end of the school. I very much feel more open to the use of AI. We are currently updating out Literacy policy and AI will be referenced in it frequently as a tool/strategy to enhance teaching and learning very much in the classroom.
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I really like the idea of using scratch particularly in the senior classes . I think it’s a great way to introduce pupils to coding because it’s colourful, easy to use and encourages creativity.
If I was introducing Scratch to my class, I would begin by showing them a simple project, like making a character move or creating a short animation. I would explain each step as I go and then let the pupils work in pairs to create their own project. Group work or working in teams I think would be great for help build confidence and give them the chance to solve problems as a team. I would walk around the classroom, answer questions and encourage them to experiment and have them see it as a fun tool to learning.
I think Scratch is an excellent starting point for coding. It makes learning fun and engaging while helping pupils develop problem-solving, logical thinking and creativity. It also helps them gain confidence with technology in a relaxed and supportive environment which I think be great to develop their skills further in secondary school
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First and foremost, I believe that it is essential for me as the teacher to model the safe and ethical use of AI tools in the classroom. Then I would engage the pupils on a whole class discussion on what AI is, what types of AI the pupils know already, and the potential pros and cons they think are associated with AI. I would then ask the pupils to collaborate together to establish clear classroom guidelines for the safe use of AI in the classroom. Then, to introduce AI in an age appropriate way, I would use Robo Garden as a starting point. I have learned from completing module 4 that this provides AI tool provides children with hands on opportunities to coding and problem solving in a fun and playful way. I would guide the pupils through a digital learning mission, one pupil being the Robo and another as the coder. I believe that these introductory steps will enhance pupils critical thinking skills and their understanding of how AI works and how to use AI safely and ethically.
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Hi Sarah,
Thank you for your contribution here. I was listening to a researcher arguing around ‘important’ things for young learners to know in 2026 and how the dial has shifted so much in recent times. Skills like spelling and arithmetic, whilst undoubtedly still important, probably don’t carry the same weight they may have years ago. Advances in technology mean full mastery of these skills is not fully essential for functioning in work/education. However, discernible skills such as ethical use of AI, critically analysing sources for credibility and data literacy are areas we really need to master to function in the workplaces and education centres of the future. What’s so important, and you have alluded to it in your post, is that this is done in an age and developmentally appropriate manner.
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On reading back over the course notes, I came across you message above, I had missed it the first time, “‘important’ things for young learners to know in 2026 and how the dial has shifted so much in recent times. Skills like spelling and arithmetic, whilst undoubtedly still important, probably don’t carry the same weight they may have years ago. Advances in technology mean full mastery of these skills is not fully essential for functioning in work/education. However, discernible skills such as ethical use of AI, critically analysing sources for credibility and data literacy are areas we really need to master to function in the workplaces and education centres of the future“. This change will / would have a dramatic impact on the education system, while we moved away from the traditional 3Rs but ultimately our focus is still on them but with a much more rounded approach, see the positive aspects of the new Maths Curriculum. But in principle, I agree the the above statement. does a child need to learn 20 spellings in a week and fret over them when any basic office suite will do it for them. Years of pupils being taught money, how to get change in a shop is now extinct – pupils have a look of puzzlement and wonder why you just don’t just use a card or phone to pay! Will the education system adapt quick enough?
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Having used ScratchJr and Blockly before, I’d be keen to try out other tools like Osmo and Robot Garden in the classroom too.
One idea that really stood out to me, though, was using AI to help pupils develop critical thinking skills, rather than just using it to get answers. I’ll be teaching Third Class again next year, so I immediately thought about how I could use it during our SESE History lessons on workhouses in Ireland during the Great Famine.
I would ask an AI tool to generate a short explanation about what life was like in a workhouse. Then, as a class, we’d compare the AI response with our history book and other reliable sources, such as photographs, diary extracts or information from museum websites. I’d ask the pupils questions like, “Did the AI leave anything out?”, “How do we know if this information is accurate?” and “Why is it important to check more than one source?”
I think this would be a great way to link History with English. The children would be practising their reading and comprehension skills while also learning to question what they read instead of accepting it straight away. It would also lead to good discussions about bias and how AI doesn’t always get things right.
I like this approach because it shows pupils that AI can be a really useful tool, but it’s not the final answer. Hopefully, it would help them become more thoughtful, curious learners who understand the importance of checking facts and thinking critically about information they find online.
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Having taught Third Class for years I loved this too and it’s uses are endless especially across the SESE curriculum. Developing critical thinking is key to the curriculum but it can be difficult to think up meaningful ways of providing opportunities for this. Using AI to generate texts with differing bias and comparing to school text books is a great way to do this.
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<p class=”isSelectedEnd”>One AI application I would introduce to my pupils is Khan Academy Kids. I had used Khan Academy several years ago, but this module reminded me about it and encouraged me to explore it again. I had not come across the younger version before, and after researching it, I think it would be a valuable addition to my classroom.</p>
<p class=”isSelectedEnd”>My class has access to IPADs just once a week, so I am always looking for engaging, high-quality educational apps that make the most of that time. Khan Academy Kids offers a wide range of activities across literacy, numeracy and other curriculum areas, making it suitable for children with different interests and abilities.</p>
I particularly like that the app uses AI to create a personalised learning experience. It adapts the level of challenge based on each child’s progress, allowing pupils to work at their own pace while still being appropriately challenged. This would be especially beneficial in supporting differentiation, as children in the same class often have very different learning needs. It would also allow me to monitor progress and identify areas where individual pupils may need extra support. Overall, I think Khan Academy Kids is an excellent example of how AI can enhance learning by providing engaging, personalised activities that complement classroom teaching. And its free!!!-
I would also be keen to introduce Khan Acadamy to my class next year. It seems like a great way to differentiate for pupils and also a way for them to keep track of their own progress and areas for development in an engaging way. I would use it I think moreseo for an extra means of assessment/differentiation between pupils and for early finishers.
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I will be teaching 1st Class next year, so I’d love to use ScratchJr with them as an introduction to coding. I’ve used Scratch with older classes before, and they really enjoyed creating their own projects and learning the basics of coding. I would start by demonstrating a simple project, such as getting a character to move, walk, or jump, so the children can see how the coding blocks work. They would then work in pairs on tablets to recreate the project before adding their own ideas, such as changing the character, background, or creating a simple story. As they explore, I would encourage them to predict what each coding block will do and support them in solving problems if their program doesn’t work as expected. I would also give the children opportunities to share their finished projects with the class, helping to build their confidence and allowing them to learn from each other’s ideas. By the end of the lesson, pupils will have created a simple interactive story while developing creativity, teamwork, and early coding skills.
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Osmo is an interactive learning tool that combines hands-on play with digital technology, making it particularly effective in the infant classroom. I can use Osmo to support early literacy by helping children develop letter recognition, phonics, spelling, and vocabulary through engaging games. It also helps with numeracy skills by providing activities that focus on counting, number recognition, problem-solving, shapes, and patterns. The hands-on manipulatives encourage active participation while promoting fine motor development and hand-eye coordination. These are fundamental skills in the infant room. Osmo supports collaborative learning, allowing children to work in pairs or small groups to build communication, turn-taking, and social skills. The games provide immediate feedback, helping children learn through trial and error while building confidence and independence. I can use Osmo during literacy and maths stations, small-group instruction, early finishers, or targeted intervention for pupils who need extra support. Its engaging, game-based approach motivates young learners and caters for different learning styles, making lessons more inclusive and enjoyable.
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Hi Joann,
Thank you for your post and for sharing the ways in which Osmo can be used, with particular reference to the infant classroom. I haven’t used it personally but really like the sound of the numeracy resources you have mentioned within it. The hands-on nature, with a focus on understanding and exploration, certainly aligns closely with the main aims of the PMC and the development of mathematical proficiency.
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I think going forward I would use AI as a creative support tool. I would use ChatGPT to generate a simple story about a topic that interests the students. The pupils would give prompts for generating the story. I would use the story in association with Scratch Jr. The pupils could recreate the story and they could code characters to move, speak and change scenes and then they could present their animations to the class. I have used Scratch.Jr in the past but at present it wouldn’t be suitable for Junior Infants. I think if I’m completing the Summer Programme next summer, I’d try and incorporate this idea with the 1st/ 2nd class pupils.
I see within Scratch.Jr there is ScratchGPT which can assist in helping the children to code and Scratch has several built in AI features.
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There are a number of items from this module that I will find useful in class. Firstly, in general discussions on how AI is part of pupils’ lives, I am now much more aware of how they as pupils and us as adults seamlessly use AI every day – I would like to brainstorm with them to see what age appropriate examples they can think of : Alexa, Google Nest, Siri, our Google searches, Netflix suggestions etc. They will also be familiar with simple robotics such as Bee bots.
Another example of particular interest was the history text example of 1916. While we discuss history from different perspectives, the text book will naturally have a bias. – “it has become increasingly important for them to be aware of the underlying biases that influence the perspectives presented in these texts”. We are studying the Vikings in class. Using Gemini AI, I prompted the narrative about the Viking invasion of Ireland in 795 AD from both from an Irish and Viking perspective. The prompt were detailed and the typical age of pupil set – this had a big impact on the language of the report. Based on this one example, I plan to get pupils them to write prompts to give different perspective on scenarios that occur both in our history and English work. The class novel is Fantastic Mr. Fox, we can now explore the perspective of the different main characters with carefully written prompts. -
I thought the comparison of two texts using ChatGPT was one of the simplest ideas we looked at but also one of the most effective. It is something I could see myself using with the senior classes to develop critical thinking and media literacy skills. Comparing different perspectives on the same topic would encourage pupils to think more carefully about what they are reading, particularly in history or when discussing current world events. An activity like this is not something I would have ever come across in textbooks or my usual go-to online resources.
I also liked how quick and easy it was to create this type of activity. I can imagine it leading to plenty of class discussion without taking a lot of preparation. One thing I have really liked throughout this course is that many of the AI tools are aimed at supporting teachers rather than having children use AI themselves. They help create good quality resources quickly, save valuable planning time and free us up to spend more time teaching and supporting our pupils.-
I agree Arlene, that the comparison of two texts is a very simple idea, but it could lead to great discussion with senior classes. It’s the kind of activity that would get children to slow down a bit and actually question what they are reading, rather than just accepting the first version they see. I can see it working really well in history too, especially where there are different viewpoints or accounts of the same event. I also liked what you said about AI supporting the teacher rather than replacing them. That feels like one of the most useful takeaways from the course. If AI can save a bit of planning time and help us create better discussion prompts or resources, then that’s a real help in a busy classroom. Paul
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I really like that idea of creating text to outline both sides of a debate. You could even use specific prompts to develop characteristics of the ‘person’ who is arguing one side of the debate – for example a teenager who loves to use her phone all the time, versus a parent, who thinks social media is bad for teenagers. It could really provide a good hook for the students to see which arguments they like and how to present their own argument.
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I will be teaching 6th class next year and I really enjoyed the example of bias in news reporting in the 1916 newspapers. I did hesitate that the articles created weren’t real newspaper articles but AI generated pieces of text. I wonder does this make a difference? The objectives of the lesson are achieved perfectly and the use of bias is really important for students to learn about. But it does make me think about a teacher replacing evidence or artefacts with AI generated text. Should the teacher tell the students the text is not real? In my experience students engage so much more with resources they know are real and historical, so maybe it’s better to say they are real newspaper articles. But to use this method a lot when it comes to history could be careless because it could remove some context from the history. However with a clear primary language writing objective, I think it makes sense. I intend to use AI to make text for the students to study with clear learning objective, but I intend also to be mindful what I am doing, and add context, and reflect on it each time I use it.
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I really liked your balanced perspective. I agree that AI-generated resources can be very effective when they support a clear learning objective, but transparency is important. Telling pupils the text is AI-generated can also become a valuable learning opportunity, helping them develop critical thinking and understand the importance of evaluating different sources.
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I like the Analysing Bias task using ChatGPT. The example illustrated here was where AI was asked to write a newspaper article from 1916 criticising the leaders of the Easter Rising. I think this example is something that could be explored in my class for topics in SESE around the famine. It would be interesting to explore stereotypes about famine times and travelling to other countries on famine ships versus those who had to remain in Ireland in workhouses. You could generate articles and images the lives of individuals through situations. They could then compare and contrast this generation to reliable reputable library books/museum artefacts, to evaluate how our history books and other reliable sources compared. I like that students could explore various scenarios and input specific prompts before presenting their article to the class. It would also be very good to show the children that all information presented is not 100% factually accurate and it is important to fact check information presented which would encourage their critical thinking and research abilities.
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I really like this idea, Angela. The 1916 example seems very easy to transfer into other history topics, and the famine would definitely give plenty of scope for discussion.
I think it would be very powerful for children to compare different “versions” of the same event, especially from the point of view of people on famine ships, people left in workhouses, or families trying to survive at home. It could help them see that history is not always told from just one perspective. I also like that you would bring it back to reliable sources like library books or museum materials or artifacts. That’s the really important part, I think. The AI-generated piece might get them interested, but then they have to check it properly and see what is accurate, what is missing, and what might be biased.
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I really liked Khan Academy for younger children and would have used it for children to use at a maths or reading station during station teaching. I like that the teacher can assign tasks but also that children can work at their own pace and level within the task so the learning is differentiated and personalised.
I also really liked the suggestions for using generative AI to explore perspective and bias with children. I would use it in senior classes to explore different perspectives on the famine, for example, having read a book like ‘Under the Hawthorn Tree’. Although mainly told from the children’s perspective, it lends itself to asking pupils to imagine the viewpoints of:
the landlord,
the workhouse master,
neighbours,
British government officials,
emigrants,
and the children’s parentsI played around with asking Chat GPT to write first hand accounts of famine experiences from these perspectives that I coud give to students. It would be an excellent springboard into discussions about why historians study multiple sources when learning about the Famine, as well as exploring the language use in the various accounts.
I also explored Google NotebookLM. I love how it enables the same information to be presented differently depending on the learning strengths and preferences of the children. It really supports differentiation by allowing students to choose whether they listen to a podcast or view a presentation, for example.
I will definitely use all these tools next year.
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Khan Academy is a very good fit for station teaching, Margaret. It would work well at a maths or reading station, especially if the children can move through the tasks at their own pace. I like the fact that the teacher can still assign the work, so it’s not just children clicking around randomly, but there’s also room for them to work at a level that suits them. That bit of differentiation is really helpful, especially when you have a mix of abilities in the group. It could also be handy for you as the teacher, as you’d be able to check in on how they’re getting on and see who might need a bit more support afterwards.
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Teaching AI concepts to primary pupils is all about presenting the information in a structured, informative and positive manner. At home, students are used to using their devices for watching YouTube, playing on Roblox, or chatting with their friends on Snapchat.
So, from a teaching point of view, it is pertinent to teach children digital citizenship in a way that they can use it for educational purposes as well. I really enjoyed the scenario of the 1916 Easter Rising newspaper articles. It is crucial for students to learn about bias in education and how to correctly identify real or false information. Chat GPT and Gemini are great tools to introduce to students through literacy and historical events.
This year I will be working with Junior Infants as an SET, so they won’t have a lot of screen time with me, but I can offer rewards through Khan Academy Kids, RoboGarden and Scratch Jr. Each of these sites look fun and engaging. If I were working with older students, Google Teachable Machine looks like a hands on way for students to show their understanding of science concepts. There are so many educational and engaging AI tools out there!
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Upon completion of module 4 I am most interested in using an AI application such as Gemini or Chat GPT to teach a literacy lesson based on ‘persuasive writing’ while introducing the concepts of critical thinking and analyzing bias in the media and in the World of AI. I would choose a topic suited to 4th class eg ‘Should Zoos be banned?’. I would ask the children to offer their own opinions initially and we will record them on a whiteboard slide. Then I would use Gemini on the interactive whiteboard to produce 2 alternating views on Zoos (positive/negative) based on prompts provided. We would then analyise the persuasive writing articles picking out persuasive language, perceived biased claims and statements and false claims. We could also compare the opinions in the articles with the childrens own opinions previously recorded and highlight similarities and differences. I think this lesson would be beneficial in teaching 4th class children methods and features of persuasive writing while also encouraging them to consider the AI articles and pick out questionable areas allowing them to become critical readers and learners.
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As a teacher of Senior Infants Scratch Jr is probably the most realistic starting point where the children are hands on and active.
I would start with unplugged activities to support the teaching of directional language.
I would then use Beebots to develop this understanding. We have 6 beebots and a set of mats to support their use.
Then I would introduce Scratch Jr on our Ipads. I think I would probably look at linking up with an older class and do some peer tutoring to support the Infants learning.
Mathsplayground has some very simple coding activities that might be manageable by the end of the year.
Code.org is a fantastic resource for teaching coding and I have used that in third class with great success
In a previous module the example was given about inputting information on the novel Charlottes Web to create an image. This is definitely an activity that could be adapted for Senior Infants when doing creative writing and encouraging sentence development. As a class we could input the description and generate an image and the follow up could be the class writing about what they see.
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I think the blend of using concrete materials in the form of Beebots alongside tablets is a great way of teaching young children in how to work with AI Ciara. The children in my school love working with Beebots and its effective in showing them that if a step is missed that it can have a significant outcome on the result.
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I am working as a SEN Teacher and the AI application I would consider using would be Scratch Junior. I would envisage that this application would further enhance my teaching and the support I provide to the pupils, especially in the areas of digital literacy and problem solving. Aspects of this application are also fantastic for developing creativity and the children could access this type of coding technology in an enjoyable and interactive way. This would be an ideal application to use in a small setting, and detailed support would ensure that they get the best from whatever activity we are focusing on. I love how visual it is and the drag and drop blocks are easy to navigate for the children. They can see in real time how the blocks relating to the various aspects (e.g. motion, looks, sound etc..) can be dragged/used and put together to create their own programs. There is plenty of room for trial and error and a fantastic way to learn about coding in a fun and engaging way.
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This module was very informative and I was able to explore some of the AI applications mentioned. Scratch Junior sounds really promising for the younger classes, the unplugged activities would definitely be the way to initiate this with the younger children so that they have a grasp of the directional language .
Having the children work with older children could be a nice way to demonstrate this programme for the younger children. This of course would allow for creativity, engagement, curiosity and differentiation. It would also give the children the time and space to explore AI applications in a safe and ethical way.
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One AI application I would introduce to my pupils is Osmo, as it combines hands-on learning with digital technology in an engaging and interactive way. I would begin by demonstrating how the Osmo system works using a whole-class activity before allowing pupils to explore it in small groups. Clear expectations around sharing equipment, taking turns and using the technology responsibly would be established to ensure a positive learning experience.
Osmo would be particularly beneficial in a primary school classroom because it supports active play-based learning while developing key literacy, numeracy and problem-solving skills. For example, younger pupils could use Osmo Words to build vocabulary and improve spelling, while Osmo Numbers could strengthen mathematical understanding through interactive games. The immediate feedback provided encourages pupils to identify and correct mistakes independently, helping to build confidence and resilience. This would be very beneficial.
From a teaching perspective, Osmo offers opportunities to differentiate learning, as activities can be matched to pupils’ individual abilities and needs. It also increases pupil engagement by making learning enjoyable and interactive. While access to devices and teacher training may present challenges I believe Osmo has great potential to enhance teaching, learning, and formative assessment in our primary classrooms. -
One AI application that particularly interested me was Teachable Machine. I think this would be an excellent way to introduce AI concepts to children in a 1st or 2nd class because it is interactive, visual and easy to understand. Rather than beginning with technical explanations, I would start by asking pupils how people learn new things. We would discuss how they learned to recognise animals, colours or shapes by seeing many examples. I would then explain that AI learns in a similar way by looking at lots of examples, helping children understand that AI learns from data, makes predictions and improves with practice.
Using Teachable Machine, I would demonstrate how we can “teach” the computer to recognise two simple classroom objects, such as a pencil and an eraser. Together, we would collect several examples of each object and then test whether the AI could correctly identify them. If it made mistakes, we would discuss why this happened and how providing more examples could improve its accuracy. This would help pupils understand that AI is not magical or always correct. It depends on the quality of the information it receives.
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One idea from this module that really stood out to me was using AI to develop children’s critical thinking skills rather than simply using it as a tool to find answers. I particularly liked the example based on History and the events around 1916. It was very interesting to see how the information generated by AI could change depending on how the question was asked and whether the prompt was written from an Irish or British point of view.
I would introduce this to pupils by first choosing an event from History that could be viewed from different perspectives. I would ask AI the same question using different prompts and show the children the responses. As a class, we could compare the answers and look for differences in the language, facts and opinions presented. This would lead to a discussion about bias and why we should not automatically believe everything that AI tells us.
I also think tools such as Osmo could be very useful, particularly with younger children. It allows children to learn through play while still using technology. Children can physically move letters, numbers and shapes while completing activities on screen. This could make areas such as phonics, spelling, counting and problem-solving more enjoyable and interactive. It also gives children an opportunity to work together, discuss their ideas and learn through trial and error.
Overall, I think both examples show that technology can encourage children to become active learners rather than simply giving them information.
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I really liked your point about using AI to develop critical thinking rather than simply giving children answers. The example around 1916 is a great way of showing pupils how the wording of a prompt can influence the information and perspective that AI provides. Comparing different responses would definitely encourage children to question what they are reading and think more carefully about bias and reliability.
I also agree that Osmo could be particularly effective with younger children. The combination of hands-on activities and technology seems like a great way to keep children engaged while developing skills such as phonics, numeracy and problem-solving. I think both examples highlight how technology is most valuable when it supports children to think, explore and collaborate, rather than doing the thinking for them.
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I would introduce Scratch to my senior class as an engaging way to explore coding, creativity and AI. I would begin by discussing what AI is, how it is used in everyday life and the importance of using it responsibly. I would explain that Scratch is a coding platform that allows pupils to create interactive stories, games and animations making it an ideal introduction to programming concepts.
As a class, we would first explore the Scratch interface and complete a simple guided project together. Once pupils are familiar with the basics, they could design their own game that incorporates simple AI concepts, such as decision-making using variables, sensors or extensions. Pupils would work collaboratively in pairs or small groups, encouraging problem-solving, communication and creativity.
Throughout the project, I would encourage pupils to test and improve their games reflecting on how technology can solve real-world problems. Opportunities for peer assessment and self-assessment would allow pupils to evaluate their work and identify areas for improvement. This approach supports the development of digital literacy, computational thinking and collaboration, while building confidence in using technology. It also provides an excellent opportunity to discuss the ethical use of AI and the role it will play in their future. -
I think I would like to try using Scratch Jr with my class of Senior Infants this year. The class have used Beebots a few times last year where they were introduced to coding and how to move their Beebot. Some of the children created mazes for their Beebots to move through.
I think Scratch Jr could be a good way to develop the children’s knowledge of coding in a fun and engaging way. I would start off with very simple activities, with the children working on iPads in pairs. The goal would be that the children can move their character. I would then introduce the idea of bugs and code that does not work and encourage them to ‘debug’ or correct the code.
After the children have lots of practise moving characters and creating backgrounds, I would ask them to create a simple story in Scratch. This would help to develop their oral language and problem solving skills as they work in pairs to create their story. Children who are able could add text/speech bubbles if they wanted to.
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This module was very helpful in giving insights into the responsibilities associated with using AI in the classroom and with raising children’s awareness of the limitations of AI, the existence of bias and the need to have an open mind and to critically analyse the information retrieved.
The task on comparisons of reports of the 1916 rising brought me back to a leaving cert essay on conflicting reports on Bloody Sunday and hours spent trawling archives at the time. I chose to duplicate the format using Bloody Sunday reports and then used them in NotebookLM to compare and contrast and create an audio file. The accessibility of information coupled with the various presentation options allows for enhanced learning experiences and in the case of this particular task provides a very realistic foundation to explore the existence of bias and the need for caution when using AI.
This awareness of bias and an understanding of data is fundamental to becoming a digital learner. -
OSMO is GREAT for SET, but for me, the real selling point is how it can make my life easier during our literacy or maths lifts. Trying to manage four or five groups at once when you are run off your feet is no joke, and you are constantly being pulled away to help children who get stuck.To introduce it, I’d set Osmo up as one of our independent stations. I’d gather the whole class on the carpet first, show them how the little red mirror works on the iPad, and do one quick sample round together so they see how it checks their work.Because it’s completely self-correcting, I can leave that station to run itself entirely. The children are getting that vital hands-on, tactile learning with the physical pieces, but they don’t need me standing over them to tell them if they’re right or wrong. It gives them independence and gives me the peace of mind to focus properly on my guided group without constant interruptions. It’s a win-win for a hectic classroom.
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For the past few years, I’ve been working as an EAL teacher mostly with Junior and Senior Infants. I’m always on the lookout for ways to make learning English fun and engaging for them, so I was delighted to find out about Osmo in this module. I’d actually never heard of it before now, but it’s got me planning how I could use it with my new newcomers this coming September!
My main goal in those first few weeks is always to fast-track their BICS. They just need that basic survival language and social vocab to get through the school day. Since most of our kids are first-generation Irish citizens, building up that oral language and confidence right from day one is our absolute priority.
I love the sound of the game for this. I’d bring a small group over, show them how it works myself, and put some of the physical silicone clothes on the table to show them how the character on screen reacts. It uses computer vision AI to “see” what’s on the desk, which basically does the teaching for you. The instant visual feedback means they don’t need a translator to understand. They can connect everyday words—like “red coat” or “happy”—directly to the object. I could even use custom pictures to help them practice asking for a drink, using the toilet, or saying they feel sick. Plus, pairing a newcomer with an English-speaking buddy would create natural, low-pressure chatting from the get-go.
The only real downside is the cost. In a busy primary school, budgets are always tight and we definitely don’t have iPads for everyone. It’s such a shame it won’t work on a standard, basic tablet, because that really limits how many teachers can actually use it. That said, if we could get our hands on even just one or two compatible devices for September, it looks like a brilliant way to turn standard screen time into a chatty, hands-on lesson!
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I intend to use magic school for my class planning for this year. This will save endless time and will help create interesting activities, games and resources for lessons.Also in terms of differentiation it can be used to simplify texts for pupils who need material made easier and for SEN pupils. Also in terms of assessment magic school could be very useful for creating questions, providing feedback etc. I also intend to use speaker coach which can help develop pupils reading fluency and vocabulary skills and targeting words with they need to practice. I also will try out Khan Academy as this looks like a very good resource. It could be used for maths and english activities for pupils who need extra practice or for pupils who need an extra challenge. For maths work it could be used for revision of topics such as number skills, fractions etc. These sites will make the class teacher way more efficient and create more interesting tasks for pupils.
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One example from this module that particularly interested me was using generative AI to create texts on the same topic from different perspectives. I liked the example of generating contrasting accounts of the 1916 Rising and asking children to identify language that revealed perspective or bias. It made me think about how I could adapt the idea for the younger children I teach.
I could use ChatGPT to create two short versions of a familiar story such as The Three Little Pigs, one from the wolf’s perspective and one from a pig’s view, without revealing the speaker. We could read them together and discuss who might be speking, what clues helped us and why the same event might be described differently.
This could fit naturally into oral language and literacy while introducing AI in an age appropriate way. I particularly took from the module the importance of children learning to critically engage with AI. Even at a young age, they can begin to understand that AI can produce convincing content, but we still need to question and think about what it gives us.
I think these kind of lessons would offer really interesting opportunities to teach children about keeping an open and critical mind. A block of lessons using different stories would be created quickly through AI and a handy resource to have for years to come- The Little Red Hen comes to mind, the Ant & The grasshopper and the various characters from the Gruffalo- the possibilities are endless.
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I really like this approach, particularly because it introduces the idea of perspective in a way that is accessible and meaningful for young children. Using familiar stories such as The Three Little Pigs or The Gruffalo would allow children to focus on the characters and their different viewpoints without the concept becoming too complicated.
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One AI application I would introduce to my pupils is ScratchJr. I feel this would be a really useful starting point, particularly for pupils in First Class, as it is visual, simple and fun to use. It would allow pupils to explore technology and early coding skills without making the subject feel too difficult or complicated.
In my own classroom, I would use ScratchJr to develop pupils’ understanding of positional language and directions. For example, pupils could programme a character to move forwards, backwards, left and right, while using language such as beside, above, below, next to and between. This could link well with Maths, as pupils would be developing their understanding of position, movement and direction while also learning the basics of coding.
I would begin with simple instructions and gradually allow pupils to create their own short stories or challenges. I think this would encourage creativity, problem-solving, sequencing and computational thinking. I would also discuss how their ScratchJr character is not actually “thinking”, but is following instructions given by them. This would help First Class pupils begin to understand how technology and AI work.
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I have to agree with Carol who mentioned that she felt Microsoft Reading Coach is one of the most beneficial AI applications of the course so far. I have looked into OSMO and Magic School but again, due to the amount of funds needed; it is unlikely that schools would be able to use them; this obviously applies more so to OSMO which is a shame as it looks fantastic.
Before I properly delve into how I would introduce and use Microsoft Reading Coach however, I do have one question for the course administrators following research of MagicSchool AI. A video I watched created by a school district who use it references the translation feature but pointed out that based on a traffic light system created by said district, this is where a teacher needs to check for accuracy. While I completely understand the necessity of teacher overview, since we are not fluent in the additional languages that may feature in our classroom, could anybody recommend how to use the feature appropriately?
With Reading coach, I would also be using it as a weekly lesson due to the fact that our digital devices are timetabled that way. I love the idea of letting the children create a story using AI as it allows them to ‘buy in’ to the premise. I think the analytics of the reading is excellent and gives the teacher a better idea of what to specifically listen out for when listening to their reading. When identifying the specific words that children are having difficulty with, the teacher can create lessons based on those specific spelling patterns to extend and help consolidate learning. Upon researching Reading coach further, I plan to educate myself on Microsoft teams so I can use it in conjunction with the reading coach and get the children to send in audio assignments. We can then use it for self-assessment as the student can listen back on a previous recording of the same passage and pick out areas of achievement and areas which require further improvement.
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I would use Scratch to introduce pupils to the idea of AI, partly because I find it less scary to use than some of the other AI tools, but also because I think it looks fun and interactive for children. I also like how it introduces simple coding and how computers can be taught to respond to information. I would begin with a simple Scratch project that uses if/then commands for example, a character that responds differently depending on what the user says or does. I think this will help pupils to explore the idea that computers follow instructions and do not think in the same way that we do.
Pupils can create their own Scratch project or game where a character responds to different codes or instructions. I would ask questions such as, “How does the computer know what to do?” and “What happens if we give it information it has not been programmed to recognise?” This could lead to a discussion about how AI systems learn from data and why the information they use is important. I believe it is important that children understand how AI works and how it must be used with care and responsibly. -
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Having further delved into the Khan Academy kids application, I like the varied activities available to children all of which are easy accessible and easy to understand. My main aim for this app would be to use it as a home- school application where parents can work with the children at home and see their progress, while children are also able to work independently if necessary. I would introduce this app in class and spend a lot of time familiarising students with the app before I send it home. The main areas in which I would use this is for English at the beginning- as this app provides children with reading material that is suitable to their age. I would also use it to allow children to practice their words in a fun and interactive way. Both the teacher and parent can see the child’s progress and also what they have completed. Once the children are very comfortable with the app I would use it to introduce the children to different maths concepts available on the app as it provides children with further practice of different concepts in a fun and interactive way.
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Hi Ciara,
Thanks for sharing your thoughts on Khan Academy here. Using it as a home-school link is certainly a sensible and potentially very beneficial use of the tool. Enhancing our communication with home, and allowing children showcase their knowledge in different ways is something we are all trying to improve upon each year. Allowing children to develop independence in their learning is crucial for their progress as lifelong learners, and any opportunity we have to harness and foster this should be taken.
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Before introducing ScratchJr on class devices, establishing foundational computational thinking through unplugged, offline activities is essential for 3rd Class at St. Laurence O’Toole’s CBS. Practicing precise spatial orientation—such as executing ‘forward,’ ‘left,’ and ‘right’ movements using physical directional cards and figurines—allows the boys to grasp the logic of step-by-step instruction before touching a screen. Because narrative sequencing is already a familiar concept from earlier primary years, reinforcing logical order through structured questioning “What step comes first, next, and last?” creates a smooth bridge to visual coding. Basic digital mechanics like clicking and dragging will be second nature to most pupils given their familiarity with gaming outside of school. To prevent cognitive overload on a potentially busy platform interface, initial coding sessions should focus on modest, highly achievable milestones:
- Selecting a single sprite character.
- Programming basic movement toward an object using directional blocks.
- Triggering the code with the green flag.
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I’ll be teaching 3rd class next year for the first time in 11 years having only taught 5th/6th up to now so I found it a bit difficult to get out of the senior class mindframe. I really liked the idea of using ChatGPT or Gemini to create different media texts to compare and I think I could make this work in a slightly more junior class using the correct prompts and keeping it relevant to the 3rd class curriculum topics which I’m not 100% familiar with yet.
Having played around with the applications mentioned I think I would really use RoboGarden for programming with my classroom. We have access to Chromebooks twice a week and I am often looking for activities to keep the children engaged while also improving literacy skills. I watched a couple of YouTube videos of how to use RoboGarden and I think it presents coding in a fun, interactive way where the children feel rewarded as they complete activities. I like that it is also quite independent and the children do not feel like they are in competition with anyone.
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I would introduce generative AI to senior infants using magic school to create a class story. I would project the AI interface on the whiteboard and get the class to come up with characters, setting, plot etc.. We could play around with different endings.
This exercise fits with the Primary Language Curriculum for Junior and Senior Infants, particularly under Oral Language as pupils talk through ideas and can use descriptive language. The lesson can also serve as an introduction to digital literacy, demonstrating how technology can help organise human ideas.
This kind of early exposure helps children see AI as a tool driven by human input and imagination, setting the groundwork for them to become thoughtful, creative digital learners. It also helps to teach them that original thoughts are what seperates us from AI. -
Osmo is one of the tools that particularly grabbed my attention. It is an educational tool that uses a red base on the top of an ipad with real physical objects that are laid out on a play mat in front of the ipad. The children move the physical objects based on the task at hand. As an infant teacher I am particularly mindful of younger students having a lot of screen time and what I liked about this tool, is that it combines screen time with physical play.
While some teachers, mentioned it uses for SET (which I completely agree would be fantastic), I would hope to use this in station teaching, perhaps after some lessons, it could be an independent station with at least 2 kits so the students could work in pairs and take turns with the physical objects. The little genius starter kit is one I would hope to start off with its junior infants allowing students to work on activities involving letter recognition and phonics., while the early math adventure could be introduced to the senior infants in the room.
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I really like your idea of using Osmo as part of station teaching. I hadn’t considered this but I think it would be a great way of allowing pupils to engage with the technology independently while also encouraging collaboration and turn-taking. I also agree that the cobination of screen time and physical play is particularly beneficial for younger pupils.
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For infant classes, if we were focusing on a big picture book (eg Farmer Duck), I would read the book and discuss with the class etc. I could use google gemini and together as a class we could ask gemini to write a short story for 4-6 year olds about a farmer and a duck who does all the work…. (the students could be retelling the original story as I input the prompts). I could then read the AI story and then we could compare and contrast the two stories. The students could tell me what they like about the AI version and what they don’t like etc. If I was doing a similar lesson with older classes I would also focus on descriptive vocabulary in the prompts. I could divide the class into groups and each group write their prompts, we could input each set into gemini and then the class could vote on which group’s input gave the better story, and we can discuss why etc.
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Although my learners can range from twelve years old upwards, the majority of them have significant gaps in their formal education. Traditional educational settings have not worked out for many of them. Consequently, they can present as young teens, with a similar level of basic educational participation as other teens, yet that assumption often leads to issues, as many of the building blocks for effective progression are missing.
They can be very vulnerable to online bias and misinformation. I thought the section demonstrated stark contrast between the Republican perspective and the London Times perspective on the 1916 Rising, pulled from the ChatGPT database very effective.
I felt that active learning, high interest tasks could also be developed by the learners, based on their personal interests, as many of them need contexts that they are familiar with to benefit from compare and contrast approaches.
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An AI application I would consider introducing to my Junior Infants is ScratchJr. I would begin by presenting it as an opportunity to create a simple digital story rather than focusing on the technology itself. I could first model a short example on the interactive whiteboard, showing the children how a character can be given instructions to move and act within a scene. I would then allow the children to experiment in pairs, encouraging them to predict what will happen before running their sequence.
The activity could be linked to familiar stories or topics from our classroom, allowing children to demonstrate their understanding in a creative way. For example, they could make a character travel through a setting or act out part of a story. I would circulate and question the children about their choices, using their creations as an informal assessment of sequencing, communication and understanding. This would make technology purposeful while encouraging creativity, independence and confidence.-
I can see ScratchJr being very useful in the younger classes as it introduces important coding and problem-solving skills in a fun, age-appropriate way. I particularly like how it encourages creativity through storytelling while also developing sequencing and communication skills. It feels like a very natural and engaging way to introduce children to technology.
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Sabrina, Your idea with using Scratch Junior in the infants class is great. I have used scratch with fifth class and they really love it. It is great for computational thinking, logical thinking and abstract problem solving. The students always enjoyed working on it and after a few lessons, once they knew what they were doing, it was great to use as an incentive! Good luck with your infant class.
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The AI application I would really like to try is ScratchJr, as I can see lots of opportunities to use it across the curriculum. I think it would be a fun and interactive way to introduce children to coding. Even simple directions such as forward, back, left and right can be used as learning opportunities.
I like that children can create characters, choose settings and change backgrounds, which could also link nicely with writing and storytelling. I could demonstrate the basics on the interactive whiteboard and then allow the children to work independently or in pairs.
I also think it would be great for children to share their projects with the class and explain what they have done. This would help develop their confidence and encourage them to try more challenging tasks. ScratchJr seems like a useful tool that could be adapted for children of different abilities.
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I think Scratch Jr gives a super way of introducing a variety of concepts into school. Starting out with junior classes, simple things such as directions, speeds, names of animals etc could all be pieced together in a very simple little activity like having a dog, rabbit and pig run a race (Description on website). Here they would also learn the very simple steps to block programming to animate their scene.
This could be developed further in the middle classes where you use the official Scratch website/app to make the animals/cartoon characters have a conversation (English/Irish/Modern language) between each other at a particular location, at a birthday party, starting school etc. Again, here pupils could build on what they learned in Scratch Jr, to make the characters move in and out, add sounds, alter speeds etc
Senior students could then be tasked on working on tasks using “Scratch’s Project Idea Generator” which will task them to develop their own little activity, using their own ideas and creativity. These can be quite random, but only adds to the fun, especially to show off to their peers! -
Oh Tracey, I totally agree with you on Osmo! That little red mirror thing is just class. I only qualified last year myself, and finding stuff that actually keeps kids engaged without staring blankly at a screen is so hard.
I use it in my class now too. To introduce it, I just set it up on one table and didn’t even say much. I let one kid move a tile and when the screen changed, they all shouted. Total game changer.
The best part is definitely how it lets them work on their own. When they make a mistake, it doesnt make a big fuss, it just gives them a gentle nudge to try again. Takes so much pressure off me trying to run around the room to twenty different kids at once.
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congratulations on surviving your first year. you’re so right about screen time. Finding tech that encourages hands on play instead of passive scrolling is like finding gold in primary teaching. I love your low-key approach to introducing it. Letting them discover the feedback loop themselves is a total masterclass in creating intrinsic motivation. And you hit the nail on the head regarding the non-judgmental feedback.
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I would choose language learning applications as the AI example to introduce to my pupils. Many children are already familiar with apps that help them learn new words, spellings, or phrases, so it is an accessible way to explain AI.
I would start with a discussion about technology they use at home and in school. We would explore how some apps can give feedback, suggest answers, and adapt activities based on how well a learner is doing. Pupils would then try a simple language-learning activity and reflect on how the tool supported their learning.
This approach would help pupils see AI as a useful learning tool rather than something complicated or mysterious. It would also provide opportunities to discuss the importance of checking information and using technology responsibly. Overall, I think this would be an engaging and practical way to introduce AI while developing pupils’ digital literacy and critical thinking skills. -
I really like the look of Osmo as an AI application to introduce pupils to AI. I like the fact that it combines hands-on activites with digital technology. I think Osmo would be particularly beneficial in maths where pupils could use the concrete materials already in most schools and combine these with the technology. For example, pupils could use Osmo to solve number problems using physical tiles while receiving immediate feedback from Osmo. I feel this could really support different learning abilities as pupils could work at their own pace and get feedback as they progress. I would also get the pupils to deliberately try unusual answers to test if Osmo always recognises them correctly. This could stimulate a conversation around AI and how it can be inaccurate and the importance of critical thinking when using AI. Overall, I feel Osmo would be an engaging and accessible way for pupils to engage with AI while developing their problem-solving and digital literacy skills.
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I completely agree with your approach combining concrete manipulatives with immediate digital feedback is where Osmo really shines!
Using it for maths is such a smart move. That hands-on element keeps kids grounded in real problem solving, while the instant, private feedback lets them learn from mistakes at their own pace without feeling put on the spot.
I especially love your idea of having them deliberately test it with wrong or unusual answers. That’s a brilliant, low-stakes way to spark critical thinking about how vision AI actually works and fails.
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I would choose Khan Academy Kids as the AI example to introduce my children in SET to.
After downloading and exploring Khan Academy Kids via the Google Play Store, I am thoroughly impressed by its rich, age-appropriate suite of activities tailored for younger children in Junior and Senior Infants. Incorporating this application into station teaching offers a dynamic way to blend independent digital learning with core developmental skills. While many digital tools focus solely on foundational literacy and numeracy, Khan Academy Kids stands out by explicitly targetting executive function—specifically working memory—alongside vital social and emotional development.
Using the app as an independent digital station allows four- to six-year-olds to engage with interactive memory-matching tasks, pattern recognition, and emotion-regulation activities at their own pace. The audio-guided prompts and warm character interactions scaffold learning seamlessly, enabling young pupils to self-correct without needing constant teacher intervention. This frees up crucial time for small-group, teacher-led instruction at another station.
Reflecting on its pedagogical value, the integration of SET and working memory games directly supports the holistic development of infant classes. Strengthening working memory enhances a child’s ability to retain instructions and process multi-step tasks across the curriculum. Simultaneously, the SET modules normalise emotional awareness and resilience
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After downloading and exploring Khan Academy Kids via the Google Playould choose Khan Academy Kids as the AI example to introduce my children in SET to. Store, I am thoroughly impressed by its rich, age-appropriate suite of activities tailored for younger children in Junior and Senior Infants. Incorporating this application into station teaching offers a dynamic way to blend independent digital learning with core developmental skills. While many digital tools focus solely on foundational literacy and numeracy, Khan Academy Kids stands out by explicitly targetting executive function—specifically working memory—alongside vital social and emotional development.
Using the app as an independent digital station allows four- to six-year-olds to engage with interactive memory-matching tasks, pattern recognition, and emotion-regulation activities at their own pace. The audio-guided prompts and warm character interactions scaffold learning seamlessly, enabling young pupils to self-correct without needing constant teacher intervention. This frees up crucial time for small-group, teacher-led instruction at another station.
Reflecting on its pedagogical value, the integration of SET and working memory games directly supports the holistic development of infant classes. Strengthening working memory enhances a child’s ability to retain instructions and process multi-step tasks across the curriculum. Simultaneously, the SET modules normalise emotional awareness and resilience
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I recently tried this out with my 2nd class during a creative writing unit, and the response was really great. Instead of teaching AI as a standalone topic, we used an image-generator as a co-creator for our story settings.
We started on the interactive whiteboard, curating ideas. As we typed different descriptive words into the prompt the students saw in real time how choosing stronger adjectives completely changed the generated picture, This took some time amd a lot of tial and error. However they got a great buzz from the new images.
BRinging AI into the classroom naturally this boosted their descriptive writing. The children quickly figured out that if they wanted the AI to match their imagination, they had to be super fun with their vocabulary. It also opened up some brilliant, chats about AI too.
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2nd Class STEM & Literacy Lesson Plan
How to Build a Minibeast Hotel
2nd Class
Science (Habitats), Engineering, & LiteracyLearning Objectives
Identify what minibeasts need to survive (shelter, moisture, shade).
Design and construct a sturdy micro-habitat using natural materials.
Write 2–3 descriptive sentences using targeted adjectives.Show pictures of woodlice and ladybirds.
Build Challenge In pairs. The pupils pack cardboard boxes or tin cans with natural items (twigs, moss, pinecones, bark) Pupils write a mini advertisement for their hotel Eg. My hotel is perfect for a ladybird because….. It has bark for hiding and moss to stay damp. Use an AI text tool before class to quickly draft differentiated sentence starters for varying literacy levels, and an image generator to create diagrams of insect habitats for visual learners. -
I feel it is critical to build in the responsible use and expectations when it comes to the us of any AI tools in the classroom. I would model the safe use of these tools and slowly introduce through group guided sessions. It would also be important to build a level confidence and clear expectation in how it can benefit their learning. It’s important I resent it in a positive manner as to create a sense of initial excitement and intrigue. I would encourage the class as a whole to prompt the AI tool in developing questioning when it comes to exploring an aspect of our learning, from historical viewpoints to sharing of cultural backgrounds. I thought the slide given the different viewpoints on Eater 1916 was really engaging and create a lot of scope for discussion. Highlighting bias, misinformation and how students need to be also aware of this with modern technologies.
From previous teaching, I also find Khan academy to be an excellent resource in finding differentiated tasks and resources. It is helpful in using in stations where I have predominately used it in Maths comprehension tasks. -
I wanted to share how I would use Google’s Teachable Machine with my 3rd class lads.I only found this tool recently myself, but the boys would love it. I would start by getting them to train the computer to tell the difference between a happy face and a sad face using the webcam. We would take turns pulling expressions: It really shows them that AI needs data to learn. The more examples we give it, the better it gets.I would link it to SPHE and the new Welbeing too. After they see how it works, we would talk about bias. What if we only trained it on teachers’ faces? Would it work for children? This gets them thinking about how AI can be unfair if the data is one-sided.The best part is it is free and works in the browser. No apps needed. As someone who came to teaching later in life, I find tools like this make me feel less behind the curve. The boys are amazed when they realise they are the ones teaching the machine. It is a brilliant way to intro AI without needing to be a tech expert yourself.
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Ok for me Gemini and OSMO stood out for me. They were two tools that I feel would really benefit the junior end of the school or SET.
OSMO will really make things come to life and some children learn by doing- or most children for that matter.
A challenge may be having the funds to have enough technology to practice these wonderful AI tools, but we are definitely moving forward in schools.
Children that are digitally gifted can really shine using AI and it might be an area they excel especially if other areas of the curriculum/school life are difficult for them.
I played around with Khan academy also, I really like how age appropriate it was, especially in the younger years. I worked on scratch junior last year and look forward to working with RoboGarden this year. I have a boy who I feel exhausted his time on scratch, so RoboGarden will be a lovely new addition.
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