[louise Smith]

I love Kahoot and the children in my class love it more. That said the Quizzizz app works so well with Copilot so I think I will be changing over this year.

[louise Smith]

Subject: S.E.S.E.
Class: 4th Class
Topic Fairtrade Chocolate – Bean to Bar
Learning Outcomes:
• Understand what Fairtrade is and why it is important.
• Identify key stages in chocolate production.
• Use AI tools to gather and present information.

Materials/Apps:

• Twinkl AI Tool – to generate simplified fact sheets
• Quizizz – for an interactive quiz
• Seesaw – for sharing work
• Ipads

1. Introduction

• Show AI-generated fact sheet from Twinkl on the chocolate supply chain and Fairtrade principles.
Discuss fairness and ethical trade.

2. Main

• In small groups, pupils use Twinkl’s AI tool to create short “bean-to-bar” summaries.
• Students record a short explanation or create a labelled diagram on Seesaw.

3. Assessment

•Play a Fairtrade Chocolate Quiz on Quizizz to review learning.

4. Conclusion

•Reflect on why Fairtrade matters, using Seesaw to post one sentence each.

[louise Smith]

In response to ‘Write a reflective piece on how you plan to integrate AI in your teaching and post to the Module 5 forum’ (150 words min) as per PDF and course content page, here is my piece.
I plan to integrate AI meaningfully into S.E.S.E. projects, giving children opportunities to use AI tools to research, create, and present their work. Twinkl’s AI tools will be invaluable for generating age-appropriate fact sheets, differentiated reading materials, and creative prompts to help pupils develop their own inquiry questions. For history and geography, I will use Copilot to create engaging lesson content and Quizizz to create interactive quizzes that assess understanding in a fun and competitive way. My students are familiar with Kahoot which looks similar. Students will also use mind-mapping and presentation tools to showcase topics such as local history or environmental issues. This work can be shared at home and at school using the Seesaw app. This way I will be building on technologies the children are already familiar with. This approach will encourage independent learning, digital literacy, and critical thinking, while ensuring that AI is used ethically and responsibly in line with curriculum goals and our school’s digital learning policy.

[louise Smith]

I agree Ethan, Osmo seems to be more suitable for the junior end of the school.

[louise Smith]

To introduce Scratch to my fourth class students on iPads, I will begin with a short, engaging discussion about how computers follow instructions — comparing it to giving precise steps for making a sandwich. Then, I’ll demonstrate the Scratch Junior app on the interactive board, showing how colourful coding blocks snap together like bricks. I have completed a summer course on Scratch before so this is an app I am comfortable with.
Students will start with a simple tasksheet – making a character move and speak. I’ll guide them through choosing a sprite, adding a background, and using blocks to create a short animation. Working in pairs will encourage peer learning and problem-solving.
Next, I’ll introduce a creative challenge – design a short scene where the character tells a joke to the class. Students will be encouraged to explore sound, loops, and simple events.
We’ll finish with work posted to their SeeSaw accounts on the iPads, where students share their projects at home and with peers.

[louise Smith]

Before taking this course, I had used AI primarily to support my teaching by preparing lesson plans, creating worksheets, and designing attractive classroom displays. However, I had not considered using AI tools directly during lessons until now.
One particularly useful example is the Magic School tool. In the video it showed how the tool can generate long multiplication problems. I find this tool excellent because it is colourful, child-friendly, and far more engaging than many other AI platforms. I believe students will respond positively to it, especially as many are already aware of AI and show a growing interest in it.
Additionally, the YouTube translation tool offers great potential for supporting EAL students. It can provide real-time translations, helping these learners stay engaged and keep up with the lesson. I also see promising potential for using this tool to translate videos into Irish, which could further enrich language learning in the classroom.

[louise Smith]

I agree Magic School has amazing potential in the primary setting. I know it is also popular with teachers in secondary schools.

[louise Smith]

As a senior room teacher, I see great potential for Microsoft Reading Coach to significantly enhance teaching, learning, and assessment in my fourth-class classroom next year. Reading Coach provides reading practice that can adapt to each pupil’s level and pace, helping to build fluency, confidence, and comprehension. By offering feedback on pronunciation and reading accuracy, it allows students to work independently while still getting meaningful support. This technology will enable me to better differentiate instruction, identify struggling readers earlier and tailor interventions more effectively. Additionally, the ability to track progress over time supports formative assessment. This will save me time or give me time to focus on other aspects of the children’s learning.
I believe Microsoft Speaker coach will be a valuable tool to enhance teaching, learning, and assessment in my fourth class. Speaker Coach offers real-time, personalised feedback on students’ speaking skills, such as pace, pitch and clarity. This tool will support the development of oral language and presentation skills, which are essential components of the English curriculum. It empowers students to practise speaking in a safe and private environment, helping to build their confidence. Thinking ahead to the Classroom Based Assessments for Junior Cert English, this is a skill that is so important to develop from an early stage.

[louise Smith]

I agree Pamela, the Minecraft tool is popular with my senior class. The boys would use the program at home for fun so the interest is already there and they are familiar with using the tool.

[louise Smith]

I’m excited by the potential of tools in this module to transform my classroom practice. There was a lot of information in this module. Some programmes stuck in my mind more than others did. Personally , I feel that a small selection of tool would be best to implement. Carnegie offers adaptive maths instruction, tailoring content to each student’s learning pace, which supports differentiation. With the new maths curriculum in place, this tool seems like a great place to allow the children to engage with the new curriculum at their own pace.
Century works to create personalise learning pathways, ideal for identifying gaps and create targeting support. This is especially useful in mixed-ability classrooms like my own and many classes in rural Ireland.
Immersive Reader enhances accessibility by supporting students with literacy difficulties, EAL learners and those with dyslexia. This allowing for a more inclusive learning environments. It is wonderful to see how the tool has greatly improved the learning experience of the child in the video.
However, challenges remain, ensuring data privacy and managing screen time are ongoing concerns.

[louise Smith]

I agree the final video on headbands in China was especially upsetting. Teaching can be a stressful job but the pupils should be allowed to be children and not be under such pressure.

[louise Smith]

Hi Lisa, I really like the idea of using AI to create support materials when studying a novel in class. I often find it a laborious task making lessons to accompany chapters. This would save me lots of time. Thanks for the tip.

[louise Smith]

I’ve begun to reflect on how AI could reshape my classroom practice. There is so much information to take in on this summer course and I want my takeaway to be meaningful. One of the most immediate impacts I foresee is in reducing the time spent on planning and paperwork This is something that often eats into my evenings and weekends. AI can assist with lesson planning, generate differentiated resources, and even provide insights into student performance through data analysis. This means I could spend more time focusing on my pupils’ individual needs rather than administrative tasks. I feel that this is something many teachers I know struggle with.
In terms of teaching and learning, AI can support more fun and interactive learning experiences. If the prompt given is effective, the lesson can use digital tools and online games that I may not be aware of.For assessment, AI could support quicker, more accurate formative assessments, enabling timely interventions. This course has made me excited about the possibilities—AI won’t replace teachers, but it can certainly empower us to teach more effectively.

[louise Smith]

There is lots of great ideas here about using AI in the classroom which I have not explored at all to date. I agree that using AI to differentiate work for different needs in the class is a great use of this resource. I have found in the past that organising an appropriate task for AEN pupils can take up too much of my planning time.

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