[Catherine Furlong]

Lots of great ideas here Sarah. I really liked the question ‘ What assumption is hiding inside the question?’.  It’s a simple way of encouraging high-level thinking and showing children the way the prompt is worded can influence the response they get.  I also really liked the Input..AI…Output..Check Sequence.  It’s teachable and useful and feeding into habit building.

[Catherine Furlong]

Module 5 reinforced for me that integrating AI effectively is not necessarily about using more technology, but about identifying where it can genuinely improve teaching and learning. I was interested in the emphasis on personalised learning and in the Bridge AI example, where technology took over routine tasks to allow more time for direct interaction with pupils. In SET, I can see similar potential in using AI to adapt texts, differentiate resources and make learning more accessible without spending excessive time creating several versions of the same material
I also took from the module that simply avoiding AI is not really preparing children for a future in which it will increasingly be part of everyday life. Even with younger pupils, I think we can gradually develop the understanding that AI can be useful without always being accurate or appropriate.
Going forward, I would like to become confident with a small number of useful tools, evaluate what genuinely benefits my pupils and learn from colleagues’ experiences, while keeping my own professional judgement central

Lesson Plan:

Lesson Plan -Back to School

Class: First/Second Class; SET
Curricular area: English – Reading and Oral Language
AI tool: Diffit

Learning outcomes
The children will be enabled to:

Read and discuss a short text at an appropriate level;
develop vocabulary and comprehension through engagement with the text;
Make connections between the text and their own experiences.

Preparation
Using Diffit, I would create a short Back to School text and adapt it for the different reading needs within my groups. I would select and edit the most useful vocabulary and comprehension prompts generated alongside it.

Introduction
Brief discussion around returning to school, followed by prediction from the title/image and exploration of key vocabulary.

Development
Children would read the appropriately levelled text in their group, supported with decoding, fluency and comprehension as required. Selected Diffit questions would be used to develop discussion, ranging from retrieval to inference depending on the group.

Children would be supported to in sharing in discussion and making connections with their own experiences of returning to school.

AI extension
I would  show the children how Diffit had helped me prepare the lesson.  We would ask Diffit to adapt it and consider what changed, what remained the same and whether we agreed with its choices. In mixed ability groups, using a newly generated separate example would avoid drawing attention to individual children’s differentiated texts.

Assessment
Teacher observation of reading strategies, fluency, comprehension and oral responses would inform subsequent groupings and planning.

• This reply was modified 2 months, 3 weeks ago by Catherine Furlong.

[Catherine Furlong]

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.

[Catherine Furlong]

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.

[Catherine Furlong]

I was interested in your point about Image Creator. My first thought around this course has been how I could use AI myself to create better resources for the children- particularly in SET and in a junior school.  Being able to quickly create something visual or personalised around a child’s particular interests is really useful for engagement and saves preparation time.  Your post made me think further about the other side of things- having the children use the tools.  AI is going to be a part of the world children grow up in so learning how to question what it produces, refine what we ask for and recognise limitations are important skills for them to have- arguably even from a young age, provided balance with non-screen time is met.  I’d be interested in exploring age-appropriate ways of beginning and nurturing those skills with younger children.

[Catherine Furlong]

Part 1-

Two tools I would like to explore further are Diffit and Microsoft Reading Coach. As a SET teacher working in a junior school, I was impressed by how quickly Diffit can adapt material to different reading levels and produce attractive classroom -ready resources. I could use this to help children access the same topics as their peers while tailoring vocabulary, reading level and questions to their individual needs. This could also support assessment by helping me identify comprehension difficulties and plan next steps.

Microsoft Reading Coach also interested me as I spend a significant amount of time working with reading groups. I could see it complimenting existing reading practise by giving children opportunities to read independently and develop fluency and confidence. I would be interested in exploring how it could work alongside the different readers and levels I already use.

Part 2- Reflection

Diffit immediately made me think about differentiation in SET, Reading Coach about my small reading groups and the examples of AI translation invited me to consider how I could best support my EAL pupils. For me, a big draw is how easily resources can be personalised around children’s interests.

My main reflection is that there are so many tools available that, knowing myself, trying to master everything, especially in a short period, is probably not the best approach. I would rather experiment, identify a small number of tools that are accessible and useful to my particular cohort and needs at this given time and become confident in using them creatively.

What excites me most is not using AI to replace skills I already have as a teacher but to extend what is practically possible within the time available. I can see real value in being able to rapidly adapt texts, create polished and personalised visuals, translate material or produce several differentiated versions of the same resource. AI also opens up creative possibilities that would previously have required considerable time or technical skill. Used well and with time, this could allow me to be more ambitious and inventive in the resources and learning experiences I create, while still relying on my own professional judgement to decide what is worthwhile for the child.

[Catherine Furlong]

Martha, your point about balance really resonated with me.  I’m very interested in the potential of of AI and technology in education and I’ve seen the benefits of AI first hand this past school year in my own approach to school work and as Ive outlined in my reflections here but I also wonder about the wider expectations around technology in schools.  Are teachers increasingly expected to be constantly connected, whether through dojo, email, phones, whatsapp groups or digital platforms as well as incoporating technology into their teaching? On a personal level, Im becoming more conscious of how constant phone use can affect attention, mood and even our ability to retrieve information for ourselves.  I suppose the challenge for me if how we embrace useful technology and remain relevant as teachers while still living in a real and balanced way.

[Catherine Furlong]

Hi Carol,

I too am very much dipping my toes in still but I can genuinely say the use of chatgpt alone has assisted me so much this year with planning- in terms of fortnightlies, IEPs,  in giving me active learning ideas, ice-breakers and with personalising grammar lessons for the children so I totally agree its great for fresh ideas and linkage.  I have found it particularly useful in generating pictures quickly for my EAL students.

[Catherine Furlong]

Before completing this module, my experience of AI was mainly through ChatGPT. The module introduced me to other AI tools and helped me think more about the practical ways they could support teaching and learning in the primary classroom. Immersive Reader was the tool that stood out to me the most. I could see how features such as reading text aloud and breaking words into syllables would support children who struggle with reading. I was also interested to learn more about Minecraft Education. It is something I often hear children talking about, but I had never really considered how it could be used to support learning in the classroom.
For me, the biggest benefits of AI are that it can make learning more personalised and interactive while also saving teachers valuable time. If it can help with planning or creating resources, it allows teachers to spend more time supporting children and responding to their individual needs.
The module also highlighted some important challenges. The video showing the use of AI in a Chinese classroom made me think about issues such as privacy and the ethical use of AI in education. It also reminded me that schools will need to ensure staff receive appropriate training and that parents are kept informed and reassured about how AI is being used. Overall, I see AI as a useful tool to support teaching and learning when it is used thoughtfully and responsibly.

[Catherine Furlong]

I understand that the European Commission has developed ethical guidelines for use and awareness of risk while using ai. The Ethical Guidelines on the use of ai act as a starting point and as a support tool based on the ethical use of ai and data.
AI can be used in teaching to save time for teachers with regard to administrative work- for example a teacher might use ai to reference relevant areas of the curriculum, to suggest creative teaching strategies and learning methodologies. AI can be used for phraseology, to elevate an idea for a lesson that a teacher may already have- to generate ideas for differentiation of a task, to generate images relevant to a child or childrens’ interests, location and/or area of study.
In terms of learning, the challenge will be for teachers and students alike to maintain a balance between thinking for oneself and relying too much on ai. Adults will need to keep an open mind, to explore and to ‘stay ahead’. Furthermore and while speaking challenges, teachers will have to educate themselves on how data breaches can be avoided.
Regarding assessment, I understand that AI can save time marking exams, that it can be used to get automatic feedback on quizzes and that it can be used to personalise learning. It may be appropriate going forward for teachers to consider assessment that ai will not be able to solve.

[Author]

Posts