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This would be very useful for me Felicity as I will be working in A SET role this coming school year. I love the idea of the child recording a video of themselves using the expressions as it gives them visual feedback. It reminds me of a time I took 2 photographs of a student in the line, one where he would stand right up against the back of the person in front of him (which bothered the person in front) and a second photograph of him standing further apart. When he could visually see the gap he understood what I had been asking him to do and there was no issue after that.
I will be trying out a lesson using Copilot Image Creator.
I would begin by exploring the idea of Artificial Intelligence, introducing it as technology designed to perform tasks that usually require human intelligence, like drawing, writing, or learning. This will help students have a broader understanding of what “smart machines” are.
Together, we will create a scene (e.g., an underwater Ice Kingdom with descriptive language to give the image more detail) and input it into Copilot Image Creator. Watching the image appear in real time helped students connect their words to visual outcomes. I introduced the concept of Machine Learning here, explaining how the AI tool was trained on many images and words to learn how to generate pictures from our prompts. The children will use the image to write descriptive paragraphs using their five senses. This was a great point to introduce Algorithms, explaining them as the step-by-step instructions the AI follows to make decisions, just like we follow writing steps when composing a paragraph. To finish, we will reflect on how AI supports creative thinking, rather than replacing it.This would be a great introduction to your class with Scratch and I like how clear and thought out your lesson is. From using Scratch before with 2nd class they catch on very quickly and I would imagine 80% of your class will have that task completed quickly. So I think extra challenges like you suggested would be very important to keep the engaged and active throughout the lesson.
Google Teachable machine is a web based tool that allows children to train a simple AI model to recognise different sounds and images etc… without needing any coding skills. I would introduce Google’s Teachable Machine as a fun and interactive way to explore the basics of artificial intelligence with my pupils. I would begin with a class discussion about where pupils may have encountered AI in their daily lives (e.g., voice assistants or YouTube recommendations) to build curiosity and context. Next, I’d demonstrate how the Teachable Machine works using the classroom projector. For example, I might create two categories—such as “Thumbs Up” and “Thumbs Down”—and take example images using the webcam. Pupils would see how the machine learns from patterns and makes predictions in real time. Then, they would work in pairs using our Chromebooks to build their own simple models. Afterwards we could discuss how AI learns and what it gets right or wrong, and why.
I am really looking forward to using Microsoft Copilot in my role as Special Education Teacher this year. I will use it to help English groups improve their descriptive language in a fun and engaging way. I feel they will really respond to using this AI tool as sometimes there can be a lack of motivation from senior groups for Special Education teaching.
I can also see Microsoft Speaker Coach being very useful to help students with communication skills and confidence speaking aloud. I might ask older students to create a presentation using Gamma for younger classes and then practice with Microsoft Speaker Coach before presenting their presentation to them.These AI tools have given me many ideas for my teaching and in turn will benefit student’s learning.
The integration of AI tools offers immense potential to enhance teaching, learning, and assessment. Tools such as Microsoft Copilot by Dall-E can inspire creativity in descriptive writing by providing visual prompts, supporting pupils with varying literacy levels. Microsoft Reading Coach stands out for its ability to personalise learning—offering students ownership of story creation and providing tailored reading support, which aligns with the Primary Language Curriculum’s emphasis on differentiated instruction. Oral language skills, often underdeveloped, can be strengthened with Microsoft Speaker Coach, as it gives pupils a safe space to practise public speaking and receive constructive, real-time feedback.
From a teacher’s perspective, Magic School AI is invaluable. It streamlines planning, generates social stories, and creates accessible assessment tasks like the maths story word problem generator and audio/video question creators, reducing workload while maintaining quality. Tools like Diffit further support inclusive education by enabling easy differentiation of content for mixed-ability classrooms.
These AI tools can foster more individualised learning experiences, enhance student confidence, and free up teacher time to focus on meaningful interactions.
I completely agree—Immersive Reader is such a powerful tool for supporting diverse reading needs. I also love your point about Flipgrid giving quieter students a voice. Access and training are definitely challenges, but with the right support, these tools could make a real difference in the classroom.
AI has the potential to transform teaching and learning in Irish classrooms by making education more inclusive and efficient.
In terms of learning, AI offers tools that personalise and support student progress. Personalised spellcheck helps improve writing accuracy, while AI is making textbooks more accessible and enabling dynamic learning through interactive digital formats. The immersive reader for students with different learning needs by reading text out loud, breaking words into syllables or translating text supports diverse learners, particularly those with SEN or EAL. Flipgrid is a video discussion platform which students can record and share short videos, improve communication skills, encouraging their voice and confidence.
For teaching, AI can help educators monitor student’s performance more effectively and free up more time to teach by reducing admin tasks. Tools like Microsoft Teams – teachers can manage classes, assign homework, give feedback enhance classroom organisation. In line with the National AI Strategy, tools like AI e-mail assistance can draft and send e-mails, make newsletters and answer common questions. This makes communication with parents and students quicker and easier and more time for planning and teaching.
Challenges include teacher training and safeguarding data, but the potential for positive change is significant.
Elaine, I agree that AI has transformative potential for both teaching and learning. I will also be trying out Minecraft Education and Immersive Reader in my classroom going forward to support engagement and accessibility. I appreciate your honesty around the challenges too, especially access to devices and the importance of GDPR compliance. Like you, I find aspects of AI daunting, but your examples show how it can be implemented thoughtfully to enhance differentiation and assessment. .
For teaching, AI can help teachers be more efficient by cutting down time drafting e-mails, being more productive by creating lesson plans and grading rubrics and it helps you become more creative by generating ideas for you to use, suggesting class activities or helping to improve powerpoints. However, it is important to consider the need for teacher oversight to ensure that AI-generated materials are accurate, inclusive, and appropriate for specific learner needs.
For children in their learning in the classroom, AI will be engaging for students. They can use AI across all curricular areas. A particularly useful one would be using AI-powered chatbots to simulate simple conversations in Irish. This would build confidence in spoken and written Irish in a low-pressure environment. This also promotes oral language development, which is a key focus of the Primary Language Curriculum.
AI tools can read texts aloud and highlight words —a feature that strongly supports differentiation. This accessibility function could enhance equity in the classroom, allowing children with literacy or language needs to engage more fully with the curriculum. However, educators must reflect on how to balance AI support with the development of independent reading skills over time.
A practical use of AI for both teacher and student would be to generate games and quizzes based on classroom themes. Teachers can prepare these for their class or students could prepare them for their peers or younger students to try based on their learning.
