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Two tools from this module really stood out for me. First is Diffit. I have a very mixed ability class and I spend hours trying to find texts at the right level for everyone. With Diffit I can take one article and get it adapted for different reading levels in seconds. It even generates comprehension questions and exit tickets, wich is brilliant for assessment. It will definately save me time and means my weaker readers can access the same topic as everyone else.Second is the Copilot Image Creator. I tried it out for English and got it to make an image of charlie from Charlie n choc factory. My kids at jome were amazed when I showed them. I can use this to spark descriptive writing or as a hook. It really brings stories to life in a way that just reading from a book doesn’t.Looking ahead, I think AI like this will change how we plan and assess. We can differentiate better and faster, which means more time actually teaching instead of prepping. But we must remember that these are just tools. I am excited but cautious. We need to use it ethically and not let it replace our own judgement. Overall though, it is a game changer for someone like me who is new to the profession and still finding my feet.
Hey sarah
I could not agree more. That Khanmigo tutor bot was incriedible.I loved your teaching assistant point. That is exactly how I see AI.
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.
Lesson Plan: Designing an Interactive Digital Story with AI
Class Level: 4th Class
Subject: English (Primary Language Curriculum)
Topic: Narrative Writing & Character Creation using AI Prompts
Learning Objectives
Children will collaborate with an AI text tool (like Copilot) to generate storylines and character descriptions.
Pupils will edit and sequence AI-generated text to create a coherent short story.
Students will apply descriptive vocab to enhance settings and character traits.
Resources Needed
Teacher laptop and interactive whiteboard.
Access to a shared classroom tablet
Student work copies.
Lesson Structure
1. Introduction (10 Minutes)
Start a quick chat on the board: ask the class to throw out random ideas for a main character (e.g., a clumsy robot, a pirate who is scared of water).
Type the kids’ ideas live into an AI tool on the big screen to generate a mad opening paragraph.
Read it out and show the class how the AI helps get past the “blank page”.
2. Development & Group Activity (20 Minutes)
Break the class into small groups with their tablets.
Give each group a structured prompt template to enter into the AI (e.g., “Write a 4-sentence adventure about Characterwho loses their Object in a magical forest”).
Crucial step: The kids aren’t just copying what the AI spits out. Their job is to act as the editor.they have to find two boring words and upgrade them, fix any weird plot holes, and add their own punchy ending.
3. Reflection (10 Minutes)
Wrap-up on the carpet. Goups read out their original AI prompt versus their final edited story.
Discuss as a class: Did the AI get everything right? What did we have to fix ourselves?
Carol, fair play on this plan, using CoPilot to pull the text and quiz together is such a handy shortcut. Trying to juggle english, science, and art all into one linked theme can be pure chaos if you don’t have the resources ready.
I really like how you tied the reading straight into the chromebook quiz and then finished up with the art piece. Gives the kids a nice mix so they aren’t just sitting staring at screens all day. Using AI just to draft the initial comprehension passage and questions saves so much prep time on a sunday evening when you’re wrecked.
One thing I might change for my own room is just making sure the lower ability kids don’t get left behind during the whole-class reading bit.
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.
Another powerful use is formative assessment. AI-powered tools can analyse pupils’ written responses in real time, highlighting misconceptions about sentence structure before I’ve even collected the books. This means I can intervene earlier and more precisely.
The benefits are clear: greater personalisation, reduced workload on repetitive tasks. However, challenges are significant. Like Tracey, I’m deeply concerned about data privacy—any tool processing childs work must be GDPR-compliant and approved by my school. There is also the risk of over-reliance; if I stop developing my own questions, I may lose my professional judgment. Ultimately, AI works best as a tool not a substitute for the teacher’s profe sional expertise and relationships.
Hi Tracey,
I really resonated with your point about AI as a “co-pilot” rather than a replacement—your maths example of adapting problem questions and generating glossaries on the fly is exactly the kind of responsive teaching we strive for but rarely have time to produce manually.
Your caution about data privacy really struck a chord with me too. I’ve started a personal rule: any pupil name, school name gets chnaged before I paste anything into a public AI tool. I also share your unease about surveillance-style tracking; personalised learning should empower the child, not monitor them.
One thing I’m experimenting with to mitigate hallucinations is asking the AI to cite its sources or provide the reasoning behind an answer, which makes it easier to spot errors before they reach my children.
I agree with everything said by others
I am a 50-year-old NQT. I am new to teaching, but I have seen a lot of life. AI will help me in the classroom. I work in a busy school. Time is precious.
Your point about SET support is spot on. We work in teams. We pull small groups. AI can plan for both. This links the classroom and withdrawal groups. It saves hours.
I also agree about Immersive Reader. Struggling readers need to hear good reading. They need to practise alone. AI gives them that space. They grow in confidence.
Admin work is a burden. Support plans take forever. AI can fill templates. This gives me more time with the children.
But you are right. Training is the big problem. I did not grow up with technology. I need clear guidance. A slow rollout without proper training will fail.
Minecraft Education is a great idea. The boys know it. They love it. Using it in school brings their world into our world. It makes learning exciting.
AI has huge potential. We must embrace it. But we must train teachers first. That is the key.
There are so many benefits to ai in the classroom, as discussed immersive reading really helped a child in my 6th class who finds writing and reading a real challenge gain some independence and were so proud of themselves. However it is still very early days and can be very broad in responses. Also technology will never make a classroom feel safe for a child, which is where real learning happens Also this is more a question can it work as gaeilge ?
