[Tracey Lally]

This is a really solid cross-curricular plan for 4th Class. Integrating English, Science, and Art makes the theme much more meaningful, and using Copilot to generate text tailored to that specific vocabulary list is a clever way to hit those exact Primary Language Curriculum outcomes.

The three-tiered question sheets are highly practical for managing a diverse classroom, and moving onto the Chromebooks for Quizizz is a great incentive to keep them focused during independent work. Following it up with the visual lifecycle diagram in art is an excellent way to reinforce the sequencing without overloading them with more writing.

[Tracey Lally]

Part 1

This course has completely changed how I look at AI for my SET groups. Instead of replacing us, I see these tools as the ultimate assistant to handle the heavy lifting of lesson prep, giving me way more time to actually focus on the kids in front of me.

My main plan is to use platforms like Magic School AI and Diffit to make daily differentiation a breeze. Being able to take a single reading topic and instantly spin it into different ability levels means my pupils can access the same core lesson without feeling completely overwhelmed. For literacy, I’m really eager to try Microsoft Reading Coach as a weekly independent station. It builds reading fluency in such a low-stakes way, which will be an absolute lifesaver for boosting the confidence of my shyer or EAL pupils who dread reading aloud.

I’m also keen to experiment with interactive tools like OSMO to bring a bit of hands-on learning to the table. The immediate feedback it gives means the kids can self-correct their mistakes independently, completely taking the pressure off.

Of course, getting it up and running will have its hurdles. Keeping student data private is a massive deal and teaching the kids to actually question what’s on a screen rather than just blindly trusting it will be a big learning curve for all of us.

 

Part 2

Lesson Title: Cracking the Code: Human Brains vs. AI Brains

Class Level: SET / Small Group

Curriculum Link: Primary Language Curriculum (Reading: Phonics, Word Recognition and Word Study) & Digital Learner Competencies.

Resources: iPad with OSMO base and Words letter tiles, custom decodable texts generated via Diffit, and student devices with Microsoft Reading Coach.

Lesson Outline:

Station 1: Hands-On Word Building (OSMO) We’ll start at the small group table using OSMO. I’ll explain that we are testing a “robot eye” (AI) to see if it can read our physical spelling tiles. The kids will slide letters forward to build target words, getting instant on-screen feedback. To introduce an AI concept, I’ll have them deliberately slide a tile in upside down or cover half of it to see how the “robot eye” gets confused. We’ll chat about how the AI is just scanning visual patterns, not actually “thinking” like them, meaning it needs humans to guide it.

Station 2: Independent Fluency & Choice (Microsoft Reading Coach) Next, the pupils will move to independent devices to read a short text. I’ll use Diffit beforehand to instantly change our core reading topic into the exact reading level and phonics focus each child needs, saving me hours of manual prep. The kids will then open this text in Reading Coach. They’ll “choose your own adventure” to develop the story, and the gamified rewards (unlocking characters) will keep them on task.

Conclusion & Teacher Feedback: While the rest of the group is working independently and safely on Reading Coach- which is brilliant for letting my shyer or EAL pupils build up confidence without the fear of anyone listening in -I can sit one-on-one with individual pupils. At the end of the session, I’ll have clear, real-time data from Reading Coach showing exactly which high-frequency words or letter-sound relationships we need to target tomorrow.

[Tracey Lally]

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!

[Tracey Lally]

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.

[Tracey Lally]

I’m a big fan of Reading Coach too and I will be using it next year . It’s so handy for giving the kids that immediate support with decodable texts and trickier words, especially for building up their reading confidence when you can’t be sitting with every child individually. Great ideas!

[Tracey Lally]

I completely agree with you about the training hurdle, too. The slow roll-out of CPD always makes implementing new tech tricky in school, so it’s great we’re getting a head start with this course.

[Tracey Lally]

Part 1: Integrating these tools is a total game-changer for how we teach and assess. Platforms like Magic School AI and Diffit make daily differentiation a breeze, instantly adapting a topic into different reading levels so every child can access the lesson without feeling left behind. I really like the social story maker and this will be invaluable as a resource in SET next year.

Part 2: For sparking creativity, using DALL-E to generate custom images gives the kids brilliant visual prompts for writing assessments. Meanwhile, Microsoft Learning Accelerators are fantastic for giving us real-time, handy insights into reading fluency and how the pupils are getting on. Of course, we still have to be smart about the risks. Data privacy is a massive deal, so we can never feed private student info into these tools. Plus, AI can sometimes just make stuff up, meaning we always need to double-check everything first. Ultimately, these tools are brilliant assistants for saving time and boosting engagement, but they’ll never replace a teacher’s observations and interactions with their students.

[Tracey Lally]

AI can completely transform the daily grind by acting as a brilliant co-pilot. For instance, if we’re doing a maths topic like the problem question in operations, I can instantly adapt the text for different reading levels, or quickly generate a tailored glossary and interactive quiz questions for pupils who need extra support. This helps me customize lessons on the fly, cutting down hours spent creating resources and leaving more energy for actual teaching.

The benefits for personalized learning are massive, but the implementation challenges are very real. Data privacy is the top hurdle; with young children, you can’t feed any identifiable info into public tools. The video from China is worrying in my opinion especially for children with undiagnosed needs and the anxiety and pressure around school performance that wearing these tracking devices may cause.

There’s also the issue of AI “hallucinations”—simply making things up—meaning I always have to critically vet every single output before it reaches the classroom. Ultimately, it’s a total game-changer for day-to-day efficiency, but only if we maintain absolute human oversight and treat it as a handy assistant, never a replacement

[Tracey Lally]

That is spot on! I completely agree that these tools are a total lifesaver for time-poor teachers when it comes to quick differentiation and content creation. It’s also a great reminder that while tools like Pictory are amazing for engagement, keeping those safety boundaries and critical thinking front and centre is key.

[Tracey Lally]

For future teaching, AI is going to be a brilliant co-pilot for differentiation. I can see myself using it to instantly adapt a reading text into three different reading levels or generate tailored visual prompts for children with additional needs as I am in SET next year. That kind of instant resource creation frees up time for what actually matters: face-to-face connection.

When it comes to assessment, AI can help me spot learning patterns or design quick, creative quizzes. But the big reflection for me is that AI cannot measure a child’s emotional growth, creativity, or resilience. It can however help me resource the needs I am working with. Moving forward, my goal is to model critical thinking, showing my pupils how to question AI outputs rather than just accepting them blindly. It will be important to scaffold them as they engage with these tools and incorporate them into their learning.

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