AI to Support Literacy
Author: Samantha Goldman; info@ciddl.org
With the launch of ChatGPT, talks of how AI will change the classroom are making headlines across the nation. But, AI has been embedded in tools we use to support students with the reading and writing process for a long time. What’s different now? The fact that the AI can generate an entire essay, albeit many teachers would only grade it as B or C work, at best.
Though there are a plethora of tools with AI integration, here are some tools that can easily be integrated into your current classroom.
Brainstorming
There are a lot of concerns over students turning in work written exclusively by an AI. What platforms such as Writer suggest, however, is using AI to help with brainstorming. Say you give an assignment asking students to describe why they love their favorite food. Maybe they struggle to create lists of reasons from which to build their arguments. Enter AI writers. Teach your students to have the AI generate lists of ideas to help get their brain juices flowing. Then, they can convert those ideas into their essay. It’s akin to discussing and collaborating with a peer as part of a prewriting activity.
Spell Checkers, Grammar Checkers, Mechanics Checkers
Yes, spell check, grammar check, and mechanics check has been embedded in word processing software for what feels like ever. But tools like Grammarly and Ginger have revolutionized their possibilities by adding AI to their platform. Beyond simply making sure that your students (or you) are using semicolons appropriately, it can also reword sentences so that they are longer or shorter, or change the voice so that it is more creative, formal, direct, etc.
Summarizing, Paraphrasing
Summarizing and paraphrasing are important skills that show comprehension. Sometimes, however, students (and adults) struggle to comprehend a text and need extra support. Tools like Wordtune and Quillbot allow users to paste in or type text and have it paraphrased, thereby simplifying the text. This is a great tool to use for complex articles or to provide a shorter passage to a struggling reader.
Text-to-Speech
Text-to-speech is not a new concept. It supports learners who struggle with decoding, comprehension, and even the editing process. AI enables supports such as Speechify and Immersive Reader to read the text in human voices. In fact, speechify even offers pop culture narrators like Snoop Dogg and Gwyneth Paltrow.