AI as Ally, not Enemy: Focus on Scaffolding to Meet the Needs of All Students

Image generated by Deep Dream AI in response to prompt “Student on ladder to reach blackboard”

In a previous METIS Insights post, we used AI to improve a lesson with surprising results!

We can think of AI as offering teachers a scaffold when developing and enhancing their curriculum. But can AI help us create scaffolds for our students, particularly students with disabilities (SWD) and English language learners (ELLs)? As a refresher, a scaffold is a temporary support provided to students to help them achieve a learning goal.

Let’s return to our New York State U.S. History & Government example from the previous METIS Insights post, in which we used AI to initiate a lesson plan for the following standard:

New technologies and economic models created rapid industrial growth and transformed the United States. Students will examine the technological innovations that facilitated industrialization, considering energy sources, natural resources, transportation, and communication. Students will examine the growth of industries under the leadership of businessmen such as John D. Rockefeller, Andrew Carnegie, J.P. Morgan, and Henry Ford and analyze their business practices and organizational structures. Students will evaluate the effectiveness of state and federal attempts to regulate business by examining the Supreme Court decision in Wabash, St. Louis & Pacific R.R. v. Illinois (1886), the Interstate Commerce Act (1887), the Sherman Antitrust Act (1890), and President Theodore Roosevelt’s trust-busting role as evidenced in Northern Securities Co. v. United States (1904).

Let’s explore how we might now use AI to ensure equitable access to the content for all our students.

Question for AI:

What scaffolds might help English language learners and students with disabilities with this lesson?

AI Response:

There are several scaffolds that can be put in place for English Language Learners (ELLs) to evaluate primary source documents on industrialization. Here are some suggestions:

• Pre-teach key vocabulary: Before giving ELLs primary source documents on industrialization, pre-teach the key vocabulary that they will encounter in the documents. This will help them better understand the documents and engage with the content.

• Provide graphic organizers: Graphic organizers can help ELLs organize their thoughts and ideas while reading primary source documents. For example, a KWL chart (what I Know, what I Want to know, what I Learned) can help them identify their prior knowledge, questions, and new information as they read.

• Use sentence stems: Provide ELLs with sentence stems or frames that they can use to help them formulate their thoughts and ideas about the primary source documents. For example, "I think that _____ because _____" or "In this document, the author is trying to _____ because _____."

• Model thinking: Model for ELLs how to think critically about primary source documents. For example, demonstrate how to annotate a text, identify the author's purpose, and make connections between different documents.

• Use peer collaboration: Pair ELLs with native English-speaking peers who can provide language support and help them better understand the primary source documents. Encourage them to work together to analyze the documents and discuss their findings.

• Provide sentence-level support: Provide ELLs with sentence-level support such as word banks, sentence starters, and sentence frames to help them construct complete and grammatically correct sentences while analyzing the documents.

• Use multimedia resources: Incorporate multimedia resources such as videos, images, and audio recordings to help ELLs better understand the primary source documents. These resources can provide additional context and support their understanding of the content.

When it comes to scaffolding for students with disabilities to evaluate primary source documents on industrialization, it's important to consider their individual needs and abilities. Here are some general suggestions that can be adapted based on their specific needs:

• Use visual aids: Incorporate visual aids such as pictures, maps, timelines, and graphs to support the understanding of the primary source documents. These can help students with disabilities better comprehend the information and make connections between different sources.

• Simplify language: Simplify the language used in the primary source documents by providing definitions of key terms, breaking down complex sentences into shorter sentences, and avoiding jargon and technical terms. This can help students with disabilities better understand the content and focus on the main ideas.

• Provide support for reading comprehension: Provide students with disabilities with support for reading comprehension, such as reading guides, graphic organizers, and sentence starters. These tools can help them identify the main ideas, organize their thoughts, and communicate their ideas effectively.

• Allow for extra time: Allow students with disabilities extra time to read and analyze the primary source documents. This can give them the time they need to fully comprehend the material and develop their ideas.

• Use multisensory approaches: Use multisensory approaches such as hands-on activities, videos, and audio recordings to help students with disabilities engage with the content in different ways. This can help them better understand the material and make connections between different sources.

• Provide opportunities for peer collaboration: Provide students with disabilities with opportunities to collaborate with their peers and work in small groups. This can help them build their social skills and receive support from their peers as they work through the primary source documents.

• Use assessment tools: Use assessment tools such as rubrics, checklists, and self-evaluation forms to help students with disabilities monitor their progress and set goals for improvement. This can help them stay focused and motivated as they work through the primary source documents.

We can also ask AI how we might plan for extension activities, allowing students of all abilities to extend their learning through high-challenge tasks or tasks that reinforce newly acquired skills or content.

Question for AI:

What extension activities might support students within this lesson?

AI Response:

• Analyzing multiple perspectives: Ask students to find and analyze primary source documents from different perspectives on industrialization, such as those of factory owners, workers, government officials, and social reformers. Have them compare and contrast the different perspectives, and consider how they might have influenced public opinion and policy decisions.

• Comparing primary and secondary sources: Have students compare primary source documents on industrialization with secondary sources, such as history textbooks or scholarly articles. Ask them to consider how the different types of sources might present different interpretations or biases.

• Examining context: Encourage students to examine the historical context in which the primary source documents were created. This might include considering economic, social, and political factors that influenced the author's perspective, as well as the intended audience for the document.

• Evaluating reliability: Teach students to evaluate the reliability of primary source documents on industrialization, considering factors such as the author's credibility, potential biases, and whether the document was produced for propaganda or informational purposes.

• Identifying patterns and themes: Ask students to identify patterns and themes that emerge from the primary source documents they are analyzing. For example, they might consider the ways in which industrialization impacted labor, the environment, or social norms.

• Connecting primary sources to contemporary issues: Encourage students to make connections between primary source documents on industrialization and contemporary issues or debates, such as globalization, labor rights, or environmental sustainability. This can help students see the relevance of historical events to current events and debates.

Our takeaway? AI can be a useful tool in providing fresh ideas and a starting point for designing and revising lesson plans that reach all students. It is essential that evaluate the AI-generated content to apply our knowledge of the curriculum, pedagogy, and our students to tweak AI’s suggestions. It’s also good practice to review the AI-generated responses to assess how effectively the proposed lesson incorporates social-emotional learning and elements of culturally responsive-sustaining education.

AI is not a replacement for lesson plan design, but it can be a valuable support for teachers as they plan, refine, and improve their lessons.

Interested in learning more about low-cost curriculum mapping solutions? Reach out to us at inquiry@metispartnersineducation.com.