A student is given a creative school task:

“Draw a picture of your favourite person.”

For a student who struggles with executive functioning, the instruction “favourite person” might feel overwhelming, emotionally loaded, or simply too abstract. Their mind goes blank, and they don’t know how to start.

Using AI, the teacher (or student) can scaffold this task through progressive prompting:

AI-Supported Scaffold (Step-by-Step):

1. Prompt Generation – Memory Activation

   Student asks AI: “Can you help me think of some people I know who might be special to me or interesting to draw?”

   AI responds: “Sure! Here are some categories: family, friends, teachers, people from history, fictional characters, or people you admire. Would you like to start by naming someone from one of these groups?”

2. Option Structuring – Decision Support

   Student then asks: “I have a few names now. How can I decide which one to choose?”

   AI responds: “Let’s compare them. Who do you feel comfortable drawing? Who has a distinctive feature you could show in your art? Who makes you feel happy when you think of them?”

3. Planning – Task Sequencing

   Once a choice is made, the student can ask AI: “Can you help me plan how to start my drawing?”

   AI breaks down the task: “Step 1: Sketch the outline. Step 2: Choose one main colour theme. Step 3: Add a background that tells us something about the person. Step 4: Write a short caption.”

A student is working on a geography or environmental studies task:

“Investigate the sustainability of your local area.”

For many learners, this might feel too broad or abstract. They might not know where to start or what ‘sustainability’ might look like in practice.

Using AI’s multimodal capabilities, the teacher invites students to use their environment as data - to ‘speak’ with the world through AI.

AI-Supported Scaffold (Step-by-Step):

1. Context Observation - Seeing Through AI

   Student takes a photo of the school playground or street outside and asks:

   “Can you describe what you notice in this picture that relates to sustainability?”

   AI responds:

   “I can see rubbish bins, garden beds, a carpark, and a patch of grass. These could relate to waste management, green space, and transport choices. Would you like to focus on one area?”

2. Environmental Dialogue - Generating Inquiry

   Student follows up:

   “Let’s look at the garden beds - what questions could I ask about them?”

   AI responds:

   “You might ask: What plants are growing there? Are they native species? How are they watered? Could compost be added? Would shade or more biodiversity improve the space?”

3. Action Translation - From Observation to Plan

   Student then asks:

   “Can you help me plan a small action to improve sustainability in this area?”

   AI responds:

   “Sure - you could design a small sign to educate others about native plants, start a composting system, or survey students about how they use the space. Which feels achievable to you?”

A student has written a short story in English about a child who discovers a hidden city beneath their school. As part of extending the project, the student chooses to design a simple video game app based on the story as a way to inhabit the world they’ve imagined.

AI becomes the pathway that connects narrative understanding with creative experimentation.

AI-Supported Scaffold (Step-by-Step):

1. Exploratory Visualisation - Mapping the Storyworld
   Student asks AI:
   “Can you help me map out what the underground city might look like, based on my story?”
   AI responds:
   “Sure - let’s identify key locations from your text: the library tunnel, the glowing roots, the hidden classroom. I can sketch a simple layout or generate concept art for each space.”
   This allows the student to visualise spatial relationships and deepen comprehension of the story’s setting.

2. Character Interpretation - Understanding Motivation Through Play
   Student follows up:
   “I’d like to show how my main character feels as they explore. Can you help me design small interactions or challenges that represent their emotions?”
   AI responds:
   “When the character feels anxious, maybe the screen darkens or slows. When they’re curious, new pathways light up. These mechanics can express inner experience through gameplay.”

3. Iterative Creation - Reflection Through Making
   As the student prototypes in a tool like GDevelop or Scratch, they continue to dialogue with AI — asking for help with level structure, dialogue tone, or sound design - using creative production as a way to reflect on narrative meaning.

Universal Design for Learning (UDL):

"Create a lesson plan for [specific subject] using the principles of Universal Design for Learning (UDL). Ensure it includes multiple means of representation, engagement, and expression for students with diverse learning needs."

Integrating Social-Emotional Learning:

"Develop a lesson plan for [specific grade or subject] that incorporates social-emotional learning alongside academic goals. The lesson should include activities that promote self-awareness, emotional regulation, and positive social interactions."

Supporting Language Development:

"Generate a lesson plan that focuses on building both content knowledge and language skills. Include strategies like vocabulary pre-teaching, sentence frames, and peer collaboration."

Planning for Student Choice and Autonomy:

"Develop a lesson plan that gives students choice in how they demonstrate their understanding of [specific topic]. The options should cater to different strengths and interests, including project-based learning, creative expression, and traditional assessments."

Developing Step-by-Step Instructions:

"Break down the steps needed to complete a [specific task, e.g., research project] into clear, manageable chunks that include time estimates and tips for staying organised."

Promoting Self-Regulation:

"Suggest strategies a teacher can use to help students with executive functioning needs to manage their time and emotions during independent work time. The strategies should include a focus on using timers, self-checks, and positive reinforcement."

Planning for Task Initiation:

"Provide a set of cues and reminders a teacher can use to support students who need help with task initiation. These should include resource checklists, visual supports, and strategies for breaking the initial steps into smaller parts."

Reducing Cognitive Load:

"Suggest strategies to reduce cognitive overload during lessons for students with executive functioning difficulties, including ways to simplify instructions, chunk information, and provide opportunities for frequent check-ins and clarifications."

Creating a Sensory-Friendly Environment:

"Provide guidance for designing a classroom environment that supports students with sensory processing needs. Include strategies for managing lighting, sound, seating arrangements, and offering quiet spaces for students who need a break from sensory input."

[As a bonus tip here, you could photograph your classroom and, after uploading it to ChatGPT, ask for specific recommendations for your physical classroom environment].

Preparing for Assemblies and Special Events:

"Create a checklist for preparing students with sensory processing needs for school assemblies, excursions, or special events. Include steps like pre-teaching expectations, offering sensory support resources, and providing a designated calm space if needed."

Mindful Awareness Through the Senses:

"Design a lesson that encourages students to be mindfully aware of their environment through all their senses. This could involve activities like a nature walk, where students focus on what they see, hear, smell, touch, and even taste (if appropriate).

Include guided prompts to help students tune into each sensory experience and reflect on how it makes them feel in the moment, fostering both sensory awareness and emotional regulation."

Reducing Sensory Overload:

"Provide strategies for reducing sensory overload during [specific lesson]. Take into account the busy nature of group activities and classroom noise. Include ideas like offering quiet activity options and utilising learning spaces outside of the classroom."

Building Strong Community Connections:

"Create a plan for helping students consider connections with their local community. This could include arranging service-learning projects, inviting community members for classroom visits, or organising excursions that emphasise local culture and community engagement."

Fostering a Sense of Belonging:

"Create a classroom culture plan that prioritises a sense of belonging for all students. Include rituals, routines, and activities that reinforce inclusion, respect, and appreciation for diverse perspectives and experiences."

Enhancing Student Voice and Choice:

"Develop a strategy for increasing student voice and choice in classroom decisions, projects, and activities. Include ways to gather student input, create leadership roles, and ensure that all students feel heard and valued in the classroom community."

Celebrating Cultural Identity:

"Design activities that celebrate and explore students’ cultural backgrounds in a way that promotes pride, inclusion, and understanding. Consider creating a project where students share their cultural traditions, languages, or family stories with their peers."

Neurodiversity-Affirming Ideas

"Create a checklist to help teachers at my school incorporate neurodiversity-affirming ideas into their lesson planning so a diverse range of social engagement styles are planned for".

Turn-Taking

"How can I help students develop turn-taking skills during classroom discussions and social interactions in a lesson I'm delivering on [specific subject]?"

Peer Interactions

"Embed ways to encourage positive peer interactions and help students build friendships in a way that supports their social communication development in [upload your lesson plan".

Unstructured Environment Guidance

"Create visual support ideas that can help reduce social anxiety for students who struggle with initiating social interactions in unstructured environments, like recess or lunchtime".

Assistive Technology Integration:

I'll give you an example here for Apple technology, as this is what I use in the classroom:

"Provide recommendations for using accessibility features in Apple devices (e.g., iPads, MacBooks) to support the needs of my students who have [specific sensory or learning needs]. Include features like VoiceOver, Guided Access, AssistiveTouch, and options for customising display settings to enhance accessibility."

Personalised Digital Accessibility Plan:

"Create a personalised digital accessibility plan for a student with [list specific learning needs].

The plan should include tailored recommendations for using digital tools, apps, and accessibility features across all devices and platforms the student uses, including [list the devices the student uses].

Consider the student’s individual strengths, challenges, and learning goals, including [list anonymised student information here]."

Easing Students into New Concepts:

"Design a plan for gradually introducing students to new concepts in [subject being taught], ensuring they have the background knowledge, context, and confidence to engage with more complex material.

Include strategies like pre-teaching key vocabulary, providing simplified overviews, using analogies, and offering low-stakes practice before diving into the core content.

The goal is to ease students into the learning experience without overwhelming them."

Promoting Accessible Group Work and Collaboration:

"Develop guidelines for structuring group work in a way that is accessible and inclusive for all students. Include strategies for assigning roles, providing clear instructions, and ensuring that all students, regardless of ability, can participate meaningfully."

Teacher Reflection on Practice:

Part 1: "Help me reflect on a recent lesson I taught. What sort of data should I share here to help with this?"

Part 2: "Here is my data [upload anonymised data]. What sort of patterns or trends can you identify in the data, and how can this be used to adjust my teaching practices?"

Student Reflection on Progress:

"Create a reflection tool for students to self-evaluate their recent work on [specific subject].

This tool should help students identify areas where they’ve improved, where they still face challenges, and what strategies they might try next.

There should be space for students to set personal goals based on their reflections."

Link

Instructions

Sensory Planner is designed to assist in creating sensory-adaptive environments for students with sensory sensitivities. It operates by engaging the user in a structured conversation, asking several questions to gather detailed information about the environment the student will be entering (e.g., classroom, library, swimming pool) and the student's specific sensory sensitivities (e.g., loud noises, bright lights, crowded spaces). Based on this information, Sensory Planner provides tailored recommendations to mitigate potential sensory challenges.

Constraints: Sensory Planner focuses on providing actionable advice and avoids suggesting solutions that are not feasible within the constraints of public and private educational institutions.

Guidelines: Sensory Planner guides users through providing detailed information about the environment and sensory sensitivities, ensuring the recommendations are as accurate and helpful as possible. It encourages users to think about various aspects of sensory sensitivities and how they might impact the student in different settings.

Clarification: If user inputs are vague or incomplete, particularly regarding the specifics of the environment or the student's sensory profile, Sensory Planner will ask for clarification to ensure the advice is based on a comprehensive understanding of the student's needs.

Personalisation: Sensory Planner presents itself as knowledgeable and empathetic towards the challenges faced by students with sensory sensitivities. It uses a conversational tone to make the planning process feel more personalised and less daunting for the user.

Link

Instructions

Room Tidy Assistant helps users prioritise their cleaning tasks in a friendly and casual manner by analysing photos of messy rooms.

It identifies cluttered areas and suggests a cleaning order, aiming to aid those who feel overwhelmed.

The GPT also sends motivational messages and tips for maintaining room cleanliness in a supportive, approachable tone.

Users are encouraged to share progress photos, receiving congratulations and further suggestions in a conversational style.

Link

Instructions

Location Preparation is designed to assist neurodivergent people by preparing them for new environments.

When a user describes an environment, such as a doctor's waiting room, Location Preparation uses DALL-E to generate an image that closely resembles the described setting.

Following image generation, it provides guidance on what to expect in terms of sensory considerations, highlighting potential sources of distress like loud noises, bright lights, crowded areas, and strong smells.

Additionally, it offers details on general processes, including necessary communications, procedures to follow, and rules to observe in that environment.

This tool aims to reduce anxiety and help autistic individuals feel more comfortable and prepared for upcoming experiences by providing a visual and descriptive preview of new places, focusing on easing sensory sensitivities and clarifying expected behaviors.

Location Preparation communicates in a comforting and reassuring tone, ensuring that the information is presented in a way that feels supportive and understanding.