Author: Ross Chrichton | Based on case studies by: Geoffrey Makau Mutungi (Kenya), Oluchi Francis-Uko (Nigeria), Umar Suraka (Ghana) – from Teaching and learning with technology in Sub-Saharan Africa: Case studies of practice (British Council) | Published on 9 March 2026
Question: How can AI tools support teachers in creating personalised texts and activities for large or mixed-ability classes?
Answer: Generative AI tools (e.g. ChatGPT, Gemini, Claude, Copilot) can quickly generate age-appropriate texts and activities tailored to learners’ interests and level.
AI can create model conversations, reading texts, poems, stories, activities and language exercises very quickly. This helps teachers to create personalised content for different classes and levels, or even for different groups of learners within one class. Personalised materials increase learner engagement and help learners connect with the topic or activity.
Recommendations:
- Write clear instructions (or prompts) for AI tools, specifying learner age, the topic and activity type.
- Include familiar names, places, cultural references or examples in their home language to make content relatable.
- Check AI outputs for accuracy and relevance before using them in class. Ask AI to revise or redo outputs until they match what you want.
- Use AI-generated content to practise language skills, introduce new vocabulary and phrases, and encourage discussion.
- Use AI as a partner, not a substitute for your own teaching, thinking or planning. You’re still responsible for supporting your learners and their understanding.
Key Takeaways:
- AI can support personalisation, which increases motivation and comprehension.
- Teachers need to guide AI to create content that’s suited to their learners, checking what it creates and asking for changes when needed.
- AI is a helper, not a replacement for the teacher.