Introduction
Have you ever opened a textbook, read the same sentence three times, and still had no idea what it meant? You are not alone. Academic language can feel like a secret code written by experts, for experts. It often leaves students feeling frustrated, confused, and stuck. But there is a new tool that can break down these barriers: Artificial Intelligence (AI).
AI isn't just for writing code or generating images; it is an incredible translator. It can take complex, high-level concepts and translate them into plain English. Think of it as having a personal tutor who never gets tired of explaining things until you get them. In this guide, we will explore:
Why textbooks are so hard to read and why it’s not your fault.
The "Explain Like I'm Five" (ELI5) method and why it works for learning.
How to use AI to simplify biology, history, math, and more.
Specific prompts you can copy and paste to get started immediately.
Common mistakes to avoid so you don't learn the wrong information.
By the end of this post, you’ll know exactly how to turn confusing homework into clear, easy-to-understand lessons. Let’s dive in.
Why Textbooks and Experts Sound So Complicated
The biggest myth in education is that if you don't understand the textbook, you aren't smart enough. That is false. The real problem is often who the book was written for.
Textbooks and academic papers are usually written by PhDs, professors, and researchers. These experts have spent decades in their field. When they write, they often suffer from something called the "Curse of Knowledge." They know so much that they forget what it’s like not to know. They use big words like "pedagogy," "mitochondria," or "macroeconomics" without realizing that a beginner needs a simple definition first.
Furthermore, academic writing values precision over simplicity. A scientist might say, "The feline entity exhibited rapid locomotion," instead of, "The cat ran fast." They do this to be exact, but for a student trying to learn the basics, it just adds unnecessary brain strain. This gap between the expert's language and the student's understanding is where many learners give up.
This is where AI changes the game. It acts as a bridge. It doesn't care about sounding fancy; it cares about giving you an answer you can actually use.
The "Explain Like I'm Five" Trick
There is a famous learning strategy called the Feynman Technique, named after the physicist Richard Feynman. He was a genius, but he was famous for being able to explain complex physics in simple terms. His rule was: if you can't explain it simply, you don't understand it well enough.
The core of this technique is the concept of ELI5, which stands for "Explain Like I'm Five."
When you ask for an ELI5 explanation, you aren't asking for baby talk. You are asking for the foundational concepts stripped of all the jargon. You want the idea, not the vocabulary.
Standard explanation: "Photosynthesis is the process by which green plants and some other organisms use sunlight to synthesize foods from carbon dioxide and water."
ELI5 explanation: "Plants eat sunlight to make their own food."
Once you understand the simple version ("Plants eat sunlight"), you can build on it ("How do they do that? With a chemical called chlorophyll"). This method builds a solid foundation. You can’t build a house (complex knowledge) if you don't have a floor (basic understanding).
For a deeper dive into why simplification helps retention, you can read about the Feynman Technique here.
How AI Translates "Smart" to "Simple"
Artificial Intelligence models, like the ones powering ChatGPT, Claude, or our own tools at Vertech Academy, are trained on nearly everything on the internet. This includes complex medical journals and simple children's stories. Because they know both "languages," they are excellent translators.
When you ask an AI to simplify a topic, it does a few things instantly:
Vocabulary Swap: It replaces words like "utilize" with "use," or "ameliorate" with "improve."
Analogy Creation: It looks for patterns. If you ask about how electricity works, it might compare it to water flowing through a pipe.
Chunking: It breaks long, run-on sentences into short, punchy statements.
This capability makes AI the ultimate study buddy. It doesn't judge you for asking "stupid" questions, and it can re-explain the same concept in five different ways until it clicks. You can even combine this with our specific prompts found in our Prompt Library to get tailored results.
Best Ways to Ask AI for Help
Getting a good answer depends on asking a good question. In the world of AI, we call this prompt engineering, but you don't need to be an engineer to do it. You just need to be specific.
Here are the best ways to phrase your request:
The "ELI5" Prompt
"Explain [Topic] like I am 5 years old."
Use this when: You have absolutely no idea what is going on. It gives you the bare bones basics.
The "High School Freshman" Prompt
"Explain [Topic] to me like I am a 14-year-old high school student. Keep it simple but don't leave out the important details."
Use this when: You need to pass a test. The 5-year-old version might skip details you need for an exam. The high school version finds the balance between simple and accurate.
The "Analogy" Prompt
"Explain [Topic] using an analogy about [Something you like, e.g., soccer, video games, cooking]."
Use this when: You understand the words but not the concept. Connecting a hard topic (like the immune system) to a topic you love (like castle defense in a video game) creates a "sticky" memory.
If you want to take this a step further, you can use the Generalist Teacher prompt from our library. It is designed to act exactly like a patient tutor who adapts to your level.
Real Life Examples of AI Simplifying Hard Topics
Let’s look at how this works in practice across different school subjects.
History: The French Revolution
Textbook: "The socio-economic disparities exacerbated by the regressive taxation system precipitated a tumultuous upheaval against the monarchical establishment." AI Simplification: "The King taxed the poor people way too much while the rich paid nothing. The poor people got hungry and angry, so they revolted to take power away from the King."
Biology: Mitochondria
Textbook: "The mitochondrion is a double-membrane-bound organelle found in most eukaryotic organisms. It generates most of the cell's supply of adenosine triphosphate (ATP), used as a source of chemical energy." AI Simplification: "Think of the mitochondria as the power plant of the cell. Just like a power plant burns coal to make electricity for a city, the mitochondria burns food to make energy for your body."
Math: Derivatives (Calculus)
Textbook: "The derivative of a function of a real variable measures the sensitivity to change of the function value with respect to a change in its argument." AI Simplification: "A derivative just measures how fast something is changing at a specific moment. If you are driving a car, your speedometer shows you the derivative of your distance. It tells you exactly how fast you are going right now."
See the difference? The AI version doesn't "dumb it down" to the point of being wrong; it just uses words you actually use in daily life.
Why Simple Language Helps You Learn Faster
There is a misconception that "simple" means "stupid." In reality, simple learning is efficient learning.
When your brain has to fight to understand the words in a sentence, it has less energy left to understand the meaning. This is called Cognitive Load Theory. If the load is too high (too many hard words), learning stops.
By using AI to lower the barrier of entry:
You retain more. Simple stories are easier to remember than abstract facts.
You build confidence. Instead of feeling lost, you feel smart because you "get it."
You save time. You stop re-reading the same paragraph for 20 minutes.
This approach aligns with our mission at Vertech Academy. As we discuss in our blog on Democratizing Education With AI, tools that make learning accessible are key to modern education.
Things to Watch Out For
While AI is amazing, it isn't perfect. There are a few "traps" you need to avoid when using it to simplify learning.
1. The "Hallucination" Risk Sometimes, AI can sound very confident but be completely wrong. This is called a hallucination. If the AI gives you a specific date, a math formula, or a quote, always double-check it against your actual textbook. Use AI for understanding concepts, not for fact-checking precise data.
2. Oversimplification Sometimes, explaining something "like I'm five" removes too much nuance.
Example: AI might say, "Gravity is like a magnet pulling you down."
Reality: Gravity isn't magnetism at all. This is why we recommend "leveling up." Start with the 5-year-old explanation to get the gist, then ask for a "high school explanation" to get the real science.
3. Reliance Don't let AI do the thinking for you. If you ask AI to "Write an essay about Shakespeare," you learn nothing. If you ask AI to "Explain the themes in Hamlet simply," you learn something. Use it as a tutor, not a ghostwriter.
Combining AI with Your Normal Study
You don't need to throw away your textbooks. The best students use a hybrid approach. Here is a simple workflow you can try tonight:
Read the Textbook First: Give it a try. Skim the chapter titles and bold words.
Identify the Confusion: Find the specific paragraph or concept that makes no sense.
Consult the AI: Type it into your chatbot. "I'm reading about [Concept] and I don't get it. Explain it to me simply."
Read the Explanation: Once you understand the simple version, go back to the textbook.
Re-read the Textbook: You will be amazed. Suddenly, those big academic words will make sense because you already know the "story" behind them.
This creates a feedback loop. The AI helps you understand the book, and the book helps you verify the AI.
Conclusion
School is hard enough without having to decode language that feels like it’s from the 1800s. Using AI to simplify complex topics is not "cheating"; it is a smart way to learn faster and remember more. By translating textbook jargon into plain English, you allow your brain to focus on the actual concepts rather than the vocabulary.
Key Takeaways:
Textbooks are written for experts, which is why they are hard to read.
The "ELI5" method helps you build a foundation of understanding before adding complex details.
AI is the perfect translator because it never gets tired and can use analogies you actually like.
Always level up your explanation from "5-year-old" to "High Schooler" to ensure you get the full picture.
Use AI to support your reading, not replace it.
Next time you feel stuck on a hard topic, don't close the book. Open your laptop, go to Vertech Academy, and ask for a simple explanation. You might just find that you are smarter than you thought, you just needed a better explanation.
For more tools to help you study smarter, check out our full Prompt Library and start learning efficiently today.
