The Problem: Too Many Needs, Not Enough Time
Every teacher knows the struggle. You have one class, but your students are at five different learning levels. Some need extra help, some need a challenge, and some are learning English for the first time.
You want to help everyone, but writing three different lessons for one class takes too long.
AI fixes this. It allows you to write one lesson and instantly change it for every student. Here is how to do it quickly.
Step 1: Create the Core Lesson (2 Minutes)
First, you need your main material. This is the lesson you would teach to the "average" student.
Use Existing Text: Find a news article or textbook page you like.
Use AI: Ask ChatGPT to write it for you.
The Prompt:
"Write a short reading passage about [Topic] for a 6th-grade level. Include 5 key vocabulary words."
Step 2: Change Reading Levels (5 Minutes)
Now, let's make that text easier for some and harder for others.
The Tool: Diffit This tool is built for this exact task.
How to use it:
Paste your text into Diffit.
Select the reading level you need (e.g., 2nd grade, 5th grade, 8th grade).
Click "Generate."
In seconds, you have the same information rewritten simply for struggling readers and with more complexity for advanced readers.
Step 3: Add Support for ESL/IEP (3 Minutes)
Some students need more than just simple text; they need tools to help them understand.
The Tool: MagicSchool.ai or ChatGPT
The Prompt:
"I have an ESL student. Please create a vocabulary list with simple definitions for this text. Also, create a 'fill-in-the-blank' summary worksheet."
This gives students a scaffold so they can participate in the same lesson as their peers.
Step 4: Add Challenges for Gifted Students (3 Minutes)
Don't just give advanced students more work. Give them deeper work.
The Prompt:
"Create a challenge question based on this text. Ask the student to apply this concept to a real-world problem, like designing a solution for a city."
This keeps them engaged without requiring you to plan a separate project.
Step 5: Create the Grading Rubric (2 Minutes)
Finally, you need a quick way to grade these different assignments.
The Prompt:
"Create a simple grading rubric for this assignment in a table. Check for: 1. Understanding the main idea, and 2. Citing evidence."
Copy the table into a document, and you are ready to print.
Conclusion: Focus on Teaching, Not Planning
Differentiation doesn't have to mean working weekends. By using AI to handle the rewriting and formatting, you save hours of prep time. This leaves you with more energy to do the most important part of your job: actually teaching your students.
