Guest blog by Nik Peachey – Over the last few months, I’ve been lucky enough to work with the Avallain Group advising on the development of their TeacherMatic offering for ELT schools.
From Insights to Action: Language Teaching with GenAI and the TeacherMatic Solution
St. Gallen, February 14, 2025 – The main goal of my work has been to advise on the adaptation of TeacherMatic’s AI generators for the context of language teaching. It was essential to ensure that the output generated is CEFR-level accurate and continues to support creativity and innovation within the language classroom.
As generative AI increasingly impacts today’s rapidly evolving educational landscape, we need to be aware of how it is reshaping the way we teachers can plan, create and innovate in the classroom.
Key Insights into the Role of GenAI in Teaching
The recently published ‘Teaching with GenAI’ report, commissioned by the Avallain Group and produced by Oriel Square Ltd, sheds some light on how educators integrate AI into their practice.
From my perspective, the research strongly focuses on creativity, personalisation and innovation. Teachers interviewed for the report mention using GenAI to design engaging visual aids, such as infographics and animated characters, to enhance their students’ engagement. Others mention using AI to experiment with different pedagogical approaches to help them explore new teaching methods. TeacherMatic particularly supports this with a generator that allows teachers to create plans or activities using various pedagogical approaches.
The report also highlights that teachers are using AI tools to help adjust reading materials to match student proficiency levels and provide targeted feedback on writing and speaking. They can now generate quizzes specific to their own and their students’ learning goals in minutes, saving teachers valuable preparation time. Personalisation extends beyond accurately levelling materials for students. The TeacherMatic generator set incorporates the ability to produce materials tailored to various neurodiversity conditions, taking personalisation to a whole new level.
Balancing Efficiency and Quality in AI-Assisted Teaching
The potential for improved efficiency is addressed several times in the report. One study found that “non-contracted work hours had reduced by 34%” after implementing AI-assisted lesson planning and marking, overall helping with administrative tasks. However, quality control remains a crucial issue. While AI-generated content can be a powerful tool, teachers must carefully curate and refine AI outputs to ensure they align with curricular goals and learning standards. As Rob Howard, an ELT consultant and trainer, warns, “Most teachers don’t fact-check AI-generated content. If you need to verify everything, the time saved is lost.” Proper AI literacy training is essential to help teachers craft more effective prompts, make effective use of AI tools and ensure their ethical application.
Ensuring Ethical and Safe AI Integration
It seems likely that as AI continues to develop, its role in fostering creativity and transforming classroom experiences will only grow. Schools that invest in AI training, ethical policies and responsible implementation are the ones that are more likely to empower educators to harness AI’s full potential while maintaining student-centred teaching practices. This is why tools like TeacherMatic, which support all staff involved in teaching, are crucial for helping schools quickly establish a consistent approach to AI use while ensuring it is applied safely and ethically.
Learn More
If you would like to learn more about how generative AI is impacting our classrooms you can download a copy of the report here: https://teachermatic.com/teaching-with-genai-new-insights-report/
You can also sign up to join me and experts from the Avallain Group to unpick some of the key issues from the report at: https://zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_GNdoxtJ_R_G6dp270QpL4wn
About the Author
Nik Peachey is the Director of Pedagogy at PeacheyPublications, an independent digital publishing company that specialises in the design of digital learning materials for the English language classroom.
He has been involved in Education since 1990 as a teacher, trainer, educational consultant and project manager. He has over 30 years of experience working with online, remote and blended learning environments.
He has worked all over the world teaching, training teachers and developing innovative and creative products. He is a two-time British Council Innovations award winner and has been shortlisted six times.
His books include:
- ChatGPT in the Language Classroom https://payhip.com/b/heORW
- Team Building Activities for the Remote Classroom: https://payhip.com/b/GWJg
- Hacking Creativity: https://payhip.com/b/HDeb
- Digital Tools for Teachers – Trainers Edition: https://payhip.com/b/B34N
- Thinking Critically through Digital Media: https://payhip.com/b/CjXN
- Digital Video – A Manual for Language Teachers: https://payhip.com/b/5n90
About Avallain
At Avallain, we are on a mission to reshape the future of education through technology. We create customisable digital education solutions that empower educators and engage learners around the world. With a focus on accessibility and user-centred design, powered by AI and cutting-edge technology, we strive to make education engaging, effective and inclusive.
Find out more at avallain.com
About TeacherMatic
TeacherMatic, a part of the Avallain Group since 2024, is a ready-to-go AI toolkit for teachers that saves hours of lesson preparation by using scores of AI generators to create flexible lesson plans, worksheets, quizzes and more.
Find out more at teachermatic.com
_
Contact:
Daniel Seuling
VP Client Relations & Marketing
