Teaching Smarter, Not Harder With AI-Powered Content Creation

As technology becomes more integral to education, generative AI is transforming how English Language Teaching (ELT) professionals approach lesson planning, activity creation, and resource development. This new wave of AI tools acts as a collaborative assistant, helping educators streamline their workload while maintaining the quality and adaptability essential for diverse classroom settings.

Generative AI tools like Twee, Brisk Teaching, Chalkie, and to teach_ are designed to support educators by automating repetitive tasks and providing customizable resources.

Jessica Bershad, Senior Marketing Manager at Brisk Teaching, highlights the ease these tools offer. “At Brisk Teaching, we’ve made lesson planning effortless with AI that truly understands what educators need.”

For ELT professionals, this means not only saving time but also enriching the teaching experience by accessing high-quality, curriculum-aligned materials that can be easily tailored to their students’ unique needs.

The generative AI market within EdTech is experiencing rapid growth, with a projected compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 41%. AI-powered tools are reshaping the education industry, personalizing content to meet students’ needs and offering insights that help educators improve engagement.

With ELT educators often managing students of various proficiency levels, content generation tools are not only efficient but also adaptive, offering differentiated instruction and resources that meet diverse classroom needs.

Generative AI is more than just a productivity booster – it’s a new partner in the classroom.

As David Birenbaum, Partnerships Manager at Twee, explains “We created Twee to help English teachers and teachers of other foreign languages benefit from AI. We saw that this sector was underserved (regardless of all the AI hype in all other K-12 subjects) and decided to help the EFL community.”

Tools like Twee provide teachers with a variety of lesson materials, from comprehension questions and vocabulary exercises to personalized discussion prompts. This support allows teachers to focus more on interactive and student-centered teaching, confident that they have the resources to meet various learning needs.

Generative AI: From Thought Partner to Teacher Assistant

When we talk about generative AI, we’re referring to a type of artificial intelligence that creates new content – text, images, audio, or even video – based on user input. This goes beyond traditional AI’s data analysis and predictive capabilities; generative AI produces original content, making it an invaluable thought partner for educators who want to personalize their teaching materials.

When OpenAI released tools like ChatGPT, educators across disciplines, including ELT, were quick to experiment with its potential. Teachers used these tools to brainstorm ideas, generate exercises, and adapt content to various classroom contexts.

For instance, ChatGPT allowed educators to create dialogue prompts, vocabulary lists, or even basic grammar exercises in seconds – all based on simple, conversational inputs. This flexibility turned AI into a creative assistant, helping teachers address the time-consuming task of generating materials for diverse proficiency levels.

However, while general-purpose AI like ChatGPT has proven useful, it often requires significant teacher oversight to ensure that content aligns with educational standards and specific classroom needs.

Educators noted limitations, such as the lack of alignment with recognized frameworks like CEFR or the need for extensive editing to adapt materials for their students. These challenges sparked the development of specialized generative AI tools tailored specifically for education.

This shift gave rise to AI teacher assistant solutions like Twee, Brisk Teaching, Chalkie, and to teach_, which were built to address the unique demands of the classroom.

Mark Hughes, Founder of Chalkie, explains what inspired Chalkie’s creation. “My co-founder and I both have a background in education technology. I founded a tutoring platform called Tutorful, where we both worked together for over 5 years, and we saw how much effort our teachers put into lesson preparation. My parents were both teachers too, so I saw the pain firsthand.”

Hughes shares that after leaving that business, he kept coming back to thinking about how to make that aspect of teaching easier. “As other AI tools such as ChatGPT started to become more popular, we both realized that AI was potentially a solution to the problem and decided to start Chalkie.”

Felix Weiss, CEO, co-founder, and the driving force behind to teach_ maintains a similar mission: to support teachers through AI-powered educational content and empower students with personalized learning experiences. Felix’s passion for EdTech began during his teacher training, where he not only gained experience as an educator but also ventured into entrepreneurship by founding small businesses.

The pivotal moment came in 2018 when he teamed up with his childhood friend, Marius Lindenmeier, to explore innovative solutions for education.

“With Marius’s expertise in computer science and media informatics complementing my teaching background, together we’re working to make teachers’ jobs easier with targeted, subject-specific AI, helping unlock the full potential of the education system,” Weiss says.

This evolution reflects a growing demand for solutions that do more than assist with brainstorming – they simplify lesson planning, improve customization, and provide resources directly aligned with the needs of education professionals. Specialized tools like these are not just thought partners; they are transformative teaching assistants.

Here are 6 ways to make AI your personal assistant for tasks beyond lesson planning.

The Rise of AI Teacher Assistant Solutions Companies: Driving Forces

The rise of generative AI in the classroom is largely driven by the need to alleviate teacher burnout and improve efficiency in lesson planning and resource creation. AI-powered platforms tailored to educators’ needs are emerging as essential tools that help teachers manage their workload while maintaining a high standard of educational content.

Teacher burnout is a significant issue across the education sector, with excessive workloads leading many educators to leave the profession. Generative AI addresses this challenge by automating repetitive tasks, such as creating lesson plans and worksheets, freeing teachers to focus on student engagement and instruction. According to EdTech Magazine, AI’s ability to reduce teacher workload can have a positive effect on both retention and job satisfaction.

Bershad from Brisk Teaching underscores the transformative impact of these tools, stating that feedback from educators has been nothing short of incredible, sharing that one teacher told them, “It’s just so easy – it does the thinking for you,” and another reported that in 25 years of teaching, this is the best product they’ve ever seen.

Brisk Teaching allows educators to instantly turn any article, website, or video into a personalized, standards-aligned lesson plan, all saved directly to Google Drive for easy access. For English language teachers, Brisk’s AI can even translate resources into multiple languages, making it accessible for students with diverse linguistic backgrounds.

Accessibility is highlighted by Twee’s Birenbaum as well. “We’ve designed Twee to be adaptable to specific classroom needs. Teachers can paste a YouTube link and generate a listening quiz in under a minute or create a discussion prompt based on a target topic. This customization helps teachers create meaningful learning experiences without spending excessive time on resource development.”

Like teachers using Brisk, users of Twee – which is tailor-made for English language teachers – are also enthusiastic about Twee’s capabilities and impact on their lives. “We’ve received overwhelmingly positive feedback, particularly on how much time Twee saves teachers. Educators have appreciated how easy it is to create lesson plans without needing technical expertise,” shares Birenbaum.

Teachers have expressed frustration at the learning curve required to become proficient in generative AI. These tools mitigate some of those challenges, as companies commit to keeping the user experience at the forefront of their design.

Brisk Teaching stands out in this area as the company emphasizes delivering AI that integrates seamlessly into teachers’ existing workflows. “We know educators already juggle multiple tools, so instead of asking them to adapt to something new, we’ve built Brisk directly into their routine via our Chrome Extension. This allows teachers to access AI-powered features like lesson planning, resource creation, and real-time translations without disrupting their workflow,” Bershad says.

These platforms don’t just save time – they provide ELT professionals with a range of resources that they can customize.

Weiss of to teach_ shares what this looks like on the platform. “Teachers can enter the topic for their next lesson, like ‘Present Perfect Tense,’ and the system aligns it with the curriculum, generating a comprehensive lesson plan that includes everything from the introduction to closing reflection.” This helps teachers easily integrate AI-generated content into their lessons, adapting it to various levels and learning needs.

After generating the initial plan, the teacher can easily adjust it to fit their style. They can add personal ideas or ask to teach_ for additional suggestions. “The platform offers instant alternatives for activities, explanations, or examples – like group work or gamified exercises – allowing teachers to quickly tailor the lesson to their class’s needs with minimal effort,” he says.

Hughes mentions that at Chalkie, they “focus on the materials themselves – what you’ll actually show to students.” Chalkie creates slide decks based on short prompts and is flexible enough to be adjusted as teachers see fit.

“With Chalkie we wanted to try and help with the most time-consuming part of lesson planning, which is pulling together the actual lesson materials. So based on a short prompt, Chalkie pulls together lesson slides complete with ready-to-go activities & images, which can then be easily exported to Google slides or PowerPoint.”

Hughes shares that they’ve also put a lot of work into the editing experience. “So if the lesson isn’t quite right, or you need to differentiate an activity, you can just prompt the AI and it will update the slide. Or if you need to add a short quiz at the end of the lesson, again we make this as easy as possible.” 

By leveraging AI in this way, ELT professionals can focus on enhancing student engagement while ensuring lesson quality and alignment with learning goals.

For these companies, solid pedagogy is the core driver of their design. Despite the ease of use and speed of output, academic rigor remains at the heart of what they do.

“Quality and pedagogical rigor are core to everything we do at Brisk. We work closely with a team of academic specialists to build learning science principles into our AI design, ensuring that every output is grounded in sound teaching strategies,” says Bershad. “For example, we’ve embedded Universal Design for Learning (UDL) principles, enabling educators to create lessons that accommodate different learning styles and needs.”

“Our platform is designed specifically for educators, and we apply rigorous quality checks on AI outputs,” explains Birenbaum. In addition to tailoring algorithms to align with the CEFR framework to ensure that the content matches language learning objectives, human oversight features play an essential part in the process. “We continuously fine-tune our models based on teacher feedback, ensuring the AI generates accurate, appropriate, and engaging material.”

By addressing the need for efficiency and customization, these AI-powered tools enable educators to focus more on student engagement and interactive learning, making the teaching profession more manageable and sustainable. And teachers using these tools don’t have to worry about relinquishing all control in the content creation process.

“By integrating educators into the process,” Bershad explains, “we keep the AI grounded in classroom realities, enhancing – not replacing – their expertise.”

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Transformative Tools: AI Platforms Reshaping Teaching

The following platforms represent the forefront of AI-powered solutions designed specifically for teaching. Each company brings a unique approach to supporting educators in their planning and content creation.

Twee: Customizable Content for Language Teachers

Founded in 2023, Twee was developed to meet the specific needs of language teachers, who often lacked AI resources designed for their subject area. Twee’s AI offers a range of customizable tools that simplify lesson planning, allowing teachers to generate CEFR-aligned materials like comprehension questions, vocabulary exercises, and discussion prompts.

“We’ve designed Twee to be adaptable to specific classroom needs,” explains David Birenbaum, Partnerships Manager at Twee. Teachers can upload a YouTube link to quickly generate listening quizzes, making it a highly adaptable tool for mixed-ability classrooms. Twee’s focus on flexibility and CEFR alignment allows teachers to create tailored learning experiences with ease.

Brisk Teaching: Seamless Integration into Teacher Workflows

Brisk Teaching integrates seamlessly into teachers’ existing workflows, emphasizing ease of use and instant access. Built as a Chrome extension, Brisk allows educators to transform any article, website, or video into a standards-aligned lesson plan saved directly to Google Drive. For ELT professionals, Brisk offers additional support with multi-language capabilities, making resources accessible to students from diverse linguistic backgrounds.

Brisk also stands out for its Assessment features. Since Brisk is a Chrome extension, teachers can ask it to provide in-document feedback to students in the form of comments on a Google Doc. With the ability to upload rubrics or align with various standards, teachers can instantly receive a template for providing feedback to their students. While teachers should review and tweak feedback to fit the learners’ needs, this feature acts as a great rough draft in what is otherwise a very time-consuming part of teaching.

MagicSchool AI: A Suite of Time-Saving Tools

MagicSchool AI revolutionizes classroom workflows with over 50 AI-driven tools designed to save teachers time. By automating tasks like lesson planning, text leveling, and assessment creation, with over 2 million educators and over 3,500 schools worldwide using the platform, MagicSchool AI has rapidly become a trusted partner in education.

Key features include responsible AI integration and compliance with privacy laws, ensuring ethical and effective implementation. Backed by a $15 million Series A funding round, the platform is poised to expand its offerings and redefine efficiency in teaching.

Chalkie: Ready-to-Go Slide Decks with Flexible Editing

Chalkie focuses on simplifying lesson material preparation. Rather than just planning support, Chalkie generates fully editable slides and classroom-ready activities that can be exported directly to Google Slides or PowerPoint. “What sets Chalkie apart is the quality and flexibility of the output,” Hughes explains.

Teachers can prompt Chalkie to generate a lesson structure, complete with activities and visual elements, and easily customize it to meet their specific goals. The platform’s emphasis on flexibility allows teachers to adapt AI-generated materials as needed, making it a valuable resource for ELT instructors who prioritize interactive and visually engaging content.

to teach_: Personalized, Curriculum-Aligned Lessons

Founded in 2019 and relaunched in 2023, to teach_ aims to simplify the teaching process through automated, personalized lesson design. To teach_ helps educators by generating complete, curriculum-aligned lesson plans based on specific topics. The platform also generates relevant materials, including videos, presentations, and interactive worksheets, tailored to student ability levels.

“Our platform simplifies lesson planning by providing ready-to-use materials that can be customized further,” Weiss explains. Additionally, to teach_ incorporates features like gamified exercises and QR-code-based assignments, giving teachers efficient ways to engage students across different learning levels.

Diffit: Differentiation Made Simple

Diffit stands out as a tool designed to address diverse learning needs. It generates differentiated resources like leveled texts, comprehension questions, and vocabulary lists, all customizable and aligned with educational standards. With multilingual support for over 50 languages, it empowers educators to include English learners.

Diffit’s integration with tools like Google Classroom streamlines sharing, and its free version ensures accessibility. By making differentiation less time-intensive, Diffit allows educators to focus on meaningful engagement with students.

Khanmigo: The AI Tutor and Teaching Assistant in One

Khan Academy’s Khanmigo merges AI with pedagogy, serving as both a personal tutor for students and a teaching assistant for educators. For learners, it offers interactive guidance in math, coding, and writing, fostering critical thinking rather than rote answers.

For teachers, Khanmigo simplifies planning with standards-aligned lesson plans and real-time insights into student progress. Khanmigo offers real-time insights into student progress, facilitating informed instructional decisions.

A free version for U.S. teachers, supported by Microsoft, underscores its commitment to equitable access. Khanmigo exemplifies how AI can enhance teaching while maintaining the integrity of learning.

NoteLab English by Trinity College: Easy Alignment with Standards

Trinity College London’s NoteLab English allows educators to generate fully customized English language lessons, adapting for age, proficiency, and objectives while aligning with CEFR, GESE, or ISE standards. Free to use, NoteLab reflects Trinity’s mission to empower educators through accessible technology.

These platforms exemplify the integration of AI into planning instruction, offering educators innovative tools to enhance efficiency, personalization, and engagement in their teaching practice.

Leveraging Generative AI for Increased Efficiency and Effectiveness in Teaching & Administration

AI-driven tools are not just automating lesson creation – they’re transforming how teachers manage their time and engage students. These platforms enable educators to handle repetitive tasks efficiently, leaving more room for personalized interactions and a deeper focus on classroom dynamics.

Teachers have reported that AI’s impact on their workload is both substantial and meaningful. “Brisk Teaching helps you reach every learner in your classroom,” notes Jessica Bershad, emphasizing the AI’s ability to create differentiated materials that cater to various student needs.

Efficiency gains from AI not only improve the quality of instruction but also give educators more control over their work-life balance.

Platforms like to teach_ allow teachers to “spend more time on direct engagement and less on administrative tasks. Whether it’s interactive digital tasks, PDFs, or even printed worksheets, all the content is designed to be ‘ready to go’ right from the start,” says Weiss.

With AI as a reliable assistant, ELT teachers can seamlessly balance efficiency with pedagogical quality.

Hughes of Chalkie reports that educators appreciate receiving “a fully editable lesson that they can use in class immediately, rather than just a block of text.” This flexibility allows teachers to use AI-generated resources as a starting point, customizing the final product to fit their specific class context.

By leveraging AI in this way, teachers are finding that they can achieve more in less time, creating a more sustainable and effective teaching environment.

It’s no wonder that several of these companies offer their services to institutions and school districts. With an enterprise or institutional account, educators can unlock additional features not available for free or even paid individual accounts, along with valuable advanced data analysis and efficiency metrics.

Brisk Teaching and Magic School AI are leading the charges in this expansion initiative, with Magic School partnering with over 5,000 schools and districts, and Brisk Teaching collaborating with institutions worldwide. The Twee Schools plan and Chalkie’s Schools plan both provide increased access and support tailored for educational institutions.

Scalability and adaptability are two important considerations at to teach_ as well, growing with teachers’ needs. “It can be used in small settings, such as individual classrooms, but also at the school level or even integrated into education systems. The platform adapts easily to different school types and curricula, making it versatile and future-proof,” says Weiss.

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Navigating the Challenges of AI in Education

While generative AI offers exciting potential in ELT, educators and institutions alike must navigate certain challenges. From the risk of over-reliance to ethical concerns, it’s essential to understand the limitations and potential pitfalls associated with AI in the classroom.

Over-reliance on AI

There’s a risk that teachers might become overly dependent on AI for planning and content creation, potentially diminishing the creative and personal touch that defines effective teaching. This article put out by Forbes cautions that over-reliance on AI could shift the role of teachers from active creators to passive facilitators, reducing their influence over the learning process and potentially impacting student outcomes.

To mitigate this, educators should view AI-generated materials as flexible foundations rather than finished products, allowing space for their professional insight and adaptability.

Quality Control

AI-generated content can sometimes lack the depth or contextual relevance that human teachers provide. Platforms like Chalkie and to teach_ emphasize the importance of teacher oversight and the importance of maintaining quality standards, encouraging educators to routinely review AI outputs to ensure they align with curriculum goals and student learning objectives.

Hughes from Chalkie underscores this need, noting, “Teachers should double-check AI-generated material before using it in the classroom.” Educators also must ensure that the materials meet the specific linguistic and cultural needs of their students.

Ethical Considerations and Cultural Sensitivity

Ethical concerns, particularly around potential AI biases, are critical when using generative AI in language education. Since AI models learn from vast datasets, they may inadvertently produce content that is culturally insensitive or reinforces stereotypes. As more AI tools enter the educational landscape, teachers must remain vigilant about assessing AI outputs for cultural inclusivity.

In ELT contexts, where students come from varied backgrounds, maintaining cultural awareness is vital. Jessica Bershad from Brisk Teaching emphasizes, “Always keep an eye on content for cultural appropriateness,” which ensures AI-generated resources respect and reflect the diversity of student backgrounds.

Privacy and Data Security

AI tools often require data input, which can lead to privacy concerns, especially when student information is involved. While many platforms like Brisk and Twee are committed to data security, teachers and institutions should exercise caution by selecting tools that comply with privacy regulations such as GDPR and CCPA. Educators should seek out tools that prioritize safeguarding student information.

By understanding these challenges, educators can use AI as a constructive support system while addressing its limitations. The key lies in balancing AI’s efficiency with a teacher’s expertise and adaptability, ensuring a classroom experience that remains both human-centered and pedagogically sound.

Practical Considerations for ELT Professionals

To maximize the effectiveness of AI tools in ELT, educators should approach these technologies thoughtfully, keeping several important considerations in mind. Generative AI can be transformative, but only if it aligns with the course’s goals, curriculum standards, and student needs.

Understand Curricular and Course Objectives

While AI tools like to teach_ and Brisk offer customized lesson planning, teachers should start with a solid understanding of their curriculum objectives. Teachers should clarify learning goals and benchmarks before using AI for content creation, ensuring that the AI-generated materials reinforce these goals.

Stay Informed About AI Limitations

AI tools are constantly evolving, and understanding their limitations helps educators use them wisely. AI for Education emphasizes that educators should stay updated on AI technology developments, including understanding what AI can’t do yet. Knowing when to rely on AI for efficiency and when to intervene to ensure accuracy and depth is a critical component of being AI-literate.

Promote AI Literacy Among Students

Integrating AI into the classroom presents an opportunity to enhance AI literacy among students. As AI becomes more prevalent in various industries, students can benefit from understanding its applications and limitations. The World Economic Forum notes that teaching AI literacy not only prepares students for the future but also fosters critical thinking about technology’s role in learning.

By keeping these considerations in mind, ELT professionals can integrate AI into their teaching practices effectively, enhancing productivity and learning outcomes in a future-oriented and impactful way.

Learn how to integrate digital literacy into your ESL classroom to build essential skills and foster critical thinking.

The Future of ELT: AI-Driven, Teacher-Led

As generative AI becomes more deeply integrated into education, it’s clear that this technology offers transformative potential for English Language Teaching (ELT) professionals. Generative AI tools have already shown they can save time, provide tailored materials, and support differentiated instruction, making the teaching process more efficient and adaptive to diverse student needs.

The future of AI in ELT looks promising, with anticipated advancements aimed at deepening personalization, enhancing efficiency, and integrating with emerging technologies. The World Economic Forum anticipates that AI will not only simplify content creation but also drive a shift toward immersive learning experiences by integrating with technologies like augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR). This integration could enable teachers to create more interactive, experiential learning environments that improve language acquisition through contextual, real-world simulations.

Moreover, generative AI will continue to enhance accessibility and inclusivity in education, reducing geographical and financial barriers to quality resources. Platforms like Brisk and Twee, which offer multi-language support and user-friendly interfaces, are already moving toward a more inclusive model of language teaching, enabling students from varied backgrounds to engage meaningfully with the content. As tools evolve, they will become more accessible, allowing educators globally to leverage these resources in diverse educational settings.

Weiss notes that “AI will be instrumental in this transformation, giving teachers the ability to tailor lessons to the individual needs and abilities of students. This marks a paradigm shift away from a one-size-fits-all educational model toward personalized learning paths that consider the strengths, weaknesses, and interests of each student.”

However, as generative AI grows, it’s essential for educators to maintain a balanced approach. AI should be seen as an assistant – not a replacement – for the creativity, adaptability, and empathy that human teachers bring to the classroom. The best outcomes will arise when teachers integrate AI into their workflow in ways that amplify, rather than replace, their unique insights and expertise.

Looking ahead, AI literacy will become an essential skill for both students and educators. Understanding AI’s applications and limitations will allow teachers to harness these tools effectively and responsibly, maximizing benefits while addressing potential drawbacks. Encouraging students to develop an informed perspective on AI will not only prepare them for an AI-rich future but also foster a critical mindset about technology’s role in learning and society.

“The future of teaching will be characterized by flexible, adaptable educational paths that place learners at the center and equip them for an increasingly complex world,” says Weiss.

Generative AI offers ELT professionals an exciting toolkit for creating more effective, personalized, and engaging educational experiences. By embracing AI thoughtfully and maintaining a focus on the human elements of teaching, educators can transform their classrooms into dynamic, responsive environments that support every learner.

As the capabilities of generative AI continue to expand, the potential for it to act as a powerful assistant in language teaching will only grow, offering more ways for teachers to inspire, engage, and support their students.

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