Learner-Centered Reading Assignments using Generative AI
I have an 8 year old who’s a good reader but would rather spend his time doing anything else — especially pursuing his interests in karate, friends, and video games. His homework from school is to read 25 minutes per day and it’s a challenge to find high‐interest reading materials for him at his grade level.
What I wanted was something similar to the “reader” passages we were given in school in the 1980s. These were humble one‐size‐fits‐all worksheets, but they were optimized for student interest, calibrated for every reading level, and could be completed within a single sitting.
It’s become fashionable among educators to slag the old one‐size‐fits‐all approach of these commercial educational materials – I was trained as a teacher in the early 2000s, an era where we were trying to offer more relevant and personalized materials to our learners, even if we had to make them by hand ourselves. Sure, the story materials themselves may have been a bit generic, somewhat uninspiring, and maybe not inclusive enough in their subject matter, but the strength of these materials is that they were consistent, targeted at specific reading levels, and came with a nice variety of aligned activities based on the core readings. Implementing these consistently over time, students learn to expect how to be successful within the repetitive format of these activities.
Wouldn’t it be great to reproduce the positive qualities of these reading materials while radically customizing the content to the learner’s interests?
AI to the Rescue
I decided to turn to Mixtral AI. I asked it to…
Generate a 500 word reading passage on the history of karate written at a 3rd‐grade reading level. Include five comprehension questions and three inference questions based on the text.
The result is as follows:
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In the 17th century, Okinawa was invaded by a powerful Japanese clan. The people of Okinawa were not allowed to carry weapons, so they had to find other ways to defend themselves. They started to develop karate as a secret martial art. They practiced in secret because they did not want the Japanese rulers to know about it.
The first person to teach karate openly was a man named Anko Itosu. He started teaching karate in schools in the late 1800s. This was a big step because it meant that more people could learn this martial art. Itosu created a simplified version of karate that was easier to learn. This helped to spread karate to more people.
Gichin Funakoshi was another important person in the history of karate. He was a student of Itosu. Funakoshi is famous for bringing karate from Okinawa to mainland Japan in the early 1900s. He wanted to share the benefits of karate with more people. Funakoshi changed the name of the martial art from "China Hand" (its original name) to "Empty Hand" to make it sound more Japanese.
Karate became very popular in Japan. In 1935, the Japanese government recognized karate as a physical and mental training method. After World War II, karate spread to other parts of the world. Today, it is practiced by millions of people in many different countries.
Comprehension Questions:
1. Where did karate originate?
2. Why did the people of Okinawa start to develop karate?
3. Who was the first person to teach karate openly?
4. Why did Gichin Funakoshi bring karate from Okinawa to mainland Japan?
5. When did the Japanese government recognize karate as a physical and mental training method?
Inference Questions:
1. Why do you think the people of Okinawa practiced karate in secret?
2. How did Anko Itosu make karate easier to learn?
3. Why did Gichin Funakoshi change the name of the martial art?—
Student Centered History
Then I got a wild hair of an idea — I suspect that young people have a hard time thinking about history because they don’t have an internal timeline for where events “fit” in history. When we say something happened “a long time ago…” That could be hundreds of years ago or thousands… or last year! In fact, most young people I’ve worked with think of everything that happened before they were born as ancient history. (I recall when the high school students I taught in the early 2000s referred to ‘90s music as “oldies”. I’ll be accepting thoughts and prayers at this difficult time, thanks. ❤️🩹)
I thought it would be an interesting experiment to teach students history in reverse chronology, going backwards in time from the present day rather than starting from some point way in the past. Kids’ worldviews are infamously self‐centered, so why shouldn’t student‐centered teaching start with them and work backwards in time from their modern frame of referece?
I asked Mixtral to revise the passage, telling the history of karate in reverse‐chronological order and got this:
Karate is a martial art practiced by millions of people worldwide today. It all started in Okinawa, Japan, many years ago.
In the present day, karate has become a global phenomenon, with competitions and dojos in many countries. The martial art has evolved over the years, with different styles and techniques being developed. However, the core principles of karate remain the same - it is a form of fighting using only the body, with the aim of self-defense and personal growth.
Going back in time, karate was brought from Okinawa to mainland Japan in the early 1900s by Gichin Funakoshi. Funakoshi, a student of Anko Itosu, wanted to share the benefits of karate with more people. He changed the name of the martial art from "China Hand" to "Empty Hand" to make it sound more Japanese.
In the late 1800s, Anko Itosu started teaching karate openly, which was a significant step in spreading the martial art. Itosu created a simplified version of karate that was easier to learn, making it accessible to more people.
In the 17th century, Okinawa was invaded by a powerful Japanese clan. The people of Okinawa were not allowed to carry weapons, so they had to find other ways to defend themselves. They started to develop karate as a secret martial art, practicing in secret to avoid detection by the Japanese rulers.
The origins of karate can be traced back to the Ryukyu Kingdom, which existed from the 15th to the 19th century in Okinawa. The martial art was influenced by Chinese martial arts, which were introduced to Okinawa through trade and cultural exchange. The indigenous fighting techniques of Okinawa were also incorporated into the martial art.
Comprehension Questions:
1. In what countries is karate practiced today?
2. Why did Gichin Funakoshi change the name of the martial art?
3. How did Anko Itosu make karate more accessible?
4. Why did the people of Okinawa start to develop karate?
5. What martial arts influenced the development of karate?
Inference Questions:
1. How do you think the global popularity of karate has affected the martial art?
2. Why do you think Anko Itosu simplified the techniques of karate?
3. How do you think the Japanese rulers would have reacted if they had discovered the people of Okinawa practicing karate in secret?Having this much control over a source reading text that we give to learners is a truly new way to make learning materials more student‐centered. The fact that, in a few keystrokes, we can completely flip the order of a piece of writing is mind‐blowing to me.
Upping the Challenge
The history of karate is a pretty general topic for an AI to generate, but what if I could generate a similar reading exercise about my son’s favorite video game characters? He and his friends are obsessed with the online game Brawl Stars, and he constantly seeks out information about the characters and world of the game.
Generating an age‐appropriate reading passage at the right reading level and then asking targeted comprehension and inference questions around that is a way to mate high‐interest content with desired learning outcomes in a hyper‐personalized way.
Here’s the prompt:
Generate a 500 word reading passage about the lore of the video game “Brawl Stars”, written at a 3rd‐grade reading level. Include five comprehension questions and three inference questions based on the text.
This time I used Llama 3.1 running locally on my computer using LM Studio. The model returned this passage:
**The World of Brawl Stars**
In a world where colorful characters come to life, one thing is clear: only the strongest will reign supreme. This is the world of Brawl Stars, a place where brawlers with unique powers clash in epic battles.
At the heart of this universe lies the Brawler City, a bustling metropolis filled with shops, restaurants, and towering skyscrapers. But beneath its vibrant surface, tensions simmer between rival factions vying for control.
There are the BAR (Brawl All Round) enthusiasts who believe that the best brawlers can adapt to any situation. They're led by their fearless leader, Mr. P, a genius inventor with a passion for gadgets and gizmos.
Then there's the COC (Clash of Clans) clan, a group of seasoned warriors with centuries-old traditions and battle-hardened tactics. Their legendary champion is El Primo, a towering giant with immense strength and unwavering loyalty.
The Supa Monsters, on the other hand, are a motley crew of bizarre creatures born from ancient legends. They're led by their enigmatic leader, Spike, who wields the power of the earth itself.
Lastly, there's the mysterious and reclusive Shelly, a skilled assassin with unparalleled stealth and cunning. She operates in secret, taking down her enemies one by one.
As these factions clash, new brawlers emerge to shake up the balance of power. There's Colt, a gunslinging cowboy from the wild west; Darryl, a tough-as-nails enforcer with superhuman strength; and Rosa, an agile ninja with deadly precision.
But beware: in Brawl Stars, alliances are forged and broken, and even the strongest heroes can fall to treachery. Will your favorite brawler rise to the top, or will they succumb to the whims of fate?
**Comprehension Questions**
1. What is the main setting where all the brawlers live?
Answer: Brawl Stars city
2. Who are the leaders of the BAR and COC factions?
Answer: Mr. P and El Primo
3. Who is the enigmatic leader of the Supa Monsters?
Answer: Spike
4. What is Shelly's specialty in Brawl Stars?
Answer: Stealth and assassination
5. Which brawlers have unique powers mentioned in the passage?
Answer: Colt (cowboy with guns), Darryl (tough-as-nails enforcer with superhuman strength), Rosa (agile ninja with deadly precision)
**Inference Questions**
1. Based on their description, what might happen if Mr. P and El Primo were to clash?
Answer: The BAR and COC factions would likely engage in an intense battle.
2. How do you think the Supa Monsters would interact with Shelly, given her secretive nature?
Answer: They may either be allies or enemies, depending on their individual motivations.
3. What might happen if Rosa's agility was matched by another brawler's strength?
Answer: It could lead to an intense and unpredictable battle where both characters struggle for dominance.Vocabulary Development
Many of those old learning workbooks came with an accompanying vocabulary word list, where learners could find the words and their definitions on a separate page. Behind the scenes, the Teachers’ Edition of our textbooks often had structured activities so teachers could offer vocab quizzes, games, and activities to help learners master the vocab words found in the reading.
After generating the Brawl Stars reading, I prompted the AI to generate a vocabulary list based on the text.
Generate a vocabulary list based on the reading passage above
Returning this:
**Vocabulary List - Brawl Stars Lore**
1. **Brawlers**: fighters or warriors in a competitive game or sport
2. **Epic**: extremely impressive, exciting, or remarkable
3. **Metropolis**: a large city, especially one that is highly developed and industrialized
4. **Rival**: a person or group who competes with another for the same goal or prize
5. **Tensions**: feelings of anxiety, anger, or unease between people or groups
6. **Adapt**: to change one's behavior or way of doing things in response to new information or circumstances
7. **Enthusiasts**: people who are very interested and excited about a particular thing or activity
8. **Legends**: stories or myths that have been passed down through generations, often featuring heroic characters
9. **Motley**: a diverse or mixed group of people, especially one with a variety of strange or unusual characteristics
10. **Assassin**: a person who secretly kills another person, usually for pay or as part of their job
11. **Forge**: to create or form something new through effort or skill
12. **Treachery**: the act of betraying someone's trust or loyalty
13. **Whims**: sudden, fleeting feelings or desires that often seem irrational or unpredictable
14. **Fate**: what will inevitably happen in the future, especially as a result of circumstances beyond one's control
**Extension Vocabulary:**
1. **Gizmos**: small, intricate devices used for a specific purpose
2. **Traditions**: customs or practices that are passed down from generation to generation
3. **Tactics**: planned and deliberate actions designed to achieve a goal
4. **Loyalty**: the quality of being devoted or committed to someone or something
**Reading Comprehension Tips:**
- Use context clues to help you understand unfamiliar words.
- Pay attention to word roots and prefixes, as these can often give you hints about the word's meaning.
- Practice using vocabulary in your own writing to reinforce understanding.****These markdown‐based vocab words can be used with a flashcard generator tool like Anki to create spaced‐repetition practice exercises rooted in the source passage. It could also be used in an eLearning course to create any number of vocab development activities, such as:
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flash cards
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crossword puzzles
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word jumbles
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gamified trivia questions
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etc.
From learner interest to structured learning experience
The ease with which I can generate a reading activity like this made me realize that I can create them in response to genuine questions my 8yo asks me. This morning he asked me why there was ice on our car windshield in the morning. Rather than rattling off a half‐remembered answer, I decided to use the AI (Llama 3.1):
Create a 500 word reading passage at a 3rd grade reading level explaining the science behind why frost forms on car windshields in the winter. Include comprehension and inference questions.
**Winter's Chill: How Frost Forms on Car Windshields**
When it's cold outside, have you ever wondered why your car windshield turns into a sheet of ice? It's called frost! But what is frost, exactly?
Frost forms when the air around your car gets really cold. This happens when the sun sets or when a front moves through the area with cold air. When the air is too cold for moisture (like water vapor) to remain as a gas, it starts to turn into tiny droplets of water.
Imagine you breathe onto a cold window, and it fogs up instantly. That's because your warm breath carries moisture that turns straight into liquid when it hits the cold glass. This process is called condensation. Frost forms in the same way – but on a much larger scale!
When these tiny water droplets accumulate on your car windshield, they start to stick together and freeze into ice crystals. This happens because the air around them is too cold for them to stay as liquid water. As more and more water droplets fall onto the windshield, the ice crystals grow bigger and thicker.
The reason why frost often forms in a particular pattern – with intricate shapes and designs – is due to something called supercooling. When water droplets fall onto your car's windshield, they might not immediately freeze into solid ice. Instead, they can remain liquid for a short time, until the temperature drops low enough for them to freeze completely.
This process creates an incredible pattern of frost that looks almost like a work of art! The different shapes and forms are all dependent on how the water droplets fall onto the windshield, where exactly they land, and the specific temperature at that moment.
**Why does frost usually form on the car's windshield but not other parts?**
The reason why frost often forms specifically on your car's windshield is because of its shape. The windshield has a smooth surface that allows moisture to flow across it easily, creating perfect conditions for condensation to occur. Other parts of your car might have bumps or irregularities on their surfaces that prevent water droplets from sticking together in the same way.
**Why does frost usually form when you park your car outside at night?**
Frost typically forms during the nighttime hours because this is when it gets its coldest. As the sun sets and temperatures drop, the air around your car becomes even more humid (full of moisture). When this cool, moist air comes into contact with the windshield, condensation occurs, and eventually, frost forms!
**What can you do to prevent frost from forming on your car's windshield?**
There are a few things you can try to avoid getting frosty mornings:
1. Park your car in a sheltered spot where it won't get hit directly by cold winds or air.
2. Use a cover for your windshield that helps keep the surface warm and dry.
3. Start your car every now and then while you're out running errands, allowing it to run for a few minutes before turning off the engine.
**Comprehension Questions**
1. What causes frost to form on car windshields?
2. Why does frost typically form in patterns with intricate shapes?
3. What happens when water droplets fall onto your car's windshield?
**Inference Questions**
1. If you were driving a car and saw that the windshield was covered with ice, what might have happened to make it get so cold outside?
2. Why do you think some people use covers for their windshields in winter?f…and add the vocab list:
Create a vocabulary word list based on the writing passage above
**Vocabulary Word List**
1. **Condensation**: (noun) The process of water vapor changing into liquid droplets, typically when warm air meets a cold surface.
Example: "When you breathe onto a cold window, it fogs up instantly due to condensation."
2. **Supercooling**: (noun) A state where a substance remains in a liquid state even below its freezing point, until it's triggered to freeze by some external factor.
Example: "The water droplets might not immediately freeze into solid ice due to supercooling."
3. **Fronts**: (nouns) Areas of high and low atmospheric pressure that move across the Earth, bringing changes in temperature and weather with them.
Example: "When a front moves through the area with cold air, the air gets really cold."
4. **Humid**: (adjective) Having a lot of moisture in the air.
Example: "As the sun sets and temperatures drop, the air around your car becomes even more humid."
5. **Intricate**: (adjective) Complexly detailed or ornamented; having many complex parts.
Example: "The frost forms in intricate patterns on your car windshield."
6. **Moisture**: (noun) Water vapor or liquid water present in the air, soil, or other substances.
Example: "When it gets really cold outside, moisture starts to turn into tiny droplets of water."
7. **Patterns**: (nouns) Repeating designs or arrangements of shapes, colors, and forms.
Example: "The frost often forms in a particular pattern on the windshield with intricate shapes and designs."
8. **Sheltered**: (adjective) Protected from wind, cold air, or other harsh conditions by a cover or structure.
Example: "Park your car in a sheltered spot where it won't get hit directly by cold winds or air."
9. **Superficially**: (adverb) On the surface only; without considering deeper aspects.
(Not used in this passage but related to supercooling.)
10. **Temperature**: (noun) A measure of how hot or cold something is.
Example: "When the temperature drops low enough, the water droplets freeze completely."
**Challenge Vocabulary**
1. **Atmospheric**: (adjective) Relating to the air around the Earth.
2. **Condenses**: (verb) Becomes liquid from a gas state.
3. **Precipitation**: (noun) Water falling to the ground as rain, snow, sleet, or hail.
4. **Weather**: (noun) The state of the atmosphere at a particular place and time, including temperature, humidity, cloudiness, wind, precipitation, and other conditions.
5. **Windshield**: (noun) A transparent or semi-transparent surface covering the front of a vehicle to protect occupants from weather elements like rain or snow.Conclusion
As you can see, your imagination can really run wild improving upon this simple activity, personalizing it to your learners’ interests in multiple ways without creating an onerous workload for yourself. This makes it possible to generate high‐interest learning materials that learners will hopefully enjoy spending time with and engaging with the critical thinking questions it challenges them with.