How chat GPT can be used for improving foundational literacy and numeracy (FLN) outcomes in classrooms (Part 2)

In India, attaining foundational literacy and numeracy remains a challenge in schools, with a large percentage of children unable to read and do basic arithmetic operations proficiently even after several years of schooling.

An AI generated image by DALL – E https://openai.com/dall-e-2/

Chat GPT, a powerful language model that can generate human-like responses to text inputs. By leveraging the capabilities of Chat GPT, educators can create engaging learning experiences that cater to the individual needs of each student, leading to more effective and personalized instruction. In this blog post, we explore how Chat GPT can be used to improve foundational literacy.

During this exercise, it is also realized that prompts play a crucial role in shaping the conversation and determining the response from the chatbot. The effectiveness of Chat GPT depends on the quality and specificity of the prompts provided. A clear and concise prompt will lead to a more accurate and relevant response, while a vague or ambiguous prompt may result in a less useful response.

The potential use of the Chat GPT are outlined in the above illustration

Examples of how chat GPT can be used for improving foundational literacy outcomes in classrooms

How can teachers encourage parent’s involvement in supporting their children reading skill

Language prompts

To understand the key components of foundational language and literacy

To understand how to select story book for specific grades

To understand how to build reading culture / environment in school

To create short stories based on students level and with character limit

Question to Chat GPT: What are the key components in Foundational Language and Literacy in English language?

Chat GPT: The key components of foundational language and literacy in the English language include:

1. Phonological awareness: The ability to hear, identify, and manipulate the individual sounds in spoken words.
2. Phonics: The relationship between the letters of written language and the sounds of spoken language.
3. Vocabulary: The words a person knows and uses.
4. Fluency: The ability to read text accurately, quickly, and with expression.
5. Comprehension: The ability to understand and make meaning from text.
6. Writing: The ability to express ideas in written form.
7. Spelling: The ability to spell words correctly.
8. Grammar and sentence structure: The rules and conventions of the English language that govern how words are put together to form sentences.
9. Listening comprehension: The ability to understand spoken language.
10. Oral language: The ability to communicate effectively through spoken language.

It’s important to note that these components are interconnected and that the development of one often supports the development of others.

Question to Chat GPT: How to select story books in English that are appropriate for Grade 1 children?

Chat GPT: When selecting story books for grade 1 children in English, there are several factors to consider:

1. Vocabulary: The book should use simple, age-appropriate vocabulary that the children can understand.
2. Sentence structure: The sentences should be simple and easy to read, with short, clear sentences.
3. Illustrations: The book should have colorful and engaging illustrations that will help the children understand the story.
4. Interest: The book should be interesting and engaging for the children, with a fun plot and relatable characters.
5. Cultural relevance: The book should reflect the cultural diversity of the students and should avoid stereotypes.
6. Reading level: The book should be at an appropriate reading level for the children, not too hard or too easy.
7. Theme: The book should have a theme that is age-appropriate and that is relevant to the children’s interests and experiences.
8. Length: The book should be a manageable length for the children and should not be too long for them to hold their attention.
9. Language fluency: The book should be written in fluent and clear language.

It’s also important to preview the book before giving it to the students and to consider the students’ interests and backgrounds when selecting books.

Question to Chat GPT: As a teacher how can I build a reading environment at school for grade 1 children

Chatp GPT: As a teacher, you can build a reading environment at school for grade 1 children by:

1. Creating a dedicated reading area: Set up a cozy and comfortable reading area in the classroom where children can sit and read. This could be a corner of the room or a separate room with bean bags, rugs, and other comfortable seating.
2. Stock the area with age-appropriate books: Fill the reading area with a wide selection of books that are appropriate for grade 1 children. This could include picture books, easy readers, and other books that match the children’s reading level and interests.
3. Making it interactive: Make the reading area interactive by adding activities like word walls, word banks, and word games that will help children learn new vocabulary and concepts.
4. Encouraging reading aloud: Encourage children to read aloud to their classmates or to the teacher. This will help children to build fluency and confidence in their reading.
5. Creating a library system: Create a library system where children can borrow and return books. This will give them access to a wider range of books and will help to build a sense of responsibility.
6. Incorporating technology: Use technology to enhance the reading experience. For example, you can use tablets with interactive e-books that have audio, animation, and interactive elements.
7. Making it fun: Make reading fun by organizing reading-related games and activities that will motivate children to read.
8. Fostering a love of reading: Foster a love of reading by encouraging children to talk about the books they have read, sharing interesting and exciting book-related information, and recognizing children who have achieved a certain reading goal.
9. Setting a good example: Encourage teachers and staff to read aloud to the children, and model the behavior of reading for pleasure regularly.
10. Incorporating reading in daily routine: Incorporate daily reading time into your routine, where children can read independently or with a partner, this will help them to develop reading fluency and comprehension.

It’s important to keep in mind that creating a positive reading environment takes time and effort, but the benefits to children’s literacy development are well worth it.

Question to Chat GPT: Lesson plan on phonics and decoding

Promt given to Chat GPT – I want you to be a primary school English teacher. The students you are teaching come from a low resource background and their English competencies are very low. I want you to create a lesson plan for Grade 3 students which achieves these objectives: 1) What are phonics 2) How to decode words and read them

Chat GPT: Lesson Title: Introduction to Phonics and Word Decoding

Objectives:

1. Students will be able to understand what phonics is.
2. Students will be able to decode simple words using phonics.

Materials:

• Whiteboard and markers
• Flashcards with letters and corresponding sounds
• Worksheets with simple words for decoding practice
• Chart paper and markers for word-building activities

Procedure:

1. Introduction (10 minutes):
   • Draw attention to the whiteboard and write the word “phonics” on it.
   • Ask the students if they know what phonics is. Write down their answers on the board.
   • Explain phonics as the relationship between letters and sounds.
   • Show them the flashcards and explain that each letter makes a specific sound.
2. Word decoding (20 minutes):
   • Write simple words (e.g. cat, dog, sun, etc.) on the whiteboard and ask the students to decode them by sounding out each
     letter.
   • Help the students decode the words by sounding out each letter and blending the sounds together.
   • Pass out the worksheets and ask the students to decode the words on their own, with your support.
3. Word-building activity (20 minutes):
   • Write simple words on chart paper (e.g. cat, dog, sun, etc.)
   • Cut out the letters of each word and give a set to each student.
   • Ask the students to build the words with the letters and then read them out loud.
   • Repeat the activity with different words to reinforce the concepts.
4. Closing (10 minutes):
   • Review the concepts learned during the lesson.
   • Summarize the relationship between letters and sounds in phonics.
   • Encourage the students to use the phonics skills they learned to decode new words.

Assessment:

• Observe the students during the word decoding and word-building activities to see if they understand the concept of phonics.
• Check the worksheets to see if the students can decode words independently.

This lesson plan provides hands-on and interactive activities to help students understand the basics of phonics and develop their decoding skills.

Question to Chat GPT: How can teachers encourage parent’s involvement in supporting / improving their children reading skills
Chat GPT: There are several ways to encourage parents’ involvement in supporting their children’s reading skills:

• Communicate regularly with parents about their child’s reading progress and provide them with suggestions for ways they can support their child’s reading at homeProvide resources such as recommended reading lists, reading logs, and other materials that parents can use to help their child practice reading at home.
• Invite parents to attend reading-related events at the school, such as book fairs, author visits, and parent-teacher conferences.
• Encourage parents to read to their child at home and provide them with tips and strategies for reading aloud effectively.
• Provide opportunities for parents to volunteer at the school and participate in reading-related activities such as book clubs or reading groups.
• Encourage parents to establish a regular reading routine at home, such as reading before bed or setting aside a specific time each day for reading.
• Provide parents with access to online resources and apps that can support their child’s reading development.
• Create a reading-friendly environment in the school and home by providing comfortable seating and good lighting, as well as access to a variety of age-appropriate books.

In conclusion, Chat GPT shows potential to aid our teachers and bridge the gap between traditional teaching methods and evolving needs of modern learners.

In our next blog post, we will explore how Chat GPT can be used to improve foundational numeracy, another critical area of education that remains a challenge for many schools in India. Stay tuned for more insights on this exciting topic!

This article was written under the aegis of the Centre for Education Research in India (CERI). CERI, an initiative powered by Madhi Foundation, is a digital repository and think-tank catering to policymakers, practitioners, and academics in the education sector and the larger community, to catalyse reform in the education ecosystem in India.