20 AI Tools Every Teacher Should Know

Teachers spend hours every week on lesson plans, question papers, slides and report work. The right AI tools for teachers can take much of that load away, so you have more time for students. This list covers 20 real tools that teachers can start using this term, grouped by the task they help with. Many have free versions, and most work in a web browser or on a phone.

One rule applies to every tool: AI gives you a first draft. You check it, correct it and adapt it for your class. Never paste student names, marks or personal details into a public AI tool.

Lesson planning tools

1. ChatGPT

ChatGPT for teachers is the most common starting point. Ask it for a 40-minute lesson plan on photosynthesis for Class 7, with a warm-up activity, a group task and three exit questions. You can also ask it to explain a topic at three difficulty levels.

2. Google Gemini

Gemini works well if your school already uses Google Workspace. It can draft plans, summarise long documents and help write circulars and parent messages in clear language.

3. MagicSchool AI

MagicSchool AI is built for educators. It offers ready-made tools for lesson plans, rubrics, worksheets, IEP support and report card comments, so you fill in a short form instead of writing a prompt.

4. Diffit

Diffit takes a topic, article or video and creates reading passages at different levels, with vocabulary and questions. It is useful for mixed-ability classes.

Assessment and quiz tools

5. Google Forms

Forms lets you build quizzes with automatic marking. Combine it with ChatGPT or Gemini to draft questions, then paste them in and set the answer key.

6. Quizizz (now Wayground)

This platform turns quizzes into self-paced games and can generate questions from a topic or a PDF. Reports show which questions most students got wrong.

7. Kahoot!

Kahoot! runs live quiz games on a projector while students answer on devices. It is a quick way to revise before an exam and can suggest questions for a topic.

8. Mentimeter

Mentimeter collects live polls, word clouds and quick questions from the whole class. It helps quiet students participate and shows you instantly who has understood.

Slides and visuals

9. Canva

Canva’s Magic Design and Magic Write features create slides, posters, worksheets and certificates from a short description. Canva offers free access for eligible teachers through Canva for Education.

10. Gamma

Gamma builds a complete slide deck from an outline or a few lines of text. You then edit the content and layout.

11. Adobe Express

Adobe Express helps you make posters, social media posts for school events and short videos, with AI image generation and templates.

Audio and video tools

12. Edpuzzle

Edpuzzle lets you take a YouTube video and add questions at chosen points. Students must answer before the video continues, which turns passive watching into active learning.

13. Loom

Loom records your screen and face together. Use it to explain a homework problem once and share the link, instead of repeating it many times.

14. Google Read Along

Read Along is a free reading app for young children. Its in-app assistant listens as a child reads aloud and helps with difficult words. It suits lower primary English reading practice.

Research and preparation

15. NotebookLM

NotebookLM from Google answers questions using only the documents you upload, such as a textbook chapter or a syllabus. It can create study guides, FAQs and audio overviews. Because it sticks to your sources, it is easier to check.

16. Perplexity

Perplexity answers questions and shows the web sources it used. This makes it useful for checking facts and finding current examples for a lesson.

17. Microsoft Copilot

Copilot is free to use in a browser and is built into Microsoft 365 apps for schools that have them. It can draft documents, summarise files and help with Excel formulas for mark lists.

Classroom management and activities

18. Google Classroom

Classroom organises assignments, materials and feedback in one place. Newer versions include Gemini features that help draft questions and assignments.

19. Padlet

Padlet is a shared online wall where students post answers, images and links. It works well for brainstorming, project galleries and exit tickets.

20. Teachable Machine

Teachable Machine by Google lets students train a simple AI model to recognise images, sounds or poses, right in the browser. It is the easiest way to show children how AI learns from examples.

How to start with teacher AI training

Twenty tools can feel like a lot. Do not try them all at once. A simple plan works better:

1. Pick one planning tool, such as ChatGPT or MagicSchool AI, and use it for every lesson plan for two weeks.
2. Add one assessment tool, such as Google Forms or Quizizz, for your next class test.
3. Try Canva or Gamma for one presentation.
4. Share what worked with colleagues in your staff room.

Learning together with other teachers is faster than learning alone. Structured training also helps you write better prompts, avoid common mistakes and use AI responsibly.

Learn these tools with IRI’s Smart Teaching program

IRI’s Smart Teaching with AI & Digital Tools program is for teachers of any subject and for student teachers in B.Ed and D.El.Ed courses. Teachers learn 20+ AI tools, including ChatGPT, Gemini, MagicSchool AI, Canva and NotebookLM, with hands-on practice. Choose a 1-day on-campus workshop for 25 to 100 teachers (9 to 5), or a 20-day online course at 1 hour a day for groups under 25. Every participant gets a certificate, and teachers can save about 5 hours a week.

To book training for your staff, call 8606082634 or email inrobos@gmail.com.