INCORPORATING AI IN THE CLASSROOM
Supporting Neurodiversity with AI How we can use AI to support students’ needs
When I first started using AI, I treated it like a Tamagotchi, the digital pet. I alternated between obsessing over it, worrying if I was using it correctly and then like my houseplants - forgetting it existed entirely. Perhaps it’s a neurodivergent thing, switching between hyperfocus and total object permanence failure. I’m neurodivergent and I use AI to augment my life, my art, my parenting and my passions - even collaborating with DALL-E to design a midlife crisis tattoo that’s now inked on my forearm. As an exited online school founder, qualified teacher and a mother of three neurospicy teens, I explore how AI can support (not replace) human connection, creativity and wellbeing. I also train teachers and advise parents, tutors and governors on AI’s effective and ethical use. One of the most powerful ways AI is transforming education is through HyFlex (Hybrid-Flexible) learning - an approach that extends education
beyond classroom walls while adapting to each learner’s needs. This model is particularly beneficial for neurodivergent students who thrive when they can work autonomously, hyperfocus on learning, overcome procrastination and engage from a point of interest. AI offers parents and educators
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tools to make learning more engaging and aligned to future skills. Speech-to-text and textto-speech tools help dyslexic students access content without frustration. AI-powered tutoring apps adjust in real time to a child’s pace, providing tailored explanations. Platforms like Gauthmath offer step-by-step solutions, making complex maths problems more accessible. Immersive AI platforms like SpiritVR transform how schools approach mindfulness and wellbeing - like a sensory room in a VR headset, offering job interview simulations or public speaking practice. ChatGPT has become a kind of family companion, both as a practical tool and a source of play. Recently, I’ve been using it at home for a variety of purposes, including generating a Morse code conversation for fun, analysing war medals and family diaries and even offering a second perspective on the tone of an email - I wanted to check that my AuDHD wasn’t
