Using AI Tools for Creating ESOL Teaching Materials


Wow, the world of teaching has changed dramatically since I first started this blog during Covid-19 in 2020.

Back then, I would spend hours creating and designing teaching materials from scratch. 

Now, in 2026, AI tools have completely transformed the way I plan lessons.

Over the past year, I’ve been exploring different AI tools that help me:
  • save time on lesson preparation
  • create targeted ESOL resources
  • set clear SMART targets and lesson aims
In this post, I’m sharing some of the tools I’ve found most useful in my own teaching practice.

My Favourite AI Tools for Teaching Materials

1) Chalkie

Chalkie is a great tool for quickly creating lesson PowerPoints and worksheets.
I’ve only used it a few times, but one thing I learned quickly is that you need to be very specific with your instructions to get the best results.
Why it’s useful:
  • Fast lesson creation
  • Simple to use
  • Free and paid options available
Best for: Teachers who want quick, ready-made lesson content.
👉 I’d definitely recommend trying the free version first.

Link: Chalkie AI 

2) LearnHip


I discovered LearnHip while looking for supplementary activities for low literacy and Pre-Entry students.
You can paste in your own text, and it generates a variety of interactive activities such as:
  • gap fills
  • sentence matching
These activities work particularly well on a SMART board, which is great for engagement in class.

Best for: Entry level and Pre-Entry ESOL learners.

Link: LearnHip

3) ChatGPT


ChatGPT is incredibly useful for creating customised teaching materials, especially for higher-level learners.
I’ve used it to create Level 1 and Level 2 Functional Skills and ESOL resources by:
  1. Asking it to generate a text
  2. Then asking for tasks and comprehension questions
Example prompt:
“Give me a Level 2 Functional Skills English text highlighting bias on the topic of Easter.”
It then generates both the text and activities, which I adapt for my class.
⚠️ Top tip: Always check and edit AI-generated content to make sure it is accurate and appropriate for your learners.
You can also guide ChatGPT to align with:
  • CEFR levels
  • ESOL Core Curriculum
Link: ChatGPT

4) Microsoft Copilot


This is now the AI tool I use the most — especially as my organisation uses Microsoft 365.

Copilot allows me to connect directly to my existing teaching resources stored on OneDrive and SharePoint, making planning much more efficient.

One of the most useful things I’ve done is create a custom “Teaching Materials” agent, where I:
  • list the levels I teach
  • enable it to suggest relevant prompts
How I use it:
  • Create texts (e.g. Entry 1 invitations)
  • Adapt materials (remove punctuation, correct spelling, simplify text)
  • Set SMART targets for ILPs
  • Write lesson aims and learning objectives
This has significantly reduced my planning time while keeping my lessons focused and structured.
Link: Microsoft Co-pilot

My Final Thoughts

AI hasn’t replaced teaching — but it has definitely transformed how we prepare.
For me, the biggest impact has been: 

✔ saving time
✔ improving differentiation
✔ generating fresh ideas

The key is learning how to guide these tools effectively and always reviewing the output before using it in the classroom.

Over to You

What AI tools are you using for teaching English?
I’d love to hear your recommendations — feel free to share them in the comments below!

✅ Quick tip: Start with one tool (like Copilot or ChatGPT) and practise writing better prompts — it makes a huge difference to the quality of your materials.

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