How to use AI for homeschooling

The last thing any overwhelmed special needs parent wants to do right now is learn a new app. However, when it comes to ChatGPT and other AI generators, the return on your investment is worth it.

🤖 What is ChatGPT?

ChatGPT is an AI chatbot created by OpenAI. It’s like a digital assistant that understands and responds to text-based prompts. You type in a question or request, and ChatGPT responds right away. At its core, ChatGPT was trained on a huge amount of text—books, articles, lessons, websites, and more. It doesn’t search the internet live, but it learned patterns in language and now generates helpful, accurate responses to questions you ask.

It can:

• Understand plain English like a conversation
• Write lessons, stories, summaries, or questions
• Follow your instructions to adapt materials for age, grade, reading level, or communication needs

ChatGPT is a powerful curriculum tool, especially for parents homeschooling children who are intelligent but nonspeaking or minimally speaking. Here are 4 ways you can use ChatGPT to support your student's learning.

✅ 1. Create a special interest alphabet

This activity is included in Nonverbal Autism Homeschool's Kindergarten curriculum. You'll want to create one page per letter of the alphabet that features a character or symbol from your student's favorite movie or special interest.

This is a great way to begin using ChatGPT, because it's a simple ask. Just instruct the app to compile a list of characters or symbols from (student's special interest) as shown below.

✅ 2. Write themed educational stories that teach phonics skills

You can create short, themed stories that help with phonics, reading, and spelling.

“Write a story with -at word family words and Mickey Mouse.”
“Write a story about Ironman that includes -L blend words and a word list.”

These stories can be turned into printable books, reading practice, or spelling tools for students learning to read or spell aloud via S2C.

✅ 3. Create educational Spell2Communicate lessons

If your child uses Spell2Communicate (S2C), letterboards, or points to answers, ChatGPT can help you build accessible, engaging, and age-appropriate lessons with accommodations.

I began using ChatGPT after my student began Spell2Communicate, so I could combine Spell2Communicate lessons with educational standards he's required to learn. It takes some effort to train the app, just as you would train a new employee. At first, mine produced the same ol' special educational content that presumes intellectual incompetence. However, with time it learned to produce mainstream lessons with accommodations.

Bonus: You can request lessons to include your child’s interests—like Disney, space, animals, Pokémon, or Minecraft—to boost motivation and engagement.

Example request:

“Write a homeschool lesson about volcanoes for a nonspeaking 4th grader using Spell2Communicate. Include bolded spelling words and multiple choice comprehension questions.”

✅ 4. Adapt Materials by Communication and Reading Level

If your child has high comprehension but benefits from shorter sentences, visual choices, or simplified language, you can tell ChatGPT:

“Write this at a 2nd grade reading level, but keep the ideas age-appropriate for a 10-year-old.”
“Add yes/no and multiple-choice comprehension questions for my nonspeaking child.”
“Include bolded words so I can use this with a letterboard.”

 

These are ways I'm using ChatGPT with my student, as well as developing new curriculum for students in Nonverbal Autism Homeschool. I hope these ideas help you and your student learn important foundational educational skills.

Nonverbal Autism Homeschool provides curriculum that meets educational standards, training for parents, as well as on demand and live support. Click on the LEARN MORE button below to get started today!

- Heather

PS: Why yes, of course I used ChatGPT to help write this entire email! 😏