Here you will find a range of different ways that you can use ChatGPT and Gen AI tools in class to personalise learning, create lesson content and ideas, save time, and more.

I have used the TOP Approach to using GEN AI to structure my prompts to ensure a better output from ChatGPT. They may not always be perfect and may need to be edited to suit your needs. Also remember to check what ChatGPT creates; it may need refining or editing before it is ready to be used. 

Creating Mind Maps on Notebook LM

NotebookLM Mind Maps allow teachers and students to instantly transform notes, topic summaries or text into clear visual diagrams. With a single click, NotebookLM identifies key ideas and shows how they connect, producing an editable mind map that supports planning, revision and deeper understanding.

Teachers can use NotebookLM Mind Maps to:

• Summarise a topic at the start or end of a unit

• Help pupils see relationships between key concepts

• Support planning for non-fiction writing and research tasks

• Generate revision maps in science, geography, English and more

• Compare AI-created maps with pupil-created ones to strengthen reasoning

All mind maps are fully editable, allowing you to rename ideas, rearrange branches and personalise the visual layout for your class.

Why it works
Research into visual learning shows that mind maps help students organise information more effectively. Dual Coding Theory suggests that combining words and visuals strengthens memory, and studies in primary and middle years classrooms show that graphic organisers improve comprehension and problem-solving.

NotebookLM makes this process quick and accessible, giving teachers a powerful tool to help students turn information into understanding.

Creating Quizzes with NotebookLM

NotebookLM can now help teachers instantly generate AI-powered quizzes from lesson slides, texts, or curriculum notes — giving you a fast and effective way to check understanding and strengthen retrieval.

Quizzes created in NotebookLM can be used at the end of lessons, as quick starters, or for independent review. Teachers can adapt the style of questions for different year groups, from simple recall in primary classrooms to more analytical questions for middle school learners.

Why use AI-generated quizzes?

• They make formative assessment quick and efficient.

• They encourage retrieval practice, helping students remember key information for longer.

• They give teachers an instant snapshot of learning and misconceptions.

Research supports the power of low-stakes quizzes. Roediger & Karpicke (2006) showed that retrieval practice significantly improves long-term memory, while Black & Wiliam (2018) demonstrated how regular feedback through formative assessment strengthens learning across all key stages.

Watch the video opposite to see how to create and adapt quizzes in NotebookLM.

How to Make Video Overviews with NotebookLM

NotebookLM, Google’s AI-powered research and study tool, can now generate video overviews directly from your lesson slides, websites, or texts. These short videos bring content to life and give students another way to access and revisit key learning.

Why use video overviews?

• They support pre-teaching, helping students build background knowledge.

• They reinforce lessons by providing clear, repeatable summaries.

• They are ideal for revision and independent study.

• They can be generated in multiple languages, making them especially valuable for EAL learners.

Research highlights the benefits of combining video with effective teaching. Brame (2016) showed that short, segmented videos with clear signals support student learning, while Tversky et al. (2014) found that using videos alongside teacher input leads to stronger outcomes than either alone.

Flashcards in NotebookLM

Welcome to this quick tutorial on how to create flashcards with NotebookLM! 🎓✨

In this video, I’ll walk you through:

✅ How to set up a new notebook in NotebookLM

✅ Uploading your own content (PDFs, Google Drive files, websites, or text)

✅ Generating flashcards instantly based on your material

✅ Adjusting the number, focus, and difficulty of flashcards

✅ Using flashcards for teaching, revision, and self-study

Whether you are a teacher looking for a simple way to check understanding, or a student preparing for GCSEs, A-Levels, or even lower year groups, NotebookLM makes revision more interactive and effective. Subjects like science, history, and geography benefit hugely from this approach, but the tool works with any content you provide.

If you found this tutorial helpful, please give it a like 👍, drop a comment 💬, and subscribe 🔔 for more tips on using AI tools in education!

Which modes should I use in ChatGPT? (September 2025)

ChatGPT now has three modes, but which one is best to use?

Instant Mode – Quick Answers, Fast

Use this when you need:
✅ Quick facts or definitions
✅ Short text (e.g. quiz questions, retrieval practice, vocabulary lists)
✅ Rapid feedback during lessons

Example: “Give me 5 true/false questions about the water cycle for Year 4.”

Thinking Mode – Deep, Detailed, Step-by-Step

Use this when you need:
✅ Lesson or unit planning
✅ Explanations of complex concepts
✅ Writing that requires structure (reports, rubrics, revision guides)
✅ Multi-step reasoning

Example: “Create a medium-term plan of 8 lessons on The Iron Man for Year 5 English. Link to UK curriculum objectives and include SPAG activities.”

Using Gen AI to create specific -ed and -ing sentence starter activity 

Use GenAI to create specific sentence opener activities for your class to improve their writing. 

After creating the bowling name generator, I wondered how this could be used in class. I used ChatGPT to create an activity to improve the way children started their sentences. I wanted an activity where children were given a word that they then had to start a sentence with. I created a prompt on ChatGPT, using the TOP approach, iterated the results on ChatGPT, added in some tips and added in an example sentence button. (If you want any specific words for sentence openers, be sure to add this information into your prompt.) Next, I embedded the code in Google Sites, checked it and iterated it a bit more. until I was happy with what I had created. 

The link was put on Google Classroom and used in class the next day to improve sentence openers.