Week 5: AI for Neurodivergent Thinkers
Big Idea: AI can be a bridge or a barrier—how we teach it matters.
In my classroom, I’ve created custom AI bots to help students explore ideas, ask questions, and reflect more deeply on what they’re learning. Reviewing transcripts from these tools has shown me just how differently students engage with AI. Some neurodivergent students use the bots to expand their thinking—asking follow-up questions, clarifying vocabulary, or testing out ideas. Others treat the bot like a fancier Google, entering a single worksheet term just to get the answer and move on. These differences aren’t about ability, they’re about access, design, and whether students have been taught to see AI as a partner in their learning, not just a shortcut.
🧠 Why AI Matters for Neurodivergent Learners
When used intentionally, AI can open doors that traditional instruction often leaves shut, especially for neurodivergent learners. For students with dyslexia or other decoding challenges, AI offers a way to access material that actually matches their thinking and comprehension levels, not just their decoding skills. This doesn’t replace foundational reading instruction, but it gives them a way in.
For students with ADHD, starting a task can be its own mountain to climb, especially if the content isn’t immediately engaging. AI, with its novelty and adaptability, can serve as a hook. More than that, it can create space for real-time exploration, meeting students at the point of their curiosity without the friction of sifting through dense, irrelevant material. This doesn’t mean we eliminate research skills, but it does invite us to ask: When might it be wise to lighten the cognitive load so students can stay with the thinking that matters most?
🛠️ Tools and Strategies That Work
In my classroom, AI is not a one-size-fits-all solution—it’s a flexible set of tools, paired with teacher guidance and student voice. Students regularly use voice-to-text features, which are available to anyone who needs them, not just those with formal accommodations. Tools like Grammarly help with spelling and grammar corrections, while MagicSchool and SchoolAI offer custom-built chatbots designed around class content and student needs.
When it comes to creation, students use Canva and Adobe Express to make visual products like slideshows and digital art—especially powerful for students who may struggle with writing but excel at design and storytelling.
Prompting is a skill that we build together over time. Some students pick it up quickly through play; others benefit from structured lessons and worksheets I’ve created to support more intentional interactions. But no matter the tool, one truth holds: AI must be accompanied by teacher facilitation. We use the data, what students ask, how they respond, to guide future lessons, support individual learners, and adapt as we go.
✅ Final Thoughts
For neurodivergent thinkers, AI is neither magic nor menace—it’s a tool that can support access, expression, and agency when used with care. The key lies in how we teach it: as a co-pilot for thinking, not a shortcut for answers. With scaffolding, strong prompting routines, and ongoing teacher facilitation, AI becomes a space where curiosity can thrive and barriers can soften.
The goal isn’t to replace the deep work of learning, but to make sure more students can reach it.
Let’s continue this conversation. What tools or strategies have you found most empowering for your students with ADHD, dyslexia, or high anxiety? Tag @FuturiseEdu or leave a comment to share your wins, your experiments, and your ideas.
If you are interested in a worksheet that helps with developing the skill of prompting you can access one I made last year here.
