AI in Education

12 AI Tools That Can Help Teachers Save Time and Support Students

Austin Meusch
Feb 2, 2025
5 min read

Teachers are constantly balancing instruction, grading, classroom management, and communication — often with very little time left for planning or personalized support. AI tools are helping shift that balance by automating repetitive tasks and giving teachers more time to focus on their students.

Here’s a curated list of AI-powered tools that support everything from language practice and grading to lesson planning and classroom engagement.

Speakable – AI-Powered Speaking Practice That Builds Real Proficiency

🔗 Create Free Account

Best for: World Language and ESL teachers serious about measurable proficiency gains

Speakable isn’t just a feedback tool — it’s a proficiency-based learning platform designed to help students reach real-world fluency in another language. It combines AI-powered pronunciation practice, open-ended speaking and writing prompts, and standards-aligned feedback to help students grow faster and more confidently.

What sets Speakable apart is its focus on authentic communication. Students don’t just memorize vocabulary — they speak, respond, and improve with instant AI feedback that helps them close the gap between the classroom and real-life conversations.

Teachers can use Speakable to create ACTFL- or WIDA-aligned assignments in minutes using powerful tools like the AI Builder, Rubric Builder, and Bulk Page Creator. Whether you’re designing classroom activities or preparing students for the Seal of Biliteracy, Speakable gives you the tools to deliver engaging, targeted practice without spending hours on prep or grading.

Why it stands out:

  • Built for proficiency: Everything in Speakable supports ACTFL and WIDA-aligned speaking and writing growth, not just drill-and-kill practice.
  • Instant, actionable feedback: Students get immediate coaching on pronunciation, grammar, fluency, and clarity — no waiting days for feedback.
  • Teacher-friendly design: Create rigorous activities fast using AI-powered tools, assign in a few clicks, and get auto-graded results back instantly.
  • Real-world readiness: Helps students gain the confidence and skill to actually speak in another language, not just pass the test.

SchoolAI – AI Classroom Assistant and Student Support

🔗 Visit SchoolAI

Best for: General K–12 classroom support
SchoolAI gives teachers access to AI-powered sidekicks that answer student questions, support journaling, and help with classroom logistics. It also offers multilingual support and features like hall pass tracking and admin tools.

Why teachers like it:

  • AI tools to support students independently
  • Multilingual AI for diverse classrooms
  • Helps manage both instruction and operations

MagicSchool AI – 40+ AI Tools Built for Educators

🔗 Visit MagicSchool

Best for: Lesson planning, accommodations, feedback, and communication
MagicSchool AI is a comprehensive suite of teacher-first tools. It helps educators draft lesson plans, write IEP accommodations, design rubrics, create parent communication templates, and much more.

Why teachers like it:

  • Built-in support for SPED and ELL
  • Standards-aligned lesson creation
  • Tools tailored to educator workflows

Class Companion – AI Writing Feedback for Students

🔗 Visit Class Companion

Best for: Writing instruction and revision
Class Companion helps students strengthen their writing through AI-generated feedback on grammar, structure, and clarity. Teachers maintain control over final evaluations and can adjust suggestions to suit classroom rubrics.

Why teachers like it:

  • Supports personalized writing instruction
  • Speeds up feedback while keeping it high quality
  • Helps students iterate and improve with guidance

EdCafé AI – Create Interactive Learning Materials

🔗 Visit EdCafé

Best for: Creating dynamic, student-driven content
EdCafé AI lets teachers transform static lesson content into interactive games, timelines, flashcards, and quizzes. It’s ideal for making content more engaging and supports various learning styles.

Why teachers like it:

  • Transforms readings and PDFs into activities
  • Encourages active student participation
  • Easy to use with existing lesson plans

Khanmigo (by Khan Academy) – AI Tutoring for Core Subjects

🔗 Visit Khanmigo

Best for: Personalized support in math, science, and more
Khanmigo acts as a virtual tutor that helps students work through problems, offering hints and explanations without giving away the answers. Teachers can track usage and guide students to Khanmigo as an extra layer of support.

Why teachers like it:

  • Safe, education-focused AI
  • Helps reinforce core content
  • Supports inquiry and independent learning

Canva Magic Studio – AI for Creating Visual Teaching Materials

🔗 Visit Canva

Best for: Designing professional classroom visuals
Canva’s AI tools help generate worksheets, presentations, and visual aids using prompts or templates. Teachers can make content visually appealing without needing advanced design skills.

Why teachers like it:

  • AI image and text generation
  • Fast design for posters, slides, and handouts
  • Easy to collaborate with students

Grammarly – AI Writing Assistant for Teachers and Students

🔗 Visit Grammarly

Best for: Polishing written work and communication
Grammarly improves the quality of writing by checking grammar, clarity, tone, and structure. Teachers use it to provide better feedback on student writing and ensure their own communication is clear and professional.

Why teachers like it:

  • Works across emails, documents, and web tools
  • Includes a tone detector and citation support
  • Offers AI suggestions for drafts and outlines

Twee – Lesson Creation for English Teachers

🔗 Visit Twee

Best for: ESL, ELA, and language enrichment
Twee helps teachers create discussion questions, grammar exercises, comprehension prompts, and vocabulary practice materials with just a few clicks. It’s especially helpful for English and ESL instruction.

Why teachers like it:

  • CEFR-aligned content generation
  • Great for fast lesson planning
  • Includes multiple prompt types (speaking, listening, writing)

Maestra – Transcription and Translation for Accessibility

🔗 Visit Maestra

Best for: Making content accessible to all learners
Maestra converts videos and audio into written transcripts and translations in dozens of languages. Teachers can caption lectures, translate instructions, or create inclusive resources for multilingual classrooms.

Why teachers like it:

  • Boosts accessibility and parent communication
  • Offers transcription, translation, and voiceover
  • Simple drag-and-drop interface

Mizou – Personalized AI Feedback and Instruction

🔗 Visit Mizou

Best for: Formative assessment and personalized learning
Mizou offers interactive feedback and auto-grading that adapts to student responses. It supports personalized instruction and helps students understand what they need to improve. While still a new platform, it’s designed to support deeper learning with less teacher micromanagement.

Why teachers like it:

  • Promotes individualized feedback
  • Streamlines grading
  • Focuses on growth and reflection

Snorkl – Promoting Student Reflection Through AI

🔗 Visit Snorkl

Best for: Encouraging metacognition and reflection
Snorkl gives students AI-powered feedback that helps them think about their learning process, not just the final product. It’s especially useful in writing-heavy classrooms or inquiry-based learning environments.

Why teachers like it:

  • Helps students reflect on their thinking
  • Supports revision and goal setting
  • Still in beta, but highly promising

Final Thoughts

These AI tools don’t replace great teaching — they support it. Whether you're trying to cut down on prep time, provide faster feedback, or make learning more interactive, there’s a tool here that can help.

Think of them as your digital co-teachers: reliable, fast, and designed to make your job more manageable so you can spend more time doing what matters most — connecting with your students.

Austin Meusch
February 2, 2025
5 min read