There’s a shift in the air, y’all. I’m not hearing a whole lot in the way of, “How do we catch AI usage / How do we stop it / How do we keep it out of our classrooms?”
Rather, I’m hearing a lot MORE of this: “How do we talk about it with our students? What are some student-friendly ways to start using it? What would it look like for students to use AI?”
Those are valid questions, especially since corporations and businesses are basically forcing us to use it, whether we want to or not… And whether we’re even aware of it or not → Hello, AI in the drive-thru at Taco Bell, Wendy’s, KFC… and others will follow to stay competitive. It’s not perfect by any means, but it’s evidence that large companies are experimenting with it and that things are shifting—fast.
…And if large companies are using it imperfectly right now instead of waiting to perfectly figure it all out, then why can’t we? This is what we talk about as teachers anyway: Try, fail, get feedback, try again, don’t worry about perfection, learning is falling forward, keep going.
So on that note, let’s talk about how AI can engage middle schoolers in reading—without replacing their brains.
We all know engaging middle schoolers in whatever the day’s reading selection happens to be is…challenging. But AI can shake things up by adding interactive elements, creative twists, and just enough novelty to make reading feel fresh and relevant. The key? Using AI as a PARTNER, not a shortcut.
Here are 10 creative ways to use AI to boost student engagement in reading—without sacrificing comprehension, analysis, or the human element.
1️⃣AI-Powered “Bookflix” Trailers – Have students use AI tools like Canva’s Magic Media to generate video trailers for novels or short stories they’re reading. They input key themes, and AI helps create a “streaming-style” preview.
2️⃣Interactive Chat with Characters – Use tools like ChatGPT or Character.AI to let students “chat” with a book character… Imagine getting to “interview” August Pullman from Wonder or Scrooge from A Christmas Carol to help deepen their understanding. This is a fantastic way to help students think deeply and critically about the level of their questions since better questions result in better, more fully-developed responses.
- Not sure you want to just turn your students loose for an activity like this? Teach them how to write high-level questions using Costa’s Levels of Inquiry. I like to teach the Levels of Inquiry by using one simple image (like a dog staring into an open hamster cage) to model how the levels of questions develop based on the one image.
- Next, students submit their highest levels of questions for you to input into the AI tool of your choice and you can go from there. This part makes for a fantastic “small group” teacher station activity as well.
3️⃣AI-Generated Alternate Endings – Students write out a summary of the plot of a novel or short story and enter it into an AI story generator (like Sudowrite or ChatGPT). Then, they can analyze or revise the AI-generated alternate ending for accuracy, theme consistency, or creativity. As mentioned in the bullet points above, this is also something you can do as a class where you model it with them; or, it can become part of a teacher station activity so you can keep an eye on things and have more control of what exactly is happening.
4️⃣Mood & Tone Image Generator – After reading a passage, students use AI art tools (like DALL·E) to create an image that represents the mood. Then, they analyze how AI “interpreted” the text. The more students write, explain, and provide details, the better the image will turn out—I mean, if that’s not immediate, relevant feedback…right?!
5️⃣AI-Generated Text Comparisons – Copy a passage into an AI rewriter (QuillBot, ChatGPT) along with a series of details for AI to change (like details of the setting) while also making plot changes as needed in order for the plot to align logically to the new setting details.
- Have students compare the original vs. AI’s version. What changed? Did AI keep the tone? Did meaning shift? Does the new version feel disjointed or awkward?
- Which parts do they really like, that they hadn’t considered before? What surprised them?
- Next, should students continue prompting AI to create better, more logical results? Or, should students copy + paste the AI-crafted rewrite and just start working through it themselves to make adjustments?
Remember that we’re all learning this from ground zero. It’s ok to not know, exactly. You could go one direction in one class, and a different direction in the next class that walks in. We’re all experimenting!
6️⃣AI as the Literary Analyst – Give students an AI summary of a novel or poem. Their job? Fact-check it! AI sometimes oversimplifies or misinterprets themes—students can grade its analysis like a teacher (especially if they get to use an actual rubric you already have…or maybe they create their own rubric and use it to assess the AI summary).
7️⃣Virtual Field Trips to Book Settings – AI-generated travel guides (Google Bard, ChatGPT) can create an itinerary for a book’s setting. For instance, students could compare AI’s “tour” of Salem, MA for The Crucible or New York in Percy Jackson with actual research of the location.
8️⃣AI-Powered “What Would They Read?” – AI recommends books based on a character’s personality. Example: “What would Atticus Finch read in 2024?” Students analyze the AI’s picks and defend or refute them.
9️⃣AI-Driven Theme Detective – Students input text into AI tools like Claude or ChatGPT and ask it to extract themes. Then, they verify if AI’s analysis matches their own (or argue against it).
🔟AI-Powered Escape Room – Use AI tools to generate games or puzzles based on a book’s plot, themes, or other literary elements. Students could work independently or in partners to create games that other students could play (check out the free options in Genial.ly for game-making!)
Here’s what I’m thinking right now: AI isn’t here to replace teachers (or turn reading into a soulless tech experiment). When used strategically, it can enhance engagement, spark curiosity, and challenge students to think critically about literature. Plus, let’s be real—middle schoolers love anything that feels new and techy.
What I AM thinking right now is that for us, for students, and for everyone else in all kinds of industries, it’s not AI that’s going to replace us, per se. It’s PEOPLE who know how to leverage AI that’ll replace us.
^^^ I say that based on historical 20/20 eyesight: There was a “before times” with computers. There was a “before times” with automobiles.
Maybe my brain can’t even fathom what AI will ultimately do or turn into, so that’s why I’m saying this is what I’m thinking right now. I’m allowed to rethink this and change my opinion next year if I want to. And so can you 🙂
Therefore, at least playing with AI in creative ways can be a gentle step into this new Wild West of tech. It’s ok for us to try.
You know what’s happening at next summer’s MSELA Summit, the back-to-school virtual conference for Middle School ELA Teachers?
→ Along with everything else you want to know about back-to-school reading + writing strategies, classroom management + engagement, and scaffolding for our struggling students, we’re also including a handful of sessions specifically designed to help Middle School Reading & Writing Teachers leverage AI for student use AND for our own use as well.
Get your free ticket to the MSELA Summit which is the annual back-to-school virtual conference specifically designed for Middle School ELA Teachers.
Click Here for the Dates + Details!
