With so many new AI-driven tools popping up, it’s easy to get lost. Is it even possible to try all of them? Well, is it even necessary?
During a recent CPD session for in-service teachers, I was asked to define a ‘useful’ genAI tool (in addition to the usual ‘Do we even need to learn languages nowadays?’ Short answer: ‘Yes.’). I thought it would be good to answer this question with a particular example. For me, a useful tech tool is that’s rooted in learning and pedagogy. It’s not like, ‘Hey, let’s fit it into learning and see what happens!’ Such approach usually results in a gimmick that dazzles momentarily before it’s tossed aside for the next oh-wow thing. Why? Because it was not developed with learning and teaching in mind.
I don’t often write about third-party genAI tools here – I’m a picky ‘toolista’, but there are tools in which I see a value added for teaching and learning. One such gem is Google Lab’s experiment, GenType. The tool uses generative AI to make an alphabet out of just about anything you can imagine. It might be especially helpful if you teach young learners though it can be used with teenage and adult learners too (watch the video below for some ideas).
What tickles my fancy about the tool is the ‘spark’ behind its creation. One of Google Lab’s team members devised GenType to aid his kid in learning the alphabet. By generating letters from objects his kid was already familiar with, learning became more engaging, fun, and visually stimulating.
The tool is very easy to use. It has pre-generated alphabets in the gallery that you can use right away.
You can either go with these ready-made options or let your creativity run wild with your own ideas.
The tool works pretty well with custom prompts, from pancakes (Prompt: Grape jelly, on pancakes, photoreal, aerial shot),
light bulbs (Prompt: Strings of light bulbs, dark background, photorealistic),
and more complex prompts of icebergs (Prompt: Letters shaped like a massive iceberg, with the underwater portion in deep blue),
and to bioluminescent sea creatures (Prompt: Bioluminescent sea creatures, deep ocean abyss background, glowing and mystical).
Your imagination is the limit.
You can save the generated alphabets, individual letters and words written using your alphabet as PNG files and use them in class.
If you want to experiment and go a bit further, try to make video flashcards. I’ve used Luma Dream Machine and Pika to bring my letters to life.
Check out the video below for more creative ideas and inspiration!.
Happy lettering!
