7 Best AI Tools for Teachers to Save Time and Boost Efficiency

Free AI tools to help teachers plan, teach, and assess smarter

By SELINclub | 11 Jul 2025, 02:39 AM

In classrooms today, efficiency is key. Teachers manage many tasks each day — from lesson planning to student feedback, marking, and more. Artificial intelligence (AI) is now helping teachers do these jobs better and faster.

This guide introduces seven powerful tools that support teachers in primary and secondary schools. These free AI tools for education are easy to use, highly practical, and help improve both teaching and learning.

1. MagicSchool – All-in-One Lesson Planning Support

MagicSchool is a comprehensive platform created for classroom teachers. It offers more than 60 features that help with daily teaching tasks. These include generating learning objectives, creating assessments, and even writing parent emails.

You simply choose a task (like creating a starter activity), add your subject and year group, and MagicSchool generates useful content in seconds. You can edit it or use it as-is.

Why teachers like it:

• You can prepare full lessons in minutes
   
• It works well with UK, US, IB, and other curriculums
   
• There are built-in prompts for every key stage
   
• Great for new teachers and time-poor staff

It’s particularly helpful during busy times like parent evenings, report writing, or when covering for colleagues.

2. Canva for Education – Create Visual Teaching Materials

Canva for Education gives teachers free access to premium design tools. You don’t need any graphic design skills. You can drag and drop elements to build slides, worksheets, class timetables, and even behaviour charts.

Templates are customisable, and you can work collaboratively with other staff or students.

Use it for:

• Visual aids for SEN or EAL learners
   
• Infographics to explain science or history topics
   
• Storyboards for literacy tasks
   
• Group presentations or project displays

Visual learning is powerful. Canva helps you bring clarity and creativity into every classroom activity.

3. ChatGPT – Plan, Explain, and Brainstorm

ChatGPT is a flexible writing assistant that helps teachers with both admin and teaching. You can ask it to create model answers, simplify a topic, suggest group tasks, or explain tricky grammar.

It can also be used for revision resources, comprehension questions, and marking suggestions.

Popular classroom uses:

• Summarising chapters or textbook content
   
• Writing learning objectives for lesson slides
   
• Generating multiple-choice questions
   
• Explaining scientific or historical terms simply

ChatGPT saves teachers hours of writing and preparation. It’s always available and works on mobile and desktop devices.

4. Eduaide – Structured Teaching Resources

Eduaide focuses on structured classroom tools. You can select a skill or standard and generate aligned teaching content. It helps you create full learning sequences, including starters, plenaries, and extension tasks.

You can also use it for quick feedback templates or rubrics for creative work.

Standout features:

• Works across different learning standards
   
• Creates tiered tasks for different ability levels
   
• Saves and organises your lesson materials
   
• Useful for both planning and assessment

This tool is great for Heads of Department or senior leaders looking to create consistent lessons across year groups.

5. Quizizz – Game-Based Learning Platform

Quizizz makes assessments fun and fast. You can create or reuse quizzes and run them live or as homework. Students love the game-style approach, which motivates even less confident learners.

It also provides reports that show class performance and common mistakes.

Why it works well:

• Students get instant feedback
   
• Teachers can track learning gaps easily
   
• Can be used for retrieval practice and pre-topic checks
   
• Supports audio, images, and maths tools

Quizizz encourages both collaboration and independent practice. It works well in both in-person and remote classrooms.

6. Fliki – Create Voice-Based Learning Content

Fliki turns typed text into short educational videos. Teachers can use it to bring abstract topics to life. You just paste in your text, choose a voice, and Fliki produces a natural-sounding video.

It’s helpful for flipped learning, home study tasks, and learners who prefer audio/visual content.

Ways to use Fliki:

• Create recap videos for homework
   
• Record pronunciation practice for English or language classes
   
• Turn history summaries into animated explainers
   
• Support SEN students with spoken instruction

Fliki brings spoken content into your teaching in minutes — ideal for multi-sensory learning environments.

7. Sizzle – Maths Problem Support

Sizzle is a powerful tool for solving and explaining maths problems. Students scan or type in a question and receive a full breakdown of the steps to the solution. It’s great for building student independence.

Teachers can also use it to create practice sheets or guide questions for mixed ability groups.

Benefits for maths teachers:

• Supports GCSE and A-level style questions
   
• Reduces repeat explanation time
   
• Encourages students to review their own work
   
• Works well in revision sessions

Sizzle helps reduce maths anxiety and gives students clarity. It’s a reliable support tool for both classroom and home study.

How to Get Started with AI Tools in Your School

Integrating AI tools doesn’t need to be complex or costly. Start small by using just one tool for a common task, such as creating a worksheet or generating a lesson plan. Test how it works for your subject and your pupils.

Here are five easy steps:

1. Choose one tool from the table below
    
2. Use it for a single task (e.g., planning one lesson)
    
3. Adjust the result to suit your teaching style
    
4. Test it with a class or colleague
    
5. Share what worked in your department

You don’t need to replace your existing strategies. These tools help you work faster and more creatively, especially in busy terms.

Comparison Table – 7 Useful Tools for Teachers

Tool Name	Main Use	Link
MagicSchool	Lesson planning, feedback, reports	Visit MagicSchool
Canva for Education	Visual resources, slides, templates	Visit Canva
ChatGPT	Writing support, simplification, and marking help	Visit ChatGPT
Eduaide	Rubrics, lesson structures, and admin tasks	Visit Eduaide
Quizizz	Live quizzes, student engagement	Visit Quizizz
Fliki	Videos from text, audio explanation	Visit Fliki
Sizzle	Step-by-step maths problem solving	Visit Sizzle

 

Why These Tools Matter for Modern Teaching

Using AI tools in education is not about replacing teachers. It's about helping them do more with the time they have. These tools:

• Improve productivity and reduce burnout
   
• Help teachers personalise learning
   
• Make feedback and revision more effective
   
• Engage students with different learning styles
   
• Reduce admin time and duplication

They are also important for global education, helping schools in both urban and rural areas access better teaching tools.

Whether you work in a large academy trust or a small village school, these solutions bring value.

Join the SELIN Club for More Resources

To explore more innovative tools, visit the SELIN Club website. The club supports teachers with resources, training, and expert tips. You'll find webinars, updates, and ideas from schools across the world.

By joining, you become part of a network focused on smart, sustainable teaching. Let SELIN Club help you embrace digital learning in a way that works for you and your pupils.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. Are these tools really free?
Yes. Most tools have free plans that work well. You can upgrade if you want more features.

2. Do I need special training to use them?
No. These tools are made for busy teachers. Most work with just a few clicks.

3. Can students also use these tools?
Yes. Tools like Quizizz, Sizzle, and Fliki are great for student use too.

4. Do they work with British curriculums?
Yes. Most tools can be customised to match UK standards, including KS1–KS4 and A-level.

5. Is it safe to use these tools in school?
Yes. Always check your school’s digital policies, but these tools are widely used in schools worldwide.