Artificial Intelligence as a Tool for Equity: Addressing Diverse Learning Profiles in Primary Classrooms

Abstract

Abstract – The growing presence of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in education creates new pathways that contribute to inclusion and equity in the learning spaces of today’s globalised and diversified world. By supporting personalized learning, multimodal engagement practices and responsive feedback, AI can function supportively in bridging achievement gaps and empowering all learners to participate meaningfully in the learning process. This paper aims to explore the way AI-driven instructional practices can mitigate varied learning profiles within the context of English as a Foreign Language (EFL) education in primary schools. The present study is based on classroom experiences from a sixth-grade English class in Northern Greece, characterized by students mixed competence levels ranging from those with dyslexia and those with autism spectrum characteristics. To ensure accessibility and active engagement for every learner, teaching practices incorporated AI-based applications, interactive digital resources and cooperative tasks. Therefore, instruction was not uniform but differentiated. To this end, AI-enhanced platforms were employed into lessons in an attempt to facilitate reading comprehension, improving students’ writing fluency and creative expression of ideas through multiple modes- visual, auditory and written. Such technologies offered immediate feedback, language assistance and alternate modes of representation – such as visual and auditory adjustments – that benefitted neurotypical and neurodiverse students alike. Dyslexic students benefitted from speech-enabled technologies and multimodal feedback whereas autism spectrum learners displayed improvement in focus and engagement through AI-mediated activities. More advanced learners integrated AI to expand their vocabulary repertoire and engage in creative text production. Qualitative evidence from classroom observations revealed an increase in engagement, confidence and task persistence, particularly among students who had previously struggled to participate actively. Implications of this practice-orientated research are discussed in connection with recent research on AI-supported inclusion and personalized learning (Holmes et al.,2023; Kohnke & Zou, 2022; Firat, 2023; UNESCO, 2022). Findings pinpoint the significance of teachers’ pedagogical judgment, ethical awareness and adaptability skills when introducing AI into daily school practice. Indeed, while AI technologies may seem promising as far as access and engagement are concerned, equity is achieved only when moderated by a well-informed inclusive design. The paper concludes that if properly and ethically combined, AI is equipped with the potential to function as an agent of educational inclusion. Through adjusting feedback, multimodal learning pathways and utilization of differentiation practices and strategies, AI can enable students with varying learning profiles to access the curriculum on equal terms. The study also highlights the necessity of teacher training, ethical guidance, and supportive school policies in an attempt to ensure responsible use of AI.