Using AI to Help Students Prepare for the SAT

Preparing students for the SAT can be a daunting task, to say the least. While providing opportunities to practice test-taking skills can show strong results, the process of selecting texts, writing SAT-aligned questions, and grading can take up hours of work time. Additionally, using class time to focus on test preparation often feels like it’s taking instructional time away from the scope and sequence of a course.

Together, these challenges lead many teachers to opt out of preparing students for a test that still has a significant impact on a student’s available pathways to success after high school. However, thanks to AI tools, all teachers can be empowered to equip students with the skills needed for success on college entrance exams without the stress.

In our digital age, the integration of artificial intelligence (AI) tools into the classroom has the potential to greatly enhance SAT preparation for both teachers and students. With platforms like MagicSchool.ai and ChatGPT, educators can provide a multitude of materials for their students. These tools, when combined with others like the Form Builder extension for Google Docs, allow teachers to quickly generate SAT-style reading questions from any given text, thereby facilitating the assessment of students’ comprehension skills.

This not only saves time and provides quick and useful data but also ensures that the texts used are relevant to the curriculum and students’ current reality.

Using the Tools

The first task for creating test-preparation materials is selecting a text, something that can be accomplished with ease using AI. Teachers can use texts that are already a part of their curriculum because SAT-style questions can be generated for any text as long as it can be copied into MagicSchool.ai or the chosen AI software. Additionally, one of the most significant advantages of AI technology is that it empowers teachers to create custom nonfiction texts on topics specific to their classes. Academic Content Generator, one of MagicSchool.ai’s many tools, lets teachers create useful and relevant nonfiction texts by merely inputting a grade level, length, topic, and content type (news article, textbook page, short narrative, etc.). 

Once a text is selected, teachers can use AI tools to generate exam-style reading questions and assignment prompts tailored to their students’ needs and differentiated levels. All the teacher has to do is copy a text into the AI tool of their choice. We prefer MagicSchool.ai’s SAT Reading Question tool, but other programs can be used. Additionally, many commonly used texts are already known by the AI. For example, we’ve created SAT-style questions on The Crucible, Dracula, Frankenstein, and To Kill a Mockingbird for English language arts classes by simply inputting the title and chapter number.

The integration of the Google Docs Form Builder extension adds even more convenience by enabling teachers to convert the AI-generated reading questions into a Google Form. All you have to do is copy AI-generated questions into a Google Doc and Form Builder can convert it into a Google Form with a click of the mouse. Forms can be set up to provide automatic graded feedback through answer key selection. It also allows for preprogrammed prompts to redirect students when they give incorrect answers, using content provided by the instructor.

This eliminates the need for manual grading and gives students immediate feedback, making the learning process more efficient. Students can then take charge of their own learning, asking specific questions for better understanding, while teachers can identify areas that need reteaching.

For additional support, there are other time-saving tools, like Quetab, Yippity, and Curipod, that offer additional features such as flash cards, quizzes, and interactive classroom slide decks. These tools enhance the overall learning experience by providing interactive and engaging activities that help students reinforce their knowledge and skills.

When using any AI tool to create material, it’s important that you review the material yourself to check for any errors. Still, the amount of time saved overall makes it easy to do a quick accuracy check. 

Implementing AI-Generated Test Prep Into the Classroom

Once a text is selected and SAT-style questions are generated, there are several ways that teachers can use these materials in class to support success.

• First, test preparation can be the focus of daily bell-ringer tasks before your typical course instruction. The selected text can be used to give context for the lesson taught during class.
• Second, you can generate SAT-style reading questions to place alongside subject-specific questions following a reading task. For example, if you teach a psychology course, you might have students read and respond to questions about principles of psychology alongside SAT-style questions covering the same text.
• Third, you can challenge students to do better than the AI. You can generate SAT-style reading questions for a text and have students analyze and rewrite the questions to see if their questions can be better at measuring an SAT skill.
• Finally, SAT-style question sets can be given as supplemental tasks for students who desire more exam preparation or for students to work on when done with the regular learning tasks that they are assigned.

While the technology is best utilized within the core classes covered by the exam, we’ve also used MagicSchool.ai in Family and Consumer Sciences (FACS) courses to render kitchen math problems, texts, and other standards-based concepts in an SAT-style format. These materials are used in problem trails, tests, and quizzes to reinforce math and English standards while continuing to support FACS skills. With the Google Docs Form Builder extension, we convert the quiz questions into self-grading Google Forms, creating quick, accurate data valuable for personalized reteaching.

This approach helps students use their knowledge in real-life scenarios encountered in standardized tests. Using data from assessments to personalize content based on student knowledge, skills, and experiences enhances engagement and allows students to explore the subject matter more deeply. The use of AI tools in SAT preparation revolutionizes the way students learn and engage with the material.

By leveraging these technological advancements, teachers can provide their students with a comprehensive and interactive learning experience that ultimately prepares them for success in college and their careers after high school. Embracing AI in the classroom not only enhances SAT preparation but also equips students with valuable digital literacy skills, ensuring that they are well-prepared for the challenges of the 21st century.