Building an AI Alphabet for Kids…with Help from AI!
Robert W. Maloy
Sharon A. Edwards
Jane Cusson
Chenyang Xu
Torrey Trust
Let’s say you wanted to explain the term “Artificial intelligence” to an elementary school student using words that the student would be most likely to understand. Would any of the following explanations help you do so?
What a computer has learned to do.
Something made by humans to look like something made by nature
Teaching a computer to think and learn like a person.
The left side and middle text were written by two of the authors of this blog post; the right hand side text was generated by Estella AI, a chatbot we programmed to produce kid-accessible definitions of words. Our goal was to give adults (teachers, parents, family members, and tutors) options for explaining math, computer, and AI words in terms kids could readily understand.
Language matters! As Sal Khan’s latest book Brave New Words (2024) explains, AI-based terms are becoming commonly used in our daily lives and society. There are terms like “chatbot” (from the words chatter and robot); “hallucination” (computer-generated falsehoods), “algo” (a computer algorithm), and many others that are being used frequently in the media and even in our daily conversations.
Youngsters are hearing, reading, and seeing AI words and they want to understand them. Recently, in a national survey, 66% of 9–17 year-olds said they had some knowledge of what GenAI tools do, and 72% wanted adult support in learning how to use AI correctly and confidently ( National 4-H Council, 2023).
Researchers broadly agree that young learners need to hear and use a word multiple times (ranging from 6 to 20) before that term becomes an understood part of their vocabulary ( Uchihara, et.al., 2019). But printed and online dictionary definitions do not always teach youngsters to incorporate new and unfamiliar words accurately in communications with other people. For example, the Merriam-Webster Dictionary defines artificial intelligence as “the capability of computer systems or algorithms to imitate intelligent human behavior,” which includes several words and terms students might not completely understand.
To support young learners in attaining AI knowledge through AI vocabulary, we began by creating an alphabet of AI words!
An Alphabet of AI Words for Students
To build a list of AI words, we first used our own ideas, then asked students in our college classes, consulted online lists, prompted two AI chatbots, and came up with the following as a start:
Writing Kid-Accessible Definitions in Kid-Friendly Language
To define these terms, we wanted to explain new words in what can be called “kid-friendly” or “kid-accessible” language. “Kid-friendly” is another way of saying easily understandable vocabulary. Students gain meaning and understanding from language that makes sense to them.
We have created kid-friendly terms to teach youngsters about written language by focusing attention on the role or function various terms play in written language. An exclamation point can be an “excitement mark”; an interrogative sentence is a “question-asking sentence.”
We tried writing our own kid-accessible definitions for selected AI words:
- Algorithm = the steps you take to solve a problem.
- SIRI = A machine voice on your computer or phone that answers questions and helps you do things
Then we asked college students in our weekly Tutoring in Schools class to create a kid-friendly, student-accessible dictionary/pictionary definition of AI words from our list or choose an Internet/computer term college students imagine youngsters need to know. On a large index card, the college students wrote a definition and drew an image to accompany the definition. Here is the card for the term “glitch” drawn by one of the co-authors.
An error a machine makes, not you.
AI-Generated Kid-Friendly Definitions
To compare AI-generated definitions with our own and the college students’ creations, we next asked Estella Explainer Math Bot 2, a fine-tuned AI chatbot we built in ChatGPT as part of our Usable Math open online math tutoring platform ( https://usablemath.org/) for elementary school students, teachers and families.
Estella Bot is a reading and vocabulary coach for use by teachers and tutors, trained to generate explanations of math word problems and terms at the “easy reading” level as measured on the Flesch/Kincaid Reading Ease scale. It also can produce kid-accessible definitions of AI words. When asked to define the term algorithm, the Estella Bot replied: “An algorithm is like a recipe. It’s a list of steps that you follow to solve a problem or do something, like baking a cake or finding a toy. Computers use algorithms to know what to do.”
Using AI to Learn about AI
Using AI to learn about AI was a remarkable experience for us. While we were initially unsure how to convey complex AI terms clearly to young learners, by writing our own definitions and then getting phrases and ideas from Estella Bot, we saw how AI could provide more ideas and language for teachers, tutors, and other adults. Rather than thinking in terms of accepting or rejecting one definition or another, here is an opportunity to blend all suggestions and possibilities to support young learners in learning about AI.
We even tried asking Estella Bot to generate a fictional math and AI story using “algorithm” and the chatbot responded with “The Treasure Hunt Algorithm,” an adventure students could act out, illustrate as a comic story, or continue to expand further with more characters and plots.
The Treasure Hunt Algorithm
It was a sunny afternoon, and Maya and her friends gathered at the park for a treasure hunt. Maya held up the treasure map, which had a note at the top: Follow the algorithm to find the treasure.
“What’s an algorithm?” asked Jake, scratching his head.
“It’s just a fancy word for a list of steps we need to follow,” Maya explained. “Like when we follow steps to bake cookies, but this time, it’s for finding treasure!”
The group leaned in as Maya read the steps out loud:
- Start at the big oak tree.
- Walk 10 steps north to the red bench.
- Turn right and take 15 steps to the fountain.
- Look under the rock with the painted star.
“Let’s try it!” said Emma, grabbing the map.
They all ran to the oak tree, counting their steps out loud. At the red bench, they argued for a moment about which way was right, but Maya pointed to her compass. “Algorithms work best if we stick to the directions exactly,” she said.
When they reached the fountain, they spotted the painted rock. Jake lifted it, and underneath was a small box with shiny stickers, candies, and a note that said, Congratulations, you followed the algorithm!
“This was fun!” said Emma.
With its capacity to provide kid-understandable explanations of complex AI language terms, Estella Bot functions as an always-available learning resource. While some of its explanations may not make sense to every youngster, adults can remix, revise, or create their own explanations based on Estella Bot’s definitions. And the bot’s story writing offers another way to help young learners build their vocabulary while making learning relevant and meaningful.
It can be helpful, though, for adults to start, as we did, in trying to create their own kid-accessible definitions and explanations before turning to an AI chatbot. Beginning with one’s own ideas first turns AI into a tool that users control and a resource that users can adopt and adapt according to the learning goals they want to achieve. Give it a try and let us know what happens. Many AI alphabets for kids are waiting to be created.
About the authors
Robert W. Maloy is a senior lecturer in the College of Education at the University of Massachusetts Amherst.
Sharon A. Edwards is a retired elementary school teacher and clinical faculty member in the College of Education at the University of Massachusetts Amherst.
Jane Cusson is a January 2025 graduate of the University of Massachusetts Amherst who is beginning her career in speech pathology.
Chenyang XU is a doctoral candidate in Learning, Media and Technology at the University of Massachusetts Amherst.
Torrey Trust is a Professor of Learning Technology in the College of Education at the University of Massachusetts Amherst.
About Rachelle
Dr. Rachelle Dené Poth is a Spanish and STEAM: What’s Next in Emerging Technology Teacher at Riverview High School in Oakmont, PA. Rachelle is also an attorney with a Juris Doctor degree from Duquesne University School of Law and a Master’s in Instructional Technology. Rachelle received her Doctorate in Instructional Technology, and her research focus was on AI and Professional Development. In addition to teaching, she is a full-time consultant and works with companies and organizations to provide PD, speaking, and consulting services. Contact Rachelle for your event!
Rachelle is an ISTE-certified educator and community leader who served as president of the ISTE Teacher Education Network. By EdTech Digest, she was named the EdTech Trendsetter of 2024, one of 30 K-12 IT Influencers to follow in 2021, and one of 150 Women Global EdTech Thought Leaders in 2022.
She is the author of nine books including ‘In Other Words: Quotes That Push Our Thinking,” “ Unconventional Ways to Thrive in EDU,” “The Future is Now: Looking Back to Move Ahead,” “Chart A New Course: A Guide to Teaching Essential Skills for Tomorrow’s World, “ True Story: Lessons That One Kid Taught Us,” “Things I Wish […] Knew” and her newest “How To Teach AI” is available from ISTE or on Amazon.
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Originally published at http://rdene915.com on January 21, 2025.
