Practical prompts

5 prompts that save hours on differentiation

Matt Dunn · June 24, 2026

Differentiation is the task that turns a manageable teaching week into an unmanageable one. You know it matters. You know one-size-fits-all worksheets leave some students bored and others lost. But creating three versions of the same activity, rewriting a reading for different levels, building scaffold packs — that takes time most teachers don't have.

This is where AI changes things. Not by doing differentiation for you, but by producing a strong first draft in minutes so you can spend your time on the decisions only you can make: which students need what, and why.

Here are five prompts you can copy, paste, and use today. Each one works in ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini, Copilot, or whichever tool you have access to. They cover tiered activities, reading-level rewrites, scaffold packs, extension tasks, and individual adjustments — skip to whichever one you need most. They all follow the same simple structure, which we'll explain after the prompts.

One rule before we start: never paste student names or identifiable information into an AI tool. Every prompt below uses anonymised placeholders. Your students' data stays with you.

Three-tier activity from a single learning intention

You have one activity and you need it at three levels: support, core, and extension. Same learning intention across all three. The common mistake is typing "differentiate this worksheet for different ability levels." Too vague. You need to tell the AI exactly what changes between the tiers.

Prompt structure

You are a [year level] [subject] teacher. Create three versions of [activity type] on [topic]. Present each version under a clear heading (Support, Core, Extension) with [number] questions/tasks per version and clear instructions for students. Support should [describe the specific scaffolding: sentence starters, worked examples, word banks, reduced choices, visual aids]. Core should be the standard activity as you would normally set it. Extension should [describe the specific stretch: open-ended questions, removed scaffolding, evaluation or justification tasks, connections to broader concepts]. All three versions target the same learning intention: [learning intention].

Copy-and-paste example

You are a Year 9 science teacher. Create three versions of a practice activity on balancing chemical equations. Present each version under a clear heading (Support, Core, Extension) with 5 questions per version and clear instructions for students. Support should include a worked example at the top, partially completed equations where students fill in the missing coefficient, and a reference box showing common element symbols and their valencies. Core should be standard practice questions with equations to balance independently, progressing from simple to multi-element. Extension should require multi-step equations involving polyatomic ions, include two questions where students explain their balancing method in writing, and finish with a question asking students to predict the products of a reaction and then balance it. All three versions target the same learning intention: students can balance chemical equations by applying the law of conservation of mass.

What the AI produces (abbreviated) Support

Worked example: Fe + O₂ → Fe₂O₃ becomes 4Fe + 3O₂ → 2Fe₂O₃ (walkthrough of counting atoms on each side, with arrows showing the tally). Reference box with common symbols and valencies. Five equations with one or two coefficients already placed, students fill the rest.

Core

Five equations to balance independently, progressing from two-element to multi-element compounds. No scaffolding. Clear instruction: "Balance each equation by adding coefficients. Show your atom count for each side."

Extension

Three equations involving polyatomic ions (e.g. calcium carbonate reacting with hydrochloric acid). Two questions requiring written explanation of method and how conservation of mass applies. Final question: "Predict the products of magnesium reacting with sulfuric acid, write the unbalanced equation, then balance it. Explain your reasoning."

Tweak it → If the support version is still too hard, tell the AI: "Reduce the support version to 3 questions and add a second worked example." Iteration takes seconds. Starting from scratch takes half an hour.

Rewrite a text for a different reading level

You have a reading that's right for most of your class but inaccessible for students working below the expected level. Rewriting it by hand can take an entire evening. AI does this well, but only if you tell it what to keep. Without guidance, it strips out the technical vocabulary your students actually need to learn.

Prompt structure

You are an experienced [subject] teacher who specialises in making complex texts accessible to younger or struggling readers. Simplify the text below so it is suitable for [target year level or reading level] students. Keep the same paragraph structure. Use short sentences (under 15 words where possible). Keep these key vocabulary words and include a brief definition in brackets after each one: [list key terms]. Here is the original text: [paste your text here]

Copy-and-paste example

You are an experienced history teacher who specialises in making complex texts accessible to younger or struggling readers. Simplify the text below so it is suitable for Year 5 reading level. Keep the same paragraph structure. Use short sentences (under 15 words where possible). Keep these key vocabulary words and include a brief definition in brackets after each one: industrialisation, urbanisation, factory system. Here is the original text: The process of industrialisation in nineteenth-century Britain fundamentally altered the economic and social fabric of the nation. Urbanisation accelerated as workers migrated from rural areas to emerging industrial centres, drawn by the promise of employment in the burgeoning factory system. Living conditions in these rapidly expanding cities were frequently dire, with overcrowding, inadequate sanitation, and the spread of infectious disease presenting persistent challenges to public health.

What the AI produces

In the 1800s, Britain changed in big ways. Industrialisation (building lots of factories and machines) meant new kinds of work appeared in towns and cities.

Many people left the countryside to find jobs. This movement to cities is called urbanisation (when lots of people move to cities). They worked in the factory system (a way of making goods in large buildings using machines instead of by hand).

The cities grew very fast. There were too many people and not enough houses. The streets were dirty. Diseases spread quickly. Life in these new cities was often very hard.

Tweak it → Need multiple levels? Follow up with: "Now produce a version suitable for Year 7 reading level, keeping the same three key terms." You can generate three levelled versions of the same text in under five minutes.

Important → Some schools and departments restrict how much you can modify core or prescribed texts. Check your faculty guidance before using a simplified version with students. If modification isn't an option, AI can still help: ask it to create preview questions, a vocabulary glossary, or paragraph-by-paragraph guiding questions that support access to the original text.

A scaffold pack for an existing task

You already have the activity. It works for most of your class. But some students need more structure: sentence starters, a word bank, chunked instructions, or a partially completed graphic organiser. This prompt generates a complete scaffold pack around an existing task. You're not creating a different activity. You're creating the supports that let every student do the same one.

Prompt structure

You are a [year level] [subject] teacher. I have an existing [activity type] on [topic] that I want to make more accessible for students who need additional support. Create a scaffold pack that includes: a set of [number] sentence starters, a word bank of [number] key terms with brief definitions, a chunked version of the instructions (broken into numbered steps with one action per step), and a partially completed [graphic organiser type] that gives students a starting structure. The learning intention is: [learning intention]. [Any relevant context about students or task.]

Copy-and-paste example

You are a Year 9 English teacher. I have an existing essay-planning activity on the theme of conflict in a novel study that I want to make more accessible for students who need additional support. Create a scaffold pack that includes: a set of 6 sentence starters for analytical paragraphs, a word bank of 12 key terms with brief definitions (covering literary techniques and theme vocabulary), a chunked version of the instructions (broken into numbered steps with one action per step), and a partially completed planning grid with columns for paragraph focus, evidence, and technique. The learning intention is: students can plan a structured essay exploring how an author presents the theme of conflict. Students have read the novel and discussed key scenes but find it difficult to move from discussion to written planning.

What the AI produces (abbreviated)

Sentence starters: "The author presents conflict through…" / "This is significant because it reveals…" / "The use of [technique] suggests that…" / "A contrasting moment occurs when…" / "This connects to the wider theme of conflict by…" / "The reader is positioned to feel…"

Word bank: Foreshadowing (a hint about what will happen later), juxtaposition (placing two things side by side to show contrast), tension (a feeling of suspense or unease), internal conflict (a struggle inside a character's mind)… [8 more terms]

Chunked instructions: Step 1: Choose three scenes from the novel where conflict appears. Step 2: For each scene, write the page number and a one-sentence summary… [continues]

Planning grid: Three rows pre-filled with paragraph labels (Introduction, Body 1, Body 2). Columns for Paragraph Focus, Evidence (Quote or scene), Technique, and Effect on reader. First row partially completed as a model.

Tweak it → Want the scaffold pack formatted for a specific template? Tell the AI: "Reformat the word bank as a two-column table I can print on A4" or "Add a model paragraph at the top of the planning grid."

Extension tasks for early finishers

The students who need more challenge often get "do the next page" or "help your neighbour" because you're occupied with students who need support. That's not extension. This prompt generates stretch tasks that move up through the levels of thinking: applying, analysing, evaluating, and creating, with a metacognitive reflection at the end.

Prompt structure

You are a [year level] [subject] teacher. Create a set of [number] extension tasks for students who finish [original activity] on [topic] ahead of the class. The tasks should increase in cognitive demand: start with an application task, then an analysis task, then an evaluation or creation task. Include one metacognitive reflection question at the end (e.g. "What was the hardest part of this, and what strategy did you use to work through it?"). Present each task with a clear heading and brief instructions students can follow independently. The learning intention is: [learning intention]. [Any relevant context.]

Copy-and-paste example

You are a Year 4 maths teacher. Create a set of 4 extension tasks for students who finish a fractions activity on comparing unit fractions ahead of the class. The tasks should increase in cognitive demand: start with an application task, then an analysis task, then an evaluation or creation task. Include one metacognitive reflection question at the end. Present each task with a clear heading and brief instructions students can follow independently. The learning intention is: students can compare unit fractions and explain which is larger using reasoning. Students have access to fraction bars and number lines.

What the AI produces (abbreviated)

Task 1 — Apply: "Place these five unit fractions on a number line: 1/2, 1/3, 1/5, 1/8, 1/10. Write a sentence explaining the pattern you notice about the size of the fraction and the size of the denominator."

Task 2 — Analyse: "Sam says 1/6 is bigger than 1/4 because 6 is bigger than 4. Explain why Sam is wrong. Use a diagram or a number line to prove it."

Task 3 — Create: "Write a word problem for a friend where the answer involves comparing two unit fractions. Include an answer key."

Task 4 — Reflect: "What was the trickiest part of today's work? What did you do when you got stuck?"

Tweak it → If you want tasks that connect to a different subject, add: "Make Task 3 a real-world problem involving cooking or measurement." Cross-curricular extension is a single sentence away.

Adjustments for an individual learner

This is for when you need to modify a specific task for a specific student: an individual learning plan, working memory challenges, or English as an additional language. Do not use the student's name or any identifying details. Describe their learning profile in general terms: year level, area of need, and what you're trying to achieve.

Prompt structure

You are a [year level] [subject] teacher. I need to adjust the following task for a student with [anonymised description of learning need, e.g. "working memory challenges" or "English as an additional language, approximately Year 3 reading level"]. Here is the original task: [paste or describe the task] Modify the task so this student can access the same learning intention: [learning intention]. Keep the core content and assessment criteria the same. Adjust the [instructions / language complexity / response format / scaffolding / length] to suit this student's needs. Explain what you changed and why, so I can check it matches what I know about this student.

Copy-and-paste example

You are a Year 6 teacher. I need to adjust the following task for a student with working memory challenges who finds multi-step instructions difficult to follow. Here is the original task: Write a diary entry from the perspective of a character in our class novel. Include at least three references to events from the story, use first-person voice throughout, and show how the character feels about what happened. Minimum 200 words. Modify the task so this student can access the same learning intention: students can write in first person from a character's perspective, demonstrating understanding of events and emotions. Keep the core content and assessment criteria the same. Adjust the instructions and response format to suit this student's needs. Explain what you changed and why, so I can check it matches what I know about this student.

What the AI produces (abbreviated)

Modified task: Chunked into four numbered steps, one action per step. Step 1: Choose one event from the novel (a list of three events is provided as prompts). Step 2: Write 2-3 sentences about what happened, in the character's voice. Step 3: Write 2-3 sentences about how the character felt. Step 4: Read your entry aloud to check it sounds like the character talking. Word count reduced to 100-150 words. A "first person check" reminder box is included: "Am I using I, me, my?"

What changed and why: Multi-step instruction broken into single steps to reduce working memory load. Event prompts provided so the student doesn't have to recall and select simultaneously. Word count reduced to keep the task achievable without sacrificing the learning intention. Self-check prompt supports independence.

Tweak it → If you have multiple students who need similar adjustments, tell the AI: "Create two versions of this modification: one for a student with working memory challenges, and one for a student learning English as an additional language at an emerging level."

Privacy reminder → Never include student names, diagnosis details, or anything that could identify a specific child. "A student with working memory challenges" gives the AI everything it needs. Your professional knowledge of the student is what turns the AI's draft into the right adjustment.

Why these prompts work

Every prompt above follows the same structure. They all use a framework called RTFC: Role, Task, Format, Context.

The RTFC Framework

Role tells the AI who to act as, which shapes the tone and level of the output.

Task specifies exactly what you want it to produce.

Format describes how the output should look: headings, tables, numbered steps, word counts.

Context provides the details that make the output specific to your class, your students, and your curriculum.

Context is the element teachers leave out most often, and it makes the biggest difference. "Differentiate this worksheet" is all task and no context. "Create three versions targeting the same learning intention, with sentence starters in the support version and evaluative questions in the extension version" produces something you can actually use.

Once you see the pattern, you can apply it to anything: report comments, parent emails, quiz questions, unit plans, rubrics. The framework is the same every time.

Three things to remember

It's a draft, not a deliverable. Every output needs your professional eye before it reaches a student. Check the support version genuinely scaffolds without lowering the learning intention. Check the extension version genuinely extends without just adding more of the same. AI gets you to 80% in two minutes. The last 20% is your expertise.

Iterate, don't restart. If the output isn't right, tell the AI what to fix: "Make the support version simpler," "Add a word bank to Tier 1," "Change the extension task to a debate format." You're having a conversation, not filling in a form.

Your judgement is the point. AI doesn't know your students. It doesn't know that the student in the third row needs bigger font and fewer items per page, or that your extension group responds better to creative tasks than analytical ones. The prompts give you time back. What you do with that time is the work only you can do.

Differentiation isn't about creating three times as much work. It's about giving every student the right path to the same destination. AI handles the production. You handle the decisions.

Try one this week

Pick whichever prompt matches your most pressing need. Copy it, swap in your details, and paste it into whichever AI tool you have access to. Compare the output to what you'd normally spend your evening producing from scratch.

If you want to go deeper, these five prompts are drawn from techniques we teach in Practical AI for Busy Teachers. The course covers differentiation workflows like these and many more, with step-by-step guidance, ready-to-use templates, and real examples across primary and secondary.