MAKING IT EASIER TO BE A BETTER TEACHER

NOTEWORTHY NEWS

Here’s our weekly roundup of interesting education stories from around the world. Click each link to dive deeper:

• New research has shown that humans are better than AI at this one crucial aspect of thinking.

• For every minute of screen time, kids hear six fewer words from adults - check out this ground breaking study on how much screen time is too much.

• English teachers - ever wondered why all new writing kind of sounds the same?

TECH TOOL

Struggling to see how students think?

Let’s face it - getting inside a student’s head is like trying to solve a mystery.

 They hand you a worksheet with the right answer, but what you really want to know is: How did they get there?

Did they guess? Did they actually understand the process? If only you could listen in on their inner dialogue. Well, now you can.

The Solution: Snorkl

Snorkl helps students articulate their thinking by letting them speak and draw their solutions, while its AI analyzes both their spoken explanations and visual work. 

This provides instant, personalized feedback, offering a complete picture of their reasoning process - not just the final answer. 

Snorkl's real-time speech and whiteboard recording feature captures both verbal and visual cues, while its teacher dashboard gives you a bird’s-eye view of student progress. 

With support for over 50 languages, Snorkl works across subjects like math, reading comprehension, and more, helping students refine their thinking and gain confidence.

In Your Classroom:

Let’s be real: trying to teach students how to think critically, or even just explain themselves, can feel like pulling teeth. 

But with Snorkl, you can finally get past the “answer is correct, but I have no clue how they got there” dilemma.

Here’s how you can use Snorkl in your classroom:

Strategies

• Math Problem-Solving: Have students talk you through each step of a problem while drawing out their work. You’ll get instant feedback on how well they understood the concept - not just whether the answer is right.

• Reading Comprehension: Ask students to read a passage and explain it aloud. Snorkl will assess how well they grasped the material and offer suggestions to improve comprehension.

• Language Practice: For language learners, Snorkl provides real-time feedback on pronunciation and fluency. This tool is a confidence booster for anyone trying to master a new language.

Snorkl isn’t just about getting the answer right. It’s about giving your students the space to articulate their thinking and build stronger reasoning skills. 

Whether you’re teaching math, language arts, or anything in between, this tool can help you get a clearer view of where your students are at - and help them improve, one explanation at a time.

Plus, with a free teacher plan, there’s no excuse not to try it. Ready to stop guessing how your students think? Snorkl’s got you covered.

BRAINY BITS

Can board games make math class less snoozy?

This week, we look into a recently published study that hands teachers a five-step recipe for turning any board game into a problem-solving powerhouse - no digital skills required.

The Study: Getting practical about classroom board games

Researchers worked with 59 Grade 7 students, splitting them into two classes to trial two custom board games (based on popular games) in regular math lessons . 

Teachers followed a neat five-step framework - Adopt, Enhance, Align, Implement, Reflect & Revise - to weave gameplay into five 50-minute weekly sessions . 

Mixed methods captured student surveys, classroom observations, and teacher reflections to see if this low-prep approach actually sticks.

The Results:

Across the board, students were engaged (no surprises here!):

• Fun & Teamwork: 96.6 % reported math practice felt “fun” and 93.2 % enjoyed teaming up rather than going solo .

• Deep Dive: Open-ended feedback praised “simple rules,” “immediate feedback,” and “healthy competition” .

• Teacher Ease: Observers noted the framework integrated seamlessly into existing lessons, slashing prep time and putting students in the driver’s seat .

In Your Classroom:

No need for fancy software - grab a classic game, tweak a few rules, and watch engagement soar. Here’s how this study can benefit your classroom:

Strategies

• Adopt & Remix: Pick a familiar favorite (Snakes & Ladders anyone?). Swap snakes for “challenge pits” that require answering a question card to climb out - suddenly every move tests curriculum content.

• Mini-Pilot Test: Run the game with a small group. Ask players what felt clunky or thrilling, then refine mechanics before full-class play.

• Debrief & Iterate: After the session, have students jot one winning strategy and one rule tweak. Use their ideas to sharpen both gameplay and learning outcomes.

Because students find games fun and motivating, you’ll tap into their natural curiosity - turning math practice into play and cutting down off-task behavior. 

Plus, with the framework’s low-prep design, you spend less time planning and more time guiding meaningful, student-led exploration.

By following these five steps, you’ll swap passive lectures for hands-on problem solving - and turn your classroom into a playful lab of math mastery!

REFERENCES

This week’s issue adapts information from the following sources:

Tech Talk:

Snorkl (2025). Instant feedback on authentic student thinking.  Retrieved from https://snorkl.app/

Brainy Bits:

Nautiyal VV, Silverio SA and Salvador EEP (2024) Let’s get on-board: a practical framework for designing and implementing educational board games in K-12 classrooms. Front. Educ. 9:1420515. doi: 10.3389/feduc.2024.1420515