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AI Math Coach: Copy & Paste Prompts for Special Educators

K–5 · Intervention & Inclusive Classrooms
How to use this sheet: Copy any prompt below, paste it into AI Math Coach, fill in the [bracketed fields], and hit send. Each prompt is labeled with the assistant that works best for that task.

Pedagogy Assistant   Use for instructional strategies, activity ideas, and coaching support.
Intervention Assistant   Use for structured, student-specific intervention plans.
📋 Understanding a Student's Math Needs

Describe What a Student Can Do

Intervention
Use when: You want to start an intervention plan and need to describe a student's current skills.
I'm working with a [grade level] student who has an IEP for math. Here is what they can currently do: [List 2–3 things the student can do] Here is where they are struggling: [Describe the challenge] Can you help me create an intervention plan that builds on their strengths?
💡 Tip: Be as specific as possible — "can count to 20 but loses track when counting objects" is more useful than "struggles with counting."

Identify the Right Starting Point

Pedagogy
Use when: You're not sure which concept to target first for a student who is behind grade level.
I have a [grade level] student who is struggling with [grade-level concept]. Based on the ALN High Leverage Concepts, what foundational skills should I assess first to figure out where to start?
💡 Tip: AI Math Coach will connect your student's needs to the HLC progressions — the backbone of ALN's approach.
🎯 Differentiating Instruction & Entry Points

Create Multiple Entry Points for the Same Task

Pedagogy
Use when: You want students with IEPs to access the same math task as their peers, just with appropriate scaffolds.
I'm using this task with my [grade level] class: [paste or describe the task]. I have students with IEPs who need more support. Can you give me three entry points — one for students who need significant scaffolding, one for students working toward grade level, and one at grade level — that all connect to the same core mathematical idea?
💡 Tip: All three entry points should lead to the same mathematical understanding — just with different levels of support.

Adapt a Task for a Specific Student

Pedagogy
Use when: You have a specific task and need to modify it for one student.
I have a [grade level] student with an IEP who [describe the student's specific challenge or accommodation need]. Here is the task I'm using with the class: [describe the task]. How can I adapt this task so this student can access the same mathematical idea?

Suggest Concrete Models to Use

Pedagogy
Use when: A student needs hands-on tools to access a concept before moving to abstract work.
My [grade level] student is working on [concept]. They learn best with concrete materials. What manipulatives or physical models would help them build understanding of this concept before moving to pictures or numbers?
📝 Writing IEP Goals & Progress Monitoring

Write a Math IEP Goal

Intervention
Use when: You need to write a measurable math goal for a student's IEP.
I need to write a math IEP goal for a [grade level] student. Here is what they can currently do: [Describe current skills — be specific] Here is what I want them to be able to do by the end of the year: [Describe the target skill] Can you write a measurable IEP goal and suggest 2–3 short-term objectives that build toward it?
💡 Tip: The more specific your current-level description, the more precise and useful the goal will be.

Create a Progress Monitoring Tool

Intervention
Use when: You need a quick, repeatable way to track a student's progress toward an IEP goal.
I'm tracking a [grade level] student's progress on this IEP goal: [paste the goal]. Can you create a simple progress monitoring probe I can use weekly — 3–5 problems that directly measure this skill?

Interpret Student Work

Pedagogy
Use when: You want to understand what a student's errors reveal about their thinking.
Here is a math problem my [grade level] student solved: [describe the problem and what the student did]. What does this tell me about their mathematical understanding? What should I try next?
🧩 Planning Intervention Sessions

Plan a Small Group Intervention Session

Intervention
Use when: You're planning a targeted intervention session for a small group of students with similar needs.
I'm planning a [length, e.g., 20-minute] intervention session for a small group of [grade level] students. They are all working on [concept]. Here is what they can already do: [describe current skills] Here is where they are stuck: [describe the challenge] Can you suggest a session structure with a launch, a main activity, and a closing that builds on their strengths and moves them forward?
💡 Tip: AI Math Coach will suggest activities from the ALN resource library — ask it to include download links!

Find a Game for Intervention Practice

Pedagogy
Use when: You want a low-stakes, engaging activity to reinforce a skill during intervention time.
I need a math game for [grade level] students working on [concept] during intervention. It should be playable with 2–3 students and require minimal materials. Can you find something from the ALN library?

Prepare a Student for a Whole-Class Activity

Pedagogy
Use when: You want to pre-teach a concept so a student with an IEP can participate in the class lesson.
My class is doing a [describe the activity, e.g., number talk, problem solver] tomorrow on [concept]. I have a student with an IEP who may struggle to participate. What could I do in a 10-minute pre-teaching session today to help them access the activity tomorrow?
💬 Supporting Student Discourse & Participation

Sentence Starters for Math Talk

Pedagogy
Use when: A student struggles to verbalize their math thinking during discussions.
I have a [grade level] student with an IEP who has difficulty explaining their math thinking out loud. We are working on [concept]. Can you give me 5–6 sentence starters or prompts I can give this student to help them participate in math discussions?

Questions to Elicit Student Thinking

Pedagogy
Use when: You want to draw out a student's reasoning without giving away the answer.
I'm working with a [grade level] student on [concept]. They tend to shut down when they're unsure. What are some questions I can ask to help them think through the problem themselves, without me giving them the answer?