This article is the third in a series that explores AI, particularly the topics of how it can foster student agency, cultivate a love of reading that celebrates cultural diversity, and support multilingual learners in literacy instruction.

In 2018, the International Literacy Association (ILA) launched Children’s Rights to Read, an initiative founded on 10 fundamental rights that ensure every child, everywhere, has access to literacy-rich learning environments. We all recognize reading as a fundamental human right. ILA’s vision goes further, emphasizing the need for every child to have the opportunities, resources, and support needed to develop and engage with literacy in multiple ways. These rights are essential for shaping lifelong readers and fostering literacy identities, which supports children’s future success.

With the recent publication of the 2024 edition of ILA’s Advocating for Children’s Rights to Read toolkit, we thought it would be especially timely to dive into how artificial intelligence (AI) can play a role in protecting these rights. AI can offer innovative solutions for educators seeking to integrate diverse, accessible texts into their classrooms. In fact, with AI, teachers can easily find multicultural literature, differentiate texts, and create more inclusive environments.

In this post in our series, we explore how the AI tools Perplexity, Poe, and Diffit can help make ILA’s vision of Children’s Rights to Read a reality.

Expanding access to diverse texts

AI offers educators valuable resources to help build libraries that are both diverse and accessible. For instance, AI tools such as Perplexity can assist in curating a wide range of multicultural texts, making it easier to build both digital and physical classroom libraries.

Perplexity can assist in curating a digital library by helping educators locate books that address timely themes or specific cultural events. For example, a teacher seeking books on civic participation could use the tool to find titles such as Grace for President by Kelly DiPucchio, which offers a multicultural perspective on leadership.

For a full reading list, the prompt “Provide a list of multicultural books on civic participation geared toward student readers” resulted in the following:

Primary books (Ages 4–8)

• V Is for Voting by Kate Farrell, illustrated by Caitlin Kuwald
  This ABC book introduces young readers to concepts of democracy, social justice, and civic responsibility through diverse characters and scenarios.
• We Are Water Protectors by Carole Lindstrom, illustrated by Michaela Goade
  Inspired by Indigenous-led movements, this book celebrates taking action to protect the environment and natural resources.
• Kamala and Maya's Big Idea by Meena Harris, illustrated by Ana Ramírez González
  Based on a true story from Vice President Kamala Harris’s childhood, this book shows how two sisters worked with their community to create positive change.
• Sofia Valdez, Future Prez by Andrea Beaty, illustrated by David Roberts
  Sofia takes on city hall to turn a local landfill into a park, demonstrating grassroots activism.

Intermediate books (Ages 8–13)

• Marley Dias Gets It Done: And So Can You! by Marley Dias
  Drawing from her experience leading the #1000blackgirlbooks campaign, Marley shows kids how to make positive changes in their communities.
• The Epic Fail of Arturo Zamora by Pablo Cartaya
  This story follows a Cuban American boy working to save his family’s restaurant and neighborhood from gentrification.
• You Are Mighty: A Guide to Changing the World by Caroline Paul, illustrated by Lauren Tamaki
  This guide provides practical advice and inspiring stories to empower kids to become changemakers.
• Amina’s Voice by Hena Khan
  Amina, a Pakistani American girl, finds her voice and brings her community together after her mosque is vandalized.

Young adult books (Ages 14–17

• The Voting Booth by Brandy Colbert
  This novel follows two first-time voters, Marva and Duke, as they navigate election day challenges and discover the importance of making their voices heard.
• Yes No Maybe So by Becky Albertalli and Aisha Saeed
  A story about two teens from different backgrounds who join forces to canvass for a local state senate candidate, exploring themes of political activism and cultural understanding.
• Running by Natalia Sylvester
  Mari, the daughter of a presidential candidate, grapples with her own political views and the challenges of being in the public eye during a high-stakes campaign.
• How I Resist: Activism and Hope for a New Generation edited by Maureen Johnson
  A collection of essays, songs, illustrations, and interviews from various contributors, designed to empower young readers to take action and create change.

By expanding their classroom libraries with AI-curated resources, teachers can ensure students have access to the diverse texts that Children’s Rights to Read envisions.

A critical aspect of ILA’s Children’s Rights to Read campaign is ensuring that students have the freedom to choose what they read, allowing them to connect more personally with the material. AI tools such as Poe make this possible by offering personalized reading recommendations that align with students’ interests, reading levels, and identities. Students can have agency in selecting their own text based on their personal reading preferences—genres, reading goals, or formats.

Below is a sample prompt written by a high school student:
I’m a 9th-grade student who reads at an advanced level, but I don’t like reading classic literature. Some of my favorite books I’ve read are Harry Potter, The Lord of the Rings, Percy Jackson, Ender’s Game, and The Maze Runner. I’m looking for new, challenging books with male lead characters that will not be boring. What do you recommend?

In response, Poe generated a customized list of recommendations including The Alchemyst by Michael Scott and The Scorpion Rules by Erin Bow, providing the student with engaging options that matched his reading level and interests.

What sets Poe apart is its ability to host multiple platforms (such as ChatGPT), allowing teachers and students to compare results from different sources within a single interface, saving time and enhancing the personalization process.

Once you find the right text, the next step is to ensure every student can access it in a meaningful way. This is where AI tools such as Diffit.me are beneficial, streamlining the process of adapting materials for diverse learners. Diffit allows educators to modify texts for different reading levels and even translate them into other languages, ensuring that multilingual and diverse learners can access and engage with the same content.

For instance, a teacher could use Diffit to adapt a National Geographic article originally written for higher grade readers, simplifying it for younger or less advanced readers. Within seconds, the tool generates a version that includes a summary, key vocabulary highlights, and discussion questions, all tailored to the target grade and language. These adaptations empower educators to deliver culturally responsive instruction in ways that recognize and respect each student’s unique learning journey.

Diffit’s practical applications include text analysis, vocabulary activities, and group discussions, and it can create high-interest articles that align with various reading skills. This quick adaptability empowers teachers to deliver culturally responsive instruction, ensuring that all students—regardless of their diverse learning styles and needs—can engage with literature that mirrors their lives and opens windows into the lives of others.

Through AI, protecting the right to read and providing students with rich literacy environments is more achievable than ever. These tools bring the vision of inclusive, culturally responsive classrooms closer to reality. We encourage educators to explore these and other AI tools to experiment with how they can foster and celebrate diversity, support student choice, and provide all children with the right to read in ways that reflect and honor their unique literacy identities.

Natalie Beach, lecturer of special education, Lindsey Braisted, instructor of ESL and literacy, Cassie Brown, PhD graduate assistant, and Amber Spears, associate professor of literacy methods, are all affiliated with Tennessee Tech University.