Artificial intelligence is already part of how our children search, read, and learn. Across the UAE, it is becoming part of how they are taught, too. With AI now part of the national curriculum starting in kindergarten, keeping students away from it only leaves them less prepared for the future the UAE is building.
At Emirates American School (EAS), we believe the question for families is not whether children should use AI, but how. That is why we actively encourage our students to take part in AI and digital learning workshops hosted by the UAE Ministry of Education and the Sharjah Private Education Authority (SPEA). These sessions give students guided, age-appropriate experience with new technology, and they show families that learning to use AI responsibly is a national priority.
Part of a Global Conversation on AI
As a member of Global Schools Group (GSG), EAS is connected to a network of 64 campuses across 11 countries, and AI in education is a focus across that network. GSG’s 2025 Global Annual Leadership Summit was dedicated to the theme “AI in Education,” bringing together school leaders and AI specialists to shape how technology is used responsibly in classrooms worldwide.
For EAS families, this means our approach to AI is developed on ideas, research, and experience from schools across Asia, the Middle East, and beyond, while staying rooted in Sharjah and in the values of our community.
How Can AI Help Students With Schoolwork?
Used thoughtfully, AI can be a powerful learning companion. The key is matching how it is used to a child’s age and stage.
Kindergarten
At this age, AI stays in the teacher’s hands. KG teachers can use it to:
- Create short, personalized stories that feature a class’s own interests, which children then retell, act out, or illustrate
- Generate picture prompts that spark conversation and build speaking confidence in English and Arabic
- Design phonics games, rhymes, and songs tailored to the letters and sounds the class is learning
- Plan hands-on activities around a theme, such as weather, animals, or the UAE’s heritage
Primary Grades
Primary students can begin to use AI with close teacher or parent supervision. It can help them:
- Practice reading with texts adjusted to their level
- Build vocabulary in English and Arabic through quick quizzes and word games
- Get a math concept explained a different way when the first explanation didn’t click
Middle School
Middle School students can use AI more independently, with clear boundaries. It can help them:
- Brainstorm ideas for a project before narrowing down their own direction
- Get feedback on a draft’s structure and clarity, then revise it themselves
- Break down difficult topics in science or social studies into simpler steps
- Explore beginner coding and see how AI tools are built
High School
High School students can use AI as a study partner and planning tool. It can help them:
- Prepare for debates by exploring arguments on different sides of an issue
- Understand complex readings by asking follow-up questions
- Explore university programs and career paths, then research them further
- Practice interview and presentation skills through role-play
How Can AI Help Students Study for Exams?
Exam preparation is one of the most practical areas where AI can help, when used correctly. Students can use AI to:
- Generate practice questions on a topic, then attempt them independently before checking their answers
- Create summaries and revision notes from their own material, then review and refine them in their own words
- Test their understanding by explaining a concept to the AI and asking it to point out what they’ve missed
- Build study schedules that break a large syllabus into manageable sessions
The Importance of Critical Thinking When Using AI
The most valuable skill we can give students in the age of AI is a curious, questioning mind.
AI tools are powerful, but they are not always right. They can state incorrect information, miss context, and reflect bias. A student who accepts every answer without question is in a weaker position than one who has never used AI at all. This is why the UAE’s AI curriculum covers ethics and risks alongside data, algorithms, and real-world applications, and why critical thinking sits at the center of how we approach technology at EAS.
The Role of Families
Parents can support responsible AI use at home by:
- Asking children to show how they used AI on a task, and what they learned from it
- Encouraging participation in Ministry of Education and SPEA workshops when opportunities arise
- Talking openly about privacy and respectful behavior when using digital tools
- Making sure AI supports learning in Arabic as well as English
Our Approach at Emirates American School
Technology and innovation are part of everyday learning at EAS. Our students have earned recognition at innovation showcases, and through Ministry of Education and SPEA workshops, they gain wider exposure to how AI is shaping the UAE’s future.
As a Cognia-accredited American curriculum school following the Common Core State Standards, and as part of the Global Schools Group network, EAS combines a rigorous academic foundation with global perspective and local values.
Know More about us: https://emiratesamericanschool.com/contact-us/
