How to use the Google Assistant in your classroom : Educational Technology

This blog post is sponsored by Acer Education, an EdTechTeam partner.

“OK, Google” … can you be my class assistant?

Voice assistant devices can be useful tools in the classroom. Students can use the devices to check spelling and math, ask general knowledge questions, and manage their time with reminders. Teachers can use templates to develop custom games and quizzes without writing any code.

Devices like Amazon Alexa and Apple’s Siri all work in a similar way, but this blog focuses on the Google Assistant with the Google Home Mini device.

The Google Assistant is included in a number of Google products, including Chromebooks. To get a Google Home Assistant, these are available in a number of stores and online.

NOTE: This blog was written for a global audience. You should always check school, local, and national rules before using any device or new service in this classroom. Google Search and Assistant may need to be turned on.

Everyday use ~ inquiries

With a little prompting and practice, even young students can use the Google Assistant independently. Here are ten prompts you might want to try out with your class to get started:

• “Okay, Google, spell ________.”
• “Hey Google, what is ___ x ___?”
• “Okay Google, what is the capital of ________?”
• “Hey Google, roll a dice.”
• “Okay, Google, what should I write my speech about?”
• “Hey Google, how far is the sun?”
• “Okay, Google, tell us a joke.”
• “Hey Google, what are some local theaters?”
• “Okay, Google, how long does it take to get to _____?”
• “Hey Google, what’s the weather forecast?”

If you don’t have a Google Home, you can test this out by opening the Google Home app and clicking the speaker icon in the lower center of the screen. You can use the same Google Assistant icon for a number of products, including Google Search on some devices.

Third Party Actions

The capabilities of the Google Assistant can be expanded by enabling third-party actions, just as you might be using an app on your device. You don’t have to download anything special. Just ask the Google Assistant to speak or speak to the action you want to use. You can view all available actions in the directory Here.

Some third-party best practices to get you started in the classroom include:

Strangest day ever – An oral language story “Choose your own adventure” suitable for students of all ages. It encourages students to hear stories, draw conclusions from them, and make predictions.

Word problems for children – Problems with math words in different contexts. Ideal for more confident students. This activity contains some “tricky” questions that encourage students to listen carefully and think about the problem they are solving.

Mad Libs – The classic game gives you the phrase and you add the advertised words to make a silly story. Great as a grammar treat or for reluctant writers.

Organization of the classroom

Teachers and students find the Google Assistant helpful in organizing lessons. Here are some things to try:

• “Okay, Google, add parent-teacher meetings to my calendar.”
• “Hey Google, remind me on Thursday that homework is due tomorrow.”
• “Okay, Google, set a timer for 20 minutes.”
• “Hey Google, make a list called” Spelling List 4 “.”
  → “Okay Google, add ‘Vacation’ to ‘Spelling List 4’.”
• “Okay, Google, play the cleanup song on Spotify.” *

* You need to link your account during setup or in the Google Home app under “Settings”.

Student support

Google Home with the Google Assistant are great tools for any classroom, but they do a particularly good job of supporting students with additional learning needs.

Students can use the device as a reader / writer. You can dictate the letter Notes or listsand have it read to them with commands like “Hey Google, create a new note”. Unlike doing a Google search, students using the Assistant in Google Home can check their spelling and access the internet without typing.

For English learners, there are many activities that make practicing conversational English fun and that allow them to make mistakes without feeling judged. Google Translate also works with requests like “Hey Google, how do you say that?” Available [phrase] in the [language]? ‘or’ Okay, google translate [phrase] in [language]. ‘

In addition, the device can be a useful replacement for students with an audio learning style or for those who like to hear stories (“Hey Google, tell us a story”) or just chat when an adult is not available.

If you’d like to learn more about setting up and customizing your device, sign up with us Google Assistant in Education online course!

Quick Links:

Discover and apply the novel tools that educators are using to incorporate technology into the classroom More free online courses, sponsored by ACER. https://www.edtechteam.online/acer