Pedagogical Foundations

Evidence-based principles that guide how we build AI tools for education.

Our Approach

Teachers are irreplaceable

At Mantiq Learn, we firmly believe that teachers are and will always be the most important influence on young people's development and growth. Many of our team are former educators, so we know first-hand that teachers are true superstars. We believe that, with the right tools, AI can help teachers be even more effective.

Our goal is never to replace teachers, but to empower them to do what they do best: teach, inspire, and support their pupils.

1

Empowering the Teacher

Philosophy

Teachers are not just content deliverers but expert professionals who know their pupils and context best.

Key Concepts

  • Teachers as decision-makers: AI and tools should assist, not replace.
  • Teacher agency: Maintaining control over instruction, curriculum, and assessments.
  • Time as a resource: Tools that automate or streamline planning/admin give teachers more time for relational, reflective, and responsive teaching. Our goal is also for teachers to finish early and get some of their 'me' time back.

AI Design Principle

"Keep the human in the loop" — ensure the teacher always has the final say and we don't automate tasks that they enjoy.

2

Direct Instruction

Philosophy

A structured, explicit, teacher-led approach to delivering new content in small, manageable steps, with frequent checks for understanding.

Pedagogical Sequence

  1. 1I do (teacher models)
  2. 2We do (guided practice)
  3. 3You do (independent practice)
  4. 4Feedback and review

Why It Works

Reduces ambiguity, provides clear expectations, supports mastery through scaffolding, and is supported by strong evidence for improving outcomes across diverse learner groups.

Who Benefits

All pupils, especially novice learners, EAL pupils, and those with SEND who benefit from structured, repeated exposure.

Link to AI in Education

The WAGOLL Generator creates high-quality model examples linked to the national curriculum, highlights key features, and produces differentiated versions for varied abilities, allowing teachers to focus on delivering clear, structured instruction.

3

Modelling

Philosophy

The process of demonstrating a skill, concept, or thought process so learners can observe and understand the steps before applying them independently.

Pedagogical Sequence

  1. 1Show (teacher demonstrates)
  2. 2Explain (make thinking visible through narration)
  3. 3Scaffold (guide pupils in replicating)
  4. 4Release (move to independent practice)

Why It Works

Makes invisible cognitive processes explicit, supports skill acquisition, and builds learner confidence.

Who Benefits

All pupils, but particularly those who struggle with implicit learning cues, such as SEND learners or those unfamiliar with the subject.

Link to AI in Education

The Creative Writing Visualiser transforms pupils' written work into images, showing the tangible impact of adjectives, adverbs, verbs, and nouns. This makes abstract language effects visible, providing a concrete model of how writing choices shape meaning.

4

Inclusion

Philosophy

A pedagogical approach where all learners, regardless of background or need, participate fully in the same learning environment with appropriate support.

Pedagogical Sequence

  1. 1Identify learner needs
  2. 2Adapt materials and teaching
  3. 3Foster collaborative and accessible activities
  4. 4Monitor and adjust support

Why It Works

Builds belonging, ensures equitable access to curriculum content, and supports social as well as academic development.

Who Benefits

Pupils with SEND, EAL learners, disadvantaged pupils, and the wider class through exposure to diverse perspectives.

Link to AI in Education

The EYFS Sensory Station generates age-appropriate, personalised sensory activities linked to the EYFS curriculum, allowing SEND and all learners to engage in accessible, hands-on learning.

5

Cognitive Load Theory (CLT)

Philosophy

A learning theory that recognises the limits of working memory and emphasises structuring learning to avoid overload.

Pedagogical Sequence

  1. 1Reduce extraneous load (remove distractions)
  2. 2Manage intrinsic load (break tasks into smaller steps)
  3. 3Promote germane load (focus effort on learning processes)

Why It Works

Helps learners process information more effectively, leading to better retention and transfer of knowledge.

Who Benefits

Particularly effective for novice learners, those with processing difficulties, and pupils learning complex material for the first time.

Link to AI in Education

The Comprehension Question Generator allows teachers to control the complexity and number of questions, adapt reading levels, and select only relevant question types — reducing extraneous load and focusing pupils' cognitive effort on the intended learning.

In Summary

At Mantiq Learn, we see AI not as a replacement for great teaching, but as a catalyst that gives teachers more time, sharper resources, and greater flexibility to meet the diverse needs of their pupils.

In doing so, we uphold our belief that the most impactful classroom resource will always be a skilled, inspired, and empowered teacher — which we know AI can deliver.

Ready to explore our tools?

See how our pedagogical principles are applied in practice across our toolkit.