Help Centre
Search for answers, or browse by topic. Some articles require you to sign in.
Start here
Thinking Mode has three modes. Watch a short overview of each, or read how it works.
- Draft ModeStudents write under supervision, so you see what they can do themselves.Read the guide to Draft Mode
- Discussion ModeAn AI tutor questions each student about a topic or a class reading.Read the guide to Discussion Mode
- Defence ModeStudents upload the work they’re handing in, then explain it to an AI tutor.Read the guide to Defence Mode
Filter by topic:
22 articles
Getting started
Choosing a mode and creating your first task
- What is Discussion Mode?The AI tutor asks each student adaptive questions about a topic or a class reading, and you read the transcript to see what they understand.
- What is Defence Mode, and why use it?Students submit their assignment to Thinking Mode, then defend their ideas in an automated 1:1 interview. You get evidence of what each student actually understands.
- What is Draft Mode?Students write in a supervised editor, so you see what they can produce themselves and how they use sources.
- How do I give feedback on a student’s draft?Open a draft in Feedback mode, highlight a passage, write a comment, and send it so the student sees it beside their writing.
- How do I add resources to student instructions?Allow students to access additional resources (PDF, image and video) while completing a task and choose when students see each one.
- How do linked Draft and Defence Mode tasks work?Draft Mode captures supervised writing; Defence Mode then questions students on what they added afterwards.
Running a lesson
Students joining, pausing, lockouts, flags and wellbeing
- How do students join a task?Students enter the task’s access code, then their first name. You can add students to an existing task at any time by giving them the code.
- How can my class re-enter a task across multiple lessons?Pause a task at the end of a lesson, give students their re-entry codes, and let them carry on next lesson.
- A student missed the lesson. How do they catch up?Absent students can use the same access code at a later date. Let one student in while the class stays paused, reopen their work, or give extra time.
- A student is locked out. How do I let them back in?Why secure mode locked a student out, how to readmit them, and how to limit it happening again.
- A student was stopped for a wellbeing concernWhat the student sees, how you are alerted, and how to let them continue once you have checked in with them.
Task options
Voice, read aloud and mature content
- How do students speak their answers?Turn on 'Speak answers' for a task, and students can talk instead of typing. Their words are transcribed into the conversation.
- How do students have replies read aloud?Turn on 'Read replies aloud' for a task and students get a Listen button on every reply, plus the option to have new replies read automatically, at the speed they choose.
- Can a task include mature or sensitive content?Turn on Allow mature / sensitive content for a task that needs to discuss topics such as war, crime or drug use. Wellbeing checks still work as normal.
Results and sharing
Evaluations, releasing results, sharing tasks and Canvas
- How do I read the AI evaluation?When the AI evaluation runs, what it shows, and why to check it before you rely on it.
- How do I release results to students?Release the AI evaluation, rubric score and your written feedback to students, together or one at a time.
- How do I share a task with another teacher?Invite a colleague at your school to co-own a task, send any teacher their own copy, duplicate a task or hand it over.
- Canvas Setup Guide for TeachersLog into Thinking Mode from Canvas, add tasks, and post transcripts back to SpeedGrader.
- Schoolbox Setup Guide for TeachersAdd a Thinking Mode task to a Schoolbox assessment and post grades back to Schoolbox.
Your account
Signing in and two-step verification
Setup & IT
Network, browser, and access setup for IT teams