#543: Designing a Teacher-Facing AI Coach Prototype for Equitable Classroom Discussions in Science

Classroom discussions can deepen science learning, but equitable participation, especially for culturally and linguistically diverse students, remains elusive. I developed Equi-Talk, a prototype AI-enabled coaching chatbot for teachers. It applies the Equitable Classroom Discussion Observation Protocol to help teachers plan, reflect on, and facilitate science classroom discussions that engage diverse students. This paper describes the tool's design objectives, framework, and core functionality, and outlines next steps: UI optimization, beta testing, and iterative improvements.