Can AI Make the Holistic Progress Card More Holistic? Innovative Uses of Artificial Intelligence at the Foundational Stage

• 2026-07-20 12:00:00

• Parakh NCERT

• By Indrani Bhaduri

A child builds a bridge using wooden blocks. The bridge falls. The child widens the base and tries again. The child explains the new design in the home language. The child asks a classmate for a longer block. Later, the child helps another child complete the same task. A conventional assessment may only record whether the bridge was completed. A holistic assessment notices much more. It captures problem-solving, persistence and communication. It also captures spatial understanding and creativity.

The Holistic Progress Card brings together information about the child’s background, interests, attendance, classroom participation and developmental progress. It also includes self-assessment, peer assessment and family observations. An annual descriptive summary is also prepared. Artificial Intelligence can help organise observations and group similar evidence. It can also trace changes over time. AI may highlight areas that need further observation. It can support lesson planning, feedback and family communication. However, AI should not directly test young children. It should not diagnose, label or rank them. Its role should remain supportive. The teacher must review the information and interpret it in context. The teacher must also make the final decision. The purpose of AI is not to replace teacher judgement. It is to help teachers move from collecting information to using it for meaningful classroom action.

Part A (1): General Information, Attendance and Interests

The first part of the HPC records general information about the child. It may include age, grade, home language and medium of instruction. It may also include family background, illness and attendance. The section records the child’s interests. These may include reading, music, sports, gardening, art, craft, cooking and household activities.AI can help the teacher connect this information. It can support a better understanding of the child’s learning context. 

For example, a child may speak a different language at home. The child may also have irregular attendance. The child may enjoy music and movement. The same child may participate more actively in practical activities than in worksheet-based tasks.AI can organise these details into a short profile. This profile may show that limited classroom participation is linked to language or attendance. It may not be linked to ability. 

The teacher can use songs and movement to introduce new ideas. More exposure to classroom vocabulary can also be provided. Visual and bilingual instructions may be used where needed. The teacher can revisit activities missed during absence. Learning can also be connected with the child’s interests.AI can do more than prepare a child profile.It can create a personalised participation plan. For a child with irregular attendance, it can suggest short catch-up activities. For a child who speaks a different home language, it can prepare bilingual vocabulary cards and visual instructions. It can also design activities around interests such as gardening, music or vehicles.

Part A (2): Me and My Surroundings

This section allows the child to share personal information. The child may talk about age, birthday, home, family and friends. The child may also share aspirations and favourite colours, foods, animals, flowers, sports and subjects. This information helps the teacher understand the child’s world. AI can convert children’s interests into a classroom theme. 

For example, it can create a week-long learning plan around animals. The plan may include counting, storytelling, movement, drawing and environmental awareness. AI can also generate different prompts for children who prefer speaking, drawing, acting or building. It can help the teacher identify common interests across the class. It can also highlight the unique interests of individual children, shared experiences and changes in interests over time. These patterns can help the teacher select themes for stories, projects and classroom activities. 

Part B: From Curricular Goals to Classroom Evidence

Part B follows a common structure. The teacher selects the curricular goal and competency. The teacher then plans a suitable activity. Assessment questions are prepared. The child’s performance is recorded through appropriate indicators. It is viewed through Awareness, Sensitivity and Creativity.AI can connect four elements:

Curricular Goal → Competency → Activity → Observable Evidence

For example, a teacher may select a competency related to shapes. AI can suggest a play-based activity using classroom objects. It can prepare questions that require comparison and explanation. It can also suggest behaviours that the teacher should observe. These may include sorting, matching, comparing and explaining. AI can also suggest follow-up activities for children who need different levels of support.AI can also organise short voice notes. For example, a teacher may record, “Kabir grouped the bottle caps by colour. Later, he grouped them by size.” It may identify evidence of classification and flexible thinking. The teacher must review the categorisation before using it.

Domain 1: Physical Development

The Physical Development domain includes healthy and safe habits. It also covers sensory development, balance, coordination and body movement. The teacher may observe the child’s balance, fine-motor control and participation in movement activities. The teacher may also note the safe use of materials, personal hygiene and sensory responses. Physical confidence and the support needed during an activity can also be recorded.AI can organise these observations across several activities. It may show that a child avoids balancing tasks. It may also show that the child uses too much pressure while drawing.AI can prepare a sequence of activities that gradually increases in difficulty. A child may begin with large blocks before using beads or small objects. AI can create visual movement cards, safety reminders and adapted activity instructions. It can also suggest changes in materials, grip size or task duration.

Domain 2: Socio-emotional Development

This domain includes understanding and managing emotions. It also includes respect for others, productive work, seva and care for the environment. The teacher may observe how the child expresses happiness, anger or fear. The teacher may also note whether the child waits for a turn, responds to disagreement and seeks help. Other observations may include comforting another child, taking part in shared work, caring for classroom materials and responding to plants and animals.AI can organise these observations across different situations. For example, a child may share materials during an art activity but find it difficult during free play. A broad label such as “does not cooperate” would ignore the situations in which the child cooperates well.AI can suggest small-group tasks, emotion cards, stories, games and care-based activities. It can also create role-play situations and suggest classroom responsibilities.

Domain 3: Cognitive Development

Cognitive development includes observation, reasoning and logical thinking. It also covers quantities, shapes, patterns and measurement. The teacher may observe how children compare objects, notice similarities and classify materials. The teacher may also note how they recognise patterns, estimate, count and explain cause and effect. Asking questions, testing ideas and changing an answer after receiving new evidence are also important.AI can help identify the strategy used by the child. It should not focus only on whether the final answer is correct. For example, Two children may correctly identify which set has more objects. One may count the objects. The other may compare the space they cover. Both give the same answer, but they use different methods.

AI can identify strategies such as counting one by one, visual estimation, matching, comparison and trial and error. It can also generate questions that reveal how the child is thinking. Different versions of the same problem can be created.AI can also help identify common misconceptions. For example, several children may believe that a longer row always contains more objects. AI can suggest an activity using the same number of objects arranged in rows of different lengths. The purpose is to support the child’s next learning experience. It is not to label the child as weak or strong.

Domain 4: Language and Literacy Development

This domain includes language learning and communication .The teacher may record the vocabulary used by the child during conversation. The teacher may also observe whether the child understands oral instructions, participates in storytelling and uses both the home and school language. Recognition of sounds and symbols can also be noted. Early writing attempts, retelling of experiences and confidence in speaking are also important.AI can organise these observations under listening, speaking, reading and writing. 

For example, a teacher may record, “Aarav narrated the full incident in Punjabi. He used only two-word responses in English.” This shows that Aarav has narrative ability. The difficulty may be related to the second language. It should not be seen as a lack of understanding. 

The teacher can use picture sequences, bilingual discussions and repeated oral exposure. AI can also create story prompts and suggest suitable vocabulary. It can prepare picture-based questions and track new words used by the child. It can compare oral expression over time. It can also prepare a brief language summary for families. AI can adapt stories into the child’s home language and school language. It can turn a child’s spoken story into text for a portfolio. It can also prepare questions at different language levels. The teacher can use these tools to connect the home language with new language learning.

Domain 5: Aesthetic and Cultural Development

This domain includes visual and performing arts. It also covers expression through music, movement, drawing, craft and dramatic play. The teacher may observe the child’s choice of colours and materials. The teacher may also note the use of rhythm and movement, willingness to perform and originality. Responses to music and art can also be recorded. Participation in cultural activities, explanation of artistic choices and experimentation with materials are equally important.

AI can help create a digital portfolio. The portfolio may include drawings, photographs, teacher notes and the child’s explanations. AI can organise these entries under categories such as music, movement, drawing, clay, drama and craft. Over time, the teacher may notice certain patterns. A child may use stories while drawing. Another child may express emotions through movement. Some children may copy familiar patterns before creating new ones. Others may perform more confidently in groups or experiment with new materials.AI can suggest new materials and artistic experiences. It can connect drawing with storytelling, music with movement and craft with environmental learning. It can also prepare culturally relevant prompts.AI should not judge whether the child’s work is beautiful. It should document participation, expression, experimentation and growth.

Positive Learning Habits

This section focuses on habits that support classroom learning. The teacher may observe whether the child begins an activity independently, stays engaged and completes the task. The teacher may also note whether the child asks for clarification, tries again after a mistake and organises materials. Following routines, working with others and accepting support can also be recorded.AI can help identify the conditions in which the child learns well. For example, a child may remain engaged during practical activities. The child may participate better when instructions are given one step at a time. Peer support, visual cues or a choice of materials may also improve participation.AI can generate visual schedules, choice boards and step-by-step task cards. It can divide a complex activity into smaller parts. It can also suggest movement breaks, peer support and different versions of instructions. The teacher can select the support that is suitable for the child. The teacher should not simply write that the child needs to concentrate more. Positive learning habits are still developing at this stage. They should not be treated as fixed personality traits.

Teacher Feedback and Observational Notes

The HPC provides space for teacher feedback and observational notes. These notes are based on classroom activities and the child’s performance. AI can help convert brief notes into meaningful feedback. It can organise the information under current learning, emerging strengths, areas that need further observation, possible next steps and points for discussion with the family.

For example, a teacher may record three notes: “Needed help to begin,” “Completed the task after watching another child,” and “Explained the process clearly the next day.” AI can combine these notes into a clear statement. It may write, “The child initially needed support to begin. After observing a peer, the child completed the task. The child later explained the process independently. More opportunities for guided observation may be helpful.”.AI can do more than combine notes. It can generate feedback in different formats. One version may be written for the teacher. Another may be written in simple language for the family. It can also suggest the next classroom action and a suitable home activity. Every statement must remain linked to actual evidence.

Child Self-assessment

The HPC asks children to reflect on their own experiences. They may indicate whether they liked an activity and whether it was easy or difficult. They may also show whether they needed help from a peer, teacher, book or computer.AI can create child-friendly reflection formats using pictures, audio prompts or simple choices. It can also generate follow-up questions based on the child’s response. 

For example, when a child selects “difficult,” AI may suggest asking, “Which part was difficult?” The teacher can then discuss effort, challenge and the support needed. Self-assessment should not be treated as a test of honesty or correctness. Young children may understand symbols and choices in different ways. The teacher should discuss their responses with them before drawing conclusions.

Parents’, Caregivers’ and Guardians’ Observations

AI can help teachers prepare home-learning suggestions that match the resources available. Shared reading may be suggested where books are available. Oral storytelling may be used where books are not available. Lengthy digital tasks should be avoided when a phone is shared by the family. Activities such as sorting utensils, counting vegetables and comparing containers can be done using household materials. Local radio and community resources may also be used.

AI can translate family comments and organise them alongside classroom evidence. It can also prepare focused questions for family discussions. Family observations may show whether a behaviour appears only at school or at home as well. This information should support fair and inclusive planning. A lack of digital resources should not be seen as a lack of family interest. The teacher and family may notice different aspects of the child’s development. AI can bring these perspectives together, but it should not decide which adult is correct.

Academic-Year Summary

Part C provides a descriptive summary of the child’s development. AI can use this evidence to create a developmental narrative. It can show the child’s starting point, progress, successful support and next learning priority. A useful summary should clearly state what the child can do. It should also include supporting evidence and indicate the next step. For example, the statement, “Ananya has shown good progress in cognitive development,” is too general. A more useful statement would be, “Ananya sorts familiar objects by colour and size. She can explain the reason for her grouping. She has also started changing her grouping after noticing new features. Activities based on weight and length may further develop her reasoning.” AI can also prepare a transition note for the next teacher. The note may explain what engages the child and which teaching strategies have worked. However, the teacher must verify every statement before using it.

So, can AI make the Holistic Progress Card more holistic? Yes. It can help teachers interpret and use the evidence already captured in the HPC more effectively. Its value does not lie in collecting more information about children. It lies in helping teachers connect observations with activities, support, feedback and future learning. AI must remain a tool in the teacher’s hands. However, it should not replace teacher judgement or the child’s voice. When used responsibly, AI can turn the HPC from a record of learning into a tool for responsive and meaningful teaching!