Why Simpleshow Deserves a Place in English Classrooms

Simpleshow is a new tool for me, and at the same time, I believe it has strong potential in English teaching. Not because it uses the trendiest AI functions (though that’s definitely a bonus), but because it brings something very valuable into the classroom: visualisation.

Many digital tools look impressive but actually distract from learning. What makes Simpleshow different is its simplicity. It turns written scripts into short visual stories using clear animation and voice-over, which provides something learners truly understand.

In this blog, I’ll explain Simpleshow from three angles: 

• How It Works
• What It Offers and Lacks
• How I Use It in Classroom

 

How It Works

Simpleshow is a script-based video maker. You type in your text, and the system automatically generates a video storyboard using ready-made illustrations. You can adjust the pictures, choose a voice-over, and export a video, all without needing any video editing skills.

There’s also an AI writing function that helps you create a script even if you don’t know what to write. This feature makes the process even easier. For me, that’s where the tool really saves time.

It may sound a bit limited at first. But for language teaching, this is actually a good thing. Since everything is built from your script, the language comes first. Unlike many other tools where visuals take over, Simpleshow keeps the focus on the words.

When we enter the Simpleshow page, we can start right away. The website offers three choices for video creation. In the free version, you can either write your own script or let the AI write a story for you. Even though some functions are locked for free users, based on my experience, the free version is already enough for basic English teaching needs.

I chose to create my own script. To be honest, there’s no need to explain every step in detail here, because Simpleshow itself provides short tutorials after almost every step. They’re clear and helpful. Even first-time users can quickly get the hang of it.

There’s a category called "Education", and I usually start with a blank template. That makes it easier to show how each part works.

As you write your script, the system automatically breaks it into scenes. Each sentence becomes a new scene, and key words are linked with suggested illustrations. Of course, you can replace or delete any picture. Interestingly, even if the image doesn’t match the word directly, you can still use it. For example, in my video, I wanted a background to show bike riding. So I used a park image linked to the word “learn”, even though they’re not directly related.

After editing the script and images, you can choose a voice and wait for the video to be generated. That’s it.

For language learners, this text-based and linear format is helpful. It gives input in a clear, structured way, combining sound and visuals. For teachers, it also pushes us to think more carefully: what do we want students to see, hear, understand, and remember? In this way, Simpleshow helps us create more focused input.

What It Offers and What It Doesn’t

From a teaching perspective, Simpleshow has several clear advantages:

1. Grammar and vocabulary in natural context 🌞

Because the videos are short stories, they help present grammar and vocabulary in real situations. It’s a great way to introduce common sentence patterns or functions without sounding too formal. This is how I use it, for example, in the example below I have written a story which makes extensive use of the ‘be going to do’ grammatical structure to help students understand the meaning of this structure.

2. Clear visuals, not distracting 👀

The animations are simple and consistent. That might seem basic, but it helps learners focus on language instead of being overwhelmed by too many visual effects.

The automatically generated visual symbols in the videos are appropriate for the words to be highly relevant, and after editing and modification by the teacher, the videos will be more likely to convey the purpose and content of the teaching and learning, which will enable the students to understand them more easily.

3. Reusable script ✌

A good script can be reused for other classroom tasks—listening, gap-fills, pronunciation, role-plays, and more. It’s not just a video. It becomes a resource.

Of course, there are some limitations:

The videos are passive. Students can only watch. There is a quiz function, but to use it well, teachers still need to design follow-up tasks to make sure the video is processed deeply.

Also, because it’s a free version, some customisation options are missing. You can’t add your own background or advanced visual details. The voice-over choices are limited, and sometimes the tone sounds a bit robotic. If you’re teaching pronunciation or intonation, you may need to record your own version.

If anyone wishes to know the price of the upgrade, I'd be happy to give some info here. But this is obviously a bit too expensive for use in general language teaching!

The free version is also quite sufficient, after all, we don't want to rely on this site to underwrite our lessons do we? That said, these issues are not too serious. What matters more is how we use the tool. By itself, Simpleshow is just a video creator. But with interaction and guidance, it becomes something much more valuable.

A Quick Example from My Class

To try it out, I made a short video to introduce “be going to” for expressing future plans. The script was very simple:

 

This story repeats the target structure many times in a natural way. Borrowing this generated video to explain the grammar can greatly assist my teaching. I could have done this without first explaining the grammar. Instead, students need to watch the video first so they can develop a basic understanding, and then I can ask a few simple questions to help them notice the pattern. I believe that by teaching this way, they will be able to start trying to summarise and use new grammar points on their own.

The final result! Can't believe I made this!

The video does not replace my teaching, but it can actually support it. It also made the lesson more interesting. Instead of spending time explaining the context with words, I let the video show it for me.

Coupled with the aid of PowerPoint, I think this is a good way to practice the inductive approach. Students are able to spontaneously try to summarise grammatical structures on their own with the help of videos and visual structural comparisons, and this learning process will undoubtedly lead to a deeper understanding and retention.

Besides grammar presentation, I think Simpleshow can also be used for pre-reading or pre-listening tasks. It can give students clear, structured input before they deal with longer texts. You can even use the video as homework. Students can watch it again after class to review the language and improve their memory.

In a Nutshell

Simpleshow is not the most exciting or high-tech tool. But that’s exactly why I like it. It supports teaching in a quiet but effective way. It helps teachers focus on clarity, structure, and meaning, instead of spending too much time on design.

It’s not a tool that can carry the whole lesson. And that’s okay. When used properly, for example, as a warm-up, a scaffold, or a follow-up activity, it fits naturally into the classroom. In environments where complicated tools often make learning harder, Simpleshow reminds us that simple things can work best.

I will definitely use it again in my future lessons. What about you? Have you tried Simpleshow? I’d love to hear how you use it in your teaching too.

Simpleshow: https://simpleshow.com