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Documentation Index

Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.coraltalk.com/llms.txt

Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

Each Coraltalk class includes Coral, your AI teaching assistant. Customize Coral to match your teaching style and course needs.

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Quick setup (3-5 minutes)

Most teachers configure a usable TA in 3-5 minutes after syllabus upload, then refine over the first week of term.
1

Navigate to Customize

Open your class → Click Customize in the sidebar (or 24/7 TA card from Summary)
2

Set basic identity

  • Name — Keep “Coral” or choose a custom name
  • Voice — Select from available AI voices (preview each one)
  • Language — Primary language for responses
3

Define personality

Write a short description of how Coral should behave:
  • Teaching style (Socratic, direct, encouraging)
  • Tone (formal, casual, supportive)
  • Approach to questions (give answers, guide to answers, challenge assumptions)
4

Set guardrails

Configure what Coral should and shouldn’t do:
  • Answer homework directly vs. guide students
  • Handle off-topic questions
  • Refer students back to you for specific topics
5

Test and refine

Have a conversation with Coral yourself, then adjust based on responses

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Customization options

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Identity and voice

Default: CoralCustom options: Choose any name that fits your class theme or personality. Some teachers use:
  • Subject-related names (Newton, Darwin, Socrates)
  • Friendly names (Alex, Sam, Jordan)
  • Course-specific assistants (CS101 Guide, Marketing Mentor)
Choose from multiple AI voice options:
  • Male and female voice options
  • Different accents and speaking styles
  • Preview each voice before selecting
Students respond better to voices that match your course context (professional for business, friendly for language learning)
Set the primary language for Coral’s responses. Coral can:
  • Respond in the set language
  • Switch languages if a student asks in another language (configurable)
  • Provide translations when helpful

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Personality and teaching style

Define how Coral interacts with students using the personality prompt: 
You are a Socratic teaching assistant. Never give direct answers. Instead, ask probing questions that lead students to discover the answer themselves. When a student asks a question, respond with 2-3 questions that guide their thinking.

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Behavior guardrails

Set boundaries for what Coral should and shouldn’t do:
Options:
  • Never provide direct answers — Guide students with hints and questions
  • Partial help allowed — Explain concepts but don’t solve problems
  • Full tutoring — Help students work through problems step-by-step
Be explicit about your expectations to avoid academic integrity issues
Configure how Coral handles non-course questions:
  • Politely redirect to course topics
  • Answer briefly then return to coursework
  • Refuse to engage with off-topic discussions
Tell Coral when to refer students back to you:
  • Personal issues or complaints
  • Grade disputes
  • Extension requests
  • Technical problems
  • Specific complex topics you want to teach directly
Control whether Coral:
  • Cites specific pages from uploaded materials
  • Refers to lecture notes or readings by name
  • Admits uncertainty when information isn’t in course materials

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Knowledge base integration

Coral’s answers are grounded in your uploaded materials. See Knowledge library for:
  • Uploading syllabi and course documents
  • Managing lecture notes and slides
  • Adding supplementary resources
  • Updating materials throughout the term
Strong course materials = better TA responses. Upload your syllabus, lecture slides, and key readings for best results.

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Advanced settings

Control how verbose Coral’s answers are:
  • Concise — Brief, direct responses
  • Standard — Balanced detail
  • Detailed — Comprehensive explanations with examples
Enable optional behaviors:
  • Follow-up questions — Coral asks clarifying questions
  • Related topics — Suggests connected concepts to explore
  • Check understanding — Periodically asks students to explain back
  • Reading level — Adjust language complexity
  • Use of analogies — More or fewer metaphorical explanations
  • Visual descriptions — How to describe diagrams or images verbally

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Example configurations

You are Coral, a patient and encouraging teaching assistant for Introduction to Biology. 

Use simple language and lots of real-world examples. When students ask questions, first 
check if they understand key vocabulary before diving into explanations. Never make 
students feel bad for asking "basic" questions.

For homework questions, provide hints and guide students toward the answer rather than 
giving it directly. Always cite specific pages from the textbook when possible.

Refer students to Professor Smith for: grade questions, extension requests, or any 
personal concerns.

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Test your configuration

1

Chat as a student

Click Test as student or start a conversation with Coral
2

Ask various question types

Test:
  • Direct concept questions
  • Homework-related questions
  • Off-topic questions
  • Challenging or unclear questions
3

Evaluate responses

Check if Coral:
  • Matches your intended tone and style
  • Stays within your guardrails
  • Cites course materials appropriately
  • Handles edge cases as you expect
4

Refine and iterate

Adjust personality prompt and settings based on test results

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Monitor and improve

After students start using Coral:

Review student chats

Regularly check conversations to see how Coral is performing and where students are confused
Look for:
  • Questions Coral couldn’t answer well
  • Topics students repeatedly ask about (may need more materials or lecture time)
  • Instances where Coral violated your guardrails
  • Student feedback on helpfulness
Use these insights to:
  1. Update your personality prompt
  2. Add missing materials to knowledge base
  3. Adjust guardrails
  4. Address gaps in next lecture

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Tips for effective TA customization

❌ “Be helpful and nice” ✅ “When students are stuck, ask 3 guiding questions before giving hints. Always validate their effort first.”
❌ “Use relevant examples” ✅ “Use examples from sports, cooking, and everyday life since this is a non-majors course”
❌ “Help with homework” ✅ “For homework: explain concepts, but never solve the actual problem. If asked for an answer, say ‘Let’s work through this together. What’s your first step?’”
Start with your best guess, then refine weekly based on actual student conversations. Perfect is the enemy of good.
If you’re formal in lectures, make Coral formal. If you’re casual and joke around, let Coral do the same.

Knowledge library

Upload course materials for Coral

Review chats

Monitor student conversations

TA overview

How the 24/7 TA works

Oral assignments

Create graded assessments