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ASSIGNMENT
Write a forum post (150 words min) as a Reply to this post, reflecting on your learning sequence
Include:
- Your topic and class level
- One design choice you made
- How it supports clarity, sequence or consistency
- One adjustment you would make
- One possible link to reflection or SSE
- Then respond to one peer.
Please also comment on at least one other participant’s post.
Then, consider how Google Workspace and classroom could be used in School Self-Evaluation (SSE) at your school.
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The planning sequence is to be used at a principal assembly and targets 3rd to 6th-class students focusing on the “Being Well” curriculum competency and the Grow in Love theme of spiritual stillness. A deliberate design choice is using a “Glitter Jar” visual hook, helping children to understand an abstract spiritual concept in a concrete object. This choice enhances clarity and consistency across a wide multi-grade audience, ensuring the lesson’s core intention remains accessible to both 8-year-olds and 12-year-olds simultaneously.
To improve the sequence, one future adjustment I would make is providing specialized sensory focus tools to better support neurodiverse students who find traditional silent reflection challenging. I would suggest to teachers that if any of the children want to bring a focus tool they like using in class they may do so or teachers may suggest having them in the assembly hall easily accessible to the children if they choose to use them. The plan links directly to School Self-Evaluation (SSE) targets regarding student well-being and voice as a subsequent Google Classroom reflection assignment for 5th/6th class pupils will offer tangible, qualitative evidence of pupil engagement, demonstrating how collective assembly themes effectively translate into meaningful, independent classroom learning.-
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Hi there Una,
This is a really nice idea to enable your school to focus on ‘Being Well.’ What impressed me hugely here was your reflection about how you would adjust for future lessons. The efforts being made towards inclusion of neurodiverse children ensures we must start thinking outside the box a lot more to make sure our lessons and activities are tailored to meet the needs of all children in a truly inclusive setting.
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<Topic: Local Area Brochure (3rd/4th Class)
For my learning sequence in Module 2, I chose the topic “Our Local Area” for 3rd/4th Class, using Google Docs in Google Workspace. The main task is for pupils to create a simple brochure about our town or a local landmark.
One design choice I made was to use the same clear template for every pupil (with set headings like “Title”, “About this place”, “Things to see/do”, “Why it is special”). This really helps with clarity and consistency, as all children follow the same structure and know what is expected in each section. It also makes it easier for me to give feedback and compare work. One adjustment I would make next time is to model the full process more slowly, especially the steps of opening the template in Classroom and turning in the work. Some pupils may need extra time and repetition here. A possible link to reflection/SSE is to use a short Google Form at the end of the topic, asking pupils how confident they feel using Google Docs and whether the brochure helped them understand more about the local area. Their responses could feed into an SSE focus on digital learning and literacy.Google Workspace and Classroom could support School Self-Evaluation in several ways: Google Forms could be used to collect pupil, parent and staff feedback on areas like homework, wellbeing, or use of digital tools.
Google Classroom data (assignment completion, type of tasks, engagement) could give us real evidence of how digital learning is being used across classes.
Shared Sheets could help staff track assessment results and monitor progress linked to SSE targets.
A shared SSE folder or Drive would keep action plans, minutes, survey results and policies organised and accessible to all teachers.
Using these tools would make the SSE process more structured, transparent and easier to review year on year.
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For my learning sequence in module 2, I chose the topic of buildings, sites and ruins in my locality for 6th class. The main task will be for the children to create a google document containing information on an old building, site or ruin in their locality. Linking in with the design principle of clarity I will structure the google doc so that the children include the specific details of the task required. This ensures that the children have a clear understanding of what is being asked of them for the project. One adjustment I would make is the inclusion of peer feedback in the task so the children become used to examining and reflecting on other projects and also being able to receive feedback from their peers in a constructive way. The peer feedback could be shared in using google forms which would keep a clear record of what was said so that the children could benefit the most from the feedback. The SSE would have a clear log of what worked and didnt work when reviewing the following year.
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Creating a learning sequence using Google Workspace/Classroom for a 4th Class lesson on food chains helped me think about how these digital tools can support learning. One design choice I made was to create clear, student-friendly resources, including a Google Slides presentation on food chains, videos as well as a simple Google Docs worksheet. Presenting these resources in the order they are required should make it easy for the children to follow each step of the lesson independently and reduce the possibilities for confusion. The consistent layout and clear instructions would also support those who may need additional guidance. If I were to improve the sequence, I would include more opportunities for collaboration, such as a shared Google Jamboard or collaborative Google Slides activity, to encourage discussion and peer learning. This approach also links well with SSE, as student responses and completed tasks in Google Classroom can provide useful evidence of learning and help inform future planning/teaching.
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Hi John,
Thank you for your post here and for sharing your thoughts on how the suite of Google resources can be used to streamline student learning on this topic. I like how you have included suggestions for enhancing collaboration between children through the Google tools. Google have recently discontinued the support and use of ‘Google Jamboard’, which is unfortunate as it was such a powerful collaborative tool. ‘Padlet Sandbox’ is a useful alternative based on the same premise, although it does like outside of the Workspace suite.
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Hi John,
There are a lot of positive aspects to this post which I believe could be used in classrooms across the board. In supplying our students with the tools to enhance their digital learning skills, we cannot forget about the importance of regular peer learning and discussion. This will develop resilience and understanding that there is more than one set way to use digital technology. The link to SSE is excellent as it shows SSE is being embedded from the ground up in your classroom and school.
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Hi John, I really enjoyed reading your post. I like how you organised the lesson so that pupils could work through each step in a logical order. In my autism class, having a clear sequence and consistent layout is really important, as many of my pupils rely on routine and visual supports to help them understand what comes next. I also liked your idea of adding more collaborative activities. Although this can sometimes need to be adapted in my setting, shared digital tasks can be a great way to encourage communication and engagement. Your point about using completed Google Classroom activities as evidence for SSE is a great one, as it provides meaningful information to support reflection and future planning. Thanks for sharing your ideas.
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A go-to lesson that I have found to consistently work at class levels at the senior end is a whole-class story. This derives from an extremely positive experience attending the Roddy Doyle Fighting Words Workshop. The whole class come together to decide on a title, main characters, a villain and a hero as well as the opening sentences of the story. Google Docs and slides would provide excellent platforms for this type of lesson. It also could create a book of short stories which could be printed at the end of the year. In my experience, this lessons works well once per half-term.
The second phase of the lesson/story being created turns to small group work, followed by peer work before an individualised ending/closing paragraph. It incorporates collaboration, opportunities for peer and self-assessment which builds confidence and resilience in students. The variety of endings ensures children recognise and celebrate each other’s individuality.
Teacher input is constant throughout where necessary – some students will require more scaffolding than others. It also presents children with the opportunity to scaffold and support their peers, thus developing leadership within the classroom.
Google slides could offer students an opportunity to create more of a comic-strip version of a story. This can be an extremely effective way of enhancing and encouraging creativity among students who are daunted by text-heavy written tasks.
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For this module I designed a learning sequence for my 4th class SESE topic, Ancient Egypt, delivered through Google Classroom. I structured it using a clear topic in Classroom containing: a learning material (a shared Google Slides presentation introducing key vocabulary and images), an activity (a collaborative group Slides task where pupils researched and presented on an aspect of Ancient Egyptian life), an assignment (a simple Google Docs worksheet to consolidate learning), and a short reflection question at the end via Google Forms to check understanding.
One design choice I made was keeping each topic in Classroom limited to one clear learning intention with a single main activity, rather than bundling multiple tasks together. This supports clarity and consistency, as pupils always know exactly where they are in the sequence and what’s expected of them next, without needing to ask.
If I were to adjust this sequence, I would build in more structured peer feedback between the group Slides presentations, using comment prompts, so pupils are actively responding to each other’s work rather than just viewing it. This links to reflection and SSE, as the Forms exit ticket data could be gathered as evidence of pupil understanding and used to inform planning.
For SSE more broadly, this kind of consistent, clearly sequenced structure in Classroom could provide straightforward evidence for a school’s Digital Learning Plan, showing digital tools embedded purposefully across a sequence of lessons rather than as one-off activities.
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Darragh
Your varied ideas and uses of Google Classroom show your expertise. I especially like the collaborative activity on slides for pupils to show their learning on Ancient Egyptian life. You had of course used Google slides to introduce key vocabulary and images which would make it easier for children to follow your good example.
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I really like the idea of a whole class collaborating on story ideas as some children find it difficult to come up with their own character, title or opening line – you have some children modelling how they work and having every child feel like they have contributed while still giving them the agency of adding their own conclusions.
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Hi John, this is a great sequence for 4th class — I really like how you’ve paired the Slides presentation with a simple Docs worksheet to reinforce the same content in a different format. I did something similar for my own 4th class SESE topic, breaking my sequence into clearly labelled steps in Google Classroom, and I found it really helped pupils work more independently once they knew where they were in the sequence. Your idea of adding a shared collaborative task for peer discussion is a nice next step too — I’m thinking of trying something similar with structured peer comments on group presentations. Good point as well about SSE evidence coming naturally from completed Classroom tasks.
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Module 2
Write a forum post (150 words min) Include:
- Your topic and class level for 6 year olds
- One design choice you made
- How it supports clarity, sequence or consistency
- One adjustment you would make
- One possible link to reflection or SSE
Then, consider how Google Workspace and classroom could be used in School Self-Evaluation (SSE) at your school.
I am fairly new to this so I am sticking to the old reliable topic “The Life Cycle of a Butterfly” for my 6-year-old class.!!!!
I like this as at this age, children are naturally curious about nature, and butterflies are both familiar and visually engaging
Google slides seem like the most interesting format to make the lesson more interesting and to achieve my learning outcomes for the children
One key design choice I would make would be to use a large, illustrated, colourful chart with the four clear stages: egg, caterpillar, chrysalis, and butterfly.
Each stage is represented with a bright image and a short, simple sentence underneath.
This design would support clarity by making each stage visually distinct, so children can easily identify and remember the sequence. It would also support sequence because the chart is arranged in a circular flow, guiding the eye naturally from one stage to the next.
Finally, it ensures consistency by using the same style of illustration and font throughout, helping students focus on the content rather than adjusting to new formats.
I think this approach would keep the lesson engaging and memorable.
One adjustment I would love to make next time would be to include interactive elements, such as flaps or movable pieces, so children can physically move through the stages themselves. I will have to learn how to do this though!!!
A possible link to SSE would be in assessing how visual aids impact comprehension and retention. I could gather feedback from pupils through drawings or retelling activities to evaluate whether the visual sequence improved their understanding.
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“Old reliable” topics are often the best place to start when you’re trying out something new, Helen. The life cycle of a butterfly is ideal for that age group because it’s visual, simple to sequence, and children are usually genuinely interested in it. Big images with very little text in Google Slides would be great and would make the stages much easier to remember. I like the circular layout idea too. It helps children see that it is a cycle, not just four separate pictures in a row. The interactive idea sounds perfect. Even something simple like having the four stages as movable pictures on a slide, where children drag them into the correct order, would be a great start. You wouldn’t need to make it too complicated.
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Hi Helen,
This sounds like my kind of lesson! I’m just starting out with Google Classroom and teaching in the Junior end of the school also. This topic would be a really lovely one to use with younger pupils, it’s interesting, engaging and an ideal topic to teach while also supporting children with their digital learning skills.
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For this learning sequence, I designed a Google Classroom activity for my autism class focusing on using a Chromebook to develop digital independence and communication skills. Many of my pupils have autism, and some also have dyslexia, intellectual disabilities, or language and communication difficulties. The learning sequence included simple visual instructions, Google Docs with symbols and images, and short tasks that could be completed independently or with support.
One design choice I made was to use a consistent layout throughout every activity. Each task followed the same structure: a visual instruction, one clear task, and a tick box to show completion. This consistency reduces anxiety, supports predictability, and helps pupils know what to expect. It also allows pupils who need extra processing time to work at their own pace.
If I were to improve the learning sequence, I would include more video demonstrations and audio instructions to further support pupils with reading difficulties and emerging language skills. I would also incorporate additional opportunities for pupils to use assistive technology, such as speech-to-text.
Google Workspace also supports School Self-Evaluation (SSE) by making planning, collaboration, and reflection more effective. Google Classroom allows teachers to monitor pupil engagement, while Google Forms can gather feedback from staff, pupils, and parents. Google Drive enables shared planning and easy access to resources, helping ensure consistency across the school. In my setting, these tools could support our ongoing reflection on how digital technology improves engagement, communication, independence, and learning outcomes for pupils with additional needs. -
The topic I chose was one of vocabulary instruction using -tion words for 5th or 6th class Learning Support. The design choice is that I would use google slides to present visual images of words, one per slide with the word clearly identifiable so that the student could read 8 words. The second design choice was to use a link to google docs template where the students could choose from the 8 words to complete a cloze procedure. The lesson supports clarity with visuals to prompt word recognition, the sequence is learning new words and then using them meaningfully in a cloze procedure.
I would like to be able to use an audio link to the words so that children could use earphones and actually say the words aloud after the prompt.
The link to SSE would be Word Work as part of our word building school improvement target and would feed into a cross class initiative which would lead to further assessment to investigate retention of words. This could be done online by various classes using a larger google docs template based on words in week 1, 2, 3 and 4.-
This sounds like a very useful word work lesson, Aine. I like that you’ve kept it simple with one word per slide, as that would make it much easier for the children to really look at the word, read it properly, and connect it with the image. The word recognition activity on Google Slides to then having a cloze activity, makes sense too, bringing a bit of variety to your lesson Adding audio is something I have done before. Hearing the word and then saying it aloud would be a great support, especially in learning support. Repeated practice is so important.
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I really like the idea of incorporating audio into the lesson, Áine – it would promote independence among the pupils. In my own school this year, we purchased a bank of headphones. We spent a considerable amount of money purchasing good quality headphones that we hope will last for a few years. So far, we have been very happy with our purchase and it has proved to be a big success in our Special Education settings.
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My learning sequence was designed for a 6th class Geography lesson using Google Classroom and Google Slides. Pupils worked in pairs to research an Irish county before creating a slide to present their findings to the class.
One design choice I made was keeping the learning sequence simple and consistent by using the same slide layout and clear instructions throughout. This helped pupils focus on the learning rather than figuring out what to do next, while also supporting independent work and collaboration.If I were to make one adjustment, I would include a short Google Forms quiz or exit ticket at the end of the lesson. This would allow pupils to reflect on what they had learned and help me identify any areas that may need revisiting.
This lesson also links well to School Self-Evaluation (SSE). The completed Slides, quiz responses and pupil reflections would provide useful evidence of learning, helping to inform future planning while also supporting the school’s digital learning targets.
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This sounds like a nice manageable lesson for 6th class Alana. I like the idea of pupils working in pairs to research an Irish county, as this gives them a chance to engage in peer learning. I also like the SSE link. The finished slides and pupil reflections would give you something useful to look back on, especially when thinking about how well pupils are working independently and collaboratively.
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I recently completed a lesson about brain with third class. I used Google slides and organised it into a logical progression that introduced pupils to the main parts of the brain, their basic functions and how the brain helps us to think move, remember and complete every day tasks. They completed a collaborative activity where they discussed in groups 10 everyday tasks and decided which part of the brain was most involved in completing these tasks. They then placed a label on that part of the brain for each task.
One design choice I made was to present the information in small manageable sections using a consistent layout colour and headings and slide. This supported clarity and sequence by helping pupils focus on one concept at a time before moving onto the next the consistent design also made it easier for pupils to navigate the lesson.
One adjustment I would make is to add audio instructions and narration to each slide. This would support pupils who benefit from hearing instructions as well as reading them and would make the learning sequence more accessible for all learners. It would also mean that children could revise by accessing the presentation at home through Google classroom.
A possible link to SSE is evaluating how well this learning sequence supported pupil engagement and understanding. By observing how well the children complete the collaborative or having them complete a quiz at home using Google classroom I could reflect on the effectiveness of the sequence and identify improvements for future lessons.
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This sounds like a really engaging lesson for 3rd class, Nicola. I like the group activity. Getting them to think about things like moving, remembering, or making decisions, and then matching those tasks to parts of the brain, would definitely lead to good discussion. The simple layout on Google Slides would be a good choice. With a topic like this, too much information on a slide could easily confuse pupils, so keeping the headings, colours and layout consistent would help them follow the lesson. Adding audio instructions is also a lovely idea. It would support children who find reading instructions harder, and it would also be handy if they were revisiting the slides at home through Google Classroom.
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I like your idea of adjusting the Google Slides presentation to include narration. This would definitely make it more accessible for students with reading difficulties who may be unable to access longer texts and subject specific vocabulary or those who get intimidated by lots of text and become disengaged with lessons. Narration and sound effects would be very beneficial for younger learners too.
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Class Level:
5th and 6th Class
Topic:
History – Students research a historical period. They collaborate to write a structured narrative, organise digital resources, submit drafts to edit, and build a digital presentation to present to the class.
One Design Choice:
I created a simple, predictable order of tasks that breaks the project down into manageable steps so students can check off one goal at a time without feeling overwhelmed. By structuring the lesson through a clear sequence of writing in Docs, organising in Drive, submitting in Classroom, and presenting in Slides, students always know which tool serves which purpose. Ensuring I kept a consistent structure (which if it was efficient I’d use for subsequent tasks), it means students could follow clear directions without becoming side-tracked.
How it Supports Clarity, Sequence or Consistency:
As per above, providing the students with concise, to-the-point instructions in a predictable order and flow reduces the cognitive load and allows them to check off each task efficiently.
One Adjustment:
I could flip the order and have students present their Slides first, and then use Docs to have them write a summary of one other research topic that they observed.
Link to Reflection or SSE:
Google Classroom could be used to create a survey to question the students on their engagement/enjoyment etc. of this specific task and what could be improved on for tasks in future.
Google Workspace supports School Self-Evaluation by reflecting evidence of digital learning in action. Google Forms quickly is an efficient method for acquiring feedback from pupils and staff to show where digital skills are strong and where more support is needed. At the same time, Google Drive and Classroom store student/teacher work, making it easier as a teacher to have all files in one place to reflect on and share in future.
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Topic: Local History – The Rock of Cashel
Class Level: 5<sup>th</sup>
Design Choice: Use of Google Slides to deliver the lesson, combining Google docs for a pupil worksheet, Google Forms for an assessment activity at the end of the lesson.
Sequencing – pupils would be familiar with the structure of a History lesson by 5<sup>th</sup> Class but to assist pupils, I would colour code the Google Slides presentation – blue for previous knowledge, green for the active learning stage of the lesson and orange for the pupil activity
Adjustment – each year we see pupils experiencing difficulty logging into Google accounts. It would be great to have a system which pupils could scan a QR code to login. I am aware that these systems are available to purchase for schools but I have never explored this option due to budgetary constraints on our ICT Grant.
Link to SSE – the children would be tasked with showcasing their learning from the lesson using digital technology (ie Google Docs/Google Form). This would encourage independence and allow for peer review of learning.
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The following learning sequence is targeted at supporting children in a small group setting who require additional support from a special education teacher.
The topic that I have chosen is the Romans and the class level is 5th class.
This topic would be pre-taught in a withdrawal setting before it is covered at whole class level. The idea behind this is to enable those who require additional support to feel confident and capable when a new topic is being introduced in the classroom with their mainstream class teacher. We would begin with the use of a KWL Google doc. This would encourage collaboration about the topic between the group. It would beneficial for the students if I, the teacher, scaffolded by adding some of my own prior knowledge.
Children are so often visual learners and this cannot be ignored. Youtube, Scoilnet and Brittanica Online provides amazing resources. These would be used for children to learn about some of the questions they will pose in their KWL charts.
This type of lesson creates clarity and purpose for students who will not feel intimidated or lack in confidence when the topic is being taught. It supports SSE as it is providing students with opportunities to reflect before the lesson is taught at whole class level. It also offers unique opportunities for peer and self-assessment that are invaluable for students and teachers alike -
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My focus is on literacy in special education. I believe with this other learning experiences cannot happen. I would use visual supports and scaffolds to build my lessons. This can encourage independent learning and the children don’t need to repeat asking the same questions as they have in front of them. I chose this approach because visual prompts can help pupils understand instructions, organise their thinking and work more independently.
This creates a clear, ordered and consistent lesson for children. I believe that most children benefit from visual cues especially as there are so many EAL students in my school. I could include more picture prompts, visual task checklists, and some previous work completed to a high standard
In the School Self Evaluation it gives details of clear pupil engagement model using ICT and the reflections to utilise it effectively.
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I agree that literacy is the starting point for so much other learning, particularly in a special education setting, Emma. If a child finds it hard to understand the instructions, it can be difficult for them to get going with the actual task. Visual prompts can make a big difference here. Having the steps in front of the child means they don’t have to keep asking what comes next, and over time that can help build independence. I like your idea of showing an example of previous work too. Sometimes seeing what a finished task might look like is much clearer than a long verbal explanation. It would also be useful for EAL pupils and, really, for many children in the class.
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I attempted a learning sequence for first class based on the theme of ‘My Family’. I kept it very basic as I’m just getting my head around the many tools and features available. I used Google Slides and made a presentation with pictures and simple sentences about families. For the next part of the sequence, I added a new slide with prompts for talking to a partner about their families e.g. ‘How many people are in your family?’ ‘Do you have any brothers or sisters?’ etc. Finally, I included an individual slide for the children to create their own simple slide with a picture and one or two sentences.
A design choice I made was to keep the instructions very short and clear as first class are still developing their reading and writing skills, as well as their digital skills.
One adjustment I would make is to perhaps use some of the other tools available once I become more familiar with them.
This learning sequence could link to SSE by simply asking the children what they enjoyed, what they found difficult and what they would like more help with. Their answers would support me in creating future lessons for the class.
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I designed a Google Slides learning sequence for 5th class on the topic of the Normans. I introduced the topic with a hook question to encourage peer discussion on what they already know about the Normans. I then included slides with key facts about the Normans. I finished it with a short reflection activity where the children work in pairs to create a timeline based on the Normans.
I used a consistent layout for the slides with information presented in bullet point format rather than big chunks of long text. I used clear images that linked with the information to make it easier for the children to read and process the information.
One adjustment I would make is to give the children an opportunity at the end to show their learning through an infographic or brainstorm. This would give them more choice and an opportunity to share their learning in a broader sense.
This links to SSE by using digital technology in a purposeful way to enhance teaching and learning. Evidence from the children’s learning could be used to inform future learning and to monitor engagement with digital technology.
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I chose the topic Learning From Ancient Sites for 5<sup>th</sup> class History and incorporated that into creating posters for Geography. After learning about Glendalough the children will be challenged with creating a poster to encourage people to visit the site.
I have used Google Classroom to set clear instructions on how to plan their poster, find information online and piece it together on Google Docs. I was able to attach links to similar Discover Ireland posters and websites and created a Doc for each student to complete their work on.
The creation of Docs and adding links to the Google Classroom supports clarity of where they should make their design, what is expected of them and similar ideas they can use as inspiration.
One adjustment I would make would to provide multiple Google platforms as ways to create their posters. Instead of limiting it to just Docs, Slides could also have been given as an option for those who are more confident in using it.
Although I did not create anything for documented feedback, the children could present their posters and through peer questioning I could gather an understanding of what the children have learned for my own reflection on the lessons.
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For my learning sequence, I chose to do the topic of The Water Cycle for my 2nd class. I wanted to use Google Slides to create a simple sequence of activities that would help the children understand the different stages of the water cycle.
One design choice I made was to keep each slide focused on one idea, using pictures, short explanations and simple questions. I felt this would make the learning clearer and easier for the children to follow. I also kept the layout and format consistent throughout so the children would know what to expect as they moved through the activities.
One adjustment I would make would be to include more opportunities for the children to interact with the slides rather than just reading or answering questions. For example, they could add their own drawings or drag and label the different stages. I could link this to SSE by reflecting on how well the children engaged with the digital activities and whether using Google Slides helped support their learning. I could then use this to improve future digital lessons.
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For my learning sequence in this module, I chose to focus on creative writing with 2nd class. My learning intention was to write a character profile for an imagined character. In future lessons this character can go on to star in a story or meet a character created by another student and write the conversation they would have.
One design choice I made was to create a pupil facing template using Google Docs. The pupil facing template included prompts for the student to fill in about their imagined character e.g. name, age, likes, dislikes. Students were also asked to draw their character as part of the creative process.
The task supports sequence by moving through the lesson in a clear order, starting with an introduction, showing a teacher made example, moving on to the main activity and then to the reflection.
An adjustment I would make to the learning sequence is to provide opportunity for peer feedback and reflection. I would give students a chance to share their character profile with another student and encourage editing based on peer feedback and reflection.
This learning sequence would support the SSE process as it uses digital technology and encourages student collaboration and communication.
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Hi Gráinne,
Thank you for sharing your writing idea with us here. I think it provides the perfect example of how digital technologies can support children’s learning and form one part of a wider unit of work that draws on multiple methodologies. I also really like the idea of bringing about peer reflection and allowing children the opportunity to both receive and formulate feedback on different pieces of work.
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Assignment module 2
For this module I chose an assistive tech lesson for a group of 5 fifth class children in my SEN class. The learning intention was that the children would generate a short and simple slide show to present to their classes. They had many previous lessons searching for information on educational websites such as on Britannica schools and on inserting creative commons images and on inserting links to webpages.
The topic we chose was Tropical Rainforests.
For my design choice I chose a pupil facing resource. I would make a template on Google docs which would help them to structure to overall layout of the slides, generating a beginning a middle and an end.
The structure of the template would be as follows:
Slide 1: how would you define a tropical rainforest? (What is a tropical rainforest?)
Image (photo) for this slide? yes or no
Source: (what website does the image come from?)
Slide 2: etc.
*the second sentence in brackets is for differentiation.
This template would support clarity and sequence and provide consistency for future tasks of a similar nature.
One adjustment I would make is I would add in bar graph/graph/supporting file or link to the option of ‘image yes or no’.
As a link to SSE I would gather feedback from the children to asses their engagement with the task and to assess the difficulty or ease of use. This would be helpful as part of the gathering evidence part of the SSE Digital Plan for the school.
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I created a Google Slides learning sequence for 5th Class based on the topic of the Vikings. I began with an engaging question to encourage pupils to discuss what they already knew about the Vikings and share their ideas with their peers. I then used a series of slides to introduce key information, supported by clear images and short bullet points rather than large amounts of text. The lesson ended with a paired activity where pupils created a timeline showing important events and developments from the Viking period.
One change I would make would be to give pupils greater choice in how they demonstrate their learning. For example, they could create an infographic, mind map or brainstorm. This would encourage creativity and allow pupils to demonstrate their understanding in different ways.
This activity links with SSE by showing how digital technology can be used purposefully to support teaching, learning and pupil engagement. The pupils’ work could also provide evidence to inform future planning.
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For this activity, I created a Google Classroom learning sequence for 3rd Class Geography based on the topic of Weather. The main design choice I made was to keep the sequence simple, with one piece of learning material followed by one clearly defined assignment. I think this supports clarity and consistency because pupils can follow the same pattern each time: access the material, complete the task, check their work and submit it. Keeping it simple is particularly important for younger pupils who may not yet be confident navigating digital platforms independently.
The instructions are broken into short, numbered steps and use language that is appropriate for 3rd Class. I would also demonstrate the process on the interactive whiteboard before asking pupils to complete the task independently.
One adjustment I would make would be to provide a short model weather report so pupils can see exactly what a successful finished task looks like. I could also provide additional support for pupils who need it.
This activity could link to SSE by gathering pupil feedback on how easy they found Google Classroom to navigate and using this information, alongside teacher observation and assessment, to evaluate the effectiveness of Digital Technology in supporting teaching and learning.
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Topic & Class Level: Geography (Energy in the Local Community), 6th Class.
Design Choice: I designed a collaborative learning hub using Google Classroom to host a unit on local sustainable energy. I organised the unit into numbered Topic headers (01: Stimulus & Media, 02: Group Research, 03: Reflection) with linked Google Slides for group brainstorming and Google Forms for peer feedback.
Supporting Design Principles: This structure Embeds Consistency and Sequence. Standardised naming conventions across assignments ensure pupils easily locate materials. Numbered stages establish a predictable progression, reducing cognitive load and off-task behaviour.
Future Adjustment: I will utilise Classroom’s scheduled posting tool to release research prompts sequentially, preventing pupils from rushing ahead before consolidating their initial findings.
Link to SSE / Reflection: Aligned with Looking at Our School 2022 (Domain 1: Learner Outcomes), this structured workflow promotes collaborative inquiry and provides digital artefacts for our SSE target on embedding digital assessment strategies.
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I reflected on how I currently use assessment in my classroom and recognise that assessment should be an integral part of teaching and learning. Assessment should not simply be used to record what a pupil knows at the end of a topic; it should inform what I teach, identify gaps in learning and help me decide what each pupil needs next. In September, I will have a valuable opportunity to work in Special Education Teaching (SET), teaching blocks of literacy, numeracy and other curricular areas. I will use information from the previous school year, alongside baseline and September assessments, to identify individual strengths, needs and areas for development.
I would use Microsoft Forms to create short, engaging quizzes to assess pupils’ understanding of concepts in literacy, numeracy and science. At the beginning of a topic, I could use a quiz as an Assessment for Learning (AfL) activity to establish pupils’ prior knowledge and identify misconceptions or gaps in understanding. This would allow me to plan lessons more effectively and ensure that teaching is targeted towards the specific needs of the pupils in the group.
During a topic, I could use further Microsoft Forms quizzes as quick check-ins to monitor understanding and progress. The immediate responses would allow me to identify areas where pupils may need additional explanation, modelling or practice. This would enable me to adapt my teaching in real time rather than waiting until the end of a unit to discover that a concept has not been understood. It would also allow me to differentiate learning more effectively and provide targeted support to individual pupils.
Feedback would be an important part of this process. Pupils could receive immediate feedback on their responses, helping them to recognise what they have understood and where they need to improve. This could encourage pupils to become more reflective and active participants in their own learning. For pupils who may find traditional written assessment challenging, digital assessment can also provide a more accessible and engaging way to demonstrate their knowledge and understanding.
At the end of a lesson or topic, I could use a Microsoft Forms quiz as a summative check of learning. The results would provide useful evidence of progress and help me evaluate whether the intended learning outcomes have been achieved. I could compare these results with the initial assessment to demonstrate progress over time and identify areas that may need to be revisited.
Overall, I believe Microsoft Forms could make assessment more purposeful, responsive and engaging. It would provide me with valuable information to guide my planning while giving pupils meaningful opportunities to receive feedback, reflect on their learning and recognise their own progress. This approach would support a more individualised learning experience within SET and ensure that assessment is actively used to maximise each pupil’s learning potential. -
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