[Pat Brennan]

Hi David,

Welcome to the course. Great to hear you’ve got alot out of this module. I agree, Immersive Reader is such a powerful tool, and your example about the pupil with vision challenges really highlights how small adjustments as outlined, like changing background colour, can make a big difference.

Two other ai-powered tools worth exploring for literacy are Microsoft Reading Coach and Reading Progress in Teams, if you haven’t already. Both, build on Immersive Reader and offer personalised reading practice and feedback, which could be a good fit for any pupils who need extra support with fluency and confidence.

[Pat Brennan]

Hi again Stacey,

Thanks for sharing your lesson outline for the lifcycle of a butterfly. Overall,  it sounds like you’ve taken loads from the course and great that you are already thinking about how to make it work for you and your pupils next year. The mix of tools you’ve mentioned, Gamma, Magic School, Twinkl’s Ari will certainly lead to efficiencies but more importantly, as mooted, will free you up to dedicate more time to interactions with your SET pupils.

Working in SET, Immersive Reader can be a real game-changer as outlined. Also worth considering are Microsoft’s AI-powered Learning Accelerators (which I regularly recommend across all course forums), in particular, Microsoft Reading Coach. It’s designed to support learners at different reading levels by offering personalised practice and feedback. It can be a brilliant tool for helping children build fluency and confidence independently.

[Pat Brennan]

Hi Michelle,

Welcome to the course. Your Junior Infants example is a strong reminder of how early gender norms can take root, often unnoticed. As you pointed out, the pupil’s remark may have seemed harmless, but these early experiences can impact confidence and limit children’s choices.

Your ideas around using development education to challenge stereotypes through storybooks and role-play are excellent. They show how we can gently guide children to think critically and empathetically from the start.

Building on your Aistear example, one simple strategy you might try (if you haven’t already) is rotating roles during activities so every child gets a turn in each area. A short class discussion afterwards about what they enjoyed or found surprising can help them reflect and broaden their thinking.

[Pat Brennan]

Hi Aoife,

Welcome to the course. It’s great to see how this module has highlighted the practical benefits of tools like Immersive Reader, especially in a SET context.

As you’ve outlined, using other Microsoft 365 tools like Dictate and Office Lens with your EAL pupils will offer valuable support in meeting diverse learning needs. You also mentioned plans to explore voice typing and Microsoft Teams next year, both great ideas. You might also consider trying out Reading Progress in Teams, which is a useful tool for tracking reading fluency and could complement your use of Immersive Reader. It also pairs well with Microsoft’s standalone Reading Coach app. Both are completely free literacy tools and worth checking out.

[Pat Brennan]

Hi Nicola,

It’s clear from your detailed reply that you’re already doing great work to help pupils understand and respond to climate change. I particularly liked your idea of a DIY weather station, it’s a brilliant way to build observation and data skills. It reminded me of a project I was involved in years ago with the Raspberry Pi Foundation. That version required more tech support but offered increased functionality and opportunities to collaborate with other schools. More at Build a weather station with a web dashboard

I’m also a huge advocate for the Green Schools programme, and it’s evident your whole school is equally invested. The roles you’ve outlined for pupils, like bin and energy monitors, are excellent for fostering responsibility and encouraging student voice. Supporting pupil-led Green Schools Committees and Student Councils ensures students have a real say in how your school addresses climate issues, which is empowering.

[Pat Brennan]

Hi again Megan,

It’s great to hear that we’re getting things right and that this course has expanded your awareness of assistive technologies and their practical application in supporting students with autism. As you’ve outlined, tools like Immersive Reader, Dictate, and Math Assistant can significantly reduce barriers to communication and learning.

As you alluded to, OneNote is a particularly powerful platform that brings these tools together. Its flexibility allows for the creation of accessible, personalised learning spaces that promote pupil independence and engagement across the curriculum.

Finally, you might consider sharing your insights with colleagues, either informally or as part of professional development during Croke Park hours (if this is a practice in your school). This could help embed inclusive technology practices across your school, aligning with the Inclusive Education Framework’s emphasis on whole-school planning.

[Pat Brennan]

Welcome to the course, and thank you for sharing the link to the Be Internet Awesome programme. From a quick look, it appears to be a well-structured and engaging resource. It’s great to see how you’re already considering its relevance to your school’s SSE focus on digital learning, safety, and wellbeing.

The inclusion of both teacher and family guides offers a strong foundation for linking school and home, and could be something your school’s HSCL teacher (if applicable) might find useful to promote.

You also mentioned aligning this with Safer Internet Day, which is coordinated by Webwise. It might be worth exploring their resources too, they offer a wide range of materials that complement the Be Internet Awesome programme, particularly in the context of Safer Internet Day and broader digital citizenship initiatives.

[Pat Brennan]

Totally agree, unfortunately, we’re seeing the effects of climate change more and more. You’ve highlighted what’s happening in West Cork, but it’s really a nationwide issue. I’m originally from the west myself, and the changes you’ve described are definitely being echoed there too.

The classroom activities you’re planning are really active and practical. Talking to locals and tracking weather are powerful ways for pupils to understand what climate change actually means for their own communities.

And to finish, the school actions you’ve mentioned are excellent, especially how you’ve tied DE into wellbeing, student voice, and inclusion.

[Pat Brennan]

Thanks for sharing how you plan to use Diffit and Microsoft Reading Coach—both examples show how well these tools can support junior classes. They’re definitely powerful for personalising learning and building confidence in early readers.

Since you’re already using Reading Coach, you might also try Microsoft Reading Progress. It works really well alongside Reading Coach, allowing pupils to record themselves reading so you can track fluency over time. While Reading Coach is designed to support and guide pupils as they practise, Reading Progress focuses more on capturing and assessing their reading.

 

[Pat Brennan]

Hi Sarah,

A lack of education is a powerful lens through which to explore the Sustainable Development Goals, particularly SDG 4: Quality Education. As you’ve outlined, it impacts children both locally and globally, whether through limited access to higher education here in Ireland or exclusion from schooling elsewhere due to poverty, distance, or gender.

To build on this, you might consider introducing a class project where pupils explore barriers to education in different parts of the world and compare them with challenges locally. Pupils could create awareness posters, write letters, or arrange simple fundraising events for education charities.

[Pat Brennan]

Hi Melissa,

Welcome to the course. From experience, and having facilitated this course for a few years now, many of us don’t initially see simple tools like pencil grips, visual timetables, or magnetic letters as assistive technologies. But as you’ve noted, these are highly effective supports already present in our classrooms.

I agree, the SETT Framework is a great way to tailor AT to individual needs, and linking it to the Digital Learning Framework helps connect AT with SEN planning. A good next step might be sharing your low- and medium-tech strategies with colleagues as part of a broader discussion around UDL. This can help build awareness and confidence across the school.

[Pat Brennan]

Hi Mary,

Welcome to the course, and thank you for sharing how you plan to embed Development Education in your teaching and across your school. Your focus on modelling empathy and inclusion through your daily interactions is a powerful approach, teachers are influencers in their own right, and being mindful of that impact is key.

You also highlight the importance of developing pupils’ global citizenship skills. As I’ve mentioned before on this forum, a helpful strategy here is introducing a pupil-led DE journal or reflection wall. This can be a physical or digital space where students share thoughts, questions, or actions related to global citizenship. It encourages ongoing reflection and supports student voice, very much in line with the ‘head, heart, hands’ approach you referenced.

[Pat Brennan]

Hi Louise,

Welcome to the course. It’s clear from your post that you have connected Ehigie’s framework to practical classroom strategies and whole-school approaches.

One suggestion to build on  the inquiry/project-based learning you are alreadfy engaged in might be to consider buidling/fostering connections with other schools/classrooms around the world. Simple things like exchanging letters/emails or video messages with a class abroad. This can deepen pupils understanding of global interdependence and give context to their learning. It also supports the development of empathy and cultural awareness.

[Pat Brennan]

Hi Chloe,

What you’ve outlined there is an eccellent and creative way to introduce the Sustainable Development Goals to 1st class pupils. Also, pairing 1st and 6th class pupils not only deepens understanding but also builds a strong sense of collaboration and peer learning.

As a next step, you might consider turning the posters into a school-wide display or digital slideshow to share with parents and the wider community. This could help extend the impact of the project and reinforce the message that even small actions contribute to global goals.

[Pat Brennan]

Hi Aoife,

Thanks for outlined what’s happening on the ground in Tralee. The International Resource Centre clearly plays a vital role in supporting refugees through the numerous classes, programmes, supports, and services listed and your suggestion for schools to maintain contact with the centre’s school liaison officer is a key step. It helps ensure children feel safe and supported, and gives teachers insight into their backgrounds, experiences, difficulties and learning progress. Staying connected also helps schools identify what resources or training might be needed to better support refugee pupils.

 

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