The teacher uses Assessment for Learning to understand students’ prior knowledge, set clear outcomes, and plan relevant, engaging lessons. This is particularly useful when following a flipped classroom approach, which allows students to gain the necessary knowledge on a topic before class through videos or specific readings. Teachers can then reply to questions, clarify any aspects on the subject areas and encourage students to apply that knowledge during class. To identify learners’ current knowledge, the teacher at Mġarr Primary School prepares open-ended questions and uses tools such as Nearpod, Quizizz, and Padlet to check understanding, gather feedback, and support flipped learning.

The teacher uses specific tools for AfL, personalising them for students with dyslexia. Such pupils often experience difficulties accessing written text, processing multi step instructions, and demonstrating understanding through traditional written assessments. They may also read at a slow pace or make irregular spelling mistakes. The teacher tries to remove these barriers by assessing the student’s level of understanding and by using digital tools to personalise assessment. For example, the teacher prefers using Quizizz over Kahoot for gamified assessments, as it is perceived to be more dyslexia-friendly. Unlike Kahoot, where students often see only shapes or colour-coded answers on their devices, Quizizz displays the full question clearly, reducing confusion and time pressure for learners with reading difficulties. This thoughtful choice ensures that students with dyslexia can participate confidently without feeling overwhelmed.

The teacher also selects tools that provide readers the option to make texts accessible to every student, such as Microsoft Forms and Nearpod. When the teacher needs to assess understanding, Nearpod and Canva provide the option for students to record their responses using the inbuilt microphones on their devices. This removes the stress associated with writing and helps students focus on sharing their understanding of the texts. Moreover, during collaborative sessions, tools such as Padlet also offer students the chance not only to record their voices, but also to take a video, create an AI image, and upload a YouTube video, among other features. This approach enables students to express themselves through multiple modes, facilitating more effective way of their ideas and understanding. Allowing students to select the method or tool of assessment promotes personalised learning and respect students’ voice. 

Assessment for learning is an effective methodology that supports teacher evaluation of students’ knowledge and understanding on an ongoing basis, supporting both formative and summative assessment. The goal of formative assessment is to monitor student learning to provide ongoing feedback that can be used by teachers to modify their teaching and by students to improve their learning (e.g. submit one or two sentences identifying the main point of a lecture) while the goal of summative assessment is to evaluate student learning at the end of an instructional unit ( e.g. midterm exam, final project). 

Personalised assessment supports learning and promotes inclusion and accessibility. Digital tools and platforms offer multiple ways for students to demonstrate understanding, reducing the barriers that traditional, text‑heavy assessments often create. Digital tools for formative assessment may include simple online quizzes to quickly collect evidence of student learning or as a survey to ask students for their thoughts and opinions. Concept maps (e.g. Miro, Mindmaps) can act as an assessment tool to simplify and organise ideas through visual representations, enabling personalisation and allowing students to use elements that are most suitable for them. Collaborative software (e.g. Padlet) allows students to save documents online, and to brainstorm and work on the same content simultaneously and collaboratively. 

Key steps can facilitate achieving personalisation in assessment, in particular the following:

• Share the method of assessment in advance: It is important to share the flow of the lesson in advance, especially for students dealing with anxiety, or for autistic students, so they know what to expect.
• Introduce the materials and/or the digital platform to students at the beginning of the course: It is important for students to familiarise themselves with the platform. 
• Flexibility with formative assessment deadlines: Formative assessment is usually conducted within 10-15 minutes of an activity. However, some students may need more time and teachers should allow flexibility. 
• Provision of materials in alternative formats: This may include selecting the right tool for students, as well as varying the number and complexity of the challenges or problems assigned. Personalisation can play an important role in supporting this process.
• Student agency: Teachers should allow students to choose their preferred method for summative assessment. While offering multiple formats during formative assessment can be challenging, summative assessments at the end of a unit can provide options such as a project, a written test, or a video presentation.

The teacher can strengthen students’ voice and agency by teaching them how to use several digital platforms. The goal is for students to use technology responsibly and critically.

Through tools such as Padlet, students are given the opportunity to share ideas using text, images, videos, or even AI-generated content, allowing them to choose the format that best represents their thinking. This flexibility reduces barriers and encourages broader participation. Additionally, digital tools are used for creating collages, posters, and digital cards, giving students a sense of ownership of their learning products. The teacher uses AI to help students create videos and learn about effective prompting. The teacher is concerned about children relying on AI without understanding or verifying its output. For example, a student uses AI for a presentation without fully understanding or reflecting on the content. The teacher stresses the need to teach critical checking skills early so students use AI responsibly rather than becoming dependent and less autonomous.

Beyond giving students the agency to select the tools that meet their needs and encouraging digital creativity, the teacher cultivates a supportive environment for students to take ownership of their learning. A class contract is created so the students feel they belong in the classroom and that their opinions matter. The teacher asks them what they expect from her as a teacher what they believe should be prioritised during the academic year. Once the contract is finalised, students sign it with paint using their fingerprints. Students are also given a space to share their ideas. A shared Padlet space is used to collect “wow questions,” ensuring that students’ interests are part of the learning process. Finally, the teacher invites children to bring their own plants to the classroom so they can take of them all together, further fostering a sense of belonging.

Student voice and agency can be strengthened in many ways in classrooms. 

Multimodal digital expression and AI offer teachers a range of options to support student learning. Therefore, it is important to teach students how to use each tool, including any safety considerations or potential challenges. Teachers and students can work together to create a poster outlining the digital tools used for learning. This poster can include a two‑column table: one column listing the approved tools and the second indicating the tasks or subjects for which each tool should be used. For example, ChatGPT may be used to simplify a concept or clarify something students do not understand, while emphasising that its answers should never be assumed to be correct. Another method is for teachers to indicate which tools or platforms students are allowed to use for each task or assessment, providing them with three options that meet different learning needs or preferences. AI tools for generating videos or virtual elements can be included among these options, while AI tools for generating text or full presentations could be excluded. 

Besides selecting the preferred tool for every activity, students should be encouraged to take an active role in learning. Spaces for free expression can be created where students can share their opinions, questions and reflections. For example, if students consider that they should be able to use AI more freely in the classroom and beyond, teachers can give them the space to develop classroom guidelines for responsible and safe technology use. Through their own research, students can understand the challenges and the teacher can support them in navigating the resources they find. Once the guidelines are created, they can be shared with other classrooms and with parents, giving students the responsibility of passing on their knowledge. Learning by example and not by prohibition is a key principle in harnessing technology positively in education.

The teacher explains that today’s classrooms are highly diverse. The classroom consists of students from a wide range of backgrounds and experiences. Some children receive strong support at home, while others come from families facing socio economic challenges or from homes where school is not a priority. These characteristics affect students’ engagement with school. Teachers at Mġarr Primary School also work with students with special educational needs and learning difficulties within the typical classroom. In addition, the school accommodates learners who speak little English and almost no Maltese. The teacher strongly believes that there is no single approach to meeting students’ needs and that lessons should be differentiated based on students’ abilities and that the digital tools used should support this approach. 

The teacher begins with assessment for learning strategies. These strategies help teachers understand what students already know and identify the support they need. In practice, this involves breaking down explanations and asking questions that consider students’ current knowledge, how they like a lesson to be planned, and what motivates them. The teacher explains the content while providing targeted support for students with difficulties such as dyslexia, going next to them to explain individually. In addition, the teacher collaborates closely with Learning Support Educators in the school, grouping students according to ability and sharing responsibilities to ensure each group receives appropriate guidance. 

The teacher uses digital tools as an additional instructional resource. In some situations, technology effectively functions as a “second teacher,” enabling parallel learning pathways within the same lesson. For example, in Maltese language lessons, the teacher is piloting an approach to support three non-Maltese-speaking students. This involves recording PowerPoint presentations with spoken explanations and guidance specifically tailored to Maltese as a foreign language. While the rest of the class follows the standard Maltese lesson, these students can use headphones and a computer to engage with a parallel, adapted lesson designed to meet their linguistic needs.

Another example is using a laptop when students finish early because they are very good at Mathematics. The teacher prepares games in advance based on the topic of the lesson and challenges the advanced students to work on the games. In the meantime, they are rewarded because they did well and finished early, and at the same time they are using technology to practice and develop their skills. 

Accommodating the needs of every learner in a diverse classroom is one of the main challenges teachers face in today’s schools. Technology supports teachers in differentiating learning approaches and adapting materials according to the needs of the classroom.

Before facilitating students’ needs and adapting the lesson accordingly, teachers should be able to understand their abilities. Newly arrived migrant students should be assessed in a friendly manner. Translation tools, videos with subtitles, and instructions in their native language can support communication at first. It is important for the new pupils to feel respected and part of the classroom. Asking them about their favourite food and games could develop trust. Additionally, giving students the space to draw their favourite place or an activity they enjoy helps them express themselves and feel included from the very beginning.

The school environment also plays an important role in providing support. Teachers can collaborate with colleagues, Learning Support Educators and other professionals to better understand students’ needs and plan appropriate strategies.

After exploring students’ abilities and ensuring support is available for every student, it is time to differentiate the lesson plan. Differentiated materials for every learner should include translations and easy to read texts with visual explanations for migrant students, simplified language with visuals for students with dyslexia, no colourful or overstimulating materials for autistic students, and additional resources for gifted learners. Teachers can also provide step by step instructions and audio or short video explanations to support different learning preferences. AI powered tools can assist teachers differentiate the lessons with simple steps. The provision of choices, such as completing an activity through writing, drawing, or using a digital tool, also helps students engage in the classroom on their own terms. Differentiation – although it can be time-consuming and school leaders should recognise and accommodate this – supports accessibility and creates a learning environment in which every learner flourishes.