Reading is the key challenge at Griže Primary School. Each year, teachers notice a decline in reading fluency, comprehension and a reading culture. Many children do not enjoy reading or struggle with it, and this difficulty triggers a chain reaction of other issues: reduced focus, weaker listening skills, and difficulty following instructions.

The teacher uses short time slots for students to practise reading, writing and arithmetic during which they have to sit for ten minutes and concentrate. Increasingly, they find, many children cannot sustain this level of calm focus and seem to require constant stimulation.

Digital tools and assistive technology help teachers respond to these challenges. KOBI, an example of an assistive reading app designed for pupils with reading difficulties, is integrated into supplementary lessons, allowing students to adjust the background, font, or letter spacing to make reading more accessible. The application is also used for peer support and professional collaboration. Teachers and digital coordinators regularly exchange good practices, motivating and encouraging the more reluctant colleagues to try something new. 

In addition, the teacher removes barriers to reading by offering flexible ways of accessing text through strategies such as paired reading, phonics practice, and building a strong reading culture within the classroom. To promote reading habits, the teacher initiated a reading club using Goodreads, an application with a large database of books, including Slovenian titles. The teacher created a virtual reading club, such as the Reading Club for Year 8, which pupils joined using their school email. Club members were given a book to read, and the teacher set milestones, for example, to read chapters 1 to 4 by the end of October. The teacher encouraged students to share impressions and ideas about the book, making reading more social and interactive. 

Assistive tools and collaborative practices can enhance literacy skills for every learner. The OECD report, “21st-Century Readers: Developing Literacy Skills in a Digital World”, shows how text customisation, such as adjusting font, spacing, colour, or background, and assistive reading tools can significantly improve fluency and comprehension for learners with dyslexia or other reading difficulties. 

Customising the visual presentation of text is one of the simplest yet most effective forms of assistive support for learners with reading difficulties. A range of easy-to-use methods and tools can support teachers in this process, for example:

• Choosing dyslexia‑friendly fonts (e.g. OpenDyslexic, Lexend) and increased spacing between letters and lines. This reduces letter confusion and visual crowding. For example, some students confuse letters such as “b” and “d”.  Increased spacing between letters and lines and easy to read fonts can help students distinguish letters.
• Having coloured backgrounds. There are colour combinations that support students when reading, notably yellow text on a blue background.
• Reading aloud and immersive readers. Tools such as Microsoft Immersive Reader or tablet based readers allow students to hear text, break words into syllables, and translate or explain words they don’t understand. 

As well as these methods, collaborative practices and reading clubs make reading more entertaining and help students disconnect from screens. Teachers can use digital applications to create reading groups, set reading goals, and encourage peer discussion. For example, teachers can assign students a book to read and define the time frame for reading each chapter using the application. As a next step they can organise discussions allowing the students to discuss what they read and exchange ideas. In a final stage teachers can introduce a team project activity based on the book to bring language lessons to life. 

During the pandemic, the school found that some students did not have access to digital devices at home. To address this, the school enabled pupils to borrow computers and provided them with the necessary access to participate in remote learning. This measure reduced barriers and ensured that all students remained engaged in learning.

At school, the teacher prioritises equitable access during digital skills lessons in the computer room. Students can work with computers and tablets to develop their digital skills even when they lack similar opportunities at home. Recently, the teacher observed a shift: some parents, concerned about excessive screen time, began to forbid their child to use any device at all. As a result, pupils were unable to practise even basic digital competences. The teacher responded by talking with parents about purposeful computer use, such as how 15 minutes of keyboard or mouse practice, is fundamentally different from scrolling on TikTok or YouTube. This distinction aims to reassure parents that controlled digital engagement supports essential skill development.

The teacher uses Google Translate to overcome communication difficulties with non-native students. Such translation tools can increase motivation among students whose first language is not Slovenian. When pupils learn a new Slovenian word, they want to share the same word in their own language. The teacher also uses an app like Duolingo, adapted for Slovenian, to help students reach a basic first level in the language. Additional lessons outside regular class time are organised so that they can participate fully in classroom activities. 

As there are immigrant students in classes, the teacher encourages inclusive participation, for example by encouraging discussion on cultural identity during introductory activities. Starting with simple questions such as asking whether anyone used a different alphabet, students are encouraged to share aspects of their culture. In subjects like music, conversations about folk or popular traditions often lead to discussion on “our music is different” allowing students to share their traditions. 

Access to digital devices is crucial for equitable participation in education. OECD (2019; 2021) and EU digital education frameworks (European Commission, 2020) emphasise that learning opportunities should not depend on a students’ home resources. The school can cultivate a ‘borrow a device’ culture or request home devices for students from low-income families.

Building basic digital skills is equally important for teachers and students. Students from migrant or refugee backgrounds usually have limited access to digital devices (UNESCO, 2023). Therefore, it is important to allow them time to practise basic skills, such as keyboard practice, mouse control tasks, and guided navigation of learning platforms. Differentiated learning materials are necessary when teaching students from multiple language and cultural backgrounds. Using visual elements to indicate the tools and their name, along with simple, step by step instructions, helps students more easily understand the goals of the lesson and how to use tools. In addition, simplified texts, audio explanations, videos and translated materials can ensure students meaningfully participate in the lesson, not just observe.

Active classroom participation through integration activities helps every student to feel part of the school community. At school, an international day can be established where immigrant students share videos, food and music showcasing their roots and students born in the country can share their favourite tradition so they can learn from each other’s experiences. Setting up a buddy system at classroom level can be also beneficial for day-to-day support. Every month, a newly arrived student can be paired with a different buddy who offers ongoing support. For example, the buddy can help by reading instructions aloud, breaking down a task into steps, completing activities together, or collaborating on team projects. Peer collaboration is an effective intervention that can also promote social interaction, helping students get to know each other while working together.

It is an understatement to say that standing at the chalkboard does not always capture students’ attention, and this is becoming even more noticeable. Lesson planning creates an opportunity for the teacher to explore the functionalities of the interactive whiteboard, discovering how it can be used for educational games, writing on the board or interactive presentations. Basic online searching and testing the technology before using it with students reduce teacher’s anxiety when using new digital tools and platforms.

Plickers is used frequently for formative assessment and quick task completion. Students respond using individual codes like QR codes which prevents copying and allows them to remain anonymous. This anonymity encourages participation from pupils who might not raise their hand or who feel unsure of their answers. The teacher receives immediate feedback on students’ answers; students then review their responses and correct them together. The same set of Plickers codes can be used each year, adding student names, ensuring consistency and ease of use across classes. Kahoot is another interactive, game-based learning tool teacher uses to quiz students in a fun, competitive way. 

The teacher has also created a Google Sites webpage where students can access selected educational games and materials without navigating search engines. The page is saved on classroom tablets under Favourites, enabling quick access. This digital learning space, combined with interactive tools, helps students remain engaged and find the learning materials they need. 

The school also supports pupils who find oral participation challenging by encouraging multimodal products such as audio or video recordings prepared in a quiet space, typed responses instead of handwriting, and supported digital presentations. that reduce anxiety and fine‑motor demands while meeting the same learning goals. Ethical and practical considerations are taken into consideration, including consent for recording, secure storage and sharing of digital work, and ensuring that alternative tasks are equivalent and assessed with clear criteria. The teacher explains that technology can help, but only when used thoughtfully, by choosing quality material that supports understanding rather than relying on videos or games with no pedagogical value. 

Digital tools and multimodal expression can be used to support inclusive participation. Teachers can write prompts for AI tools such as ChatGPT asking for ideas on how to better use digital tools and suggest activities or tasks. It is important to prepare in advance and to test new functionalities or tools before introducing them in class, avoiding stress for both them and students when implementing a new idea.

Peer support within the school can help teachers navigate the many emerging tools available for educators. A shared Padlet can be created at school level where teachers add digital tools, short descriptions, and examples of how they use them in practice. When a tool requires more guidance, short training sessions can take place among colleagues, allowing teachers to learn directly from one another

Providing additional materials to students in the form of a class repository is a great way to make multimodal learning available and respond to the diverse needs of students. A well-organised online space can include video resources, easy-to-read presentations, worksheets for different levels, and interactive and gamified tasks. In this way students can access materials in multiple formats and explore the resources that best match their needs at their own pace. This online space can be also presented to parents, showing them how to navigate it so that they can support their child’s learning at home.

Multimodal assessment offers alternatives for summative assessment. Project based assessments, presentations or easy to read written examinations can be explored by the leadership and teaching staff. Alternative assessment formats should be consistent across classes and marking criteria clear to avoid misunderstandings and dissatisfaction among students. 

Supporting pupils’ well-being and sense of belonging is a priority for the teacher. Using Microsoft Reflect to track students’ well-being, visual mood indicators called “Feelings Monsters” are used from the beginning of the school year. 

However, some pupils had difficulties engaging with the activity, choosing a greyed-out monster to indicate that they did not want to share feelings. Several pupils consistently selected this option. The teacher discussed this with them and explained that even if the monster indicates that a student feels bad, it does not mean the pupil must tell everyone why. Pupils have the opportunity and a space where they can talk and share, but this does not automatically mean they must give a reason. The teacher does not force the class to share how they feel if they are negative. If a student does want to share how they feel for a long time or they do not feel well for a long time, the teacher is alerted and can look into the problem.

The Feelings Monsters are also displayed on classroom walls, reinforcing students’ sense of belonging and contributing to more positive classroom relationships. The teacher also uses anonymous animal cards. Pupils can indicate their wellbeing without having to speak publicly, which supports inclusion and reduces anxiety.

Finally, the class holds weekly class meetings to review the emotional climate. The teacher and pupils look at the Reflect results, discuss what influenced their wellbeing during the week, and set up to three goals for improvement. 

Enhancing students’ well-being is a significant part of classroom activities in today’s schools. Structured weekly routines help students self-reflect on their emotional state of mind and discuss well-being openly.

Teachers in lower and secondary education might consider the following steps:

• At the start of the week, ask students to complete a digital emotional check-in using a simple online quiz. Each student can then share three goals for the week and reflect on how these relate to their emotions and how they might cause anxiety. 
• Mid-week, a 10-minute journaling activity can be used to help students share their progress and emotional development. 
• At the end of the week, pupils complete another emotional check-in with fewer questions focusing on reflecting how the week is ending. They can then discuss what influenced their wellbeing, whether the weekly goals were met, what strategies helped, and what should be carried forward into the next week. 

This weekly cycle helps students reflect on their emotions and understand their progress, creating a positive classroom environment at the same time.