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My AHA moments were as follows;
1. How important the thematic approach can be. I can now really see how it lends itself beautifully to OL and literacy, especially for children with speech and language difficulties, EAL or neurodivergent pupils etc.
2. I feel like I now have a better understanding of what my priorities will be in teaching Junior literacy. I think I was unaware just how important it is to make sure the children are ‘ready’ to learn and engage/participate effectively.
3. I can see how beautifully both the Hegarty and the UFLI programmes can be used in the junior room to really support the children. I love that it also appears to really support the teacher too- bonus!!
4. I love how it was suggested that Seesaw can be used as a mode of communication with parents! I love that we could write and advise and hear concerns via the Seesaw platform.
5. I’m intrigued by the UDL method to support all as a more inclusive mode of teaching, however, I am concerned about its practicalities.
6. I love the ideas of morning meetings- I feel this could be a lovely was to engage the pupils right from the start of the day and I love it’s routine. I think the children would love this.
7. I’m amazed by the different types of AI and what they can do. I really feel that these platforms will help me to support my pupils in a more fun and engaging way.
8. Someone also mentioned photos as a mode of assessment. I think this is a great way of keeping track in a neat way on the computer. A fabulous way to show glimpse /running record/ progression of work.It’s really interesting to hear how you’ve used different forms of in-class support depending on the needs and class dynamics. I totally agree that the success of ICS often depends on the relationship between the SET and class teacher. When there’s a good working relationship and shared planning, it really shows in how the support plays out in the classroom. I love the idea of including peer tutors in the maths stations. It’s such a clever way to create an extra station and build pupil confidence and leadership at the same time!
Based on this course, I think in September I will try a 6-week parallel teaching plan with the Junior and Senior Infants, focusing on literacy through a UDL lens. I’d like to start with two themes: “All About Me” and “Autumn.” Myself and the other teacher will split the class into two groups based on their learning needs, and we’ll teach the same skills like phonological awareness, oral language, and early writing, but at different levels. I’ll make sure to include plenty of ways for the children to engage—songs, movement, sensory play, visuals—and give them different ways to show their learning, like drawing, talking, or hands-on tasks. The goal will be to make the classroom more inclusive and responsive, and to make literacy learning fun and accessible for everyone from the start. I will also hope set up good communication links with parents. I think Seesaw will be a great platform for communication and I love the idea of an open evening to inform the parents at the start of the school year.
Really enjoyed reading your reflection. I liked how you pointed out that teachers often differentiate instinctively, while UDL needs to be built in from the start. Your comment about UDL being strengths-based really stood out. It’s such a shift in thinking, but a really positive one. It’s great to see it starting to show up in things like the new maths curriculum, even if it’ll take time to fully embed. You’ve captured both the challenges and the long-term value really well.
Both methods aim to help children succeed in the classroom, regardless of ability. However, they are different in how they are planned, delivered, and understood.
Differentiation involves planning lessons and then adjusting them later to meet the needs of individual students or groups. For example, after identifying that a child is struggling with a text, a teacher might create a simplified version or provide extra scaffolding.
UDL, is more about designing lessons from the beginning with multiple means of engagement, representation, and expression so that barriers to learning are reduced for all students before they even arise.
In differentiation you respond to an individual needs. Certain children may end up doing slightly different tasks or working towards different goal. It’s more tailored and can involve more work
UDL seems to move the focus from specific children to the whole class. The lessons are more flexible so that every child can access the learning in a way that works for them—whether through visuals, audio, movement, or choice in how they show their understanding.
Differentiation is usually implemented with different worksheets, adding support materials, or assigning less work etc. UDL seems to offer pupils a variety of ways to access and engage with the lesson so that they can choose what works best for them, for example, using voice-to-text software, providing visual prompts, or offering choices in how students complete an activity.
UDL wants us to create a learning environment that is rich, flexible, and varied so that all learners, including those with additional need, can thrive without having to be “separated out” or given something different.I had never hearf of ALPACA before. From the little videos and the supporting resources it looks fantastic and very user friendly!! I can see how this would work for a teacher who does not have SET or SNA support. I am in a small school, hence tablets are scarce, however, I can see how we could use the few we have to assess children through the day/week to gain deeper insight. I must look into the programme more!!
The benefits of assessment to the early years is that it gives us a picture of where the child is at so as we can meet them at their level i.e. AOL/ AFL.
Not all children enter the primary school with the same backgrounds or exposure to learning. We need to see where there are gaps, we need to create a baseline for our teaching and assessment provides us/ guides us in our teaching.
Assessment may be influenced by age/maturity, participation in creche, siblings, speech and language difficulties, neurodiverse children (with or without a diagnosis), cultural background etc.
Challenges with assessment in the school may be lack of support, for example, if you have 28 children but no SNA or SET support it would be hard to get through individual assessments.
Multi classes would also hinder assessment.
Often neuro diverse children enter the junior room without parents realising their child is neurodiverse. getting parents onboard can be a challenge at times.
Lack of resources can also hinder assessment.
