Teachers' Corner

Unlike story starters, which aim to provide a specific opening line, writing prompts offer broader themes or concepts for children to explore. Effective writing prompts are open-ended questions or statements that help make up a toolkit designed to inspire creative, persuasive or narrative writing.

In the world of education, fostering creativity and imagination is just as important as teaching facts and figures. One of the most effective ways I have found to achieve this is through the use of playful story starters in the classroom. These tools not only stimulate children’s creativity but also enhance their writing skills, language and vocabulary, critical thinking and overall engagement.

An interactive story is one where the reader can choose how they navigate through it. The reader will be presented with critical choices at various points. The key thing is the reader is very much an active participant in the story. Here are a few different ways to engage students by creating their own interactive stories.

Guided reading is a successful feature of literacy lessons in more and more primary schools. At the core to the approach is the focus on a small group working together using the same selected text. Here are some ways to make the best use of that valuable time together.

Implementing teacher-led, small group work, such as guided reading, can be a challenge in a busy classroom. It can be useful to develop an array of related activities around chosen texts that other students can partake in without having to be closely monitored.

Many students can benefit from some support in understanding new things or in expressing their ideas. Here are four ways they can harness the accessibility features of modern tech to help.

Some ideas are just too nice not to share! The children at Mandy's school enjoyed a neat activity for World Book Day that could be adapted to work anytime of the school year or for different topics. They turned their classroom doors into book covers!

Like many schools, we identified a need to open an autism class in our school. We wanted to provide an autism specific environment within our mainstream school for our autistic pupils to thrive in. We felt this was an important journey to share.

Starting a role in SET may seem overwhelming, but with the right information and a collaborative approach, you can create a positive and impactful learning environment for those in your care.

Timetabling in special education requires thoughtful planning and continuous collaboration with class teachers. The goal is to integrate support seamlessly into the overall educational experience, ensuring children receive a well-rounded and inclusive education.

To effectively support children with special educational needs, SET teachers must understand the various levels of support available and how to implement them.

As a busy teacher, the prospect of diving into lengthy professional reports can feel overwhelming, however, these documents are packed with actionable insights.

After gathering all necessary information from previous teachers, arranging support time, reading relevant reports, and assessing last year's targets, it's time to prepare the new support plan for the coming year. This crucial step involves a structured approach to ensure each student's needs are met effectively.

Creating a Classroom Support Plan (CSP) is a collaborative effort between the Special Education Teacher (SET) and the classroom teachers to ensure that each pupil's unique needs are met. Here we outline the steps involved in developing an effective CSP, emphasizing the importance of teamwork and detailed planning.

Building on the foundation of a Classroom Support Plan, the next steps in providing comprehensive support to pupils with special educational needs involve creating a School Support Plan (SSP) or a School Support Plus (SSP+) Plan.

Aoife has been a classroom teacher for over 20 years but has recently taken the leap into leadership. She now considers herself an NQDP (Newly Qualified Deputy Principal). Here is her story.

WILL (Women In Learning & Leadership) is a fast growing network for aspiring and inspiring female teacher leaders in education to support, share and learn from each other. Over 2,000 members have joined this new and dynamic community in Irish education.

Even the strongest and most capable people can face crippling self-doubt. By thinking differently and challenging negative patterns of thinking, this can be overcome and valuable professional insights gained.

Taking a step toward leadership may feel like beginning a journey alone but there are others on the same path or those who will help. Rachel O’ Connor & Dr. Kathyrn Corbett – co-founders of WILL Network, share their perspectives on the power of networking.

Does the opportunity to play a pivotal role in shaping the future of learning in Ireland intrigue you? WILL Network founders, Dr. Kathryn Corbett and Rachel O' Connor, offer a roadmap for those aspiring to take the next step in their education journey.

Thinking about taking a leap into education leadership? WILL network founders, Dr Kathryn Corbett & Rachel O' Connor, highlight those leadership skills we use as teachers every day.