Up next in my latest Quick Guides is Microsoft Editor.  Microsoft Editor can help students improve their writing skills and communicate more effectively. It can also help teachers grade papers more efficiently by identifying common errors and suggesting corrections. I use the Microsoft Editor add in online all the time at home and work - it's so easy to identify errors or fixes in my writing.  Checking grammar, spelling, similarity and the ability to do this across languages, makes Microsoft Editor an essential tool for students and teachers.  Download the guide here

 Exciting news..... I have lots more quick guides coming soon, in partnership with Microsoft.  First up, is Microsoft Flip.  Microsoft Flip is a video discussion and sharing app that is free. It is designed for educators to create safe, online groups for students to express their ideas asynchronously in short video, text, and audio messages. Teachers can create a group and invite students to join. They can control who is invited to become students of the group and what they can see. Topics are text or video instructions to prompt students to respond. Students can comment on each other’s video, text or audio messages or invite peers to build on their ideas. Download the guide here

As someone who is not mathematically inclined, I love the Microsoft Math Solver App 😍.  Microsoft Math solver app provides help with a variety of problems including arithmetic, algebra, trigonometry, calculus, statistics, and other topics using an advanced AI powered math solver. Simply write a problem on screen or use the camera to snap a math photo. Microsoft Math problem solver instantly recognizes the problem and helps you to solve it. It's truly magic! Download the quick guide here...

  Thinking about thinking 🤔 🧠 💭 Metacognition is having an awareness and understanding of one's own thought processes so pretty much thinking about thinking! There are numerous ways we can encourage pupils to reflect on their learning and develop a knowledge of how they learn. Download here Miss Aird Teach - Pedagogy (google.com)

Learning Intentions and Success Criteria are an essential part of a lesson. These tell pupils what they will be learning about and what success will look like (what should pupils achieve in the lesson). This allows pupils to reflect of their learning and evaluate if they have achieved the intended success criteria. Below is some ideas of how to implement and use learning intentions and success criteria. 

This is a quick guide with some key strategies and Differentation ideas to support pupils with Auditory Processing Disorder.  Auditory processing disorder (APD) is where you have difficulty understanding sounds, including spoken words. APD is not about hearing loss. Some of the strategies look at giving instructions, the learning environment, chunking, fidgeting and gives ideas for focus and attention and teaching new concepts. 

This is a quick guide with some key strategies and Differentation ideas to support pupils with Dyscalculia.  Dyscalculia is a specific and persistent difficulty in understanding numbers which can lead to a diverse range of difficulties with mathematics. Some of the strategies look at relationships, chunking, games, repetition, number lines, visuals and concrete materials. 

This is a quick guide with some key strategies and Differentation ideas to support pupils with Dyslexia.  Dyslexia can be described as a continuum of difficulties in learning to read, write and/or spell, which persist despite the provision of appropriate learning opportunities. These difficulties often do not reflect an individual’s cognitive abilities and may not be typical of performance in other areas. Some of the strategies look at presenting information, chunking work, repetition, colour coding, organisation and the use of ICT for learning.

This is a quick guide with some key strategies and Differentation ideas to support pupils with ADHD.  Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a group of behavioural symptoms that include inattentiveness, hyperactivity and impulsiveness.  Some of the strategies look at ways to reduce and support distractions, impulsivity, interrupting, hyperactivity aswell as ideas for following directions, social skills and time keeping.

This is a quick guide with some key strategies and Differentation ideas to support pupils with Autism Spectrum Disorder.  Autism is a neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by impaired social interaction, verbal and non-verbal communication, and restricted and repetitive behaviour.  Some of the strategies look at relationships, visuals, communication, the environment, fidgeting and sensory stimulations. 

Microsoft has a wide variety of accessibility tools that make education and resources accessible to all pupils.  I created quick guide posters which we have put up in every classroom so pupils can access these tools in any class at any point. Some pupils have also been given these quick guides in a bookmark format, meaning they have these to hand in class and at home.  These resources have proved to be very effective in supporting pupils and staff when using these tools and over 150 teachers across the country have requested copies. It is a pleasure knowing this work is supporting pupils all over the country.  Pupils have been using these tools in their classes which has allowed them to be included more in lessons as barriers, such as low literacy levels literacy, can be reduced.    Download the quick guides here