Digital teaching

Digital skills only become meaningful in education when they are embedded in clear pedagogical intentions. Technology is not a motivational add-on, but a tool that can support differentiation, autonomy, and interaction. This perspective aligns with blended learning, where in-person teaching and digital environments complement each other.

Blended learning

In my teaching practice, blended learning helps combine live classroom interaction with flexible digital practice. Tools such as BookWidgets allow students to work at their own pace, revisit content, receive immediate feedback, and practise independently. This is particularly valuable for mixed-ability classes, as it supports learners with different levels and needs through audio, visuals, and adapted tasks.

At the same time, digital tools shift my role toward that of a facilitator. They make student progress more visible and allow me to provide targeted support during and after learning activities.

Digital tools

I use Mentimeter to activate prior knowledge and connect lessons to students’ experiences, creating immediate engagement with new content. Canva supports both lesson design and student production, encouraging creativity and ownership of learning. Kahoot! is used strategically for vocabulary consolidation, retrieval practice, and linking language learning to current themes.

These tools are not used for their novelty, but to reinforce specific learning goals within structured lesson sequences.

Exploring GenAI critically

My approach to digital teaching also includes the emerging role of generative AI. Following professional development, including an EF webinar on AI in education, I began to explore AI not as a shortcut, but as a learning tool.

In practice, I have used AI for structured language practice, reflective tasks on sensitive topics, and comparison activities between AI-generated and student-produced content. In some cases, AI has provided a neutral space for students to explore complex or personal themes, while also developing critical awareness of how information is generated and shaped.

At the same time, I remain critical of digital tools. Without clear guidance and ethical framing, they risk encouraging surface-level engagement rather than deeper understanding. This has strengthened my belief that digital literacy must always include critical thinking, responsibility, and transparency.