COLÁISTE Feirste is spearheading high-quality online lessons in Irish - and believes the struggles of Irish-medium education gives it a head start.
The west Belfast school's approach delivers classes online and develops new learning strategies.
In addition, it offers support mechanisms for pupils' social and emotional wellbeing, and special educational needs.
Principal Micheál Mac Giolla Ghunna said until recently those with Irish surnames would be feebly told "sorry, the computer doesn't understand Irish".
Nowadays, young Irish speakers are digital natives, he said, fully fluent in the language of ICT - and computers were equally fluent in Irish.
"As a sector, Irish-medium education is no stranger to challenges - they inspire us to come up with innovative solutions and drive up standards," he said.
"The present challenge is to keep the school open for high-quality learning but on platforms beyond the physical classroom, while maintaining all the advantages of learning by being immersed in Irish. This requires not just a new methodology but a new pedagogy. We firmly believe that high quality education occurs between people - it requires good broadband in relationships rather than just internet access."
Vice-Principal for curriculum and learning, Danielle Ní Riabhaigh said teachers created an interactive learning environment, fluid and flexible to the needs of diverse Irish-medium learners, through the use of G-suite and My School.
They have designed these platforms to be engaging academically, while providing comfort, reassurance and support pastorally.
They have also been developing online pedagogy through videos, creating Coláiste Feirste-specific YouTube channels and subject websites.
Pupils are engaging better with `bitesize' learning, uploading excellent samples of work through video and pictures to share and model for others.
"Our pupils rely on teachers and classroom assistants during times of stress and to balance the school workload," Ms Ní Riabhaigh said.
"This is particularly the case for less confident learners and more vulnerable children. The online platform enables pupils and teachers to provide feedback on classwork and discuss issues that may be creating a sense of pressure and anxiety. In addition, our PE department have created a whole school Google Classroom to encourage good mental health and exercise for all staff, parents and pupils."
Visual guides for parents on how to access and use the online learning platform have been created.
Special educational needs coordinator Emer Mhic an Fhailí, said the school built a mechanism by which pupils, particularly with SEN, could be supported online - socially and emotionally. This strategy emanated from its learning support centre, the Ionad.
"Learning at Coláiste Feirste is not just about the development of understanding and skills, it is an emotional journey of discovery based on rich human relationships, building young people's confidence and self-regard to enable and inspire them to learn," Ms Mhic an Fhailí said.
"We sent home adapted Individual Education Plans for all children with a statement of SEN. These plans were re-written specifically for the children and their parents/guardians for an online context, to guide the daily work expectations and to invite parents to agree on learning targets with their children."
Virtual classrooms have been set up in all subjects for all year groups. Pupils with an SEN are fully integrated and classroom assistants are there also.
"These children rely heavily on daily help from adults in school, and it is imperative that virtual learning support is available to them," Ms Mhic an Fhailí added.
"Coláiste Feirste's classroom assistants are incredibly committed and a source of pride to us. They are surrogate school-based older siblings and are making contact by phone, by email and through online learning platforms. One CA sent her pupil a daily plan on how to get through the day. It includes structured learning, yoga through Irish accessed online, face packs, sweets and film nights."
Ms Mhic an Fhailí said staff were in regular contact with pupils.
"One pupil, Keeva, told us: `Our cúntóirí (classroom assistants) are amazing. They are in constant contact with us, to make sure we are ok. We are having a bit of craic with them in our Ionad classroom, away from the work in other classrooms. I really miss school and I would do anything to be back there'.
"We feel the same. We miss the children so much. It is only natural for us to be in touch with them via this Ionad classroom. So far, rants include: not being able to play Yu-Gi-Oh, over-exposure to annoying siblings, the boredom of constant isolation, getting too much work from enthusiastic teachers and lots of chats about what they are reading, following our reading challenges," Ms Mhic an Fhailí added.
Mr Mac Giolla Ghunna said the high-quality learning would continue through innovative use of technology.
"More importantly it continues because of the innovative pedagogy, strong relationships and care that lie at the heart of the Irish-medium ethos."
