Essential Resources for Special Education by #Edutopia

Edutopia’s Essential Resources for Special Education brings together a wide range of practical articles, strategies and tools to help teachers respond to diverse learning needs and create more inclusive classroom environments. The collection also offers guidance for school leaders on how to support teachers and strengthen collaboration across educational teams.

The resource covers several key areas, including learning accommodations, support for neurodivergent students, assistive technology, classroom organisation, differentiated instruction and Universal Design for Learning (UDL). It also explores how to work with families, improve communication between general and special education teachers, organise individual support plans and help students participate in decisions about their own learning. Other articles focus on specific needs, such as autism, dyscalculia and executive functioning.

The collection is particularly useful for teachers looking for ideas they can adapt to their everyday practice. It can support individual lesson planning, staff discussions, professional development sessions and collaboration between subject teachers, support staff and families. Some resources include templates and ready-to-use tools, making it easier to turn general principles into concrete classroom strategies.

https://www.edutopia.org/package/essential-resources-for-special-education

Free Physics Textbooks

Looking for high-quality physics resources that students and teachers can access for free? Abakcus’s collection of free physics textbooks brings together an extensive library of books and lecture notes written by physicists and universities, with links to the authors’ websites, university pages and open archives.

The collection currently features 223 resources covering 15 areas of physics, from introductory concepts to advanced university-level topics. These include mechanics, electromagnetism, quantum mechanics, optics, thermodynamics, relativity, astrophysics and energy. The resources are organised by subject, academic level and format, making it easier to find material suited to different learning needs. Many are available as PDFs, while others can be read directly online. The collection also includes selected review articles and classic works in the history of physics.

For teachers, this collection offers opportunities to enrich classroom materials, support independent learning and provide additional explanations or challenges for students with different levels of attainment. A textbook can be used to prepare lessons, reinforce a difficult concept, set optional reading or develop research projects. Some resources may also help students explore topics beyond the standard curriculum and discover connections between physics, mathematics, technology and other sciences.

https://abakcus.com/book-lists/free-physics-textbooks

20 Birthday traditions around the world you might not know about

Ever wondered how people celebrate birthdays in other countries? This infographic from the Council of Europe's European Day of Languages (26 September) takes us on a tour of 20 fascinating customs. In China, you're already one year old at birth. In Denmark, children wake up to a room full of gifts. In Ireland, they get "birthday bumps". In Mexico, no party is complete without a piñata, and in Germany, wishing someone a happy birthday early is considered bad luck.

You'll also discover the surprising origins of "Happy Birthday to You", the ancient Greek roots of birthday cakes, and what happens when you're born on 29 February. Whether you're a language lover, a curious traveller, or just planning your next party, these traditions are a fun reminder that cultural awareness starts with the little things, like knowing when (and how!) to say "happy birthday".

https://www.ecml.at/Portals/1/documents/ECML-resources/EDL-infographic-2025-EN.pdf

Progress on the Sustainable Development Goals: The gender snapshot 2026

Progress on the Sustainable Development Goals: The Gender Snapshot 2026, published by UN Women and the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs, provides a clear picture of the current state of gender equality across all 17 Sustainable Development Goals. Drawing on more than 100 data sources, the report focuses particularly on women’s participation in leadership and decision-making and shows that, despite some progress, gender equality remains far from being achieved.

One of the most striking findings is that women currently hold 27.4% of seats in national parliaments, 35.6% of local government positions and 30.5% of managerial jobs worldwide. The report also highlights that not a single indicator of SDG 5, which focuses on gender equality, is currently on track to be achieved by 2030.

This publication can be a very useful resource for the classroom because it allows students to explore gender equality through real data rather than abstract statements. Graphs, statistics and comparisons can provide a starting point for discussions about representation, access to power, gender stereotypes, economic opportunities and the barriers that women continue to face. It can also be connected with Mathematics, Geography, Social Sciences, Economics, Citizenship Education and Media Literacy.

https://www.unwomen.org/en/digital-library/publications/2026/09/progress-on-the-sustainable-development-goals-the-gender-snapshot-2026

Enhancing pedagogies and competencies for sustainability

Enhancing pedagogies and competencies for sustainability is a UNESCO guidance tool published in 2026 as part of the Transforming futures initiative. Its main purpose is to help educators move from teaching about sustainability to learning through action: developing the knowledge, skills and attitudes students need to understand complex challenges, collaborate, solve problems and participate actively in their communities.

One of the most useful features of the publication is its practical approach. It is organised around three complementary pathways (Chart, Navigate and Explore) which help teachers design holistic learning experiences, develop sustainability competencies progressively and create opportunities for students to apply what they have learned in authentic situations. The guide also includes a substantial toolbox with worksheets, progression rubrics, active-learning methods, an authentic-task design canvas, a mini-portfolio template and assessment tools.

https://unesdoc.unesco.org/ark:/48223/pf0000399354/PDF/399354eng.pdf.multi

Free Math Textbooks: an open library for learning mathematics

Free Math Textbooks is a collection of free mathematics textbooks compiled by Abakcus. It brings together resources written by mathematicians and university educators and provides direct links to the authors’ websites or the universities and institutions hosting the materials. The collection includes a wide range of books, from secondary-school mathematics to advanced university-level topics.

The collection covers many areas, including algebra, calculus, analysis, differential equations, geometry and trigonometry, probability, statistics, number theory and applied mathematics. Resources can also be filtered by level (high school, undergraduate or advanced) and by format, such as PDF or web-based books. This makes it easier to find suitable materials for revision, extension work or further study.

https://abakcus.com/book-lists/free-math-textbooks

Tate Kids: discovering art through play and creativity

Tate Kids is the educational section of the Tate website created especially for children, offering an engaging way to discover art, artists and creative techniques. Through games, videos, quizzes, activities and accessible information about artworks and artists, it encourages children to explore art in an active and playful way. The wider Tate learning programme also places strong emphasis on creativity, curiosity, participation and learning through making and storytelling.

From an educational perspective, the resource can be used to introduce artists and artistic movements, explore individual artworks, develop visual literacy or provide inspiration for practical art activities. It can also be particularly useful in English lessons, as students can use the materials to learn vocabulary, describe artworks, express opinions and carry out short research tasks in English.

Explore Tate Kids here:

https://www.tate.org.uk/kids

Thiings: a visual resource for the classroom

Thiings is a collection of more than 10,000 free AI-generated 3D icons covering a wide range of everyday objects, animals, food, people and other visual elements. The collection has a consistent and attractive style, making it easy to find images that can be used in presentations, worksheets, digital activities and other teaching materials.

From an educational perspective, Thiings can be particularly useful for creating more visual and accessible learning materials. Teachers can use the images to introduce vocabulary in language lessons, create flashcards and games, support classroom instructions, illustrate stories or dialogues, and design activities based on describing, classifying or comparing objects. The visual nature of the icons can also provide useful support for learners who benefit from clear visual references.

The collection can also become a starting point for creative classroom activities. Students could choose several images and use them to create a story, describe the objects in a foreign language, organise them into categories or incorporate them into a digital presentation or project. In this way, a simple collection of images can support vocabulary development, communication, creativity and digital competence.

Find it here:

https://www.thiings.co/things

Book Club: A Song of Hope to foster ESL, Creativity, and Global Citizenship through Literature

Ever feel like getting students excited about reading in a second language is an uphill battle? That’s why the eTwinning project "Book Club: A Song of Hope" really caught my eye.

Instead of treating literature like just another set of vocabulary lists and comprehension questions, it turns a standard reading lesson into a space where kids actually talk to each other across borders. The setup is simple, but smart: students read together, use basic digital tools to share their thoughts, and connect with peers from other countries to react to the same story.

What works so well here is that English becomes the tool to share an opinion, not just a subject to get graded on. Kids practice their speaking and writing because they actually have something to say, while picking up subtle lessons in empathy and how people from different cultures view the same text.

https://school-education.ec.europa.eu/en/etwinning/projects/book-club-song-hope-foster-esl-creativity-and-global-citizenship-through-literature

https://school-education.ec.europa.eu/en/etwinning/projects/book-club-song-hope-foster-esl-creativity-and-global-citizenship-through-literature/twinspace

Plastic in the ocean: What can we do?

Plastic in the ocean: What can we do? is a lesson plan from the British Council’s TeachingEnglish platform, designed for learners aged 9–12 with an approximate B1 level of English. The lesson takes around 120 minutes and can be delivered in two 60-minute sessions. Its main objective is to raise awareness of plastic pollution in the oceans while developing students’ language and communication skills.

The lesson begins with a story about the journey of a plastic bag, showing how everyday rubbish can travel from a street or park into rivers and eventually reach the ocean, where it can harm marine life. Through reading activities, vocabulary work and discussion, students explore the causes and consequences of plastic pollution. They then work collaboratively to create awareness-raising posters containing slogans, explanations, images and suggestions for action.

The resource combines reading, speaking, vocabulary development, creativity and teamwork. It also encourages students to reflect on their own feelings and behaviour, helping them identify practical actions such as reducing single-use plastics, using reusable alternatives and sharing information with others. A gallery walk allows students to view their classmates’ posters and provide positive feedback, adding a peer-learning dimension to the activity.

From an educational perspective, this proposal provides a meaningful context for learning English while addressing an important environmental issue connected to Sustainable Development Goal 14: Life Below Water. It can be adapted to different classroom contexts and extended through research, presentations, videos or school awareness campaigns.

https://www.teachingenglish.org.uk/teaching-resources/teaching-primary/lesson-plans/level-2/plastic-ocean-what-can-we-do

English Speaking Cities: Learning English through a journey around the world

English Speaking Cities is a collection of ten open educational resources from the EDIA Project, developed by CEDEC for English in Year 10 (3º ESO). The project uses travel as its central theme, taking students to cities where English is an important language of communication. London, Edinburgh, Belfast, Dublin, Cork, New York, Washington, Los Angeles, Toronto and Sydney become the settings for different learning projects in which students use English to complete meaningful tasks and create final products.

Each project follows a similar structure: students explore a city, carry out a series of activities and work towards a final task. These include writing an opinion article, creating a poster, recording an interview, designing an environmental campaign, producing an infographic, making a video, preparing a digital presentation or recording a podcast. At the same time, students work on specific language content such as different verb tenses, conditionals, comparatives, the passive voice, infinitives and gerunds.

The project combines reading, writing, listening, speaking and interaction with Project-Based Learning (PBL). Grammar is therefore not treated as an isolated set of exercises but as a tool students need in order to complete a communicative task. The resources also promote active learning, digital competence, higher-order thinking, formative assessment and reflection on learning. The travel theme also creates opportunities to connect English with geography, history, culture, environmental issues and digital literacy. 

The ten projects can be used as a complete learning programme or teachers can simply select individual activities or projects to complement their existing lessons. The resources are open and can be viewed, downloaded and adapted to suit different groups and teaching contexts.

https://cedec.intef.es/situaciones-de-aprendizaje-para-ingles-de-3oeso-proyecto-english-speaking-cities/

Plays.org: Learning through play

Sometimes the simplest way to introduce a new concept, practise something we have already learned or give students a short change of pace is to turn it into a game. 

Plays.org is a large collection of free browser-based games, and although the website is not exclusively educational, it includes a substantial section devoted to learning games that can be useful in the classroom. The main advantage is its simplicity: the games can be played directly in a web browser, without installing an app or additional software, and they are designed to work across computers, tablets and mobile devices.

The educational section brings together games covering areas such as mathematics, spelling, vocabulary, reading, phonics, numbers, shapes, science and basic health. There are very simple activities for younger learners, such as recognising numbers, identifying shapes or matching body parts, alongside more challenging games involving mental arithmetic, mathematical operations, word formation, logic and problem solving.

https://plays.org/education-games/

The secret messages of Viking runestones

The Vikings are usually associated with longships, exploration, battles and raids, but there is another side of their culture that is perhaps less familiar: the stories they left behind in stone. This short TED-Ed lesson, presented by historian Jesse Byock, takes us into the world of Viking runestones and the mysterious messages written on them in Old Norse using runic letters.

The video is a fascinating introduction to the Vikings through something they actually left behind. Instead of focusing only on the usual images of warriors and ships, it looks at the fragments of stone, bone and other materials that have helped historians understand Viking society. Runestones become a kind of historical evidence, giving us clues about the people who created them, what they believed, who they wanted to remember and even how they wanted to be remembered.

The animation also introduces students to the idea that writing has not always looked the way it does today. The runic alphabet, or futhark, opens up an interesting door into language and communication. Students can see how a written message can survive for centuries and become a source of information about a society that disappeared long ago. At the same time, it is a good reminder that historians often have to piece together the past from incomplete evidence rather than simply finding a book that tells them exactly what happened.

One of the things that makes this resource work particularly well in the classroom is its combination of history, language and visual storytelling. The animation is short and accessible, making it easy to use as an introduction to a unit on the Vikings, the Middle Ages or the history of writing. It could also work well in an English lesson, especially with students who enjoy history, fantasy or archaeology. The vocabulary provides plenty of opportunities to work with words connected with writing, symbols, exploration, ancient cultures and historical evidence.

There is also a nice opportunity for students to go beyond simply watching the video. After viewing it, they could investigate a Viking runestone, try to identify some runic symbols, research what inscriptions tell us about everyday life, or create their own short “runestone” containing a message for people living hundreds of years in the future. That last activity can lead to some surprisingly interesting conversations: What would we want people in the future to know about us? What would they misunderstand if all they had were a few objects and inscriptions?

https://ed.ted.com/lessons/spells-threats-and-dragons-the-secret-messages-of-viking-runestones-jesse-byock

Lesson planning with #AI

How can artificial intelligence help teachers prepare better lessons while saving time? This resource from Ditch that Textbook offers a practical introduction to using AI as a teaching assistant during the planning process. Rather than presenting AI as a magic solution, the webpage encourages teachers to use it as a starting point: a tool for generating ideas, exploring possibilities, creating activities and receiving feedback, while the teacher remains responsible for making the final decisions.

The resource is divided into two main areas. The first explores ways of using AI to improve lessons that already exist. Teachers can ask an AI assistant to suggest a lesson plan, create analogies to explain difficult concepts, identify common misconceptions, generate discussion or reflection questions, develop real-world examples, create dialogues or even design interactive stories connected to the subject being taught. AI image generators can also be used to create an unexpected visual “hook” to introduce a topic and stimulate students’ curiosity. The page also suggests using AI to help with assessment, differentiation and the alignment of lessons with curriculum standards.

The second part focuses on planning new lessons with AI. The process begins with the big picture and gradually moves towards individual activities. Teachers can start with a unit or a set of learning objectives, introduce the relevant curriculum standards, and then ask AI to suggest activities, resources and assessment strategies. An important message throughout the resource is that AI-generated material should always be evaluated and adapted. AI can produce many ideas very quickly, but teachers are the ones who know their students, their classroom context and what will actually work.

https://ditchthattextbook.com/ai-lesson-planning/

Library of Congress. Free to Use and Reuse sets

Free to Use is a section of the Library of Congress that brings together images, photographs, maps, manuscripts, posters, illustrations and other materials from its digital collections that can be freely reused. It offers an excellent opportunity to explore historical and cultural documents while discovering how libraries and archives can become valuable sources of authentic educational material.

One of the most interesting features of the resource is its visual richness. Instead of working only with written explanations about history, society or culture, students can examine original photographs, historical maps, advertisements, drawings and other documents. These materials can be used to investigate the past, identify changes over time and ask questions about the people, places and events represented in them.

For teachers, the collection offers many possibilities for project-based and inquiry-based learning. A photograph can become the starting point for a historical investigation; a map can be used to study geographical change; an old advertisement can lead to an analysis of consumer culture and stereotypes; and a historical poster can be examined to understand propaganda, political messages or the social values of a particular period. Students can also compare historical images with contemporary ones and discuss how societies represent themselves.

The resource is particularly valuable for the English classroom because it provides authentic materials from an English-speaking cultural context. Students can describe images, reconstruct the stories behind them, write captions, create short narratives, investigate unfamiliar vocabulary or prepare presentations based on primary sources. It can also encourage students to move beyond the textbook and use English as a tool for exploring history and culture.

https://www.loc.gov/free-to-use/

The Library That Dolly Built

Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library is a literacy initiative created in 1995 by American singer and philanthropist Dolly Parton through the Dollywood Foundation. Its purpose is simple but powerful: to encourage children to develop a love of reading from an early age by giving them books for free. The programme sends high-quality, age-appropriate books to children from birth to the age of five, regardless of their family’s income.

What began as a local initiative in Sevier County, Tennessee, has grown into an international programme operating in the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, Australia and the Republic of Ireland. The programme reached its 200-millionth book in 2023 and, in 2022, was already mailing two million books every month worldwide.

The educational interest of the initiative lies not only in providing access to books but also in creating a relationship with reading before children even start school. The books are selected according to children's developmental stages: the youngest children receive books designed around images, sounds, rhythm and simple language, while older children are introduced to increasingly complex stories, poetry, science, values and preparation for school. Audio and Braille editions are also available.

https://imaginationlibrary.com/

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nNri2gb9jYk&t=1s

Maps.Interlude: geography, maps and data at a glance

Maps.Interlude is a blog dedicated to maps, geography and data, offering a large collection of visual resources that can help us understand the world through maps. Its posts cover a remarkably wide range of topics, from European housing, employment and agriculture to migration, elections, energy, climate, inequality and tourism. Recent examples include maps showing average home sizes in the EU, the countries with the largest agricultural economies, the length of time people stay with the same employer, military expenditure in Europe, voting ages and wealth inequality.

This makes the website particularly useful for Geography and Social Sciences, but also for subjects such as Economics, History, Citizenship Education or Mathematics, where students can work with statistics, comparisons and geographical information.

For teachers, the blog can be used as a source of short, engaging prompts for classroom discussion. A map about voting age in Europe, for example, could lead students to compare electoral systems and discuss political participation; maps about migration could open a discussion about population movements and diversity; and data on employment, salaries or inequality could provide opportunities to analyse social and economic differences between European countries. Other maps, such as those dealing with climate, energy production or agriculture, can provide starting points for work on sustainability and the European Green Deal.

https://mapsinterlude.wordpress.com/

Experiencing Democracy in the Classroom

Experiencing Democracy in the Classroom: Building Democratic Learning Environments to Promote Civic Learning is an open-access publication edited by Valeria Damiani and published by Springer in 2026 as part of the IEA Research for Educators series. Its starting point is both simple and powerful: schools are not only places where students learn about democracy; they are also places where they can experience and practise it.

The publication aims to provide teachers with practical tools and examples to create democratic learning environments, strengthen civic learning and encourage students to become more engaged in classroom and community life. It emphasises that when students have meaningful opportunities to participate, express their views, listen to others and become involved in decision-making, they develop not only civic knowledge but also the attitudes and behaviours needed for active citizenship.

The first part of the book connects the theory of civic and citizenship education with everyday classroom practice. It looks at the role of schools and communities in developing citizenship and also draws on findings from the International Civic and Citizenship Education Study (ICCS). The second part moves towards practice, presenting teaching strategies and examples from schools in Italy, the Netherlands, Brazil and Slovenia. These experiences provide inspiration for teachers who want to make participation, dialogue and democratic values a more visible part of school life.

For teachers, the publication offers an interesting reminder that democratic education does not have to be restricted to a particular subject or occasional activity. The way we organise a classroom, encourage discussion, manage disagreement and give students a voice is itself an opportunity to teach democracy. This makes the book particularly relevant for work on active citizenship, critical thinking, human rights, inclusion, media literacy and participation.

The publication is freely available online, making it an accessible resource for teachers and schools interested in developing more participatory and democratic educational environments.

https://link.springer.com/book/10.1007/978-3-032-25449-8

ESL Worksheets and Lesson Plans for English Teachers

Linguahouse is an online platform offering a large collection of teaching materials for teachers of English as a foreign or second language. Its ESL Lesson Plans section brings together lesson plans and worksheets that can be searched and filtered according to different criteria, making it easier for teachers to find activities suited to their students and teaching context. The platform includes resources for general English, English for teenagers and other more specific areas, as well as materials based on different types of language and media.

One of its main advantages is its practical approach. Instead of simply providing isolated exercises, the platform offers materials that can be incorporated into complete lessons, with topics and activities designed to encourage students to use English in meaningful contexts. Some resources also include audio or video, which can help teachers develop listening skills and introduce more varied and engaging classroom activities.

For secondary-school English teachers, Linguahouse can therefore be a useful source of inspiration when planning lessons, looking for activities on particular topics or adding variety to the textbook. Materials can be adapted to different levels and classroom situations and can provide opportunities to practise vocabulary, grammar, reading, listening and speaking while discussing contemporary and engaging topics.

The website also distinguishes between free and subscription-based materials, so teachers can explore the available resources and choose those that best fit their needs. Its subscription plans provide broader access to the platform's EFL/ESL resources and include lesson and course plans, among other materials.

https://www.linguahouse.com/esl-lesson-plans

Exploring eclipses with the European Space Agency

The European Space Agency (ESA) offers this clear and accessible resource to help students understand what an eclipse is and why these fascinating astronomical events occur. The page explains the two main types of eclipses that can be observed from Earth: solar eclipses, which occur when the Moon passes between the Sun and Earth, and lunar eclipses, which happen when the Earth comes between the Sun and the Moon.

The resource goes further by explaining the different forms of solar eclipses and showing how the Moon's elliptical orbit affects what we see from Earth. It also explains why solar eclipses do not occur every month, despite the Moon orbiting our planet approximately every 28 days. The section on lunar eclipses describes total and partial eclipses and explains why the Moon can sometimes appear reddish during a total lunar eclipse.

For teachers, this ESA resource is an excellent starting point for introducing astronomy and space science in an engaging way. In the English classroom, it can also be used as authentic English-language material to develop scientific vocabulary and reading comprehension while learning about a fascinating real-world phenomenon. Students could use the information to explain an eclipse in their own words, create a diagram, compare solar and lunar eclipses, or prepare a short presentation. The page also links to additional ESA resources on the science of solar eclipses, eclipse prediction and the history of eclipses, making it easy to extend the learning experience.

https://www.esa.int/Science_Exploration/Space_Science/What_is_an_eclipse