The increasing heterogeneity in classrooms involves significant challenges for teachers, particularly in fostering individual learning outcomes and enabling broad participation in (reading) instruction. Flexible teaching methods and the use of innovative information and communication technologies are promising to address these challenges. They have the potential to positively influence learning success.of students (Schaumburg, 2015) but also contribute to achieving the goals of inclusive education outlined in the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UN CRPD) (Schüller, Bulizek & Fiedler, 2021).

A systematic use of digital technologies and the subject-specific integration and embedding of tools into collaborative learning processes were shown to enhance processing depth and amplify the positive effects of digital media usage (Wu, 2024). However, the use of digital media is often viewed critically by educators and school administrators and perceived as an additional challenge. Studies show that the full didactic and methodological potential of digital tools in teaching is currently utilized by only a small number of teachers (Schmid, Goertz & Behrens, 2017).

Factors influencing the type and frequency of digital tool usage in classrooms include attributions of opportunities and positive attitudes toward digital technologies, as well as aspects such as the integration of digitization-related content in teacher education, personal experience with technology use, and self-perceived competence (Celik & Yesilyurt, 2013; Drossel et al., 2017).

The study aims to professionalize teachers in their use of digital media in reading instruction. The goal is to improve attitudes toward digital media by fostering positive attributions of opportunity while also developing practical skills for the effective use and subject-specific integration of digital tools. This should support teachers in addressing the increasing heterogeneity of students and the subject-specific demands of reading instruction (Scheiter, 2021).

A multi-part professional training format has been designed that is in-depth, practice-oriented, and long-term. This format is based on key criteria of high-quality professional development (Lipowsky & Rzejak, 2019, 2021): It enables the direct transfer of learning into teaching practice and fosters exchanges both among participants and with the trainers. These are critical factors for the sustainable development of professional competencies and the qualitative advancement of instruction.

The study examines the extent to which the professional training enhances teachers’ knowledge of digitally supported reading instruction, positively changes their attitudes toward digital media, and increases the use of digital tools in the classroom. The findings aim to provide evidence-based insights for teacher professionalization and the sustainable improvement of differentiated reading instruction in primary education.

The study was conducted using a mixed-methods approach to capture participants' (N = 35) attitudes, knowledge, and skills as well as their subjective experiences in a differentiated manner. The content and delivery formats of the multi-part professional training series were evaluated both formatively and summatively using an online questionnaire. To assess changes in attitudes toward digital media, pre- and post-tests were employed to identify potential shifts in participants' perceptions of the opportunities and risks associated with digital technologies. In addition, self-assessments were conducted to measure participants' competencies in using the presented digital tools, aiming to quantify the development of their practical skills and subject-specific knowledge. Furthermore, case vignettes were created to examine skill acquisition. These vignettes were also presented to participants online via a questionnaire tool at the end of the professional training series. The assessments and responses were analyzed in terms of quantity (e.g., “Which tools are used by teachers and how frequently?”) and quality (e.g., "Can detailed approaches be described, including the introduction, sequence, and specific content of the tools within this context, with appropriate justification?"). Following the entire professional training series, interviews were conducted with a randomly selected sample (n = 10) and analyzed using MAXQDA. This provided deeper insights into participants' experiences, challenges, and perspectives regarding the use of digital tools in reading didactics. The methodological design aimed to generate evidence-based insights into the extent to which the professional training series contributes to improving digital competence and the subject-specific integration of digital tools in reading comprehension instruction.

The results provide insights into which free, adaptable and partially AI-based tools can be effectively integrated into daily reading instruction in a pedagogically meaningful way, as well as the opportunities and challenges associated with their use in primary education. An increase in knowledge regarding digital tools was observed, particularly in the context of differentiating reading instruction and selecting appropriate, adaptable tools for reading comprehension activities. Furthermore, the findings highlight whether the content and format of the professional training series effectively enhance teachers' perceived and observable competencies in using digital media for reading instruction. They also examine whether teachers can select digital tools in a student-centered manner. The impact of the training series on teachers’ perceptions of the opportunities and risks of digital tools is identified as a key factor influencing their actual classroom use. Furthermore, the results will reveal which additional content and support would have been needed to use digital tools even more effectively and frequently in reading promotion. The results emphasize the importance of combining reading instruction content with digital tools and the relevance of multi-part professional teacher training formats to facilitate deeper learning and supported implementation of tools in classroom settings. Additionally, they present a fully developed professional training format that is transferable in both its structure and content, making it applicable beyond German-speaking contexts. These findings are not only relevant for planning teacher training in the field of reading promotion but also for creating scalable and adaptable training models.

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