Word processors are used for writing in English lessons and also in many
other areas of the curriculum (where proper use of English must still be
adhered to). They allow young writers to do many things that would be
difficult to do using traditional pen and paper methods (e.g.
cutting/pasting, dragging/dropping, inserting text, inserting pictures) and
they free them from worries about presentation, and correct spelling and
grammar. This allows children to concentrate much more on the content of
their written work.
Microsoft Word is everywhere of course and schools are no exception. As part
of the Office suite every school seems to have access to it and children, of
all ages, are using it. And why not? It is a versatile, powerful,
full-featured word processor that will easily cope with the demands made of
it. I used it for many years with Key Stage 1 and 2 children, and know that
they moved on to high schools where it was in continuous use. Of course, it
has many more facilities than you will ever need (especially at primary
level) but many of the buttons on the toolbars can either be ignored or
taken off the toolbar. It is infinitely customisable.
One of the BIG barriers to improving children’s writing is their
unwillingness to edit, revise and redraft their work. However, by using a
word processor these “chores” should actually become enjoyable tasks. Even
so, proof-reading work can still be seen as a time-consuming bore. These
days many schools employ a talking word processor to make even proof-reading
redundant. The instant feedback given when a sentence is typed in is so
helpful to young writers. Whole paragraphs or texts can be highlighted and
the composition listened too. Having a talking facility with your word
processor is a real plus.
Research Machines (RM) have their own version of Word. It has four different
levels (suitable for various ages and abilities) but more importantly it has
a talking facility. The program is called Talking First Word
http://www.schoolzone.co.uk/EVALUATIONS/evaluation.asp?evalID=4193
Another real bonus for children, when writing with a word processor, is
having a word bank facility. Textease is one such package and very popular
it is in schools too. It has word banks on various topics and teachers can
add their own. These can be accessed and words can be inserted at any time.
Word banks can be useful for writing the more difficult words that can be
hard for some pupils to spell or perhaps they are there to be inserted in
gaps in the text (rather like a cloze procedure exercise).
Textease also has a speech facility so text can be listened to. A nice touch
about Textease, I find, is that you can begin typing anywhere on the screen
just like having a blank piece of paper in front of you. The cursor is not
stuck at the top left-hand corner of the screen. .
Find out more about Textease here: http://www.textease.com/
.
Clicker 4 (or Clicker 5 if you’re really up-to-date). This piece of software is often seen as being for young children or children with special educational needs. Certainly it IS very useful for these groups of
children in helping the development of their writing. However, it would be
short-sighted in the extreme not to recognise its usefulness to KS 2 and KS 3
children.
The Clicker screen is divided horizontally into two halves. The top half is
the document and the bottom half is the ‘grid’. These grids are in effect
word banks but cells of the grid can include punctuation, letters, words,
phrases, sentences and pictures.
Documents can be prepared and words can be inserted into the text to improve
it. The normal QWERTY keyboard can of course be used. After every sentence
the text is read back to the composer(s) or text can be highlighted and (by
clicking on the ‘speech bubble’ icon) listened to. Young children (or
children whose typing is rather slow) can soon build up a lot of text on
screen. Grids can be linked to make sets. All this is great for helping the
development of writing skills in English but can also be on any topic across
the curriculum.
More grids can be purchased on a plethora of subjects/topics but there is a
great FREE resource hosted by the makers of the software. This is Learning
Grids.com and can be found at: http://www.learninggrids.com/uk/
Register (it’s free!) and you can download as many grids (or rather SETS of
grids) as you like. For more information about Clicker 4 follow this link: http://www.cricksoft.com/uk/products/clicker/index.htm
Word processors that come as part of software suites can also be very good.
For young children ’2Write’ and ’2Publish’ (part of Infant Video Toolkit)
are simple and easy to use but still effective. ‘Write’ and ‘Publish’ (part
of Tizzy’s First Tools) are also good for KS 1 children. Granada Writer (part
of Granada Toolkit) is a word processor and desktop publisher for KS 1 and 2
(and beyond).
Some writing programs do not fall into the category ‘word
processor’ even though they essentially behave like them. “2Review”
(http://www.2simple.com/2review/) for example allows children (at KS1 & 2)
to become critics and review books, films etc. “Writer’s Toolkit”
(http://www.r-e-m.co.uk/cgi-bin/xrem/S_/U_/M_1/T_6004/G_/SN_) encourages KS2
& 3 pupils to write in various ways. A browse around the TEEM and Curriculum
Online sites will help you to identify this type of software. Also, REM’s
software catalogue (http://www.r-e-m.co.uk/) will prove quite handy.
Word Processing Activities
The fact that word processors allow you move text (by cutting & pasting or
dragging & dropping) make them very useful in English. Present the children
with a sequence of instructions that you have previously “mixed up”. By
cutting and pasting they can put them in the correct order. Better still, by
dragging and dropping they can be ordered correctly without actually losing
sight of the text.
Paragraphs can be typed into the computer in the wrong order and children
can use the word processors facilities to re-order them. Paragraphs that
make sense can also be re-ordered, perhaps in the time sequence that events
occurred, and still make perfect sense. Word processors are made for this
kind of activity. Poems can also be entered incorrectly and, perhaps by
paying attention to rhyming pattern, the children can move lines to the
right place in the verse. The possibilities for this type of activity are
endless.
Word processors can be used when teaching poetry. For a start, as mentioned
above, they can be used to sort mixed up lines into the correct order.
Work on form and rhyming patterns can be done using the text moving
facilities of a word processor.
Other options include presenting the children with a paragraph of text which
they can work on and turn into a poem. Or maybe they can turn a poem into a
paragraph of text using full sentences. Templates for certain types of
poetry could be prepared – haiku or cinquain perhaps. The beginning to a
poem could be presented and the children have to continue in the same style
and form. If you have a school network collaborative poems can be written
where children make small contributions to longer pieces of work. Acrostic
poems look effective when done with a word processor by using larger and/or
coloured fonts. Use of clipart and borders can also add to the presentation.
Another good thing about word processors is that you can present children
with a poorly written text and they have to improve it. Lots of scope here -
just look at the NLS for your year/term and you can probably make a word
processing activity to develop a certain English skill. Some examples:
1. Present some text that has lots of nouns but no adjectives. Children have
to come up with appropriate describing words (perhaps making use of the
thesaurus function).
2. Similarly, present some text with lots of verbs but no adverbs for the
children to improve.
3. Present the children with a paragraph of text in non-standard English.
The children can edit the piece so that it is turned into standard English.
4. Why not type a passage from a book (maybe one you’re reading to or with
the class) but omit the punctuation. Children can insert the punctuation,
print it out and compare it with the book. Is it the same?
Word processors can be used in English to highlight certain language
features in a piece of presented text – no need, even, for any typing! By
using the highlighter pen facility in Word, the drawing pen in Textease or
similar tool in another word processing package you can ask the children to
pick out the pronouns or the conjunctions or whatever you like. You could
use the line tool to link rhyming words or synonyms etc. Again, the
possibilities here are endless.
Of course children can use word processors to write with “from scratch” –
you don’t HAVE to present them with text to work on. However, you can give
them support for their writing in the form of writing frames. By using text
boxes and form tools you can design frames for any writing task (and not
just for English lessons).
other areas of the curriculum (where proper use of English must still be
adhered to). They allow young writers to do many things that would be
difficult to do using traditional pen and paper methods (e.g.
cutting/pasting, dragging/dropping, inserting text, inserting pictures) and
they free them from worries about presentation, and correct spelling and
grammar. This allows children to concentrate much more on the content of
their written work.
Microsoft Word is everywhere of course and schools are no exception. As part
of the Office suite every school seems to have access to it and children, of
all ages, are using it. And why not? It is a versatile, powerful,
full-featured word processor that will easily cope with the demands made of
it. I used it for many years with Key Stage 1 and 2 children, and know that
they moved on to high schools where it was in continuous use. Of course, it
has many more facilities than you will ever need (especially at primary
level) but many of the buttons on the toolbars can either be ignored or
taken off the toolbar. It is infinitely customisable.
One of the BIG barriers to improving children’s writing is their
unwillingness to edit, revise and redraft their work. However, by using a
word processor these “chores” should actually become enjoyable tasks. Even
so, proof-reading work can still be seen as a time-consuming bore. These
days many schools employ a talking word processor to make even proof-reading
redundant. The instant feedback given when a sentence is typed in is so
helpful to young writers. Whole paragraphs or texts can be highlighted and
the composition listened too. Having a talking facility with your word
processor is a real plus.
Research Machines (RM) have their own version of Word. It has four different
levels (suitable for various ages and abilities) but more importantly it has
a talking facility. The program is called Talking First Word
http://www.schoolzone.co.uk/EVALUATIONS/evaluation.asp?evalID=4193
Another real bonus for children, when writing with a word processor, is
having a word bank facility. Textease is one such package and very popular
it is in schools too. It has word banks on various topics and teachers can
add their own. These can be accessed and words can be inserted at any time.
Word banks can be useful for writing the more difficult words that can be
hard for some pupils to spell or perhaps they are there to be inserted in
gaps in the text (rather like a cloze procedure exercise).
Textease also has a speech facility so text can be listened to. A nice touch
about Textease, I find, is that you can begin typing anywhere on the screen
just like having a blank piece of paper in front of you. The cursor is not
stuck at the top left-hand corner of the screen. .
Find out more about Textease here: http://www.textease.com/
.
Clicker 4 (or Clicker 5 if you’re really up-to-date). This piece of software is often seen as being for young children or children with special educational needs. Certainly it IS very useful for these groups of
children in helping the development of their writing. However, it would be
short-sighted in the extreme not to recognise its usefulness to KS 2 and KS 3
children.
The Clicker screen is divided horizontally into two halves. The top half is
the document and the bottom half is the ‘grid’. These grids are in effect
word banks but cells of the grid can include punctuation, letters, words,
phrases, sentences and pictures.
Documents can be prepared and words can be inserted into the text to improve
it. The normal QWERTY keyboard can of course be used. After every sentence
the text is read back to the composer(s) or text can be highlighted and (by
clicking on the ‘speech bubble’ icon) listened to. Young children (or
children whose typing is rather slow) can soon build up a lot of text on
screen. Grids can be linked to make sets. All this is great for helping the
development of writing skills in English but can also be on any topic across
the curriculum.
More grids can be purchased on a plethora of subjects/topics but there is a
great FREE resource hosted by the makers of the software. This is Learning
Grids.com and can be found at: http://www.learninggrids.com/uk/
Register (it’s free!) and you can download as many grids (or rather SETS of
grids) as you like. For more information about Clicker 4 follow this link: http://www.cricksoft.com/uk/products/clicker/index.htm
Word processors that come as part of software suites can also be very good.
For young children ’2Write’ and ’2Publish’ (part of Infant Video Toolkit)
are simple and easy to use but still effective. ‘Write’ and ‘Publish’ (part
of Tizzy’s First Tools) are also good for KS 1 children. Granada Writer (part
of Granada Toolkit) is a word processor and desktop publisher for KS 1 and 2
(and beyond).
Some writing programs do not fall into the category ‘word
processor’ even though they essentially behave like them. “2Review”
(http://www.2simple.com/2review/) for example allows children (at KS1 & 2)
to become critics and review books, films etc. “Writer’s Toolkit”
(http://www.r-e-m.co.uk/cgi-bin/xrem/S_/U_/M_1/T_6004/G_/SN_) encourages KS2
& 3 pupils to write in various ways. A browse around the TEEM and Curriculum
Online sites will help you to identify this type of software. Also, REM’s
software catalogue (http://www.r-e-m.co.uk/) will prove quite handy.
Word Processing Activities
The fact that word processors allow you move text (by cutting & pasting or
dragging & dropping) make them very useful in English. Present the children
with a sequence of instructions that you have previously “mixed up”. By
cutting and pasting they can put them in the correct order. Better still, by
dragging and dropping they can be ordered correctly without actually losing
sight of the text.
Paragraphs can be typed into the computer in the wrong order and children
can use the word processors facilities to re-order them. Paragraphs that
make sense can also be re-ordered, perhaps in the time sequence that events
occurred, and still make perfect sense. Word processors are made for this
kind of activity. Poems can also be entered incorrectly and, perhaps by
paying attention to rhyming pattern, the children can move lines to the
right place in the verse. The possibilities for this type of activity are
endless.
Word processors can be used when teaching poetry. For a start, as mentioned
above, they can be used to sort mixed up lines into the correct order.
Work on form and rhyming patterns can be done using the text moving
facilities of a word processor.
Other options include presenting the children with a paragraph of text which
they can work on and turn into a poem. Or maybe they can turn a poem into a
paragraph of text using full sentences. Templates for certain types of
poetry could be prepared – haiku or cinquain perhaps. The beginning to a
poem could be presented and the children have to continue in the same style
and form. If you have a school network collaborative poems can be written
where children make small contributions to longer pieces of work. Acrostic
poems look effective when done with a word processor by using larger and/or
coloured fonts. Use of clipart and borders can also add to the presentation.
Another good thing about word processors is that you can present children
with a poorly written text and they have to improve it. Lots of scope here -
just look at the NLS for your year/term and you can probably make a word
processing activity to develop a certain English skill. Some examples:
1. Present some text that has lots of nouns but no adjectives. Children have
to come up with appropriate describing words (perhaps making use of the
thesaurus function).
2. Similarly, present some text with lots of verbs but no adverbs for the
children to improve.
3. Present the children with a paragraph of text in non-standard English.
The children can edit the piece so that it is turned into standard English.
4. Why not type a passage from a book (maybe one you’re reading to or with
the class) but omit the punctuation. Children can insert the punctuation,
print it out and compare it with the book. Is it the same?
Word processors can be used in English to highlight certain language
features in a piece of presented text – no need, even, for any typing! By
using the highlighter pen facility in Word, the drawing pen in Textease or
similar tool in another word processing package you can ask the children to
pick out the pronouns or the conjunctions or whatever you like. You could
use the line tool to link rhyming words or synonyms etc. Again, the
possibilities here are endless.
Of course children can use word processors to write with “from scratch” –
you don’t HAVE to present them with text to work on. However, you can give
them support for their writing in the form of writing frames. By using text
boxes and form tools you can design frames for any writing task (and not
just for English lessons).