Room1

May LT -- I trained two more reading groups in how to use the program kidspiration. They should now be able to use it as a reading group rotation. The top reading group may have to be called upon as experts to aid the younger students till they have had a bit of practice.

June 9- LT worked through coaching program teaching class how to use easi speak microphone.

Term 2 - Using Smartboard for newsboard. Children have news then Teacher types up with errors for children to get up and fix. Has made them more aware of punctuation etc and things we are focusing on in that area. Children get to illustrate and they use for a reading activity rereading orally what has been previously written.

Using pod computers as a independant reading activity. Children using kidspiration to summarise learning from guided reading sessions. Children learning keyboard skills, how to use a mind map and buddy's used if needed. Children very keen to get on the computer and consolidate ideas learnt in guided sessions.

Children using pod to publish writing. Continuing to learn keyboard/presentation skills. Again buddy's/experts used if needed. Next step is to use the tracking so that children write straight onto the computer and show editing they do. Found straight publishing useful for copying skills after teacher conference where work is proofread and corrected.

Use smartboard for incidental teaching, where places are on maps etc

Term 3 - Week 5 - Have set up class wiki page and link to blog. Lead teacher to help children with publishing pictures, easispeak onto blog. (training experts) The children are really interested in this. The experts are motivated and always asking if there is anything else to go on the blog!!. From this we have noticed that the ict skills of some children are lacking.

Continuing with kidspiration for reading - the children are very engaged with this and improving their ict skills. They are able to create mind maps of what they have learnt from the story e.g main ideas, making a flow chart of events etc.

Next steps I would like to incorporate: Using pods for independant maths activities, Children using easispeak of their work and adding to class blog, adding pictures to blog, get blog working and encourage families to comment on work published on the blog, add links to other websites that children can use at home.

Lt week 6 and 7 working with ch to put photo and text onto blog. Saw need for more keyboard speed. T to use keyboards for phonic games and emphasise ict skills in shared writing some mornings. Photos above show kidspiration and the laptops being used as part of a guided reading lesson. As can be seen the teacher is left to teach with out interuption and the kids are fully engaged. They were busy finding the main idea of the text after focused lesson. The quality of work showed understanding and they were all engaged. Term 4 - We are using the laminated keyboards while I am typing newsboard up using active board. The children type their name first and last and use the capitals correctly before we begin. This is good key orientation for them. I have noticed that those who are a bit hesitant with their ict skills are getting more familiar and confident with the keyboard.

Term 4 - The children are using the pod to write on. 4 - 5 children get to do their writing straight on the computers. Have found it great motivation for those reluctant writers. It is time consuming to set up the computers and show children how to save etc. I'm expecting this to get alot faster. [| This is our blog address http://room1westgoreschool.blogspot.com/] I am using ict and tools for learning in my classroom much more and the children jump at the chance to use the interactive whiteboard, computers and other tools. I am going to keep up with my wiki/blog and implement some of the ict tools I saw at Ulearn. Many thanks Sue and Jill!