iPads in the classroom: embedding technology in the primary curriculum | Teacher Network | Guardian Professional. Last year David Andrews wrote for us about how he was using one-to-one devices in the classroom in the hugely popular blog post: An Apple for the teacher: are iPads the future in class? Here, he updates us on his progress and shares some of his favourite technology-led learning ideas. Since the start of September 2012 myself and a colleague, Chris Williams, have been trying to maximise the use of handheld technology (iPads and iPods) in year 6 in all areas of the curriculum.
The potential for enhancing teaching and learning through technology has been particularly interesting: we've developed a range of apps using both iPads and iPods to engage, motivate and inspire pupils' learning in the classroom. The school's 'Apple journey' began in June 2012. Once the year 6 SATs were finished, we gave both our year 6 classes a two-week project to build a controllable vehicle. Allowing the children to work in this manner shifted the learning from teacher-centred to child-centred.
20 Great iPad Apps for Primary Literacy. From initial charges that ‘it;s just an overgrown iPhone’ the iPad is now part of many teachers’ and schools’ essential kit. But it’s fair to say that while Apple has created a beautiful, robust and powerful piece of kit finding the best apps on the App Store can be a challenging experience. So I asked everyone on Twitter for some advice on what th best apps were out there, and @narthernlad came back with so many suggestions I’m going to split them over a couple of posts! Here are some suggestions for literacy apps to try with your students. If you have any other suggestions for a great iPad literacy app, I’d love to hear them. Just add them in the comments below. 1) First Letters – Match the letters and listen to the song. 2) ABC Alphabet Phonics – A simple game where children locate the correct letter 3) Story Ideas – Can you guess what this one does?
4) Comic Touch – Make your photos go all cartoony warping images and adding speech bubbles 8) Hangman - An oldie, but a goodie! Inkflow – A Great iPad App for Visual Thinkers. Inkflow is the perfect app for people like me who like to sketch out their ideas before sharing them in presentations, in writing, or in video productions. Inkflow is also great for people who like to take notes in a free-hand format in which they can easily include little sketches and diagrams along with their written words. Inkflow is an iPad app that can be used to sketch mind maps, draw pictures, write free hand, and just about anything else you might do with a pencil and paper. All of the pages that you sketch on and write on can be organized into little books that include page-turning effects. There is a free version and a paid version of Inkflow. Tags: Drawing Apps, free app, free apps, free ipad apps, mind mapping, sketching apps.
Using Twitter to provide some quick and interesting lesson starters. I am a big fan of using multimedia as a way of stimulating children in discussions and writing. As the saying goes, 'a picture is worth a thousand words,' and using pictures and videos can really help children develop ideas and give them a purpose and focus for their writing. One website which is great for providing videos, pictures and other media that can be used in Literacy is the Literacy Shed.
Started by @Redgierob, this amazing resource provides so many amazing resources to cover every aspect of the Literacy curriculum.Click here to read more about using videos and pictures in Literacy. Many teachers are now starting to realise the massive benefits of using twitter as a way of building a learning network, sharing ideas, connecting with other great teachers and learning how to improve as a teacher to enhance the learning in their classroom.
Most teachers will follow other educators however I want to share some other types of accounts which are great to use as a focus in class. iPad uPad wePad; Going 1-1 at St Oliver Plunkett. A few weeks ago I was fortunate enough to be invited to St Oliver Plunkett to be a part of their 1-1 iPad rollout to the very excited Year 6 class. Led by their fabulous teacher librarian, Ann-Marie Furber and fearless class teacher, Brooke Maguire, with consultation from the very dedicated and talented Education Officer Learning and Teaching Technologies, Danielle Carter, the Year 6 class participated in a series of workshops in order to develop their skills before they were officially given management of their very own devices. Cannon Hill Feb 2013 <p>JavaScript required to play <a hreflang="en" type="video/mp4" href=" Hill Feb 2013</a>.
</p> While the school maintains ownership, the students manage the purchasing of additional apps, and the care and maintenance of the iPads for the time they are at the school. This means the students have 24-7 access to their learning. This is a list of what the students learnt: The Lost Art of Nurturing Sparks | Classroom creativity! Behind every new idea, article or resource we do is usually something that inspired or provoked us into action. Our CPD posters were inspired by a poster idea we were sent by @paulyb37 on Twitter. The ‘M’ Files were provoked by a question we saw in a SATs paper and our ensuing annoyance! And our inspiration for Caution!
Minds at work came from the work of a New York urban artist. Recently we saw something that motivated us once again. Our new resource is called SHINE! Standardised testing has a lot to answer for in terms of dampening sparks in young people. The second is a Twitter profile description that struck a chord when we saw it recently: In the above video, Peter Benson talks about a developmental study he had made about the things that make young people thrive. It’s not a long talk and well worth investing twenty minutes in. 1.
Ten Terrific Apps for the Younger Set. Teachers With Apps has highlighted some TERRIFIC APPS for anyone with an iPad and a youngster. These apps cover a variety of different skills and all are engaging, entertaining, and extremely educational! You'll find these apps are appropriate for a wide range of interests and abilities - the levels span from toddler to preschool to the early elementary grades. Check Them Out! Felt board, by Software Smoothie, is an app that brings us back to much simpler times via a virtual felt board. Unlike traditional felt boards, this digital version offers many opportunities for customization due to its large selection of characters, props, and backgrounds. Having all conceivable options covered, this app excels at fostering creativity, promotes storytelling, and brings imaginative play back to the forefront as its main purpose.
With all that going for it, Felt board is a must have for any iPad being used by the younger set. I?ll take my iPad over a dedicated digital whiteboard any day. I’m studying to become a teacher, and part of that involves getting a rudimentary introduction to digital tools. It’s funny what different people with different backgrounds consider digital tools; as a to-be teacher with no actual experience, I’m applying what I know from being a student and general technology geek to being a teacher. In other words, I use my iPad. For existing teachers, that instead includes things like digital whiteboards. Today I got a chance to play with a desk-mounted pen tablet screen in a classroom, and I came away from it loving my iPad mini even more.
There are a ton of different digital whiteboards out there. Some are actual whiteboards with special markers that allow you to draw on an actual whiteboard that’s being aided by a projector, while others are like the one I tried today, with a pen enabled monitor. Heck, a Wiimote, computer, IR diode, and some software makes for a half decent solution, even. In this specific case, the hardware itself was a joke.