Trial with the class

First week we were trying to use the iPads during all sessions of the day. They were the hot topic with all the children and we had a few that would loiter around the back of someone to get a look and enjoy it. At first I need to keep the boys close by to be able to monitor and teach the new games and to check which skills the boys need more apps for. Took a video of Mr D6 doing "ABC Tracer" it was awesome. He was so engaged, had the visual and the sound when he drew it incorrectly. Was oblivious to me filming while he was just giggling away at the programme. This app is so worth it for letter formation and high frequency words. It is proving to work exactly as I thought, boys can play educational applications without a lot of support from the teacher. This is all done independently and focussed, something I can't see them doing on their own.

They have arrived......

Well as of Friday 24th February Room 9 have been blessed with 2 iPads courtesy of the Board of Trustees and Helena Baker. This was all started as part of a professional project ' to see if mobile devices assisted special needs children in the classroom. During this project I will target a group of 6 children with varying needs and look at how their engagement in learning can be enhanced and structured time can be spent engrossed in educational applications (apps).  DAY ONE this involved a talk with the class about how to use the iPad and look after it. They were all very interested and treated them so gently. We were off to a good start. We tried videoing a big book response which may have been a bit adventurous but we had fun. I also taught then how to play the various apps that I had put on to start. The target students all got to have a go and seemed to really enjoy it, so this was a great start. Over the next few weeks I have played around with trying to utilise it throughout the day and how the ipad can best be used with guidance and also on their own. This is still trial and error. I have got a lot of good advice from the Virtual Learning Network and was even got Member of the week a few weeks ago. Very exciting.