Tools/Word Processors

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writing frame⁽ⁱ⁾s, communication⁽ⁱ⁾, collaborative⁽ⁱ⁾ writing, and creativity⁽ⁱ⁾ - the world of word processors

Tool Description More than a typewriter, word processing^(tool) is a way to improve the quality of writing. Word processing allows pupils to reflect on, and improve work they have finished. Not everyone responds well to a blank screen, hence teachers may provide 'scaffolding' such as a list of questions^(ta). A writing frame^(tool) for science might include hints for writing a lab report. It might ask for example, what were you trying to find out? Which results are useful? How do your results explain your idea? ’Why do you think that happened? And these may drive their thinking.Several word processing tools put their words on the web to provide students with a wider audience than just the person that marks it. Which means that writing news, a review, a radio script or a campaigning blogs^(tool) can have a real purpose - otherwise called an authentic task. Several also permit pupils to collaborate^(tool), working on the same page, over the network. ^(edit)More than typing, word processing⁽ⁱ⁾ is a way to improve the quality of writing. Word processing allows pupils to reflect on, and improve finished work.

Not everyone responds well to a blank screen, hence teachers may create lists of questions⁽ⁱ⁾ as a writing frame⁽ⁱ⁾ to drive a writing activity [scaffolding]. One such “template” for science might include hints for writing a lab report. (It might ask for example, what were you trying to find out? Which results are useful? How do your results explain your idea? ’Why do you think that happened?).

Several of the ICT tools below provide pupils with a wider audience than just the person that marks it. Which means that writing news, a review, a radio script or a campaigning blog⁽ⁱ⁾ can have a real purpose [authentic task]. Note also that several ICT tools permit pupils to collaborate⁽ⁱ⁾ interestingly over the network.

Teaching Approach. Word Processors can, obviously, be used for pupils to engage in writing on a particular problem - engaging their creativity^(tool) skills. You could also use template documents for writing frames^(tool), encourage pupils to use word processing for communication^(tool), and - using online tools - collaborative^(tool) writing. ^(edit)(appears above table)

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Title	Word Processors
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Word Processors