Ch. 4-The Basic Three

Chapter 4 discusses the basic three software tools. These are word processing, spreadsheet and database program. These software tools improve productivity, improve appearnace, improve accuracy and support interaction. Becuase I teach Kindergarten we mostly use word processing. For the purpose of this blog, that is what I will focus on.

The book states a few reasons why teachers use word processing. Word processing saves time, enhances document appearance and allows sharing of documents. I use word processing almost daily. I send notes and reminders home that I used word processing to make. I use it for my lesson plans by having a skeleton lesson plan that I just fill in with what I am teachig to make it more exact. I can do this either at school or at home (where most of it gets done)!

There are many issues in debate abou word processing in classrooms. One, is the age that children should begin using this. many people agree that children should begin at as young as five or six. Personally, I agree and I allow my childre to use word processing in, about, the middle of the year, after we practice many computer skills. Many people debate over the effects word processing has on handwriting. I feel that it does have some effect. Mainly because people, including myslef, rely heavily on spell check and grammar check.

There are many ways children can use word processing in the classroom. First, it can offer support in learning the writing process. I allow students to use the computer to write spelling words and some can even use it to form sentences! Second, word processing can be used for a dynamic group approach. This would be great to assign small groups an activity such as writing peoms or short stories. Third, assigning individual assignments. As a teacher, you could assign chidlren their own individual computer work focusing on a variety of things that child needs to wrok on, such as combining sentences or punctuation. Last, word processing encourages writing through the curriculum. An example of this is usng word processing to form a report about something your class is studying in science, for example dinosaurs.

Page 128 has a very thorough, step-by-step, tip sheet for teaching word processing. I think it is aimed at higher grades but it would be fairly easy to change to activities fro younger grades.

Personally, I feel that word processing is one of the tools of technology that we use the most in my classroom. It is just very helpful, easy to teach and easy to adapt to the learning situation. It is easy to incorporate word processing in almost anything you do during the day.