AEN Information Sheet Twelve: ICT and Literacy
Why ICT
- Reinforces multi-sensory learning.
- Motivating.
- Adaptable (fonts, colour, style).
- Produces error free, good quality product.
- Reinforces skills.
- Makes text accessible.
- Helps with organisation.
- Helps with planning.
- Presents information in graphic form.
Word
Level
- Starspell 2:3
- Wordshark 3:5
- Multisensory Games for Literacy Hour.
- Smart Phonics.
- A to Z.
- Spell Track.
- In Sound KS1 Phonics Programme
- Franklin Literacy Word Book
- Franklin Speaking Homework.
Sentence and
Text Level
- Inclusive Writer (Inclusive Technology)
- Write Out Loud (Don Johnston).
- Co-Writer (Don Johnson).
- Pixel-R
- Kidspiration 2:1
Word/Sentence Text Level
- Clicker 5 (Clicksoft)
- Writing with Symbols (Widgit).
- Cloze Pro – Clozed Procedure (Clicksoft).
- Communicate: In Print 2 (Widgit).
Dos and
Don’ts
- Use ICT to bring in different stimuli to cater to different learning styles.
Digital projectors and interactive whiteboards are ideal for including sound and vision
with a text.
- Bear in mind that it is not necessary to have children on the computer all the time –
ICT may be a small part of what they do.
- Set up your classroom to make it as easy as possible to use ICT in the literacy hour.
- Try to combine literacy and ICT skills – but remember that the literacy comes first.
- Only give children tasks in the literacy hour for which they have the necessary computer
skills – otherwise manipulating the software will overtake the purpose of the activity, and you’ll go
from teaching literacy to giving computer instruction.
- Don’t feel you have to give every child an ICT activity. It is more important
that they get equal access to ICT over time than be stuck doing something that is not relevant to what
you are teaching now.
- Don’t expect children to do much typing – they should just be manipulating the text. It’s
all in the preparation.
- Storybook CD-roms often include a paper version of the book – a good way of combining
a mix of resources to encourage young readers.
Books and
Articles
- Teaching Primary Literacy with ICT. OUP 2002.
- The Impact of ICT on Literacy Education – Judy Sebba, Richard Andrew (Routledge Falmer,
2004).
- Learning Literacy and ICT – R. Andrews (English in Education, Volume 34).
- Using ICT to Develop Literacy (Literacy Today No. 3315).
- Supporting Working with ICT.
- ICT and Practising Literacy Skills from www.bda-dyslexia.com
Websites
www.bda-dyslexia.org.uk
www.ictadvice.org
www.wordshark.co.uk (Starspell and Wordshark).
www.inspsiration.com (Kidspiration)
www.cricksoft.com (Clicker 4/5)
www.donjohnston.co.uk (Co-Writer)
www.scanningpens.co.uk (English Reading Pen)
www.inclusive.co.uk and/or www.r-e-m.co.uk
www.mape.org.uk - NAACE Website – lots of resources.
www.supporting-ict.co.uk
www.smart-education.org - Whiteboard Resources.
www.semerc.com
Additional Educational Needs: