6. Area of Nationally developed curriculum
There are three areas of nationally developed
curriculum being incorporated into the following lessons plans for both
computer-based and off-computer activities. The curriculum strands and learning
outcomes have been derived from the three profiles:
* Languages Other Than English-a curriculum
profile for Australian schools, 1994
* Spelling resource book, 1996 (Developed by the
Education Department of Western Australia)
* Key Intended Information Technology
Outcomes.
N.B The student outcomes and learning objectives
for each of the curriculum profiles stated above, will accompany the individual
lessons plans that are to follow.
7. Off-computer activities related to
the topic
ACTIVITY ONE
Learning objectives
(Spelling resource book)
* Be given opportunities to explore language and play with words to increase their knowledge about words.
* Have fun with learning how language works
* Be involved in open-ended activities and be able to work at their own level of competency
* Build specific-interest, subject-related and
vocabulary extension lists
Description of activity
WHAT COMES NEXT?
This activity will involve the use of the spelling
lists found on the kindergrid programme. This activity is great for helping
children to revise and memorise these specific words. It is similar to the game
of hangman. It is important that children have access to a list of the alphabet
for this activity.
The teacher sets out broken lines which represent
the amount of letters that are contained in one of the words from the kindergrid
spelling list. The children try to guess the letters contained in that word and
for each one they get wrong the teacher adds a part to a specific diagram, eg a
mouse and its cheese, once the diagram is complete, the word is revealed and may
be revisited until children are familiar with it. When the words are correct the
teacher moves onto the next one and then this then becomes part of the
children's spelling quota. For the elder children, this game can be played in
small groups with the children taking turns to be the recorder.
ACTIVITY TWO
Learning objectives
* Know how to learn difficult words
* Have fun with learning how language works
* Be given opportunities to explore language and
play with words to increase their knowledge about words.
Description of activity
SPELLAMADOODLE
This activity also uses the spelling list off the
kindergrid programme. It aims at helping children become familiar with words
that they find particularly difficult from the kindergrid spelling list. This is
also a way that children can have fun with spelling.
1. Ask students to make a design using their spelling words printed end-to-end. The words should form into some type of illustration.
2. Each spelling word must be written at least three times and must be spelled correctly.
3. Show children an example to get them started and focused into the activity
4. Mount the student's designs and have them on
display so that the children can refer to each others for different spelling
words
8.
Computer based-activities related to the
topic
ACTIVITY THREE
Learning objectives
(Languages other than English profiles)
* Gives two or three responses in learning situations
* Attempts to respond in the LOTE on hearing it
* Imitates models of speech with approximate
pronunciation
Description of activity
The Kindergrid programme will be changed to add a
different language area that the children have been studying previously in the
classroom. The crossword is played as normal with the children responding to
another language to obtain the answers for the crossword. The children are
required to repeat the words along with the computer as they go, in order of
practicing their pronunciation. The LOTE word lists will be used off the
computer as well to gain more practice.
ACTIVITY FOUR
Learning objectives
(KITO's)
* Independent learning
* Uses computer software to support learning in
literacy and problem solving.
Description of activity
Students will play the Kindergrid programme
independently. Because of the nature of this specific programme, the literacy
area of the learning objective is being satisfied through the spelling area of
the programme both on and off the computer. The children need to work out the
answers for the different areas of the crossword, using their own initiative to
look for clues and assistance. This therefor satisfies the problem solving area
of the learning objective. Children can then print their crosswords to keep in a
working folder.
9. Classroom management and evaluation strategies
Kindergrid needs to be set up in a quiet area of
the classroom as there are lots of different sounds and noises that may distract
other members of the classroom. The sound can be turned down, or it may even be
an option for teachers to turn the sound off completely. It is also important to
ensure that the computer is situated in a quiet area with some sort of
surrounding so that the other class members are not too distracted by the
colourful screen, which may result in low productivity of the other class
members.
There will need to be some sort of roster made to
ensure that each child has a fair and adequate turn playing Kindergrid. The game
needs to be incorporated into the classroom lesson so that children are able to
see its relevance for their learning. This could be achieved by only using the
programme when the whole class are doing their spelling, especially those
spelling lists associated directly with the programme.
Evaluation for this programme and the associated
lessons as mentioned above can be conducted through observation of the student's
competency with the programme, especially when they are required to conduct the
LOTE lesson plan. The other off-computer activities can be marked in relation to
the child's ability to satisfy the learning objectives specified for the
individual lessons.