When I first started teaching, the schools I worked in had ‘a’ computer that a few classes shared. A few years later more computers were introduced with a couple of passable CD ROMs for language learning. The situation today in many places is very different. If you are lucky enough to have a classroom full of computers with Internet access then exploit it. Your young learners will probably know as much as you do about computers. They may even teach you a thing or two!
Using computers is a rich alternative to sitting behind desks and always using the same resources in class. Young learners will appreciate the change of learning environment and media.
Hot tips when using computers with young learners
- Put the page you want to use up on the screen before taking the children into the computer room. Minimise other pages so you can quickly click on them to bring them up.
- Set the computers so that they can not wander onto unauthorised sites.
- If the computers are in a separate room, far from your classroom, remind the children of behaviour standards before leaving the classroom. The last thing you want is a hoard of over-excited 7 year olds running to get to the computers first!
- Make sure you are first to enter the room – they may have a tendency to touch everything they see – red buttons are always a favourite!
- You can set up a list of computer room rules with them first if it hasn’t already be done.
- Have worksheets they can use while on the computer so that they have something concrete they can take away from the lesson.
- Wherever possible have no more than 3 per computer. If they can’t see the screen they will quickly lose interest and won’t be learning. If this isn’t possible then arrange with their teacher to split the class and take half and half.
- Have a rotation system for using the mouse. Don’t let one child dominate.
There is an excellent book called ‘The Internet and Young Learners’ by Gordon Lewis. Online you can download some very useful worksheets that accompany the book.
Here’s the link that takes you there: http://www.oup.com/
Below I have picked out a few worksheets that I think could lead to some highly rewarding Internet lessons with your young learners. Try and get hold of the book if you can. The first two are great for pre-computer room activities:
1. Picture/word match
Photocopiable worksheet for a picture / word match up for computer related words.
http://fds.oup.com/www.oup.com
2. Website navigation
How to navigate a website. You could copy and cut up the stages. Get the learners to do a sequencing exercise. You have the pictures and the words. You could also add sequencing words like “first, then, next, finally...”
http://fds.oup.com/www.oup.com
3. Evaluating websites
This next worksheet can be used during and post-computer room. They can fill it out while looking at a website and then feedback to the class afterwards. Each group could be looking at different websites so that they have a real reason to communicate what they were looking at. The content of the websites is up to you. They could be language games or storybook sites. Then the next time you go to the computer room they can choose a site they haven’t looked at but one their friends told them about.
http://fds.oup.com/www.oup.com
4. Weather worksheet
The worksheet below provides a weather chart for the children to fill in about the weather and temperatures at different places around the world. This is a great way to find out about worldwide city names and practise numbers as well as the obvious weather. You could give them a list of cities in Great Britain or you could give different groups cities from the UK, cities from the US, cities from Australia and they can compare the weather in Anglo-speaking countries.
http://fds.oup.com/www.oup.com
5. Favourite pictures
With the following worksheet the children can draw a copy of their favourite picture (by a famous artist). There is language on the worksheet e.g. abstract, portrait… that you will need to explain first. You can do this with example pictures. They can also practise colour and shape vocabulary. Get them to look at the websites below. You could give them four to choose from that are quite different styles. They could even go to Google, type in the artist and click on Images and see what pictures they come up with.
http://fds.oup.com/www.oup.com
To fill in this worksheet first give them a list of artist websites. Here are a few examples
- Matisee - http://www.abcgallery.com/M/matisse/matisse.html If they click on a thumbnail they can enlarge the photo. If you want to take it further and have them create their own Matisse copy go to this school website where you can download cut outs and lesson plans:
http://www.storyboardtoys.com/gallery/matisse-kids-art-lesson.htm
- Boticelli - http://www.ibiblio.org/wm/paint/auth/botticelli/
- Constable - http://www.ibiblio.org/wm/paint/auth/constable/
- Rothko - This was a Google Image search http://images.google.co.uk/images
- Klee - So was this http://images.google.co.uk/images
6. Story-telling
Here’s another website I recommend. This is wonderful for story-telling on-line. It’s called Lil’-fingers and it’s easy to navigate through the stories. They have simple rhyming sentences with great pictures too. Have a look at the ‘Who’s at the Zoo?’ story. This is a good opportunity to review ‘book’ language such as page, characters, plot etc.
http://www.lil-fingers.com/storybooks/index.html
7. CBBC online links
This is a link to the CBBC shows home page where you can browse all the television programs for young children. Each has their own website with tons of on-line games, songs, puzzles, and stories. Choose which one you think your learners would enjoy most and check it out.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/cbeebies/
Don’t forget to look at the continuously updated website list on the language assistant website. If you find a website that has worked well for you and your students then let us know and it can be added to the list.
http://www.britishcouncil.org/languageassistant-arc-weblinks.htm
By Jo Bertrand
