View from the classroom
amongst these is the feature on revision - after students have taken a test a journal is generated to help them revise and improve. I use this as an assessment tool at the start of each term. I get the children in my class to complete an appropriate levelled test activity which automatically identifies their strengths and weaknesses. Content related to their weaknesses is placed within a revision folder for each individual child to access independently allowing them to focus on improving their knowledge and understanding of difficult topics.
I find this an
extremely valuable resource. It saves significant time and is excellent for tracking progress, as well as helping to pinpoint areas for development.
Teachers also use it for their assessments. Another useful feature allows pupils to log on
at home, both for fun and to tackle their revision. The interactive nature of the software also appeals to parents who provide support for their child more willingly than when they are presented with traditional paper- based testing. There is a feature that I use regularly that
enables me to set differentiated activities for children which will stimulate and challenge them. This works really well for teaching assistants working with small groups and SEN children. The pupils benefit from challenging and stimulating activities, often having so much fun that they don’t even realise they are working.
How have you found the computing module? We have been using the computing module since September 2014 to support teaching of the new Computing curriculum. This module has really helped staff to confidently deliver content to meet key curriculum objectives; the simple interface and comprehensive resources have allowed us to deliver lessons such as programming algorithms, the safe use of technology and how students should behave in the digital world.
In summary, how would you describe the impact this has had on staff and pupils? My life is now considerably easier; I can access a wide variety of resources all online, in one place, rather than having to use CDs or other formats to pull together material for lessons which makes lesson planning so much simpler. The resource is kept up to date and continually improved; all content is mapped to the new National Curriculum 2014 with fresh new features. In the current environment where children are bombarded with digital information this resource provides a safe platform for pupils to learn effectively. Most importantly, it has helped me to improve
learning outcomes. For example, the children in my class really like the times tables songs - we use them at the start of the day whilst I complete the register. The other day, when I went to collect my class of seven and eight year olds in the morning, a group of children were already singing the 4x table song out loud – I was really pleased to see that what we had learnt in the classroom was sinking in.
uwww.brierleyforestprimary.co.uk July 2015
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