There are lots of computing concepts and skills that can be taught in the early years; and indeed, the CfE asks that we teach a number of these.  However, I have spoken to a number of practitioners in the past who say that they don’t really do any computing with children in P1.  In this post, I want to look at ways to make teaching computing easy for P1 – what’s worked for me and how to develop skills so that children are able to use the devices available proficiently.  In this blog, I will focus only on computer skills, as our young learners are mostly quite proficient on tablet devices having often had a lot of exposure to them at home.

I’ve been meaning to write this blog ever since having a debate about P1 SNSA tests – this is a controversial subject, so I won’t post my views on here as that is irrelevant – but what I did take from it was the teacher saying “but most of our P1s can’t use a mouse, so it took a really long time as we had to support them 1-1”.

I do believe that all P1s should be able to use a mouse, and as such, mouse control is the skill that I will say is the most important thing that you can develop with your learners.  I will note how I have done this below; however, let’s first look at the experiences and outcomes (and benchmarks) for early years.

What’s worked for me?

I’ve been teaching NCCT cover computing to P1 (and all stages) for 45 minutes per week for the last three and a half years.  Until December, my focus is always on mouse control.  I do use strategies to make teaching computing easier to P1, which I will note below, but in order that we can progress with all aspects of computing, it is important that the children can coordinate mouse movements and clicks.  To do this, I use my favourite program: Microsoft Paint, which is available on all GCC (and I imagine all other authorities) desktop and laptop devices. For the first few sessions, I load MS Paint onto the children’s computers and show them how to use the mouse to “click” (for a dot) or “hold” for a line.  We practise in the air first – in the same way you might practise writing letters with imaginary pens.  And then I ask them to draw a picture of their class teacher or make a self portrait.  For the first few weeks, I do the same lesson to really reinforce the mouse control aspect but with different things to draw.  I always have the children working in pairs for this.

After most of the children are more proficient in using the mouse and MS paint, normally after a few weeks, I show them how to navigate to and open MS Paint.  I don’t generally pin it to the task bar or have it as a desktop shortcut, as I like them to get the practise of opening the START menu (we call this “the rainbow flag”) and then clicking on the paint icon.  Soon after learning to open Paint, the children also learn to close it using “the red x” and “pressing the middle button” (don’t save).

In #MossparkICT, #MossparkP1a were drawing their favourite scene from one of their favourite books – Room on the Broom. They had to use mouse control skills to navigate to Microsoft paint and open it, use all of the tools AND close their work at the end of the lesson! pic.twitter.com/7z49KNlQDn

— Mosspark Pri & NC (@MossparkPS) September 4, 2018

We continue using paint for lessons, but the complexity of what we draws increases as we add in selecting different colours, different brush types and fill.  We normally work up to the start of December and create winter scenes.  I know this seems like a lot of just using paint, but it really does work and with P1 I don’t get to start until mid-to-late September.

We also start to experiment with different programs at this time – learning to navigate to and open Microsoft Word, for example – and the children practice writing their names and opening / closing it.

After December, and where I am just now, we look at code.org course A where the children begin to learn basic coding using arrows to navigate the angry bird to a pig.  I use offline tools as well – floor arrows to code partners to places in the room for example.  As this is very progressive, children who are more able can go off at their own pace, but generally speaking I have all children working in pairs.

We always start with “lesson 4, number 2” and I save the link to course A in the favourites bar at the top of the computer.  Children can therefore navigate to the course themselves, and they know to “look down for the number 4, and across to the number 2” (number 1 is a video, and the previous lessons are either videos or unplugged courses that I do at other times).  Each week, I start with this for a number of weeks until I feel that almost all of the children have a good understanding of how the program works and how to control the mouse well.  It does depend on the learners as to how quickly we progress and move on, and how far through the course we go.

Finally, in term 4, we look at typing basic words, such as ‘cat’, and do this in Google to find images.  We also look at basic passwords on the iPads – using a passcode to access the content.  Internet safety and cyber security is something that I cover throughout the year, but I won’t write about it here as I have made several other blog posts on the subject.

Making it easier

1. Don’t use class log ins.  We ditched this years ago and it was the best thing ever.  Agree on one whole-school log in (e.g. a P7a one or one that you have decided on) and have your digital leaders or a small group of P7 children log in each morning at registration time.  Don’t log out of the computers until the end of the day.  This saves a huge amount of time in lessons and maximises the actual teaching time.  If you want children to learn to log off and log on then that can be built into your lesson – but for most lessons you won’t want this.
2. Put a small sticker on the ‘left-click’ button on the mouse, as this is the only button that you will be wanting your children (in early years) to be pressing.  This is possible the hardest part about using a mouse for P1 children, so having a visual cue really helps them.
3. Use a lot of repetition and repetitive language.  Each time, when we start a new lesson, we go over how to navigate and use exactly the same wording so that the children can chant along.
4. For internet programs, use the favourites bar and create a favourites folder called “P1” or whatever the class name is and save websites as icons here.  Don’t expect your children to also type in web addresses, and don’t give yourself extra work by having to do it for each child – this wastes time!
5. Get rid of the keyboard – well, not really – just push it far back as the children won’t be using it until term 4.  At the start, in the same way that P1 children require larger lines for writing and lots of room for making shapes, they need lots of space for using a mouse.  Make room by moving the keyboard out of the way.

Hopefully this has been helpful.  It has worked for me, and by the end of the year we have achieved a good coverage of all of the CfE Es and Os for early years and most of my learners are ready to start first level in P2 having done this.  I hope it works for you – but if not, if you can take anything from this, please teach mouse control and also get rid of class log ins!

Have a great week,

Donald

Even where schools have limited, or next to no access to ICT provisions, lots can still be achieved.  Whilst I would always recommend investing in additional technology it’s not always possible, so it’s good to make the most of what you already have.

Timetables

The best way to make full use of ICT provisions effectively, is to timetable it for good use.  Even for schools with masses of technology available to them, it’s not going to have any impact if it’s not used.

• In-class computers: In my previous school, we had been given advice not to have an ICT suite, and to instead have 2/3 computers per class. The thought behind this was that children would have constant access to computers and thus skills could be developed as part of daily learning.  In reality however, computers were often just left, and ICT skills couldn’t ever really be taught as that would mean teaching only 2-6 children while the rest of the class were doing something else.  Fortunately, we did have a good space available and were able to create an ICT suite with 16 desktop computers.
  Space is a huge issue in some schools though, and those schools have to rely on class computers.  Where this is the case, timetabling for the use of the computers is essential.  Children should be in the routine of turning them on first thing in the morning and should be timetabled on them.  In my recent coding blog, I noted how for a time my children accessed ‘hour of code’ in pairs as part of a timetable.  Computer coding teaches children not only computer science but instructional writing, logical thinking, problem solving, aspects of maths (including angles, measure, directional language, coordinates etc), and many other skills, and should never be seen as children missing out on other areas of the curriculum.  In a week, one hour of a lesson – be it language, maths, R.E. or anything – is not going to impact on a child’s learning of that subject when they are instead developing vast amounts of skills through a course such as an Hour of Code course (code.org/learn).
  Sumdog is another fantastic tool that can be timetabled for during maths time – 5 maths lessons a week at normally an hour each.  This time easily allows for your children to be timetabled on to the class computers for 20 minutes individually to complete Sumdog challenges (www.sumdog.com).
  Often the importance of touch typing is underrated.  In our day and age, typing quickly and efficiently is just as important as being able to write legibly and quickly.  The skills developed in typing are the same as those obtained through writing.  For dyslexic children, cursive handwriting is very beneficial to their retention of words due to muscle memory so should not be underestimated; this is also true for touch typing. Two great touch-typing websites are BBC dance mat typing (p2-4) and typing.com.
  Class computers are of course also great for research tasks and for interactive finisher tasks.
  For younger children, Microsoft paint is fantastic for developing Mouse Control and practicing drawing and writing letters.  There are also many interactive games that can be left on the computers for children to explore.
• Small ICT suite: Used well, an ICT suite of only 8 computers can be just as effective as one of 30 computers, again, it is all about timetabling it to be so. With a smaller number of computers, I would recommend fewer scheduled sessions (none less than one hour long).  I would recommend three main uses of the ICT suite.
  –ICT suite for developing digital literacy.  org has the most fantastic code course that your children can work through at their own pace.  Teachers can create a free account and provide their children with a login where they can work through the course at their own pace.  This can be done in school or at home.  I’d suggest, in a small ICT suite to have children doing paired-programming (working with a partner).  This is something that code.org are really big on, and most of their videos are tailored to it – one child is the ‘driver’ and in charge of operating the computer, whilst the other is the ‘navigator’ and in charge of spotting errors or better routes.  In a smaller suite of say 8 computers, this would only be about half the class; however, with effective timetabling, the other half could be doing an unplugged coding activity (I will blog more ideas about this soon) or an instructional writing or other task.  After half the lesson (30-45 minutes) your two groups could swap.  This is a very effective way of delivering high quality digital literacy sessions, and with an instructional teaching input at the start and plenary at the end can really deepen the children’s understanding of coding as a problem solving and literacy experience rather than something separate from their other learning.
  –ICT suite for developing numeracy.  I’ve already mentioned Sumdog.  Sumdog should always be done as an individual activity.  In a similar manner to code above, I’d have three maths stations in a small ICT suite with Sumdog as one of them and two other stations, with children rotating after 20-30 minutes.  Sumdog has been proven to raise attainment in numeracy and is included in the Scottish attainment challenge.
  –Other.  There are many other ways to utilise a small ICT suite, but again timetabling is key.  An unused ICT suite is a wasted learning opportunity as in this digital age children should be preparing themselves for a digital world of work.  Unused times to prepare for that world are wasted opportunities.
• iPads – Where there are limited numbers of iPads (say 5) they can either be used as part of a timetabled learning experience, as with the ICT suite, or be used to enhance learning experiences. I’d strongly suggest the latter.  For this section, I will assume that there is no WiFi with the iPads.
  –Peer assessment and evaluation.  Use of the ‘camera’ to record video and/or photos can be a valuable self/peer assessment for the children, especially when used with apps such as clips and iMovie.  Let’s take P.E. for example, and the ‘Evaluating and Appreciating’ Outcomes HWB 0-24a to HWB 4-24a, children could use the iPads to film their partner doing say a gymnastics routine.  The children could then look at the footage and use it as evidence during the ‘feedback’.  The children could import it into clips and add text and arrows to highlight aspects of their feedback.  Again, the learning experience could be achieved without the iPad, but the use of it truly enhances that learning experience as the children are much more quickly able to recognise how they can improve their own performance.  In literacy, children can use the camera to take photos of parts of other children’s work and highlight why they think it was good, by using ‘mark-up’ to write on and highlight parts of the work without actually damaging or changing the original.
  –EXA.  So many aspects of the EXA experiences and outcomes can be better realised with the assistance of the iPad.  Creating short films in iMovie can bring to life children’s dramas and ideas.  Garageband (although its interface can be intimidating at first, it’s actually very simple to use – especially ‘live loops’ – I’ve had P2 using it in the past) is a fantastic tool for letting children compose and create their own music without having to worry about first learning musical notation.
• Logins – I’d strongly recommend a whole school login and saving work into a class folder in ‘my documents’ rather than class logins – as these eat into time. In Mosspark, our Tech Team are timetabled to log on to the computers every morning as part of their duties so that they are ready for the children to use as soon as they go to class.  Children don’t log out of the computers.

Digital leaders

I have published a blog article recently about the power and importance of a digital leaders team and I can’t recommend them enough.  Not only can they support children, they can support teachers.  Whereas in the past, teachers would all come to me for advice on something that they were doing, and then it was a case of finding time for me to come in to them when I wasn’t in class; now, they can ask for a member of the team to come in and support them at any point – be it, show them how to work something, or work with some children.  Where my team don’t know how to do something, I support and then train the team in that area so that we are always learning.   A digital leaders team is truly invaluable!

ASN support groups

In Mosspark, we are being followed by Education Scotland this year as part of their ‘live narrative’ in our use of digital tools to raise attainment across the curriculum.  As part of this, we have daily Sumdog groups where targeted children have a daily 30-minute Sumdog session with a member of support staff, either from 9am-9:30am or from 1pm-1:30pm, and the ICT suite is not timetabled to classes during this time.  This daily Sumdog input has had a very positive effect on our young learners, and you will soon be able to access this information on the Education Scotland website.

We have also had a fantastic input from the ASL Technology service, with an especial focus on Ivona Mini-Reader (available on all GCC computers and most authority ones – just search for it in your start menu.) This program will read any computer based word-processed text (if you can highlight it and copy it, it can be read).  This means that our children can highlight any word/sentence/paragraph and the computer will read it to them, allowing them to access the same content as their peers without a member of staff working individually with them.  All they need is headphones.  The self-confidence of our children that use this program has improved dramatically, as there is no stigma now of someone having to read everything to them.

I am still looking into more ways to raise attainment in literacy this year through tech as my main focus and look forward to blogging about my findings towards the end of the year.

PLNs or Professional Learning Networks

Often the thing that holds schools back the most in the deployment and effective use of digital technologies is staff confidence and knowledge about what is available.  Many schools, including ours, are now encouraging their staff to use twitter as a PLN as part of their CPD.  I couldn’t recommend it highly enough as since being on twitter my own practice has improved so much, as I am continually inspired by colleagues from across the world and get ideas every time I go online.  There are of course many other PLNs including Facebook groups, but Twitter is the one that I get the most out of.

Sharing Learning on Social Media

Most schools do use Twitter and other sites now to share learning which is fantastic.  One thing I think schools could do better to allow parents easier access to their children’s work is to use hashtags.  In Mosspark, each class has a class hashtag (e.g. #MossparkP1a or #MossparkP7) so that parents can simply search for their child’s class to see what they’ve been learning rather than having to search through the school feed continually.  Note though, if you’re doing this, special characters can’t be used in a hashtag, so composite classes, such as P3/2 have to be tweeted as #MossparkP32.

We have also built into our WTA that teachers send at least one example of learning and photo per week to be tweeted so that all classes are represented on a weekly basis.

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I hope that this has been helpful.

There are so many ways that technology can be used where there is limited provision, but I think the above is a good starting place for any school.

Donald