Discussing why coding is an important part of learning in today’s society and creating an interactive story using the coding program ‘Scratch Jr’ were the main focuses of this week’s lesson. I recognise that these skills are beneficial to me as a student teacher since the ability to code computer programs is a significant part of today’s society as some even make the bold statement that coding is the new literacy. Learning to code not only develops that skill alone, it also develops your problem solving, creativity and communication abilities. This was supported when The Lead Project (2014) stated that, “as young people create Scratch projects, they are not just learning how to write computer programs. They are learning to think creatively, reason systematically, and work collaboratively – essential skills for success and happiness in today’s world.”

To enhance our knowledge of coding, we created our own stories using Scratch Jr. This is an introductory programming tool which can enable any school age children to produce a personal interactive story or game. We were first directed to tutorial videos which made understanding the program, and all that is potential while using it, quick and easy. Scratch also has a website that children and teachers can access for instructions and ideas as well as having Scratch Jr Programming Cards which contain instructions allowing you to create your own simple interactive story or game. Scratch was developed to improve creative learning skills such as logical reasoning and collaboration in young people for the 21st century. The Lead Project (2014) informed us that Scratch can be used in schools in a variety of subjects ranging from mathematics and english to music and art.

Coding programs such as Scratch Jr have many benefits such as being helpful for children who potentially struggle with using their imagination to devise a story line consisting of an introduction, middle and conclusion. Scratch Jr, for example, provides backgrounds, props and characters which can stimulate ideas in younger minds. With Scratch, you are also able to alter a character’s colour and size making them unique to fit in with your story. Creating a story using animation also means what is happening can be shown without the writer using words at all times. This is beneficial for children who have plenty ideas however have difficulty putting these ideas on paper in words. Scratch Jr allows you to make characters move, dance and talk using a variety of codes.

My story consisted of two characters, two varied backgrounds and a variety of props. I was able to make my characters move simultaneously and interact by letting one character speak at a time then letting the other respond when suitable. I made my props move and even fly to bring the story to life. My story was based on the First and Second level Curriculum for Excellence outcome:

I explore and experiment with the features and functions of computer technology and I can use what I learn to support and enhance my learning in different contexts TCH 1-04a / TCH 2-04a.

(Scottish Government, 2008)

This session helped me understand the importance and benefits of knowing how to code and of teaching children how to do so also. Coding comes with many teaching opportunities such as beginning a story then allowing your pupils to finish it and come up with their own conclusion for those who struggle with introductions when working individually. Coding programs also allow you to create fun and engaging games for the classroom. Coding develops many learning skills across a variety of subjects offering a new, enjoyable way of teaching that pupils can easily understand. I am glad I have improved my understanding of this topic and plan to use my skills frequently in future classroom settings.

References:
The Lead Project (2014) Super Scratch Programming Adventure: Learn to Program by Making Cool Games! No Starch Press.
Beauchamp, G. (2012) ICT in the Primary School: From Pedagogy to Practice. Pearson.
Scottish Government (2008) The Curriculum for Excellence [Online] http://www.education.gov.scot/Documents/all-experiences-and-outcomes.pdf

The main focus of this week’s lesson was to understand the importance of creating classroom presentations that are multimodal. Following this, we were then given the opportunity to create our own, personal multimodal text with the help of useful app ‘ActivInspire’. Examples of previous effective lessons using multimodality were shown prior to us completing this task, giving us ideas and creativity.

I learned that a text can be described as ‘multimodal’ when it combines two or more of the five semiotic systems, which are: linguistic, visual, audio, gestural and spatial. Creating this type of text results in young learners being engaged and interested in the information at hand as well as ensuring that the lesson will be memorable. Beauchamp (2012) highlights the importance of engaging with multimodal texts when it was stated that multimodality “allows teachers to present an idea in a variety of different ways to help pupils understand it.” I am glad to have gained knowledge on this aspect of teaching as I believe the benefits that multimodality provides in education can be easily recognised. Multimodal presentations have the potential to be interactive, personal and motivating as well as enjoyable for both the learner and teacher.

After being given an understanding of how multimodality can be useful for future lessons, we were given the chance to witness this type of presentation first hand and create our own. To do this, we were introduced to ‘ActivInspire’ which is a useful tool that empowers teachers to create interactive and collaborative flip charts. My partner and I decided to base our flip chart on a French language lesson. Focusing on basic colours, we created tasks on each slide such as “use the interactive pen to draw a line from the colour in French to the image of a flower that matches that description” or “the letters that form a colour in French are in the wrong order. Rewrite them correctly using the interactive pen.” We created these tasks for children after exploring the following Curriculum for Excellence experiences and outcomes for modern languages:

I work on my own and with others to understand text using appropriate resources, demonstrating my understanding by matching written words to pictures and by reconstructing the text in a logical sequence, for example. MLAN 2-08a

With support, I am beginning to experiment with writing in the language I am learning. MLAN 1-13

I have experienced a variety of simple texts, which may have been adapted for young learners. MLAN 1-10a

(Scottish Government, 2008)

Having both text and images displayed simultaneously allows the information to be more memorable since children may find it easier to remember words when they can associate them in their minds with pictures. In addition, having a teacher saying the text aloud as the pupil is reading it will aid learning as having audio and text alongside each other allows children to picture in their minds what the word looks like as well as sounds like. Having the opportunity to interact with the teaching as opposed to listening for lengthy periods of time, children become excited by the knowledge they are gaining and can display their independence. The benefits of this learning are supported by Prandstatter (2014) as it was stated that “touch displays can become a social learning tool encouraging hands-on experiences, thereby helping children to learn by doing.”

Although my partner and I focused on the subject of language for this task, I am aware that other fellow students chose varying topics ranging from mathematics to literacy. This displays the idea that multimodality is beneficial throughout many aspects of education and should be encouraged at all stages. Due to this session, I am significantly more aware of why multimodal texts should be frequently used in schools and the benefits of using them in teaching. I also now feel more confident using helpful tools such as ActivInspire to include children more independently in their learning. My previous placement made it clear how involved young individuals are with technology and how much enjoyment interactivity can bring to a lesson therefore I plan to use my new skills in future classroom settings now that I have gained a better understanding.

Reference list:

Beauchamp, G. (2012) ICT in the Primary School: From Pedagogy to Practice. Pearson.
YouTube ActivInspire series of support videos:

Education Scotland https://education.gov.scot

Scottish Government (2008) The Curriculum for Excellence [Online] http://www.education.gov.scot/Documents/all-experiences-and-outcomes.pdf