MK Teachers’ ICT Software Blog

Textease is a common package in schools, but I don’t actually like it! For example you need to actually mark the place where your text will go and it is difficult to move it if you need to. If you change text font or size but don’t put the cursor bck in exactly the right place, it reverts to the original - a very frustrating experience. However, that said, the plus points are that the clipart is really good, it can speak to you (a feature the children love) and it is relatively easy for the children to produce a piece of work. Going back to the clipart, as I’ve said it is really good, which means that all manner of subject areas can be addressed.

This is useful for the chidlren to use when tackling the topic of homes and their contents in the past.  It is particlarly suitable for year 1 children who enjoy finding out or themselves, the uses of some of the artefacts.

A fantastic piece of software especially for nursery and early years children. It is so user friendly and allows children to visit a variety of places eg. a vets, petrol station and a zoo. Children can enter each place a have a go at an activity related to it. What is extremely beneficial is that these activities are differentiated. This piece of software lends itself to a variety of topics and kids have great fun when using it.

This a very child friendly virtual city which incorporates a zoo, park, cafe, building site, garage and shop. Each area has lots of activities involving games, information, story telling etc. The children have enjoyed exploring each area and can access it themselves. It is suitable for early Years and key stage one pupils.

This is a great piece of software that is suitable for KS1. Children are able to produce their own interactive books, with animated pictures. It is very simple to use.

I have chosen this software as an example. I do not have direct experience of its use or usefulness in Key Stage 1 or 2. It hypothetically fits with searching CD Roms to find things out. 

This is what the blurb says about this software.

This is an essential multimedia encyclopedia for children. It includes more than 5,000 screens and pop-ups, 40 videos, 90 animations and 2 hours of audio. Key Features: The only CD-ROM encyclopedia created specifically for children aged 7-11. Designed by educational experts. Unparalleled depth and breadth of information. Cutting edge text-to-speech and VR technology.

I am hoping that other teachers will have software that they use to teach these aspects of the curriculum that they will post up in due course.

Word is Microsoft’s standard word processing package. It is a very sophisticated piece of software which may have too many buttons and those buttons may also be too small for Key Stage 1 children to use. Key Stage 2 children will have relatively little difficulty using Word and should be introduced to it before they enter key stage 3 where it will be used extensively.

‘Flowol2′ is a program which will work on PC (Windows 95,98, ME and NT, 2000, XP), Apple Mac and provides computer control for students at all levels. Mimics are controlled by selecting flowchart symbols from a toolbar and placing them on the main screen, a ‘prompt box’ appears, which only allows appropriate instructions to be chosen for that symbol.

A variety of mimics provide a progression of challenges for each pupil. Beginners can control one light and explore the use of sensors while more experienced users can introduce sub-routines and variables.

The solutions can be ‘modelled’ by testing them in a simulation mode on the ‘mimics’. These pictures are animated to show the effect of the outputs, and you can ‘click’ on sensitive areas on the mimic to trigger the inputs. A wide selection of mimics are available.

Real models can be controlled when a suitable interface is connected.
This software is easy for non-specialist teachers to use and provides good coverage of the control elements of the National Curriculum