Using computers

I have taught computing to children right from the advent of computers in schools. It is a stimulating, exciting and enthralling subject to teach.

Children are excited by it. They love the ease with which they can ‘write’ rather than struggle as they do, in the early days with a pencil. Colouring is so clear and precise. The printed results, they find, are very rewarding.

e.g. Mickey Mouse

When teaching reading, maths, numbers or thinking skills every avenue of communication should be used. Books, comics, signs, labels should all be read, as well as the words on the screen. Computers reinforce the concepts taught in the classroom.

• For young learners (aged 3-5), the package of ten games features favourites such as ‘Rainbow Street’ and ‘Young MacDonald’s farm’;
• for 5-7 year olds ‘Millypedia’ sits alongside ‘Where in the world is Barnaby bear?’;
• the megadeal designed for 7-11 year olds offers ‘Sing your times tables with Percy Parker’ to support numeracy and ‘Time detectives’ for history.

Programs combining:

• Drawing programs
• Word recognition programs
• Number symbols and counting
• Sound repetition
• Shape, colour,
• Adventure games
• Word processing
• Teaching the time
• Shape differentiation
• Word processing skills
• Geography
• History

See our Recommended Software page for many more recommendations, including programs from Storm Software.

Programs for 3 to 5 year olds.

There are other programs available on the Sherston web site.

What's the Time Mr Wolf? As a computer teacher for many years I have chosen some of the children’s favourite programs for you to learn about. The children are learning concentration, computer keyboard skills, how to write, number work, phonic work and how to make a decision! This cannot be a bad start for any child. Why not enjoy some of these programs with them!

Teddy Bears Picnic 
This is a very popular program for young children. Teddy helps you write letters, you go shopping with him, and especially popular is Dressing Teddy.

There is an adventure you can play with Teddy and you have to find your way to the picnic. I have used this program with 4 year olds and even the 5 year olds have asked for it.

Fizzy's Number Skills Behind each gate in the number world garden lies an engaging learning experience in which one stage of a basic concept is introduced and explored, using age-appropriate narration and scenarios. The twelve activities cover concepts relating to early addition, early subtraction and comparing and ordering numbers within the number range 0 – 10.

Elf Tales Elf leads the children into a magical world. , There are narrated mathematical puzzles for concepts such as sorting and sequencing, addition and logical problem

The children are encouraged and guided and thoroughly enjoy the experiences. They not only learn mathematical facts they also become familiar with the mouse, the keyboard and computing in general.

Programs for 6 to 9 year olds.

Badger Trails This is an exciting adventure in which the children learn about wildlife as well as mapping skills Badger Trails encourages the use of critical thinking skills in which the children learn to discuss probabilities. The children feel compelled to help this frightened lonely Badger find his way home. You can hear squeals as they are wrong and delight as they eventually get the badger safely home. This is a complete muti- media experience.

Crystal Rain Forest The children have to save the rain forest on the planet Oglo which is fast disappearing!This programme develops the children mathematical skillsespecially in problem solving. there are two levels of difficulty. The narration is excellent and the children are fully captured by this activity.

The Map Detectives: Rural Mystery aims to develop geography and map skills and contains graphics, photographs and maps, there is also a 'Night time' experience which adds a new dimension toi the map reading skills.

The children can complete the programme in sections. There is the potential to set other tasks and to have group work with older children.

Jackie