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Section 1: Teaching, Learning and Assessing

Sensory impairment

Visual impairment

  • screen magnification software or enlarged cursor
  • changing the computer settings to enhance monitor displays - large fonts, folders, etc.
  • screen-reader software or basic text-to-speech facilities
  • CCTV, braille keyboards
  • keyboard stickers or a 'bigkeys' keyboard
  • dedicated OCR-speech systems that scan a page and convert it to suitably enhanced text; multimedia          and CD-ROMs with built-in scanning option.

    Hearing impairment
  • The visual impact of multimedia and CD-ROMs can make language more meaningful for pupils with          hearing impairment and so contribute to a multisensory approach to learning.
  • Software that uses language in a context and with animation, such as 'Living Books', can provide          reinforcement and be highly motivating for a pupil.
  • Concept keyboards, Clicker and Intellikeys can be integrated in imaginative ways to support the          curriculum by presenting language in more concrete and interesting ways.

    Specific learning difficulties
  • Content-free software is a powerful resource allowing the teacher to decide on content and match it to          the needs of all pupils.
  • Word-predictor software frees pupils from difficulties associated with remembering the spelling of          words whilst engaged in imaginative or functional writing.
  • Access word processors allow pupils to concentrate on the written task rather than the mechanical          writing process.
  • Voice recognition software that converts speech to text can make some writing work easier, although          issues of background noise interference can be problematic in a normal class setting.
    Report of school visit

  • Assessment

    With the introduction of the ICT national guidelines, along with significant local and national ICT staff training programmes, it is important to consider approaches to the assessment of pupil attainment in ICT. This will be a new area for many teachers, but whilst offering them some challenge, teachers should bear in mind
    ... a new area for many teachers, but whilst offering them some challenge, teachers should bear in mind that the same principles apply to ICT as in other 5-14 contexts.

    that the same principles apply to ICT as in other 5-14 contexts. Schools will have an agreed policy for assessment, approaches and procedures already in place.

    The national guidelines on assessment 5-14 set out how assessment should be developed as

    an integral part of classroom learning and teaching. In this context the teacher has a central role in planning, teaching, recording, reporting and evaluating. In ICT it is particularly important that pupils are able to demonstrate progress in certain discrete aspects. These are:
  • development of confident use of ICT equipment and applications
  • development of the capacity to decide when it is best to use ICT as opposed to other media
  • development of the capacity to be creative in the use of ICT
  • demonstration that the use of new ICT skills and concepts are complementing other skills such as          making judgements, drawing connections to experiences and applying new understandings in          thoughtful and meaningful ways
  • demonstration of developing positive attitudes towards the use of ICT.

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