Unit 1 WH ICT in English

ICT in English

Peter Miles

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ISBN 1 84070 126 9

Published by Pearson Publishing 2001 © Pearson Publishing 2001

A licence to copy the material in this pack is only granted to the purchaser strictly within their school, college or organisation.The material must not be reproduced in any other form without the express written permission of Pearson Publishing. Abingdon School

Pearson Publishing, Publishing, Chesterton Mill, French’s Road, Cambridge CB4 3NP Tel 01223 350555 350555 Fax 01223 356484 www.pearsonpublishing.co.uk [email protected]

Introduction

The digital age ag e of Information and Communication Commun ication Technology is upon us. u s. The problem is that, that, although most of of us would would dearly love love to use, explore and assess assess all these computer-based computer-based facilities and other ICT resources now available, available, time and opportunity work against against us. For most, most, it is enough that that we have have mastered mastered the keyboard and word processor for our own survival in this age of documentation and record-keeping; record-keeping; to achieve a level of expertise, in order to incorporate incorporate it intuitively intuitively into our classroom classroom practice, is quite another matter. matter. It can be argued that the English department has a better claim of entitlement of access to this technology technology than any other. other. Yet, more often than not, we are treated treated as the poor relation where provision of this technology is concerned. The aim of this pack pack is to give ammunition to the argument argument for better ICT provision and access for English departments by looking at the range of possibilities on offer. But access is only part of the problem; problem; English teachers should be given time time to familiarise themselves themselves with the technology and to develop their own materials for use in the context of their particular school situation. Time and resources need to be made available to achieve this. For ICT in English English to succeed, it must become an integrated integrated part of the whole English scheme. scheme. English departments must also resist resist pressures to become become the school’s school’s ICT training agents in word-processing skills – the emphasis should be on making the technology work for the benefit of English and not for English to be the servant of technology. Naturally, Naturally, there is a certain ‘threshold ‘threshold of fear’ to overcome overcome with members of staff staff who are unfamiliar with the opportunities afforded by the technology. technology. This pack might assist in lowering this threshold and allow them to appreciate the ways in which ICT can enhance their teaching and enable them to reach a more confident level of professional professional practice. As teachers we also also need to grasp the opportunities provided provided by ICT initiatives initiatives and training schemes, as well as taking advantage advantage of the enthusiasm of our students and their undoubted skills and knowledge of the technology’s application application and uses. With goodwill and a modicum modicum of self-training, self-training, the delivery of the English curriculum can be considerably enhanced in engaging and interesting ways using the undoubted benefits and techniques of ICT. ICT. This pack is offered as a basis for training and exploration exploration of these benefits benefits and and techniques, techniques, and, to this end, the forms forms provided provided can be photocopied photocopied and, where necessary, necessary, adapted to the particular needs of the department.

Abingdon School Pearson Publishing Tel 01223 350555

ICT in English English

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Introduction

This pack comprises the following sections: sections: 1

Defining ICT

2

ICT in the English classroom

3

Key Government initiatives

4

Developing departmental policy

5

Management issues

6

The potential gains of using ICT

7

Using ICT in the classroom

8

Classroom management issues

9

Assessment procedures

10 Sources of further information information

Acknowledgements My sincere thanks to my friends and colleagues, Chris Warren and Tom Rank, who have given invaluable help and advice in compiling this pack. I am also grateful to the following organisations organisations for giving me permission to use or quote material from their publications: Becta, The Stationery Office and NAACE NAACE.. Peter Miles November 2001



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1 Defining ICT

The term IT has recently been expanded to Information and Communication Communication Technology (ICT) in recognition of the growing significance of communications technology to access the Internet, send email to other institutions, institutions, to video conference, and so on. on. ICT therefore combines telecommunications, telecommunications, computing and broadcasting and covers covers any any product product that will store, store, retrieve, manipulate, transmit or receive information electronically, electronically, including telephones, faxes, computers and televisions. In May 1999, David Blunkett announced proposed proposed changes to the National Curriculum for England. The resultant document forms the second second review of the curriculum with changes having taken effect in schools from September September 2000. One of these changes has been the renaming of the subject from Information Technology (IT) to Information and Communication Technology (ICT). The change is intended to clarify the use of the two terms and prevent prevent confusion. Clare Johnson, Johnson, Principal Manager ICT, ICT, Qualifications Qualifications and Curriculum Authority, Authority, explains the implications implications of the change: The new curriculum for ICT proposes that information is at the heart of students’ study, study, of IT skills, knowledge and understanding.This understanding.This new focus suggests that students students might start with using IT to find things out, then develop their ideas and make things happen.There is a new emphasis on students sharing and exchanging their work and ideas that encourage collaboration and publication.Their publication.Their work is constantly reviewed, evaluated and modified.The result should place more emphasis on IT as a tool for learning, rather than merely merely using applications. IT and ICT in the National Curriculum, QCA Newsletter, Newsletter, Issue 2, May 2, May 1999

It is a further requirement of the 2000 National Curriculum that the use of ICT should be embedded in the whole curriculum. The National Curriculum for secondary teachers in England (see http://www.nc.uk.net/) outlines the importance of Information and Communication Technology by stating that: Information and communication technology (ICT) prepares students to participate in a rapidly changing world in which work and other activities are increasingly transformed by access to varied and developing technology. technology. Students use use ICT tools to find, explore, analyse, exchange and present present information responsibly, responsibly, creatively and and with discrimination.They lear n how to employ ICT to enable rapid access to ideas and experiences from a wide range of people, communities and cultures. Increased capability in the use of ICT promotes initiative and independent independent learning, with students being able to make informed judgements about when and where to use ICT to best effect, and to consider its implications for home and work work both now and in the future. Information and Communication Technology, Technology, page page 143



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1 Defining ICT

ICT covers all the tools of information information storage and retrieval, as well as the communication communication systems for the transmission and reception of resources, information and ideas between individuals, individuals, interested parties or institutions. institutions. It encompasses encompasses the knowledge and understanding required to use these tools to assist the learning process. process. Each tool is designed to facilitate a specific specific function and can only be of real worth if used correctly and appropriately. appropriately. The starting point for developing a coherent ICT policy for English does not lie simply in defining ICT, ICT, but in determining the desired outcomes to which ICT can usefully contribute. contribute. Any activity activity,, whether it makes use use of ICT or not, must enhance enhance the study of English as well as promote and develop the student’s linguistic skills; ie the technology must serve the purpose of English studies – English studies must not become subservient to the technology. Handwriting with pen and paper is just as respectable a ‘technology’ ‘technology’ as any of the more recent electronic/digital methods of writing. The new ways and means are different and exciting but not necessarily better than the traditional ways of written communication. communication. However, However, ICT applications applications can bring to English English Studies methods methods and means hitherto difficult to achieve with the traditional technologies. technologies. The study of digital texts; personal control control of the written medium; the opportunities opportunities of communication and of searching for information worldwide can all be enhanced by the new technology to the benefit of English Studies. The nature of those benefits and the ways in which we can take advantage of new technology are becoming more clearly articulated as more and more English teachers explore their possibilities possibilities and apply them to classroom classroom teaching. teaching. One thing is certain – the technology is not going to go away and as English teachers we ignore it at our peril. Given time, time, the technology will will become more more friendly with better better facilities for for access. access. Also certain is that with the increasing increasing role of ICT in the delivery delivery of educatio education, n, we as teache teachers, rs, and particularl particularly y at ‘subject ‘subject’’ level, level, should should begin to have have more say as to its form form and content. However, However, we can only have have this input if we we have taken the time to explore explore and understand its nature, flaws and potential. potential.

ICT and the National Curriculum Although the National Curriculum document does not have a specific section on the application application of ICT to English English teaching it does, however, however, contain the catch-all catch-all policy of ICT use across the curriculum, and therefore applied applied to all subjects: Use of information and communication technology across the curriculum 1

Students Students shoul should d be given given opportun opportunities ities to to apply apply and deve develop lop their their ICT capability through the use of ICT tools to support their learning in all subjects.

2

Students Students shoul should d be given given opportun opportunities ities to to support support their their work work by being being taught to: a

find things out from a variety of sources, selecting and synthesising the information to meet their needs and developing an ability to



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1 Defining ICT

question its accuracy, accuracy, bias and plausibility b

develop their ideas using ICT tools to amend amend and and refine their work work and enhance its quality and accuracy

c

exchange and share information, both directly and through electronic media

d

review, review, modify and evaluate their work, reflecting critically on its quality, as it progresses. progresses.

Within the English document itself there are cer tain sections in which ICT is specifically referred to (see the National Curriculum for English ). In a recent report, report, published by the English group of the Becta Curriculum IT Support Project, it was suggested that the following following software requirements requirements for the National Curriculum ICT expectations to be delivered in English: The group felt that the minimum requirement would be word processors and access to the World Wide Web and a variety of CD-ROMs for each pupil. It was felt that word processors must must have multimedia capability, capability, with the proviso that software on its own is not enough: enough: hardware such as digital cameras, scanners, microphones should should also be available. available. Another proviso proviso is that computers must be networked networked to allow for collaborative collaborative work. In addition to this, the group recommend the following: following: •

CD-RO CD-ROMs Ms for for ref refere erence nce and other other nonnon-lin linear ear texts texts..

•

Access Access to to Web brow browser sers, s, search searching, ing, email email and and bullet bulletin in board boards. s.

•

Multim Multimedi edia a authoring authoring/pr /prese esenta ntatio tion n softwa software re and Web authoring software.

•

A simple simple graph graphica icall lly y oriented oriented data databas basee such such as Pinpoi Pinpoint nt for for pupils pupils and and teachers (who could use it to build revision materials).

•

A simple simple way way of of archi archivin vingg and and retrievi retrieving ng mate materials rials from from archi archive ves, s, eg last term’s ter m’s work.

•

Easy Easy Web ‘wh ‘whac ackin king’ g’ softw software are to grab Web sites sites to use use offline offline

•

Rating Rating of software software and a really really comprehen comprehensive sive resource resource reviewing reviewing all English software (old and new). Source: Curriculum Software Software Initiative: Initiative: English, Becta



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2 ICT in the English classroom

It is not the intention of this pack to provide provide a definitive guide guide to ICT tools, but rather to explain their function and to address their usefulness in the teaching or learning of English. This section gives a brief description of the ICT tools that may be of benefit to an English English department. Each description includes includes issues arising from the use of ICT (indicated (indicated by ), which may may or may may not need to be resolved resolved if the tool is to be used effectively. There is a language language of ICT that, just as with any any specialist or or technical language, language, can be a barrier to understanding; understanding; a recent recent Dictionary of IT Jargon ran to over 600 pages! It is essential that any effective ICT policy takes into account the possibility that members of the English department may not be fully conversant with the language of ICT, ICT, and will therefore need help in mastering its basic concepts in order to participate with confidence. confidence. Coming up against technical terms and associated associated jargon can raise the threshold of fear in many teachers. Learning a new language comes more easily to some some than it does to others, and staff should be accorded accorded all the patience and and support that their own own students might might expect, for example, when getting to grips with the confusing concepts concepts and arbitrary ‘rules’ of the English language. language. More detailed suggestions of how ICT may be exploited by the English teacher can be found in Section 8, but these proposals proposals are are by no no means exhaustive. It is up to each teacher to decide whether the tool or activity can be used as suggested or whether you need to adapt it. ICT tools come in two distinct categories: • Hardware – The variety of input and output devices needed to write and read digitally-stored information. • Software – The programs held in the computer’s computer’s memory, which allow the computer to manipulate the stored digital information to our particular needs. Clearly, Clearly, the one cannot operate without the other – a word-processed word-processed file or graphics stored on a CD-ROM cannot be ‘read’ unless displayed on a VDU or printed on paper. Some systems systems can only operate operate simultaneously; simultaneously; the devices and programs required for video conferencing (the means by which one can see and talk to other people by video link in real time). Firstly, a brief review of the ICT hardware devices available available or becoming available available to the class teacher. teacher. Software will will be considered on page 11. 11.



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2 ICT in the English classroom classroom

Input devices The keyboard The keyboard consists of the standard alphabet laid out alongside function keys and numbers, much as you would would expect to find on a typewriter. typewriter. The shape of the board and the layout of the the keys will depend on specific specific design, but by far the most most common layout layout is the standard ‘QWERTY’ ‘QWERTY’ keyboard, so named because of of the first six keys of the top row of letters. Not all keyboards respond in the same way. way. The function of certain keys and combinations of keys can vary from keyboard to keyboard. It is worth noting that what works on a IBM compatible PC keyboard may not work in the same way on that of a Macintosh computer.

Scanners A scanner enables both both pictures and text to be input to a computer, computer, although you will need specialist optical optical character recognition (OCR) (OCR) software for the latter. If your school possesses the full Reader/Writer version of the Adobe Acrobat program then there is an OCR procedure built into it allowing you to produce editable digital text from scanned material. For example, example, the pages of an out-of-copyright out-of-copyright play text text or poetry book could be scanned and then converted into editable digital text to enable preparation of multiple copies of the piece, or sections of of it, formatted to your particular requirements. requirements. Scanned input can be manipulated manipulated using image editing software for pictures, pictures, or a word processor processor for texts. A scanner is a useful tool for incorporating original images, from photographs photographs or drawings, drawings, into computer computer documents, documents, such as newsletters, newsletters, assignments and Web Web pages. p ages. The time taken to scan an image will depend upon the central processing unit of the computer, computer, the size of the image, image, the quality of of output required required and the capabilities of the scanner itself. Scanned images are ideal for enhancing enhancing documents, but copyright laws will apply to images taken from magazines, CD covers, covers, etc. This does does not preclude their use, but restricts how the resulting material material can be published, distributed or displayed.

Digital cameras With a digital camera, light from the image passes passes to a sensor inside the camera, camera, which uses digital data to replicate the image.The image is then stored on disk or loaded into a computer. computer. Photographs can be displayed directly onto the computer computer monitor or imported into a graphics package for editing. The image stored on disk can easily be overwritten if the photograph is not of the standard required or if it is no longer needed. Much of the anxiety of taking photographs is therefore taken away away and students can select which image they will or will not choose to keep. keep. The rapid



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turnaround between the time the photograph was taken and the time it appears onscreen ready to be used makes the digital camera an ideal tool for enhancing creative writing. Illustrations for written work, photo-stories, newsletters and parents’ evening handouts can all benefit from digital camera images used creatively. Whilst it is true that images from a digital camera greatly enhance the presentation of work work produced, and may well enthuse students for the task set, one should remember that the purpose of the process is to enhance the literacy process and, unless the digital camera images lead to appropriate ‘English’ outcomes, it might well be seen by some as little more than a distraction. Students must understand that they are undertaking an exercise related to English which is to be enhanced enhanced by digital camera images, images, and not merely taking a few photographs.

Video cameras and video digitisers Video cameras and recorders have been available for far longer than the computer. computer. Both satisfy the definition of ICT by storing information information electronically, electronically, but since they do not need to be attached to a computer, they are often overlooked overlooked as ICT tools. The video recorder recorder brings all the advantages advantages of combined sound and image. image. Its use should be an integral integral part of the English schemes schemes of work. work. For example, example, a video camera can record the discourse between a small group of students engaged in some task for which the camera is merely an onlooker of the whole group. group. Perhaps Perhaps some simulation scenario where the group are having to come to difficult conclusions from a range range of eviden evidence ce given, given, eg a murder, murder, accident, accident, theft, theft, terrorist terrorist threa threat, t, etc. A study study of of the group dynamics dynamics,, body language language,, speech speech patterns, patterns, etc from the video video recording recording of the session can be very rewarding. Frequent and systematic use of the video camera in the English classroom is an excellent way way of recording student performance for close scrutiny scrutiny and assessment. It can be used to train teachers in classroom teaching techniques and it can be an ideal way of proving the progress that students make, in particular, in oral work. work. The video digitiser enables video signals from a standard camcorder to be displayed displayed in a window on the computer screen.Video sequences can be stored and used in other programs. Still images can also be captured from the video sequence. sequence. Whilst video sequences can be very attractive, some may consider consider the essential literacy learning element is almost always contained in the audio accompaniment. accompaniment. However, However, a video recording of an an ‘oral’ situation will also also capture the accompanying accompanying non-verbal language and body language, language, not only of the speaker, but also of of the listeners. listeners.

Speech or voice input Programs are available available that will recognise continuous speech speech input, translating the words directly into a word processor and producing typed scripts from the spoken word. For severely handicapped students, this method method has an obvious obvious application, application, but it invariably requires fast processing processing and large amounts of memory. memory. Even when these Abingdon School Pearson Publishing Tel 01223 350555


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are readily available, available, there still needs to be a considerable time investment investment before the voice recognition recognition of the software will produce reliable texts. texts. Unless you have no alternative, alternative, speech or voice voice input is currently currently more of a gimmick than a tool, tool, although as hardware becomes becomes more friendly and processing time quicker, this is an area which English teachers should keep an eye on.

Output devices The computer monitor, monitor, screen or visual display unit (VDU) This is the most common output device.The size is always always measured diagonally, diagonally, from corner to corner. Larger monitors are easier easier on the eyes.Three dots of colour make up each picture element element or pixel. The spacing of the pixel pixel determines the clarity, clarity, or resolution, of the screen image: image: • VGA (Video (Video Graphics Graphics Array) Array) 640 x 480 pixels pixels • SVGA SVGA (Super (Super Video Video Graphics Graphics Array) Array) 800 800 x 600 pixels pixels • XGA (Exte (Extended nded Graph Graphics ics Array) Array) 1024 1024 x 768 768 pixels pixels

Large format displays With the increasing emphasis on whole class class teaching, many teachers have have realised that the computer computer can be an an ideal tool to use. However, However, to be effective effective for this purpose, the display needs to be fairly fairly large. There are a number of options options available available for increasing the size of a computer display display (see page 10), including connection connection to a television, projector or interactive interactive whiteboard whiteboard (see page 10), all of which enable enable large groups and whole classes to view a single computer screen. Very large screen displays can be achieved by using a specialised digital projector. These projectors are still quite expensive and are unlikely to be bought from department funds, but it is well worth worth suggesting the purchase of such equipment equipment as part of the school’s school’s development development fund; it is certain that the price of such equipment is likely to fall rapidly in the next year or two.They are superb for presenting materials to an assembled audience and the perfect output for presentation software software such as Microsoft® PowerPoint or displaying Internet browser pages. For whole class teaching, teaching, a large screen display allows allows the presentation of: • high-quali high-quality ty informati information on which which can be prepared prepared before before the lesson lesson withou withoutt the need for a colour OHT printer • multimedi multimedia: a: for example, example, a video video clip clip or or an animatio animation n from from a CD-ROM CD-ROM or or other source • a range of of material material from from differen differentt sources, sources, prepared prepared by by many many teachers teachers using using a presentation package • a soft softwa ware re demons demonstra tratio tion. n.



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A few examples of these applications for use in English include: • delivering delivering specif specific ic teaching teaching points points on on grammar grammar or modelli modelling ng • sharing sharing the writing writing process process using using a word word process processing ing package package • demonstrating how to use a new piece piece of software or teaching teaching new techniques, such as how to enter searches in Web search engines.

Interactive whiteboards There is a developing range of interactive whiteboards available. available. This technology requires three pieces pieces of equipment: equipment: a computer, a projector and and a touch-sensitive touch-sensitive whiteboard.The whiteboard. The computer is connected to to the projector and whiteboard, and the projector displays the computer screen image onto the board. The computer can then be controlled from the board. As you point at active elements on the board using your finger or an appropriate electronic pen, the action is transmitted to the computer in the same way as using a mouse. Interactive whiteboards whiteboards have the advantages advantages of: • allowing allowing you to move move around around a screen screen withou withoutt the use use of a compu computer, ter, as the screen itself is sensitive • offering offering the same same features features as as a tradition traditional al whiteboa whiteboard, rd, such as writing writing direct directly ly on the board, board, circling things, things, highlighting or labelling elements elements on the the screen and erasing errors • enabling enabling editing editing onscree onscreen n and recording recording any any changes changes or additions additions • being being either either free-st free-stand anding ing or wall-m wall-moun ounted ted.. Note, Note, howe howeve ver, r, that that although although mobile, free-standing models models can be heavy. heavy.

Large screen monitors Large screen monitors are a more expensive option than an ordinary television screen connection if you do not already have have a specialist monitor, but they do have the following advantages: • Screen Screen dimensio dimensions ns range from from 29" 29" to 38" (measur (measured ed on the diagona diagonal). l). • Both video and data input can be displa displayed. yed. • Light condit conditions ions in in the room room do not affect affect the screen, screen, as it can can be adjust adjusted. ed. • The screen screen normal normally ly comes comes with with any neces necessary sary leads. leads. One drawback is that this type of screen is not easily portable unless trolley mounted.

Printers The many types of printer available can be divided into two groups – impact and non-impact printers. printers. Impact printers rely on striking an inked ribbon to form characters on the page and are consequently noisy when compared to non-impact alternatives.



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Non-impact printers will use either either an ink-jet or a laser to mark the page. page. Both systems have have their advantages and disadvantages, disadvantages, so the best purchase will depend upon its intended use and the likely running costs. Schools should consider purchasing a good quality laser printer for general administrative administrative use and for printing department-based department-based material, material, worksheets, worksheets, course material, etc. Although their unit cost is comparative comparatively ly high initially, initially, their running costs for for high capacity capacity printouts are are low. low. For classroom classroom use, use, good ‘photo quality’ quality’ inkjet printers are now becoming available at realistic prices (between £200 and £400), although it is always advisable to check the ongoing costs of replacement ink cartridges. These printers will give good service provided they are treated kindly. kindly. It might also be worth considering the viability if using an A4/A3 format printer as these are much more flexible, especially if you want to produce A4 size booklets formed from folded A3 sheets.

Software The range of software now now available for educational educational use is growing fast. Many resources are also being made available by practising teachers via resource Web sites; see English Online, Teachit, Andrew Moore’s Moore’s Teaching Resource Site, etc in Section 10 (page 60).These 60). These usually use generic software to carry the content rather than specially-devised specially-devised programs. Generic software is those programs which have become the standard tools of the computer and are usually already installed installed on the computer or network, and hence are the least expensive expensive resource resource available. available. Because they are are content-free, content-free, they can be adapted to a range of purposes. pur poses. An effective ICT policy should start with a departmental audit of existing knowledge of the software that is already available. available. Command of standard software software packages – word processors, processors, databases, presentation software and desktop publishing (DTP) (DTP) packages – can often be the most effective way way of providing functional ICT development development within the teaching teaching of English. English. Used in an imaginative imaginative way way,, the humble word processor has far more mileage for language and literature work than merely operating as an electronic typewriter.

CD-ROMs Many commercial commercial titles are available, available, but there are few companies that will allow allow you to try materials before purchasing them. them. It is far better to rely on recommendations recommendations from trusted friends and colleagues than upon advertising slogans and fliers. fliers. The price of CD-ROMs can vary greatly and can represent a substantial investment if a multiple user or site licence is purchased. A good collection of themed poetry material on CD-ROM CD-ROM is produced by Headstrong Interactive at http://www.headstrong.demon.co.uk/.



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CD-ROMs available so far: • The English Romantic Poets • ‘Over the t he Nightmare Ground’ – British Poetry from Two World Wars • Silver Hooks and Golden Sands – An Introduction to Poetry and Prose in English 1360-1900.

Internet For the English teacher, effective use of the Internet brings the immediate benefits benefits of: • access access to research research informa informatio tion, n, journa journals, ls, projec projects, ts, organi organisa satio tions, ns, newsle newslette tters rs and circulars • speedy speedy commun communica ications tions,, via email email,, with like-mind like-minded ed instituti institutions ons or or individu individuals als • shared shared ideas and and material materialss in a number number of differe different nt contexts contexts • an extensive extensive source source of reference reference material materialss from which which to produce teachin teaching g resources for the classroom or for presentations • an abundance abundance of of reference reference material material to support support student student researc research h into syllabus syllabus topics, or countless topics topics of personal personal interest • a wealt wealth h of student-fri student-friendly endly,, self-test self-testing, ing, revision revision sites that can be accessed independently • intera interacti ctive ve,, audio audiovis visual ual resour resources ces • the opportunit opportunity y to present present oneself oneself to to a worldwi worldwide de audience audience,, inviting inviting intera interactio ction n and reaction. A later section will look at the use of the Internet in greater detail (see page 50). Further material can can be found in Using the Internet – English (Pearson Publishing, Publishing, 2000). 2000). There are no restrictions on submitting pages to the World World Wide Web. As a result, Internet access brings with it access access to material that is unsuitable unsuitable for use in school. Software is available available to help help censor inappropriate material, but teachers should be vigilant to ensure that students remain within the specified Web sites. Internet connection slows as the number of simultaneous users increases. increases. Afternoon sessions, sessions, when the population of the US goes online, online, are notoriously slow. The Internet exists almost as a living entity that changes and evolves. evolves. Links that work one day may not be available available the next. Save pages that are likely to change onto the school intranet if you do not want to lose them. Web pages, designed using a range of tools, tools, are not always always readable by every every computer.You will need to liaise with the ICT technician if more than a few pages do not appear to function as intended. Access to email or chat rooms is often restricted in schools and subject to very strict policy regulations. regulations. Be sure that the practice of of teachers in the English department does not contradict existing school policy. policy.



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Intranet Unlike the Internet, an intranet does not rely on connection to the World World Wide Web. Instead, the pages are stored on an internal network with access only available available to users of that particular network. The advantages advantages of this system are that: • connectio connection n speeds speeds are far greate greaterr and more more reliabl reliable e • pages pages that would would normally normally change change frequent frequently ly on the Internet Internet will will appear appear as they did when they were saved – they can only be updated by your intervention • an intrane intranett is not affec affected ted by by Internet Internet traffic traffic • pages pages can easily easily be written written to the specifi specific c audience audience of the the intranet, intranet, making making it an ideal location location for revision guidelines, notices, or GCSE GCSE advice. advice. It is possible, through a system of password password coding, to offer limited limited access to to the school’s school’s intranet to students and their parents when they are not in school, but security implications often deter schools from providing this service. Provision of an effective intranet requires frequent updating and a commitment commitment of time. Since intranet pages can be stored without reference to the original, active Web site, it is important to avoid leaving leaving outdated information information on the intranet. Interactive material from the Internet will need an Internet connection to function correctly.

Reference material There is a wide range of language reference resources, resources, such as electronic dictionaries, thesauruse thesauruses, s, encycloped encyclopedias, ias, etc, availabl available e on CD-ROMs CD-ROMs.. Although Although these are usually usually quite expensive to purchase purchase initially, they are available when required and are easily portable. The problem with with such publications, publications, as with paper-based paper-based reference reference material, is that they cannot be updated without purchasing the next edition. The Internet gives free access access to a range of of such reference reference material, which is constantly constantly updated, but the problem here, of course, is the usual one of online access access at the time time when that that information is required.



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3 Key Government initiatives

During the past past four years, years, in particular, there have have been many many changes changes and Government Government initiatives which which have had an impact on the teaching of English. In particular, the review of the National National Curriculum and ongoing developments developments in technology. Unfortunately, Unfortunately, the recent National National Curriculum review did not strengthen the place place of ICT within English; across the key stages the requirements requirements are basically basically the same, specifically “that students draft and write onscreen as well as on paper, and that they develop skills in locating, retrieving and using information from electronic sources sources ”.Whilst the revised Orders recognise that technology offers opportunities for new methods of communication, communication, and that digital texts have distinct features features and structures and require students to develop develop a knowledge and understanding understanding of them, it does not make the reading and production of such texts mandatory. mandatory. A vision of ICT development became part of the Labour Party’s 1997 election manifesto. manifesto. It included a pledge to set up a National Grid for Learning (NGfL) as a structured collection of educationally valuable content content on the Internet and a programme of equipping schools and other institutions with the necessary infrastructure and connectivity needed to access that content. A subsequent consultation paper, Connecting the Learning Society , was published published in October 1997 where the Government proposed ambitious targets for ICT: • by 1999 1999 all newly qualified qualified teachers teachers were to become become ICT literate to mandatory mandatory standards in order to receive Qualified Teacher Status • by 2002 2002 serving teachers teachers should should generally generally feel feel confiden confidentt and be competent competent to use ICT within the curriculum • by 2002 2002 all schoo schools, ls, colleges, colleges, universiti universities es and and libraries libraries and as as many many communi community ty centres as possible should should be connected to the Grid, enabling perhaps 75% 75% of teachers and 50% of students to have their own email addresses • by 2002 2002 most most school school leavers leavers should should have have a good good understand understanding ing of ICT ICT, based based firmly on the standards prescribed in the National Curricula across the UK. In November November 1998, the full framework for the Grid was launched together with the Learning, Open for Business Business, setting out how the Grid will be NGfL challenge Open for Learning, taken forward following the consultation. The National Grid for Learning is being developed to: • provide provide a national national learning learning resource resource to help raise raise educatio educational nal standards, standards, especially to meet the Government’ Government’ss literacy and numeracy targets, and improve the quality of life and Britain’s international competitiveness competitiveness • deliver deliver high-quali high-quality ty educatio educational nal softwa software re and services services to teach teachers, ers, students students and other learners through public–private partnerships Abingdon School Pearson Publishing Tel 01223 350555


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3 Key Key Government Government initiatives

• remove remove barriers barriers to learning learning to ensur ensure e quality quality of access access for for all, including including those those in isolated rural areas, those with special educational educational needs or or those in areas of urban deprivation • provide provide a resourc resource e for teachers teachers to impro improve ve their their ICT skills skills.. Substantial funding programmes are being made available to provide networking infrastructure, hardware, software and training to enable enable UK schools to connect to the Grid. £760 million has been made available available through the Standards Fund for schools to spend on ICT and to access access the NGfL in the four years years up to April 2002, and a further £710 million will be made available available from 2002 to 2004. National Lottery monies are providing providing a further £230 million up to 2002, 2002, through the lottery-funded New Opportunities Fund (NOF).

The NOF initiative This New Opportunities Fund has to be one of the most significant of all the recent Government initiatives initiati ves with regard to ICT. ICT. The initiative is funded by the National Lottery and a vast amount of manpower manpower and effort has been put into its preparation. Unfortunately, Unfortunately, not a lot of teachers are aware of the significance of the initiative initiative nor of the best ways ways of taking taking advantage advantage of what it offers. Hence, it is important for you you to find out what the initiative could mean for your school. Basically, Basically, the aim of the NOF ICT training programme is to increase the expertise of serving teachers (subject-based) and school librarians in the use of ICT, ICT, in order to raise the standards of student achievement. The training programme does not currently include voluntary voluntary helpers. Schools must register for for the training by spring 2002, and the training training itself must take place by spring 2003. Serving teachers who qualified before May May 1999 are eligible for training training – it is intended that, as a result of the training, these teachers will meet the standards standards of expertise in the use of ICT expected of all NQTs. (It is assumed that those teachers who qualified after May 1999 already meet these standards.) To help ensure that the training is appropriately and effectively effectively focused, a list of expected outcomes has been developed for the programme by the Teacher Training Agency (TTA). (TTA). For your school school to be able to make use of of its grant, you must have have the following in place: • An ICT ICT develo developme pment nt plan, plan, valid validate ated d by your your LEA. LEA. • A timetable timetable of when when you you will send send staff staff on the training training.. • Access Access to the the Internet Internet for for all staff staff undertaki undertaking ng the traini training. ng. Once the above are in place, you will need to decide how to organise the training in your school and which training provider provider to use. Every school will have received received a copy of the NOF catalogue which gives detailed information about the ICT training programme and lists training providers approved to deliver training under the scheme. This catalogue catalogue is also available available to download download from the NOF site. (See also http://www.pearsoninformation.co.uk/ for ICT training details.) Note that it is acceptable for different teachers or departments to use different training providers. Abingdon School Pearson Publishing Tel 01223 350555


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Before choosing a training provider, provider, you need to decide which model you want want your school’s school’s training to follow follow, ie face-to-face, face-to-face, distance learning, learning, online learning learning or a combination combination of these. Individual training providers providers should be able to supply you with with further information about the services that they offer. Once you have decided decided which provider(s) provider(s) to use, you will need to consider how to organise the training sessions. sessions. Important: • Do not not rush into into choos choosing ing a training training provi provider. der. Instead, Instead, ask other other schoo schools ls about about their experiences and opt for the provider that seems best suited to your school’s needs. • Do not assume assume that that a good softwa software re or hardware hardware provider provider is also also going going to be a good provider of training – this is not necessarily the case. • Do not forget forget that that this train training ing has has to take take place place in teache teachers’ rs’ own time time – try to minimise other pressures on your staff while they undergo the training. It is recommended recommended that you hold a meeting before before the NOF training starts, to ensure that all staff are clear about what it involves.You might also wish to give staff the opportunity to look at some sample training materials at this point. Assess the training needs of each member member of staff. Every member of staff will be asked to complete a competency form to ensure that the training they receive is tailored to meet their needs. For any staff who feel that they do not have the skills to begin NOF training, some providers providers offer pre-NOF courses to ensure that that basic skills are in place. The TT TTA A has also produced a CD-ROM for schools to help teachers identify their individual training needs (see page 59 for their Web address). Organise your training schedule schedule with care. If you choose to send small groups of staff to separate training sessions, sessions, rather than send all the staff together, together, you need to prioritise the order in which the groups are sent. Since most of the training training focuses on the use of ICT in core subjects, subjects, it makes sense to send teachers teachers from core subject areas early in the training schedule. See Form 1 (page 18) for the list of basic skills which the NOF training scheme sees as essential for every teacher to have mastered.

Other significant initiatives The Government has introduced a new National Curriculum in Initial Training Training Institutions for the use of ICT in subject teaching. teaching. From 1999, 1999, all newly qualified qualified teachers must establish their competence in ICT to mandatory standards in order to receive Qualified Teacher Status. Similar initiatives, initiatives, organisations and support mechanisms have arisen from this vision of ICT reform: • The Standards and Effectiveness Unit (SEU) was established by David Blunkett after the 1997 General Election to implement the new Government’s policies for raising raising standards of education education in English schools. schools. It is primarily concerned with identifying and disseminating disseminating good practice, but it provides useful reference material and guidelines guidelines for KS3 schemes of work.The work. The SEU is Abingdon School Pearson Publishing Tel 01223 350555


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also responsible for a number of innovative policy ventures such as Education Action Zones, Beacon schools and and Excellence in Cities. Cities. • The British Educational Communications and Technology agency (Becta) is a Government-funded Government-funded agency working to suppor t the Government’s Government’s efforts to improve standards standards in curriculum subjects, the teaching of Key Skills, Skills, institutional effectiveness, effectiveness, and the development development of lifelong lifelong learning. This organisation is responsible for developing the National Grid for Learning. • The ICT Learning Centres Initiative is designed to help bridge the gap between those in society who have have access to ICT and those who do not. The aim is to establish around around 700 Learning Centres across across England, which will help to bring access to ICT and learning to disadvantaged disadvantaged communities. communities. • The Broadband Consortia . This is an NGfL initiative which should be appearing in your area soon, soon, if it hasn’t done so already already.. The idea is to group together and link schools, libraries and other ‘learning’ institutions by by means of a ‘broadband ‘broadband wide area network’ network’ to a central ‘hub’. ‘hub’. The underlying technology technology is based on a fibre-optic network network operating at a very high connection speed (up to 155 Mbits per second). The central hub will provide such services as email, filtered access to the Internet Internet and a regional intranet giving access access to structured, age-appropriate educational educational content content from specialist content providers. This regional service should provide an infinitely quicker and more reliable online service than can be achieved by analog or even ISDN connections. Clearly, Clearly, with this structure structure in place, place, schools and related institutions institutions will be able to plan for organising online resources, have easier access access to collaborative collaborative projects with other institutions and allow for more flexible access to the system. • The Teachers Online Project (TOP).The (TOP). The 1998, 1998, £23m DfEE DfEE Portables Portables for Teachers’ initiative involved involved nearly 5000 schools in England and created a unique resource of thousands of teachers making practical day-to-day use of the Internet. Becta is now managing the Teachers Online Project on behalf of the DfES. The aim of the project is to build a virtual community of practitioners to demonstrate how being online can improve classroom practice, practice, leadership and and administration; administration; currently the ‘signed-up’ membership numbers over 11 000. The TOP site contains hundreds of online projects and links to online communities communities by topic. topic. There is also a monthly newsletter, newsletter, to which teachers can contribute. Contact details for these initiatives are given on page 59. The investment by the NGfL in ICT of over £1 billion up to 2002 is amongst the most significant anywhere anywhere in the world. The real test will be whether it raises standards of achievement achievement and whether users find the Grid valuable. The Government has promised to monitor monitor the extent of its use, and make arrangements for for the independent evaluation evaluation of the development of the Grid Gr id for schools.



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3 Key Government initiatives

Form 1

Basic ICT Skills Name: Name: ............. .................... ............. ............ ............. ............. ............. ............. ............. ............. ............. ............. ............. ............. ............ ............. ............. ............ ......

Date:................ Date:....................... ............. ............. ............. ............. ............. ............ ............. .......

Below is a checklist of basic skills which, according to the NOF NOF training initiative, a teacher of any any subject should be competent in. If you are not competent competent then you should be taking advantage advantage of the training offered.

Particular skill •

Connect a mouse

•

Use a mouse

•

Conn onnect ect a prin rinter

•

Refil efilll pri print nter er paper aper

•

Tackle ackle basic basic faul faults ts (such (such as as loose loose conne connecti ctions ons))

•

Tackle ackle mainte maintenan nance ce (eg insta installll printer printer ribbon ribbons/t s/toner oner))

•

Tackle ackle basic basic netw network ork manag manageme ement nt (eg (eg passw password ords, s, printin printing) g)

•

Use onsc onscre reen en men menus

•

Inst Instal alll softw softwar are e (fro (from m disk disk or or CD-R CD-ROM OM))

•

Run Run soft softwa ware re (fr (from om dis diskk or CD-R CD-ROM OM))

•

Copy files

•

Name files

•

Delete files

•

Save files

•

Open files

•

Prin rint a document ent

•

Highlight text, etc

•

Copy opy and and paste aste text text,, etc etc

•

Delete te text, etc

•

Move Move mate material rial betwee between n appli applicat cation ionss (prog (programs rams))

•

Conne onnect ct to the the Int Inter erne nett

o d n a C

o d t o n n a C



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4 Developing Developing departmental departmental policy

The business of developing a departmental policy is wholly dependent on the ICT policy of the school itself. English must have an acceptable acceptable and workable policy which all can accept and which which the school can support. support. Before forming any any kind of departmental policy document, document, the tenor and direction of the whole whole school policy must have been at least addressed and the English department should have played a major role in this process. Once the school ICT policy has been outlined then the departmental policy can be defined within the parameters parameters set by the school as as a whole. If the school has not yet formed such a policy, or is in the process process of thinking thinking about it, then the English department should try to make sure it is in a position of being the ‘informed expert’ in order to have influence in helping to steer the school in devising an acceptable form of policy. Needless to say, say, every school and every English department department is different and there is no such thing as a ‘fit-all’ policy. policy. However, However, many schools schools and institutions are are putting their ICT policies into the public domain on the Internet and it might be worth a search for some of these exemplars just to see the kind of thing you may or may not like.

School policy for ICT Current national documentation documentation largely refers to the applications and uses of Information Technology (IT) within the curriculum. Most schools are still developing uses for the range range of IT technologies technologies available: available: computer software, software, overlay overlay keyboards, CD-ROMs CD-ROMs and so on. More recently the term IT has been expanded to Information and Communication Technology (ICT) in recognition of the growing significance of communications communications technology technology to access the the Internet, send email to other institutions, institutions, to video conference and so on. What is certain is that ICT is going to have a profound impact on all aspects of education and schools must prepare themselves in the planning and implementation of the technology across the whole curriculum. Allowing piecemeal piecemeal use of the technology by enthusiasts within departments will only lead to a fragmented and ‘tribal’ use of its potential. Trying to establish a whole school policy policy from such a situation of diverse practice and established power bases would not be easy. The devising of such a policy has ultimately to be the responsibility of the school management. management. One possible danger is that the management might might be tempted to put the responsibility of establishing the policy document in the hands of the ICT department, or the ICT coordinator.Whatever coordinator.Whatever the current situation situation in your school, school, it is vital to ensure that the English department plays a full part in any move to establish Abingdon School Pearson Publishing Tel 01223 350555


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4 Developing departmental policy

a whole school ICT policy. policy. Note, too, that this kind of whole whole school policy will have to be continually under review and might even be the engine which drives policy review across all curriculum activities!

The department policy within the whole school ICT policy A whole school ICT policy is a statement of the beliefs, values and goals of a school staff working cooperatively cooperatively in the context of using ICT in the operation of that school. The English departmental policy should reflect the same issues but with reference to the delivery delivery of the English curriculum. It is an essential management management tool and the following aspects of ICT should be considered: • Where is the the departme department nt now now in its use of of ICT? ICT? • What, What, ultimatel ultimately, y, is the department department’s ’s intention intention in this area? area? • Why does does the department department believ believe e that this is is the direction direction it wants wants to take? take? • What realisti realistic c goals can be set towar towards ds achieving achieving the ultimate ultimate intenti intention? on? • How will will the department department set set about about achievin achieving g these these goals? goals? The department ICT policy is about making clear statements to ensure provision, continuity and equal opportunities in the delivery of English studies across the entire school. The ICT policy statement will be a compromise compromise between what is desirable and what is possible. possible. Above all, all, the policy document must be compatible compatible with any any existing school policies policies with regard to equal opportunities, opportunities, gender and disability disability.. It is also important to involve everyone in the formulation process. The benefits of an ICT policy document include the following: • it provid provides es a frame framewo work rk for for planni planning ng • it provi provides des a templa template te for for evalu evaluatio ation n • it can provide provide a vehicle vehicle for for pressure pressure and enables enables intentio intentions ns to be made public public • those involved involved in developing developing the policy are likely to find the process a positive positive learning experience • it offers offers a base for staff staff training training and develo developmen pmentt and the nature nature of each each person’s role is clarified • it can provide a framework framework for assessing assessing the degree of achievement achievement for a range of targets. The disadvantages include the following: • colleague colleaguess may feel feel that that ICT has been been dealt dealt with once once and and for all • those on on the periphery periphery may be be marginalis marginalised ed and any any not invo involve lved d may abdicate responsibility.



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Who should write the policy? It is important important that all staff, rather than some enthusiastic enthusiastic individuals, individuals, share in the the process of creating a policy and understand why is it necessary to have an ICT policy. policy. Questions that should be considered might include: • Why is ICT ICT important important to staff staff and studen students? ts? • What can can ICT offer offer students students and staff staff that cannot cannot be provide provided d just as well well in other ways? • How can can ICT facilita facilitate te access access to a broad range range of activiti activities es in a variety variety of contexts? • How can ICT promote promote equal equal opportuni opportunities? ties? • What would would be the effect effect on student studentss if computers computers were were taken taken away away for six months? Questions such as these are expansive, expansive, open-ended and open to the interpretation of individuals, but they offer a framework framework in which it is possible to discuss discuss and then formulate beliefs about the value and place of ICT in any subject area. It is also worth considering whether there is a place for negative or cautionary statements at this stage. For instance, Information and Communication Communication Technology: • should should alway alwayss be evalu evaluate ated d against against its its cost cost • should should not be used merely merely for the the learning learning of of rote skills skills • should should not be used if if there there is a better better way way of doing doing an activit activity y • is only only as useful useful as teachers teachers want want it it to be. At this point, schools should have have identified a set of statements about their view of ICT. ICT. Now they will need to reflect upon current practice before setting goals. goals.

Form 2 (page 24) offers a survey sur vey of staff opinions on ICT and Form 3 (pages 25 to 27) offers an audit of ICT skills.

Curriculum audit The next step involves involves a curriculum audit. Put simply, simply, a curriculum audit involves involves gathering information information about ‘where we are now’ now’ and asking a few questions about that information.There are a number of ways of collecting collecting this information, information, and staff who wish to conduct an audit of the use of ICT in their classrooms may like to think about the pros and cons of the following: • A diary – Teachers have classroom diaries in which they note down what equipment they are using. • Student records – By looking at each student’s records over a month it is possible to identify what uses are made of ICT by that individual. • Staff audits – An audit of staff attitudes and direct classroom usage of ICT should identify a collective collective experience of staff, staff, which should help identify where the gaps, needs and strengths strengths might be.



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Use of the information Having spent time time gathering this information, information, a number of questions need need to be asked, asked, otherwis otherwise e this remains remains a paper paper exercise. exercise. For instance instance,, which: which: • ICT resour resources ces in in the department department are are being being used used most? most? • ICT resour resources ces are least least used used?? • ICT resourc resources es cannot cannot be used used because because staff staff lack lack the necessa necessary ry skills? • ICT resour resources ces would would be be used more widely widely if avai available lable?? • English English Studies Studies areas are are most readily readily accessed accessed by using using ICT? Why? Why? • areas areas of English English Studies Studies have have little input input from ICT? ICT? Why is this? this? It is this information which which will then enable the department to set goals, goals, both in the short- and the long-term.

Setting goals The setting of goals can be divided into a number of interrelated areas. Many policies have made use of the following headings:

Organisation • How should should the the use of ICT ICT be integrat integrated ed into the the English English curriculu curriculum? m? • What is the the philos philosoph ophy y that that informs informs this? • Are there there areas of the the English English curriculum curriculum which which should should not be made made accessibl accessible e by computers?

Recording and planning • How How shoul should d we we recor record d stude students nts’’ use of ICT? ICT? • Can techno technology logy be used used to help help in in this recording recording?? • Will this this enable studen students ts to become become closely closely invol involved ved in recordi recording ng their own progress?

Access • How will will students students have have access access to ICT? Through Through class-bas class-based ed computers, computers, networks, or equipment equipment shared in a department? • How will will access access be maximised? maximised? By stand-al stand-alone one worksta workstations tions in specifi specific c classroo classrooms, ms, curriculum curriculum areas, areas, resource resource centre or library?

Resources • How will will the cost of of ICT be handled/a handled/apportio pportioned/d ned/dealt ealt with? with? Delegate Delegated d to departmental budgets? Retained as a central fund? • What perce percentage ntage of of the budget budget is avai available lable for for softwa software? re? • What percen percentage tage of the the budget budget is availabl available e for the purchase purchase of new new hardware hardware and additional peripherals? How much for repairs and maintenance?



22


• If resource resourcess are shared shared,, how will will this this be organi organised? sed? By By a rota with equipm equipment ent on a trolley? As a central resource that teachers must visit? • Looking Looking to the future, future, what resou resources rces will will be needed? needed? Who will will buy them? them? Where will the money come from?

Staff training • What are are the needs needs of the indivi individual dual membe members rs of staff? staff? • How How can can their their needs needs be met? met? • Who will will deli delive verr any nece necessa ssary ry INSET? INSET? • When, When, where where and and how how ofte often n will will it it be done done??

Monitoring of implementation implementation • Who will will ICT be monit monitored ored for? for? Who will will ICT be monit monitored ored by? by? • Will ICT be monito monitored red in order order to uncover uncover misma mismatches tches betwe between en policy policy and practice? • Will ICT ICT be monitore monitored d in order order to provide provide support support for for improve improvement mentss in practice? • Will ICT ICT be monitore monitored d to highlight highlight shortcom shortcomings ings in in the policy policy itself? itself? • How will will we we ensure ensure that that the goals goals set set are being being met? met? • At what what points points will staff evaluat evaluate e the process? process? • Which aspects aspects of the policy policy will will be given given priority priority?? For For example, example, softwar software, e, hardware or staff training?

Timetable for implementation implementation • What is the the timesc timescale ale for imple implement mentatio ation? n? • When do do we expec expectt the goals goals to be met? met? For For example example,, if an aim aim is to to ensure ensure that every class in school has its own computer system, how long should we wait for this to happen? • If a record-k record-keepi eeping ng system system is to be devise devised, d, who will will do it it and by by when? when? This is not an an exhaustive list of the issues issues which need to be considered. considered. However, However, the setting of clearly-stated objectives within a realistic timescale is an essential element in the process of curr iculum development. Form 4 (pages 28 to 30) offers a series of prompts which may prove useful when writing the ICT in English policy.

Conclusion The process of debating the range of issues is a vital one if the English department wishes to take a serious part in the development of an ICT policy within the school. It should take place whether or not any external forces originally required the department to formulate a policy document. In the end, the policy provides a guide which which will assist the school school to progress from where it is now to where it wants to be in the future. As a cautionary cautionary note, however, however, it must be remembered that a policy left on a shelf and ignored is a useless policy – it must also be updated updated regularly to reflect current good good practice, new technology and future needs. Abingdon School Pearson Publishing Tel 01223 350555


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Form 2

Englis English h department department:: Survey Survey of opinions on ICT Name Name:: .... ........... .............................. .......................... .............................. .......................... .............................. .......................... .............................. .......................... .............. .....................

For each aspect of ICT development, development, tick the column that best reflects your opinion:

Statement

e e r g a y l g n o r t s I

Date Date:: .... ....... .......................... .............................. .....

e e r g a I

n o i n t i p i n o o o p n s e i v h a t h n I o

e e r g a s i d I

e e r g a s i d y l g n o r t s I

g n i r a h e c b a e o t n I s t a a h h s w i h n T o

• We need to rewrite/update the ICT in English policy • Schemes of work work should should include ICT opportunities • The ICT resources we already have are used effectively • I use ICT regularly regularly in my duties as an English English teacher teacher • I use ICT regularly regularly with the classes classes I teach • I would use ICT more often often if I felt more confident • I would use ICT more often often if access access was guaranteed • We have some good ICT material • Departmental ICT usage needs more effective planning • I don’t have time to plan for ICT use in my lessons • There are are insufficient insufficient ICT resources within the department • I use ICT for the purposes purposes of assessment assessment and and recording recording • I need an email address • I need a computer at home • I need Internet access at home • I use ICT effectively effectively for marking marking and recording marks • I meet the ICT National Standards for Qualified Teacher Status • ICT cannot help me do my job more effectively • OFSTED would praise our use of ICT in English • I need need further training in the use use of of ICT • I use the Internet Internet for personal research research and interest interest • I use the Internet Internet for lesson preparation preparation and delivery delivery • I think we all use ICT as often as each other



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Form 3

Audit Audit of ICT skill skills: s: Englis English h Name Name:: .... ........... .............................. .......................... .............................. .......................... .............................. .......................... .............................. .......................... .............. .....................

Date Date:: .... ....... .......................... .............................. .....

General use of computers Keyboard skills don’t know where the letters are am slow but steady am a fluent typist can switch a computer on can insert a disk can use a mouse can load an application program can save a file can print out my work can switch computer off safely (there is usually a special routine involved here).

Word Word processing Text manipulation skills can insert can delete can move text around electronically, electronically, for instance, by cutting and pasting can change fonts and font sizes can use text emphasis tools – such as italics, underline and bold can alter alter format, format, set indents indents,, set rulers, rulers, centre centre text, text, align text left, left, right and and both both left left and and right right,, etc etc can draw up tables. Editing skills understand the impact of various fonts fonts – what associations they carry with them, when to use them, them, etc understand when to use text emphasis, and when not to understand the impact of layout on the reader understand how text on a word processor can be fine-tuned for for a special audience, both in terms of expression and in terms of layout/appearance



25


Form 3 (continued)

understand the layout of various forms of literature and how to achieve the effect on a word processor processor,, eg playscripts, playscripts, sonnets sonnets understand how to transform text in a variety of ways ways using a word word processor; to change the original original purpose; to expand or condense condense;; to alter viewpoin viewpointt or tense; to change the form. form.

Desktop publishing Text manipulation manipulat ion (beyond simple word processing) can set up columns can move specific pieces of text around can draw boxes round text and alter line-width or line-type appropriately can flow text from text-box to text-box, from column to column, and from page to page can set up master pages with headers and footers can set up facing pages with correct numbering can alter leading and tracking can import text from outside the document can import import pictures, size them, them, place them, them, and organise organise text to flow flow round round them. them. Editing skills understand the use of white space in a document understand the use of columns in a DTP document understand how to organise information clearly on the page so that it is legible and straightforward to follow understand the impact of headings and subheadings, etc understand the impact of illustrations and their relationship with the text understand how to design documents for specific specific purposes and audiences – leaflets, manuals, adverts, adverts, prospectuses prospectuses,, booklets booklets for for young young children, children, etc. Multimedia can produce a multimedia text can use a digital camera to record images and import them into a DTP text. Fax can send a fax message.



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Form 3 (continued)

Internet and email Getting online can dial up, up, log on and get online online can email – know the password, etc can log off efficiently so that the modem disconnects. Handling email can use an offline letter writer to prepare email messages can send a simple email messages can receive and print out received messages can attach files to outgoing emails. Handling information on the Internet can navigate efficiently with a standard browser can set and organise bookmarks/favourites for interesting sites can use more than one search engine to find information can download and save save text, pictures and sound files for for future use can print out material discovered on the Internet. Assessing information understand the nature of the Internet understand the status of information on the Internet.



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Form 4


ICT in English: English: Policy Policy pr prompts Introduction What is the purpose of this policy?

How does it fit in with other policies of the school and the department?

Which aspects of the National Curriculum does it support?

Who is responsible for carrying out the actions of this policy?

Nature of ICT in English What ICT resources do we have?

How does this policy describe our experience of ICT in English?

How does this policy extend our experience of ICT in English?



28


Form 4 (continued)

Entitlement How does this policy meet the requirements of entitlement set out in the National Curriculum?

How does this policy address equal opportunity issues and guarantee access for all students?

Implementation What specific applications are in use by the department?

What is the ICT experience of students studying English at each key stage?

What aspects of ICT are taught?

How does this policy aim to ensure the inclusion of all students in ICT?

How does this policy address issues of health and safety?

Is there a specific procedure that needs to be followed in planning access to ICT?

Are legal requirements relating to copyright satisfied?



29


Form 4 (continued)

Assessment management How does this policy support the Programme of Study for English?

Is the use of ICT included in the process of setting English targets for students?

INSET arrangements How is staff training provided for the use of ICT in English?

How is training for staff funded?

Does ICT training form part of the school development plan?

Review of ICT policy Who will review the policy?

When?

How?



30

5 Management issues

The school’s school’s ICT coordinator, whose role is to oversee and facilitate the management of ICT across the curriculum, is likely to ask for information information or data relating relating to the use of ICT in in English. However, However, the management management of ICT in English English is the direct direct responsibility of the head of English. A clear understanding of the roles of these two key post-holders is essential in developing an effective ICT policy for the school or for the English English department. For, whilst both are working working for the implementatio implementation n of ICT, ICT, they have distinct aims and objectives. objectives. Those of the English department should not be compromised. Whoever is appointed to oversee the use of ICT within the English department should be instructed to cooperate but not simply capitulate when there are apparent conflicts of interest. interest. For a full exploration of the head of department department’s ’s role, see Running an English Department (Pearson (Pearson Publishing, 1998). Effective Effective development of ICT in English is more than a school project where the main focus is on the provision of materials materials or software. However However necessary such projects may be, materials and software software will remain in cupboards (only used by those relatively relatively few teachers who already use ICT in their English teaching) unless there is an effective effective structure that embeds embeds ICT into policy policy and practice. If, as the National National Curriculum requires, every secondary student is to have an entitlement entitlement to use ICT to support their literacy skills and learning, the provision of materials materials and software software is simply not enough. To ensure effective use of ICT in English, the following criteria must be satisfied: • All English teachers must must feel confident and competent competent about about using ICT. ICT. • They must must be convince convinced d of what ICT ICT has to offer offer them and their their students students.. • They must must realise realise the potential potential of ICT tools tools already already at their disposal disposal in schools schools.. • Concerns Concerns about about the the expense, expense, the diffic difficulty ulty and and the amoun amountt of time time needed needed to to incorporate ICT strategies into teaching practice must be assuaged. • Materials Materials and and software software must must meet the teachi teaching ng and learning learning requirem requirements ents of the English department. When developing developing an effective ICT ICT policy, it is an important part of the managerial process to evaluate evaluate how the above criteria are met. ICT resources and the knowledge, knowledge, skills and ICT capabilities of teachers will vary from school to school. Whatever the circumstances, circumstances, an effective model for training training teachers to integrate ICT into their teaching is required. Effective Effective management of ICT in English is best achieved by setting realistic and measurable targets. targets. An action plan should be created, created, detailing the steps steps required to integrate ICT into the teaching of English. Government Government initiatives, initiatives, as outlined in Section 3, have provided substantial funding funding packages for the training of teachers in the use of ICT and it is important that departments state quite clearly clearly the training that they require. It is part of the Abingdon School Pearson Publishing Tel 01223 350555


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5 Management issues

managerial responsibility to ensure that the training services purchased cater for the needs of the department. This cannot be done without first knowing the specific training needs. needs. A survey of staff opinions about about ICT ( Form 2, page 24) and an an audit of ICT skills of department members (see Form 3, pages pages 25 to 27) 27) are therefore vital. The following is a checklist for managing the integration of I CT into English: • Audit Audit ICT ICT skil skills ls and and opin opinio ions ns.. • Audit ICT applica application tionss currently currently avail available able in in school. school. • Provide Provide training training in those those applica applications tions avail available able to the departme department. nt. • Formu Formulat late e the the ICT ICT polic policy y. • Include Include ICT opportun opportunities ities in English English schem schemes es of work. work. • Establish Establish the the mechani mechanism sm by by which which ‘good ‘good practi practice’ ce’ in ICT is shared shared within within the department. • Set strategi strategies es and proce procedures dures for for monitori monitoring ng the use of of ICT in Englis English. h. There are three basic requirements for an effective effective ICT in English strategy, strategy, against which success success should be measured. measured. It should: • support support student progre progress ss in the languag language e skills skills or attainm attainment ent targets targets • enable enable students students to become become more more effect effective ive and and confiden confidentt learners learners • raise raise the stan standar dards ds of stude students nts’’ achiev achieveme ement. nt. Within the structure of every school there will be a line manager responsible for liaison with the senior management team and to whom the head of department is answerable. answerable. There will normally be termly meetings at which issues arising within the department can be discussed. discussed. ICT training for members members of the English English department, if not already in hand, should be a topic topic of urgent debate. debate. Government Government funding will provide training for teachers, teachers, irrespective of how well well prepared they are to receive it. By referring to a clear clear ICT policy, policy, and with specific specific ICT activities activities in mind, it should be relatively easy to steer the training to the genuine needs of the department. Since the use of ICT, ICT, as outlined in the department’s department’s policy, requires monitoring and evaluation, evaluation, it may be possible to set set appraisal targets within within the department with the development development of ICT in mind. Taking the creation and delivery of ICT activities as a central theme, individual targets may may be agreed and used as evidence of of appraisal. The right of every every teacher to agree his or or her own appraisal appraisal targets is, however, however, an integral part of the process and should not be compromised. compromised. During the inspection period, OFSTED inspectors inspectors will observe the teaching and practices of the department closely. closely. They will expect to see the policies that they have read in evidence in the classrooms they periodically visit. The ICT in English policy is no exception exception to this. If ICT is a strong strong feature of of your department, there is little sense sense in hiding hiding it from the inspec inspection tion team. team. If, on the other other hand, the use of ICT ICT in the department is featured in the paperwork, paperwork, but its delivery in the classroom is is still under development, development, you may prefer to provide provide evidence of student work in ICT and



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5 Management issues

show only your your best examples of ICT teaching. teaching. Either way, way, you should strive to show show a variety of well-balanced, well-balanced, thoughtfully planned lessons with consistent consistent practice across the whole department. In these lessons, lessons, the ICT entitlement entitlement of all students should be in evidence.

School intranets The increasing availability availability of software and systems to set up a school intranet makes this an important issue in the future management structure of any school department. An intranet is basically an internal Internet designed to be used within the confines of an organisation. organisation. Information is is stored on one or more servers servers and accessed by using a Web browser. This self-contained, miniature Internet can have all the same features – individual home pages, pages, newsgroups, and email – but it can be restricted restricted to members members of the organisation to whom it belongs. There are a growing number of schools who are finding that an intranet has enormous potential potential for education. education. Within the school, school, an intranet can contain: • informati information on about about the school, school, its organisa organisation, tion, its expecta expectations tions,, results, results, reports reports,, etc • detail detailss of of activi activitie ties, s, trips, trips, specia speciall eve events nts • sport sportin ing g fixt fixtur ures es,, repo reports rts • subjec subjectt details, details, syllab syllabuse uses, s, examin examinat ation ions, s, materi materials als for for teachin teaching g and study study, year year group assignments, subject links • disc discus ussi sion on gro group upss • inform informati ation on for for paren parents, ts, parent parents’ s’ discus discussio sion n groups groups • care career er info inform rmat atio ion n • news. All such information can be assessed and vetted for its worth and propriety before it is made available. As a link with home, it has great potential in keeping parents parents up to date with current issues or even providing them with homework homework outlines and expectations expectations for their child. Within subject departments, the intranet can become become the repository of all materials used within within the school school (text, (text, graphic, graphic, audio), audio), as well well as a ‘library’ ‘library’ of texts texts and links to important and useful sites on the Web. Web.This This can be accessed from within the school or from home. Banks of relevant material can be stored and then accessed safely safely because it has has been ‘vetted’ ‘vetted’ and is stored in in a ‘safe’ ‘safe’ environment. environment. Like all really useful things, the installation of a school school intranet system will cost time and money, money, but once installed it can only only grow in usefulness. usefulness. The technology required required is improving improving all the time and, with appropriate hardware and connection, it can only aid and enhance the operation of a school.



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6 The potential gains of using ICT

If steps are not taken to intensify the use of information and communication technology (ICT) in our schools, schools, a generation of children – and a generation generation of adults as teachers – will have been put at enormous disadvantage with consequences for the UK that will be difficult to reverse. Sir Dennis Stevenson, ICT in UK Schools – An Independent Inquiry, Inquiry, 1997

The computer-based technologies technologies of ICT have already had a profound effect on society in general and the world of education education in particular. They have been around for just a few years years compared compared to, to, for example, example, the traditional traditional technologies, technologies, such as printing and the more recent recent ones of of photography, photography, radio, television and and video. video. The rate of change, change, their development development and use has been exponential, exponential, and will continue continue to be so. The effects of ICT are so profound that the whole structure of society is altering and we are moving from an industrial society into an information society. society. The millions who used to work in the manufacturing industries have had to retrain for work in one of the many new businesses which have emerged to form the new services sector. ICT is the new literacy. literacy. Students must become become competent users users of ICT, ICT, being able to apply ICT tools when appropriate, appropriate, if they are to be equipped for life in the evolving evolving world of work. That there have already been gains through the use of ICT in schools is undeniable, not only for for the students students but also also for the teachers. Hence, part of the managerial managerial process of establishing effective ICT policy and practice is to convince teaching staff of these potential gains. Whilst the benefits listed here are neither comprehensive comprehensive nor exhaustive, exhaustive, they will help to inform discussions on potential gains for students and for teachers.

Potential gains for students Skills for lifelong learning The skills of the next generation must match the requirements of future economic growth and development. development. In developing ICT skills, students grow in confidence and and are better prepared prepa red to operate as ICT-literate ICT-literate members membe rs of society as well has having the skills necessary for the world of work.



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International awareness awareness Through the communication communication facility of ICT, ICT, students can explore the global impact of ICT and begin to interact with the world world around them. Students can choose choose to become actively actively engaged in aspects of the life and culture of peoples throughout the world rather than remaining remaining passive spectators. spectators. Students can publish work on the World Wide Web so that the world becomes their audience, providing the means for inviting feedback from around the globe. Work by students in other countries can also be commented upon.

Access to information The world of ICT, and in par ticular the World Wide Web, has replaced the traditional trip to the library, although that is not to say say that the school library is redundant – far from it – although although its role may may change. Access to this this vast ‘cyber-library’ means that more information than could ever be stored in one school librar y is available onscreen, at home, home, in schools schools or in libraries themselves. themselves. A computer computer connected connected to the Internet can access information information from all all over the world. world. However, However, this vast amount of information, and the fact that there are no restrictions on who may post information on the Web, means that staff and students need to learn how to skim and scan texts, and select according to relevance and reliability.

Motivation Students respond very positively to the self-directed learning opportunities afforded by emerging technology. technology. Their education is enriched by working at their own pace. Active engagement engagement with their work provides the concentration required for effective exercises that would otherwise be quickly abandoned because of their lack of appeal in printed text form. For example, example, the word processing processing of writing tasks is now now commonplace commonplace but should be regarded as more than just prettyfying the text. With the right approac approach, h, the whole whole process process of writing, writing, from draftin drafting, g, to editing editing and the preparation and printing of the finished piece can be performed to a much higher and more satisfying level using the facilities offered by the word processor.

Communication Information stored on one computer can be viewed or downloaded on another, whether it is in the same room room or on the other side of the world. world. Global communication communication has become faster and more efficient efficient than ever before. Messages can be sent to one one person, person, or to hundreds hundreds of thousand thousands, s, at the click click of a button. button. It only takes seconds seconds to transfer transfer information, information, the cost is is minimal, and the transferred transferred information is immediately immediately useable. useable. This information information can be adapted, modified and processed to suit another another audience audience or another another purpose. For example, example, the opportunities offered by this facility go far beyond beyond the ‘electronic pen-friend’ and might include collaborative work with other schools on particular language projects (eg work work on dialect), role-play scenarios, scenarios, exchanging information information with schools schools in other countries countries by by comparing comparing expectations, expectations, social attitudes, ways of life, life, tastes and and preferences, etc. This is a facility that has yet yet to be fully appreciated appreciated and exploited by most schools. Abingdon School Pearson Publishing Tel 01223 350555


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Presentation of work ICT provides a variety of tools for presenting students’ students’ work. Texts can be worked on in draft form before proceeding to the final version. The computer also allows the wr iter to have complete typographical and design control over over a finished piece of text. The visual impact of text can be very powerful provided that the right questions questions are asked about its presentation. presentation. Choosing the right font, incorporating appropriate graphics, graphics, considering the layout of of the text on the page or or screen, screen, colours, colours, size spaci spacing, ng, etc, can lead lead to some some very very interesting interesting and and exciting work.

Improved Improved learning and performance However However worthy the aforementioned aforementioned gains may be, the real proof of the beneficial effects of using ICT to teach English Studies must surely be its capacity to raise standards of achievement. achievement. However, However, since the development development of ICT is an ongoing ongoing process, there are few examples examples that can be cited as conclusive conclusive proof. proof. There is certainly evidence to suggest that that students who use ICT frequently, frequently, as part of a systematic approach approach to studying or revising, almost always always achieve good results. results. Whether these improvements improvements are due to the use of ICT, ICT, or to the structured systematic approach approach engendered engendered by it, is of little consequence. consequence. The National National Grid for Learning (NGfL), through the pages of the British Education Communications Communications and Technology agency (Becta), offer examples of improvements improvements attributed to the use of ICT in schools.

Potential gains for teachers ICT skills Teachers will naturally benefit from all of the advantages advantages afforded their students, but there are significant personal gains too. The teaching skills required to deliver the ICT entitlement of all students are a significant asset when seeking employment or promotion in schools. schools. Entry to the teaching profession is now subject to attaining adequate ICT skills. skills. ICT capability brings increased increased confidence to teachers teachers in a rapidly expanding area of education. education. It enhances the presentation of teaching materials and, through selective selective editing, provides for their differentiation. differentiation.

Subject-specific information Through Internet access, information is available from Web sites designed specifically as resource centres centres for teachers of English. Information and newsletters newsletters from Government Government sources and from leading English Studies organisations are readily available available onscreen and many can be pr inted for easier and more leisurely reading.



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Some sites offer an email service g iving updated information on chosen topics of interest. Ready-made lesson lesson plans and materials can be downloaded and used. Research articles can be perused with reference to more detailed texts available in print.

Online content providers There are a number of online subscription ser vices which provide a range of content designed for schools – resources, projects and links to other useful Web Web sites. Purchasing access to one of these providers is effectively paying someone to filter sites and sources of information to provide only those appropriate to your particular interests.

Access to professional advice and support Many professional professional bodies offer their services ser vices through Internet sites that g ive instant access to professional professional advice. Contact information information is readily available and communication communication through email is supported through automated links. Sites often support discussion forums that link fellow professionals on a par ticular topic of debate.

Administrative support ICT can be an effective means of collecting, collecting, collating and analysing data. data. Performance Performance results can be read and displayed in a number of ways. The computer is fast becoming the filing filing cabinet of the information information age. It can make frequentlyneeded documentation documentation easily accessible and far less likely to be ‘borrowed’ ‘borrowed’ or temporarily misplaced. misplaced. Data can also be efficiently and conveniently conveniently stored on the Web. For example, via Webstore (see http://pearsoninformation.co http://pearsoninforma tion.co.uk/products/we .uk/products/webstore.html). bstore.html).



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7 Using ICT in the classroom

The role of ICT within English can have a very positive effect on many aspects of English Studies if well-integrated. well-integrated. It can broaden the ways in which the outside world could be brought into the classroom. classroom. It can also provide opportunities opportunities for those in the classroom to communicate with others in the world outside. English can provide an excellent context for many aspects of ICT which could enhance enhance teaching teaching and learning learning in the subject. subject. It has, at the same time, time, the potential potential to contribute to both the development development of ICT capability capability among students, and to a broader ‘technological literacy’. It can also provide an an opportunity for students to integrate and extend their own expertise in the technology within a school subject. Indeed, English might be regarded regarded as having a critical and crucial role to play play in these developments developments within the school curriculum. ICT is now a fundamental element of literacy in a modern technological society. All students are entitled to be able to communicate effectively effectively using the new technologies, and ICT should be an essential essential element of the English curriculum. Experience shows that ICT is most effective when embedded in the curriculum, integrated into schemes of work and not viewed as an add-on. At this point, it would be useful to consider consider in more detail what what ICT has to offer English Studies.

What does ICT offer to English? ICT can help students to: • talk, talk, read read and and write write for for a range range of of purpo purposes ses • engage engage in coopera cooperativ tive e and collabor collaborativ ative e activitie activitiess • organise organise and and present present inform informatio ation n in a variety variety of of forms forms • broaden broaden the the range range of audiences audiences for their their work work • identify identify key key charact characteristi eristics cs and and features features of texts texts • develo develop p an unders understan tandin ding g of langu languag age e • develop, develop, keep and and compare compare multip multiple le versions versions of texts texts they they produce produce • interact interact with with and and change change existi existing ng electro electronic nic texts texts • develop develop an appreciat appreciation ion of the potentia potentiall of multimedia multimedia communi communicati cation on and presentation.



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7 Using ICT in the classroom classroom

Why is ICT important for English teachers? One of the ultimate aims and the desired effects of all English teaching is encapsulated encapsulated in the word ‘literacy’ – the development and nurturing of an individual’s level of competency competency in the acquisition and use use of reading and writing. Language activities and linguistic constructs have to be taught formally as opposed to the ‘natural’ language skills of of speaking and listening. These skills are are acquired to a very competent level by most children before they even set foot in a classroom. This notion of literacy also assumes that the individual student has the opportunity to experience the literary and cultural inheritance of of their socio-linguistic socio-linguistic group, as well as being able to explore the varieties and forms of the written wr itten language. Until recent years, our literacy work in education education has been focused focused on what might be called the ‘traditional’ ways of writing writing and reading, ie: • The ‘receive ‘received’ d’ version version of the written written languag language e as published published in in printed printed material material (prepared and printed on letterpress technology) for us to read. • The simple simple technolog technology y of produc producing ing the written written language language using using a tool, tool, such as as a pen, pencil or typewriter, which enables us to make make marks on paper that represent the accepted form of the written language. The advent of the new ICT technology allows individuals far more control and flexibility over the process of writing and to explore new ways of experiencing text as readers. readers. Hence, Hence, a change in our definiti definition on of literacy literacy is required, required, a definition definition which will: • show how ICT might affect affect Englis English h teaching teaching • further teachers’ teachers’ understandi understanding ng of of the place place of ICT in in English English • show how students’ students’ work work can be enhanced enhanced and and extended extended by by the use use of ICT ICT in English • aid teach teachers’ ers’ planning planning for integratin integrating g ICT activitie activitiess in English English • serve as a basis basis for ongoing ongoing departmen departmental tal discussio discussion n as to future devel developme opment nt of and opportunities provided by the technology. Literacy involves: • reading reading to to access access informati information on and and knowl knowledge edge • access access to to literary literary and and cultur cultural al herita heritage ge • writing writing to explor explore e and shape shape inform informatio ation n and knowl knowledge; edge; to express express and develop argument; argument; to create and articulate individual individual expression • being able able to function function effect effectivel ively y using the techno technologies logies of of the time at at work and and in society. The role of ICT in furthering and enhancing literacy literacy skills is in its infancy: we as English teachers must grasp the opportunity opportunity it offers to make it work. One of the phenomena to which the new technology gives us ready access is that of digital text. A brief examination of the characteristics of this new kind of text gives us some indications as to how the technology can not only extend the study of texts but present us with new ways of using it. Abingdon School Pearson Publishing Tel 01223 350555


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Digital text One of the more significant aspects of the new technology as far as language and literary studies are concerned is the ability ability to produce traditional ‘text’ in a digital form. Digital text is simply text stored stored electronically in some some kind of retrieval system or device. The new technology gives the individual writer a far greater measure of access to and control over each stage of the process – from the original writing to the redrafting and editing, the design and choice choice of layout, font usage usage and the placing placing of images. Not only does the creator of the piece have potential potential control over all these processes, processes, it is now possible to choose choose the way in which the piece is published. It could be a paperbased artefact, or as a digital presence presence accessible accessible to anyone anyone who wishes wishes to open, open, read, download or print it by means of ‘e-communica ‘e-communication’ tion’ via the Internet or as a multimedia file on a CD-ROM. The use of digital text might, in the future, have a profound profound influence influence on how we we teach writing and text-related text-related studies. Digital text is much more than than merely the speeding up of the publishing process; it allows us to explore texts in ways which were were virtually impossible with the traditional traditional ways of holding holding and reading texts, or simply too time-con time-consumi suming. ng. The ability ability to retrieve, retrieve, search, search, compare, compare, interroga interrogate te and edit digital material has enormous potential for language and literature studies – a potential of which we are only gradually becoming aware. We have had some 600 years to explore and get used to the nature of the printed book. However, However, it is unclear how how the new technology technology might look look and how it might be serving us in ten years’ years’ time, time, let alone alone several several hundred. hundred.

Digital text and literacy Any new definition of literacy must take into account account the nature of digital text. The new technologies encompass far more than print and book-based media ever could. Texts may also be electronically generated and stored in digital form, for example through word processors and desktop publishing packages.They may also use resources which include electronic sources of information such as CD-ROM CD-ROM and the digital text repositories of the Internet. I nternet. The text itself can be displayed on a screen; this in itself requires a different approach to ‘reading’ ‘reading’ and moving through text held in a ‘buffer’ ‘buffer’ of the computer’s computer’s memory rather than printed on on the leaves leaves of a book. book. Already, Already, many of the major publishing publishing houses and software companies companies are producing and marketing the ‘ebook’. These are literary texts prepared specifically specifically for reading onscreen; onscreen; text which can also be searched, highlighted, annotated and interrogated interrogated in ways ways hitherto very difficult difficult and time-consuming with print-based technology. Digitally-stored text may also be printed printed out on paper and, again, the technology gives us a far greater level of control as to the shape and format of the text on the page than could could ever be achieved achieved with with pen, paper, or even the electronic typewriter. typewriter.



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The text can now be transmitted instantly to specific places or readers via the Internet; we have have control over its colour, shape and impact impact on the recipient recipient – the content of the text can become ‘personal’. The technology itself has provided the opportunity for young people to explore the sending and receiving of text via mobile phones and has created a new and vibrant approach to the informal use of text. Because digital texts exist in the dynamic, collaborative collaborative and interactive medium of the new technologies then the nature of such texts reflects those very same characteristics. Such texts may: • be non non-l -lin inea earr in stru struct ctur ure e • be compos composed ed by many many auth authors ors • encourage encourage different different kinds of reader reader interacti interaction on • have have a spatia spatiall dim dimens ension ion.. Texts may appear as multimedia presentations and meanings may be conveyed through combinations of: • texts which which are sometime sometimess fluid fluid and and tempor temporary ary • still and moving moving images images such as photogr photographs aphs,, animatio animations, ns, video video and and computer graphics • sound sound such such as music music or voic voice-o e-ove vers. rs. Because of the new opportunities opportunities presented by digital text, text, learners need to develop: • an understand understanding ing of the distinc distinctive tive features features of of such texts • the skills skills to use these these differ different ent resourc resources es to shape shape their their knowledge knowledge and experiences • an understand understanding ing of how how the choice choicess made by by writers conce concerning rning the the presentat presentation ion (eg text, text, image, image, sound, sound, multimed multimedia, ia, print, electron electronic, ic, spoken) spoken) affect affect the text’s status and meaning. This understanding may be achieved achieved by using ICT in English as, for example: • text can be compo composed sed and and change changed d with with ease ease • different different media media can be be integrat integrated ed into into one one text text • the range range of of availa available ble resourc resources es can can be extend extended ed • focuse focused d oppo opportuni rtunitie tiess for for talk talk • the developm development ent of critical critical litera literacy cy..

Practical projects Using computer-based technology in the English classroom means adapting the various available computer applications applications to the needs of English Studies. Very few of these applications have been specifically put together for use as an educational tool. Most of them, particularly those known as generic programs, were originally originally written for commercial commercial use in the office office environment. environment. However, However, like many many tools, once invented, invented, they quickly became adapted and used for functions that were were never originally intended. Abingdon School Pearson Publishing Tel 01223 350555


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ICT applications in this context are computer-based programs devised by someone for a specific purpose. All of them handle and manipulate information information held in digital form in some way, way, whether it it be for for text, numeric, sound or graphical purposes. purposes. It would be impossible to consider the whole range of ICT applications available available and how they might might be used in the the context of the English classroom. classroom. Hence, the following following five sections will be considered: 1 The range of ICT activities activities which which might be be considered appropriate for for the English classroom 2 Examples of incorporating incorporating ICT into typical typical English activities 3 Word process processing ing and English English teachi teaching ng 4 Transforma ransformations tions:: Ways of working working with etext etext 5 Using Web resources resources and the Internet in English. English.

1 The rang range e of ICT ICT activi activitie tiess in Engli English sh English and ICT activities which explore language and ideas may be usefully structured around the following elements: elements:

Composing texts – A focus on how texts may be created and structured. To provide this opportunity, activities could include: • Brainstorm Brainstorming ing initial initial ideas for a poem poem on on a word word process processor, or, planning planning and drafting. • Creating Creating a collab collabora orative tive story story,, eg one pair pair of student studentss writes the the first paragra paragraph ph of the story, story, the next pair pair adds the dialog dialogue, ue, etc. • Creating Creating a story story skeleton skeleton which student studentss use to develop develop their their own own narrative narrative.. • Using a multim multimedia edia authori authoring ng program program to make make an inform informatio ation n text. • Communica Communicating ting with with others others using email email,, eg to produce produce a collabo collaborati rative ve text. text.

Presenting texts – A focus on presentation tools for particular purposes and audiences. To provide this opportunity, activities could include: • Creating Creating a poster poster advertis advertising ing books books in the library library conside considered red to be a ‘good read’. • Produc Producing ing books books for for young younger er reade readers. rs. • Using spreads spreadsheets heets or databas databases es to present present information information on resource resource findings findings.. • Producing Producing a multim multimedia edia presen presentati tation on which which includes includes digitise digitised d images, images, such as a guide to the local area for visitors.

Reading texts – A focus on response and interpretation. To provide this opportunity, activities could include: • Changing Changing three three words words in a text text file file to alter alter the emphasis emphasis of the the story, story, for example, turning a happy happy ending into a sad sad one. • Designing Designing three versions versions of of an adverti advertiseme sement nt – one pure text, text, one text text and image, image, one text, text, image, image, sound – and evaluati evaluating ng the differenc differences. es. • Deconstruc Deconstructing ting a multime multimedia dia text text to explore explore how the the parts make a whole whole and contribute to meaning. • Reconstruct Reconstructing ing a text text from which which key key elements elements have have been been deleted. deleted. Abingdon School Pearson Publishing Tel 01223 350555


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Transforming ransforming texts – A focus on manipulating form and c hanging texts from one genre to another (see also page 49). To provide this opportunity, opportunity, activities could include: include: • Turning urning a file of descript descriptive ive prose prose into into a haiku. haiku. • Changing Changing a narrativ narrative e into into a drama drama script. script. • Selecting Selecting all all the factua factuall elements elements from from a text text file of fictio fiction, n, and turning turning them them into a piece of journalism. • Using a thesaurus thesaurus to change change adject adjective ivess from positiv positive e to negative negative.. • Reworkin Reworking g texts about about holiday holiday resorts resorts for differe different nt audiences audiences..

Exploring texts – A focus on searching for, for, retrieving and processing information. information. To provide this opportunity, activities could include: • Exploring Exploring and evalua evaluating ting differe different nt versions versions of the same same news news story published published on one day. • Searching three CD-ROM CD-ROM encyclopedias or or Web sites for a famous person’s person’s biography and looking at the differences. • Searching Searching the the Internet Internet or CD-ROM CD-ROM for informa information tion to support support a particular particular point of view on a topic such such as animal rights, and word processing processing a report on the findings. • Producing Producing a questi questionna onnaire ire about about teenag teenage e health, health, graphing graphing result results, s, publishing publishing them on the Internet and inviting other schools to comment. • Searching Searching a newspa newspaper per CD-RO CD-ROM M for background background inform informatio ation n prior to the study of a literary text.

2 Examples Examples of incorporati incorporating ng ICT in in typical typical English English activi activities ties The following examples examples are brief descriptions of activities integrating ICT with some common topics in English:

Poetry As part of their work work on poetry, poetry, students could: • edit a text text file of of a ballad ballad which which was in the the incorrect incorrect order order and use use the cut cut and paste facilities to present it • edit a text text file file of a poem poem with with its its line ending endingss excluded excluded;; discuss discuss where where line line endings would be appropriate; appropriate; and present the text in the best shape shape for its meaning • rework rework a text file of descrip descriptive tive prose prose as a haiku • use a desktop desktop publishing publishing packa package ge to present present a poem in a variety variety of ways ways..

Researching a topic As part of work on the topic of Victorians, students might: • search search CD-ROMs CD-ROMs to discov discover er biographica biographicall information information about about famous famous Victorians; check the information information for inconsistencies; inconsistencies; and rework rework the files to produce a class book about them • collect collect informatio information n about housing housing and health health hazards hazards in Victorian Victorian times times and use the information obtained to word process a letter to a newspaper about their findings Abingdon School Pearson Publishing Tel 01223 350555


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• use an etext etext file of a moral moral tale publis published hed for Victorian Victorian children children and and redraft redraft it to make it relevant to today • search CD-ROMs CD-ROMs for information about inventions inventions to create a wall display display..

Language study As part of their work on language language study, students might: • create a database of slang words used by themselves and adults and organise organise the data into fields fields which which include include word, word, definition, place, age of of person using it, it, place of birth and place of residence • search a slang database database to discover discover whether there are any differences differences between the slang words used by children and adults • use the informa information tion from from the database database in a word word process processor or to create create a dictionary of slang.

Narrative As part of a unit of of work on narrative, students might: • design a database which identifies identifies characteristics of plot plot and characterisation characterisation in fairy tales • interrogate interrogate the the databas database e to discove discoverr the formula formula to write write a fairy fairy tale • design design and creat create e a book book jacket jacket for a fairy tale tale includin including g publicity publicity blurb, author author details and illustrations • communica communicate te by email email with students students in other countrie countriess to exchange exchange versions versions of traditional tales • redraft redraft a text text file file of a tradit traditiona ionall tale into into a differe different nt genre, genre, eg horror, horror, sci-fi or romance.

Literature As part of their work in studying Romeo and Juliet , students students might: might: • design design and and create create invitat invitations ions to the Capulets’ Capulets’ ball • role-play Romeo and Juliet and send emails that they might have exchanged • create create front-pag front-page e news stories stories covering covering the death death of Tybalt • using a word word process processor, or, search search an etext etext file file for for imagery imagery running through through the play; make a separate file of text extracts for each of these themes. themes.

Media As part of a unit of of work on advertising, students might: • load a text text file of holiday holiday resort resort informati information on and rework rework it to make make it appeal appeal to different audiences • study leaflet leafletss from campaig campaigning ning organisa organisations tions and and produce produce their own • create create posters posters adve advertising rtising forthcoming forthcoming schoo schooll events events • search search for and analys analyse e other other school schools’ s’ home pages pages on the Internet Internet and subsequently design their own.



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3 Word processi processing ng and and English English teaching teaching The word processor is undoubtedly still the most effective and useful of any of the generic computer programs as far as English studies is concerned. Most modern word word processing programs, programs, such as Microsoft Microsoft ® Word, have common common features that can aid and enhance text-handling text-handling skills, not only for the composition of text on the page, but also for the construction of documents documents and for aiding aiding the output as printed or online text. The line dividing word processors processors from desktop publishing systems is constantly shifting. In general, general, though, desktop publishing applications applications enable finer control over over layout, and provide more support for full-colour documents. documents.

The word processor as a writing tool Any text-based written task which is more than just copy-typing is a valid task for the word processor. processor. The typing up of word-processed word-processed essays is valid only if the text is drafted and edited as well. One of the strengths of word processing is the facility it provides for making the process of drafting and editing more attractive and adventurous. adventurous. This facility can serve as a very effective tool for teaching. An excellent example is found in teaching writing, where word processors processors can relieve relieve student writers from the perceived perceived drudgery of handwriting repeated repeated revisions. revisions. In addition, students pay pay more attention to what they intend to convey convey instead of the structure of the paragraph. Word processing programs programs can assist students in both both content and structure. Most word processing programs programs also provide spellchecking, spellchecking, thesaurus and grammar facilities, facilities, and some even provide the opportunity for text analysis.These features can help students to improve the quality of their writing. Typing in text does does take time, but it only has to be done once. Remember that that there are vast amounts of text which are readily available online or from CD-ROMs (much of which is copyright free) which can be copied electronically electronically and pasted into your own publication. publication. Another facility is the ability to search existing text for particular references (eg the whole of a Shakespeare play for particular images) – a process which would otherwise be very time-consuming. time-consuming. Documents prepared prepared with a word processor can be transferred to any other electronic publishing application, application, such as a desktop publishing or or presentation program. program. A word word proce processor ssor enables enables letters, letters, reports, reports, journals, journals, diaries, diaries, stories, stories, etc to to be written written.. It also allow allowss a considera consideration tion of content content,, layout, layout, audience, audience, visual visual impact, impact, etc.This makes it easier easier to produce such documents documents as: newspaper simulations, simulations, brochures, informat information ion packs packs (local, (local, historical historical,, school-ba school-based) sed),, posters, posters, anthologie anthologies, s, instructio instruction n booklets, booklets, magazine magazines, s, etc. As teachers master word-processing word-processing skills, they can explore unlimited possibilities possibilities of using word processing for their work.



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One issue concerning the use of word processors processors which needs to be addressed is the use of of spellcheckers spellcheckers and grammar checkers. For example, example, consider the following points: • Do they they distort distort the true representa representation tion of of a child’ child’ss work? work? • Could spellch spellchecke eckers rs help children children to concentra concentrate te on the vital composi composition tional al aspects of their work if they were not continually obsessed with spelling inaccuracies? Or is that a vain hope? • Should Should spellchecke spellcheckers rs be banned? What happens happens when when a spellchec spellchecker ker questions questions a perfectly ‘legal’ ‘legal’ English spelling? Does Does it cause insecurity in children? • Can gramm grammar ar checke checkers rs ever ever be really really helpful? helpful? Hence, the use of spellcheckers spellcheckers and grammar checkers is a contentious issue issue which the school will need to address and form a view on.

The future of word processing in English A view of how a word processing program might be devised for specific English teaching use is outlined below: Generic software requirements requirements The group felt that word processing software currently available was developed for business and commercial uses and did not always meet the needs of pupils and teachers, or offer the full range of uses that they might desire.They felt that for English purposes word processors needed to offer: •

an easy easy way to draf draftt and and proo proof f

•

an easy easy way to cut cut and and past pastee

•

an eas easy y way way to to keep keep dra draft ftss auto automa matic tical ally ly

•

a way way to vie view w the the who whole le tex textt (as (as in a Micr Micros osof oft t ® PowerPoint overview of all pages)

•

a simple simple outl outline inerr progra program m like like Thinks Thinkshee heet, t, throug through h which which it is possi possible ble to separate themes in the planning of a text

•

plan planni ning ng tool toolss whic which h enabl enablee colla collabo bora ratio tion n

•

different different features features for different different ability ability level levels, s, eg Window Window Box Box versio versions ns of Microsoft ® Word

•

writing frames frames in which which it shoul should d be easy to change change structur structural al headin headings/ gs/ size of frames

•

simple simple tools tools to give give pro formas formas to stude students nts,, as in Writer’ Writer’ss Toolkit oolkit,, wh where ere choices can be made to tailor text for for different audiences, audiences, or as in PowerPoint’ PowerPoint’ss tips; teachers should be able to change the available options to suit their lessons/pupils

•

a way way of keepin keepingg folder folderss of words words in in themed themed dict diction ionaries aries,, a ‘persu ‘persuasi asive ve writing folder’, for example

•

custom customise ised d word word proces processin singg packag packages es whic which h log log ‘commo ‘common n errors’ errors’ made made by individual students.



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Other than word processors, the group felt that the following would would be useful additional software for English: •

A wri writi tin ng fr frames mes pro progr gram am..

•

A spellc spellchec hecker ker with with symbol symbol/pi /pictu cture re attach attached. ed.

•

More customisa customisable ble spellchec spellchecking king (eg highlightin highlightingg distin distinctions ctions between between such words as where/were).

•

A more more intel intellig ligent ent search search fun functi ction on for for readi reading ng an an elect electron ronic ic text, text, ie a system whereby the search engine offered a number of synonyms and searched more widely and appropriately. appropriately.

•

Exemplifi Exemplificatio cation n of dialectical dialectical variation variation on a CD-ROM CD-ROM or Web site site along the lines of WordRoot. Curriculum Software Initiative:English, Becta

4 Transformat ransformations:W ions:Ways ays of working working with with etext etext Now that etext (digitally-stored (digitally-stored text) is available from many many sources, a concern expressed by English teachers is that there is a danger of students copying pages of etext into a word-processed piece without having processed processed the content of the text. Transformation can be used to alleviate this problem. Obviously, Obviously, we would like students to develop develop a high level of skill in editing – with all the reading, comprehension comprehension and sophisticated sophisticated understanding of language that that goes with it. To develop develop these skills, skills, students should use the drafting, drafting, selecting and editing powers of the word processor. A transformation transformation requires the student to understand the text text thoroughly, thoroughly, and that understanding (or lack of it) becomes immediately evident to an informed reader. The following activity suggestions flow from these considerations. considerations. They assume that a quantity of text has already been loaded into the word processor. processor. Students are asked to analyse and and modify the text text – transform it – and, in so doing, they encounter a range of editing strategies. strategies. The word processor processor then comes into into its own; it is a superbly powerful tool for the task.

Rewrite for another age-group The needs and reading level of the audience must be understood. Writing for a young audience, for instance, instance, suggests simple diction and short sentences. sentences. Font size and and type must also be considered. Examples include: • Technical echnical instruc instruction tionss aimed aimed at adults, adults, rewritten rewritten for for children children.. • Safety Safety advic advice e adapte adapted d for teenag teenagers ers.. • Children’ Children’ss fairy tales tales rewritten rewritten with with an adult adult audienc audience, e, and adult adult sensibili sensibilities, ties, in mind.



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Rewrite for another audience of similar age For example, example, rewrite an article article from the Guardian or the Daily Telegraph for the Sun. To accomplish this task, a student will need to begin to appreciate the subtleties of style that differentiate differentiate one newspaper from from another. another. Again, working on a word processor forces forces an editor to focus on the essential elements in the task, reinforcing understanding and demanding in-depth study of the article in question.

Take a text and change its purpose Examples include: • A descriptio description n of a house house desig designed ned to sell it, it, rewritten rewritten as the buyer’ buyer’ss surveyor’s surveyor’s report. repor t. • Impartial Impartial informat information ion about about AIDs AIDs rewritten rewritten as as a moral moral sermon sermon against promiscuity. • A serious serious piece piece of writing writing transform transformed ed into satir satire e or parody parody.. Here, the focus falls falls on the audience audience for a piece piece and the inner workings workings of the text, its mode and tenor. The exercise focuses attention on verbal structures and cues that determine the author’s author’s purposes (eg humour, interest, persuasion, information, instruction and all their combinations).

Change the viewpoint of a piece Examples include: • Swap Swap gender gender (try (try a typical typical Mills and Boon Boon scene scene). ). • Try rewriti rewriting ng in in the the first first pers person. on. • Try rewriti rewriting ng in the the secon second d perso person. n. • What What does does using using first first perso person n plural plural do? do? Applied to strongly strongly gender-biased gender-biased texts, the ‘swap ‘swap gender’ gender’ exercise can can be surprising in what it reveals about some of the underlying assumptions assumptions of language. When we try to encourage developing writers to move away away from first person narrative in simple transformations, transformations, this exercise can assist their understanding of the process process very easily.

Shorten a piece Examples include: • Trim down a news article to fit fit an editor’s editor’s specifications specifications without losing losing the information. • Read a persuas persuasive ive article, article, such as an an editoria editorial, l, and extrac extractt bullet bullet points. points. • Cut a play play down down to the bare bare essential essentialss without without losing losing the gist. gist. • Remove Remove some some verbs verbs and cut cut back unnece unnecessary ssary words words.. How far far can you you go? For example example:: From: From: It was dark and the roaring wind made her shiver violently as she stood waiting for the bus . To: Darkness Darkness and and roaring wind. No bus. bus. She shivered violently.



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Summary, concision, directness – these are admirable admirable skills to encourage. encourage. A word word processor takes the pain out of the process. process. The last example can be used to discuss how far one can go with pruning a text before it becomes rhythmically awkward and ugly.

Expand a piece For For example, example, starting starting with a set of bullet points, points, or notes, notes, expand expand an article into full sentences. Creating the bullet points can be an extremely useful precursor to this writing task – perhaps through brain-storming. brain-storming. A good word processor processor allows text to be moved around easily, easily, so bullet points can be ordered into categories or arguments. arguments.

Change form Examples include changing: • a nurse nursery ry rhyme rhyme into into a short short story story • a fairy fairy tale tale into into a newspa newspaper per artic article le • a newspa newspaper per article article into into a fictiona fictionall prose prose • fictio fiction n into into a play play scri script, pt, possib possibly ly for for radio radio • poet poetry ry into into pros prose e • pros prose e into into poet poetry ry.. To achieve success with with this sort of task requires a thorough, explicit understanding of the stylistic features of the selected forms. forms. Most groups will contain, contain, in their collective collective experience, experience, sufficient implicit understanding. It needs to be be pooled, pooled, shared, made explicit.

Change genre Examples include changing: • cowbo cowboy y fictio fiction n into into scienc science e fictio fiction n • rom romance ance int into o crim crime, e, etc. etc. Altering genre requires an understanding of complex rules and the ability to pick up subtle verbal clues.

Change style Examples include changing: • a formal formal Bible passage passage into into an informal informal version version aimed aimed at young young people people • a formal formal Bible passag passage e into a narrativ narrative e close close to the novel novel • a highly highly descriptiv descriptive e flowery flowery style style into into a plaine plainerr style • a formal formal passa passage ge into into the vern vernac acula ular. r.

Translate into the style of another century Examples include: • mode modern rnis isin ing g Shak Shakes espe pear are e • rewriting rewriting contempor contemporary ary prose prose in Dickensia Dickensian n style. style. Abingdon School Pearson Publishing Tel 01223 350555


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Modernising Shakespeare can be a way of understanding both the shifts in culture that make Shakespeare sometime sometime seem alien to the modern reader and the issues that, remarkably, remarkably, unite us across across the centuries, thus making him feel like a contemporary contemporary.. The ‘Seven ‘Seven Ages Ages of Man’ speech from As You Like It offers a good start.

5 Using Using Web resourc resources es and the Interne Internett in English English This section presents presents a range of activities activities which might be used with a class, class, each making use of a particular aspect of the Internet or using resources from specific Web Web sites. sites. See also Using the Internet – English (Pearson Publishing, 2000) for for student sheets and many useful Web addresses. Firstly, a few general points points about accessing material material from the Internet in a classroom situation. Much of the material on the Internet comes comes from America, hence the culture on which it is based, the assumptions it makes makes and the language it uses is USUS- rather than UK-orientated, and it is well well to bear this in in mind. However, However, the number of UK Web sites is growing very very fast, and there are a great many many sites which will keep English English Studies sufficiently busy with excellent home-grown material. The other serious problem which schools should address before giving students access to the Internet is, of course, the danger of them them viewing inappropriate inappropriate material. material. Although it might be difficult difficult to avoid this material material altogether, there are certain strategies which which might keep it to a minimum. minimum. There are, for instance, instance, a number of of ways of filtering material by using programs programs such as ‘net-nannies’ ‘net-nannies’ or ‘walled-garden’ ‘walled-garden’ sites, but the best and most effective effective way way is intelligent supervision supervision by staff. staff. It is vital that the school devises some kind of practical policy for Internet access in order to safeguard staff and students from possible difficulties which might arise from such access. access. English department staff should discuss this with the ICT coordinator to find out what the whole school policy is.

What does the Internet have to offer English Studies? The World Wide Wide Web offers teachers, students and departments very pragmatic alternatives alternatives to traditional ways of approaching English Studies. How well English departments adapt to and utilise the new media may be the determining factor in their success as language education providers in the digital future. However, However, amongst teachers there is an understandable fear about student access access to uncensored information information and an uneasiness about the use of electronic media in the classroom. classroom. There is a great deal that the Web cannot do, and we should be critical of its shortcomings. shortcomings. But the medium will become become easier easier to access, access, better organised, organised, safer and friendlier, and will have have the power power to deliver deliver a wealth wealth of material. material. It will create opportunities for extending English Studies into areas hitherto unreachable.



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What information is on the Internet? The Internet is a resource for the whole family to use and it provides a way of communicating communicating with people around the world. Below are some examples examples of the types of information you can find on the Internet: • Referenc Reference e materi material al in online online libra libraries. ries. • Global Global news news as as it it happ happens ens.. • Newspape Newspapers rs from towns towns and countri countries es round round the world. world. • Sites for childre children’ n’ss learning learning and entertai entertainmen nment. t. • Gove Governm rnment ent departm department entss onlin online. e. • Well-know ell-known n organisati organisations ons such as the BBC and the Scienc Science e Museum. Museum.

The dynamics of the Internet The Internet can be regarded as a dynamic communication communication system with three basic vectors: 1 The downward or resource dynamic – Allowing a user to view Web-held information as text, text, graphics, sound or any any combination, combination, and download download it onto their own computer.

communication dynamic – Allowing a user in one part of the 2 The lateral or communication world world to contact contact a user, user, or group of users, users, in another.The another.The email, newsgroup newsgroup,, noticeboard, conferencing and chat chat room aspects aspects of the Internet encourage the exchange of ideas and dissemination dissemination of information. It is a way in which likeminded people can get together and discuss issues. Hence, Hence, teachers teachers can: • swap reso resour urce cess • exchan exchange ge insigh insights ts and ideas ideas • ask ask for for and and give give help help.. Students can take part in: • role-plays • simul imula atio tions • disc discus ussi sio ons • workshops • join jointt rese resear arch ch.. They can collaborate with: • othe ther stud stude ents nts • sele select cted ed adul adults ts • people people of different different nationali nationalities, ties, ages, ages, perspectiv perspectives es and abilities abilities.. Results of communication events are: • Increa Increased sed moti motiva vatio tion n and intere interest. st. • Easily-co Easily-collec llectable table written written work work that is useful useful for further develop development ment with students.



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• Written Written work work that that can be used for for display display and assess assessment ment.. • Improve Improved d organisat organisationa ionall and ICT skills.The skills.The ability to handle handle many many aspects aspects of word word processi processing: ng: editing, editing, cutting cutting and pasting, pasting, etc, are essentia essentiall for effectiv effective e use of the Internet communication facilities. facilities. 3 The ‘upward’ ‘upward’ or publication dynamic – The The process of publishing material on the Internet. Internet. This might might be your own, own, your student students’ s’ or the school’ school’s. s.The The Internet gives you the opportunity to have the world as your potential audience rather than the limited number of people who might pass your display board in the corridor.

Using Internet resources for English The following ideas outline how the use of ICT and the resources of the World Wide Web can aid the study of a novel. This approach might be applied to any of the literary genres. Note that all writing tasks set in conjunction conjunction with these activities activities should be word processed. Some of these activities will require access access to digital versions of the novel. These are available available through Web sites and can be downloaded to your computer. computer. It is unlikely that the texts of modern novels will be available available in digital form, but there is a wealth of background and critical information, as well as biographical details of many many of these authors to be found on the Internet. Downloading Downloading digital text is reasonably easy, although the more tricky bit is to convert the received text into a word processing processing file. This is not difficult but consult your ICT expert for guidance. • Chapter summaries – Students rewrite a chapter summary and present it ‘live’ to the class in annotated annotated form using a presentation presentation program such as Microsoft® PowerPoint. • Tables – Using the ‘tables’ facility in Microsoft Microsoft® Word, students create create a table or grid which might demonstrate, demonstrate, under specific specific headings, headings, the progressive progressive structure structure of the novel novel being studied; studied; characte characterr ‘diaries’, ‘diaries’, etc. For example: example: Of Mice and Men – Chapter outlines Chapter

Setting

Character ap appearance

1

The bank of the Salinas river.

George Milton: George described as, etc. Lennie Small: Lennie’’s name belies his Lennie appearance, etc.

Significant ac action They have hurriedly left their previous ranch following an incident involving Lennie. Lennie pleads with George to tell him again about their dream ranch.

2 3



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• Creative emails – This might take the form of students assuming the roles of characters from the novel and corresponding corresponding by email ‘in character’ character’ about events and concerns raised by the narrative or the social interaction of the characters themselves. themselves. For example, example, correspondence between between Austen characters characters residing in London and Bath respectively. • Illustration montage – From a collection of images gleaned from the Web, Web, or digital files of of scanned ‘found’ images, students construct construct montages of pictures, texts, etc which might might be suitable for for a bookshop promotion of the novel, novel, or which might illustrate a particular episode in the narrative. This would entail the use of graphics manipulation packages. • Text analysis – Using hypertext links, students put together a file of notes, or extracts extracts from poems, poems, plays, plays, news items, items, or other prose prose works works which might might be opposite to or reflect reflect upon the theme of the novel novel being studied. (See the example from Belmont High School School in the ‘Of Mice and Men’ section at http://www.lausd.k12.ca.us/Belmont_HS/mice/.) • Transformations – Transformations ransformations of digital text can take many forms: in this context students select a suitable extract from the novel and rewrite it as a scene for a TV adaptation in TV script format. A ‘reverse’ ‘reverse’ technique might be to take a scene from a play (preferably one being studied by the class) class) and to rewrite it in novel novel form, but taking the style and genre of the novel being studied as the model. • Associated artefacts – Over the years, many novels novels have produced produced commercial artefacts or products as a spin-off to their popularity. popularity. The task here is for students to take on the role of marketing manager and prepare a portfolio of promotional material for such an artefact or product based on the novel of choice. choice. Examples Examples might might be the Pickwick Pickwick Christmas Christmas Hamper, Hamper, or perfume, perfume, article of clothing, clothing, themed themed experien experience, ce, etc. • Character viewpoints viewpoints – Students create short pieces of first person ‘viewpoints’ that might have have been written by a particular character character in the narrative as their inner reaction reaction to an incident or situation. situation. Students could hyperlink them to that specific point in the narrative.There can be as many ‘personal’ views as there are students students willing to take on the role. • Text search – Using the ‘Find’ facility of the word word processor, processor, students search search the digital digital text for such such things things as places, places, characte characters, rs, images, images, objects objects.. These These references can can then be used to produce character character maps, create image image banks, or collect information about locations. locations. The spellchecker could also be used with older texts to compile a collection of archaisms which could then be incorporated into a commentary. commentary. • Commentary – Students create a file which is hyperlinked to the text which gives details of archaisms, character descriptions, references to objects, places, relationships of characters, characters, etc. This database of of information can be built built on by successive classes classes studying the novel. (See the example from Belmont Belmont High School in the ‘Of Mice and Men’ section at http://www.lausd.k12.ca.us/ Belmont_HS/mice/.) • Background – Students create a hyperlinked hyperlinked database database of social, historical, political and religious background information to the novel as well as biographical details of the novelist concerned. Abingdon School Pearson Publishing Tel 01223 350555


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8 Classroom management issues

Despite the apprehension apprehension of many teachers faced with using ICT, ICT, the information age has gathered momentum, momentum, and Government Government initiatives are adding to the speed of change. The function of the teacher is evolving even even if the purpose of ensuring effective learning learning in the classroom remains constant. New technology requires teachers to acquire new techniques. As every student teacher will attest, there is a world of difference between between classroom management management in theory and classroom management management in practice, and there is no substitute for experience.The experience. The same is true of managing ICT in English – all the good advice available available will never match the learning cur ve of classroom experience. It would be foolish to attempt to predict every situation which raises a question of ‘classroom management’ management’ for the teacher whilst using ICT to teach English, English, but there are a few basic ‘dos and don’ts’ don’ts’ that can help to avoid the more obvious obvious pitfalls: • Know your students – Preventio Prevention, n, as they say say,, is better better than cure, cure, and it is easier to cater cater for the needs needs of a class, class, or an individual student, student, if you know know them well. Potential Potential conflicts are are best dealt with with before they occur. occur. By knowing your students, you will be able to predict their reactions more accurately, accurately, modifying their behaviour whenever it threatens the learning outcomes you have set for the individual or the class. • Know your limitations – Until you feel confident and competent with the equipment you intend to use, use, it is better to opt for relatively relatively simple tasks. tasks. Overly ambitious ambitious activities, like overly overly ambitious aims, aims, rarely produce even a satisfactory lesson, lesson, much less a good or or excellent one. Develop confidence through training; discuss strategy, strategy, success and and even disasters with working colleagues; but do not deny students their entitlement to ICT. ICT. • Play to the strengths of the class – The average age of recognised computer experts is far lower than that of the average teacher. teacher. Use the ICT capabilities of students to your advantage. advantage. Allow those who can take responsibility responsibility for equipment and applications applications to do so. Students can be seated so that ‘expertise’ ‘expertise’ is available either nearby or not so readily at hand.You must decide which arrangement will best achieve the lesson objectives. objectives. Providing a variety of tasks that, through through interest, interest, expertise expertise or experience, experience, will put different different students students at an advantage at different times should be part of the planning process. Topics can be deliberately chosen to encourage contribution from particular students. You should try to challenge stereotypes and racial attitudes. • Plan resources and access to ICT – The ease with which equipment can be brought to the classroom, classroom, or with which the class can can get to the computer room, room, can vary from school school to school. school. If either either is problematic problematic,, steps steps need to be taken to resolve the dilemma. dilemma. It may be better to meet meet classes outside the computer room rather than parade them halfway halfway across the school. school. A fair Abingdon School Pearson Publishing Tel 01223 350555


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8 Classroom management issues

booking system should govern the distribution of ICT equipment across the curriculum. Within the department, department, the availability availability of ICT equipment equipment should be planned as part of the scheme of work. • Make your expectations clear – Specify the learning aims of the lesson and clarify how the use use of ICT will will enable students to achieve these. Predict, where possible, distractions that the use of of ICT might bring and state clearly clearly how you expect students to deal with with them. Encourage students students to make the most of ICT and emphasise the learning opportunities that it provides. • Get to know the Internet – It is worth knowing that Internet connection slows dramatically dramatically as the USA awakes and goes online, making afternoon computer sessions less profitable profitable than those conducted in the morning. This can be avoided by saving saving required pages to the school’s school’s intranet. Connections to an intranet do not need to be made made beyond the school’s school’s network, ensuring a faster and more reliable response. Since no link to the World Wide Web is made, Web pages subject to frequent changes can be ‘frozen ‘frozen in time’ by saving to an intranet.You may even wish to write your own pages of information or advice and save these to the school network. The appointed ICT coordinator for the school will be able to give specific advice on the configuration and capabilities of your system. They may have ideas as to how the ICT resources of the school can support the work you are doing doing in the classroom, but is perhaps unlikely to contribute this information unless you take the time to discuss your work with them.



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9 Assessment procedures

Daily experience shows shows that ... schools, academies and colleges, give but the the merest beginnings of culture ... far more influential is the life-education life-education daily given in our homes, homes, in the streets, streets, behind behind counters, counters, in workshops workshops,, at the loom and the plough, in counting houses houses and manufactories, manufactories, and in the busy busy haunts of men. Self-Help, Samuel Samuel Smiles, 1839

One of the important aspects of this this technology is that, for an increasing majority majority of students, it is likely that they will have have access to it and use it far more more at home than at school. school.There Therefore fore,, trying to assess assess the ‘value ‘value added’ added’ of the students students’’ use of the technology purely within the bounds of school will be increasingly impossible impossible to do as the exponential exponential rise in its use at at home continues. continues. In spite of this difficulty, difficulty, it goes without saying that there will have to be some kind of assessment procedure within the school in order to satisfy satisfy inspection requirements, requirements, etc. Schools will no doubt have their own procedures for the assessment of ICT as a whole and, unless otherwise otherwise agreed, English teachers teachers are normally normally expected to do little more than inform the ICT coordinator of the use of ICT within the department. Should it be a requirement of the school’s policy that a more formal record is kept of use and progress by students students in their use of ICT in English, then the technology itself should be of great assistance in keeping such records. The computer provides provides a cost-effective, cost-effective, paperless means of recording recording student data. The speed and ease with which this data can be manipulated supports in-depth analysis. It is worth taking the time to establish establish procedures procedures that, in the long-term, will ease the administrative administrative burden. Putting such systems in place can often initially involve involve a heavy investment investment in time and energy, but they quickly repay both. Reports and Record of Achievement statements can be produced from statement banks. This apparently ‘inhuman’ use of ICT ensures consistency consistency from start to finish, and can be based upon National Curriculum definitions of attainment. attainment. The final statement can can be easily edited edited if a more more ‘human’ ‘human’ touch is required. required. Spreadsheets can can be used to produce merged merged reports from numerical input, or word processors processors can be loaded with ‘AutoText’ phrases that allow whole paragraphs to be written at the press of only a few keys. Students may be asked to keep track of their own progress by completing ‘template’ ‘template’ documents. documents. They are, after all, far less likely to lose the school’ school’ss network than than they are to misplace a paper document. document. Copies of their personal assessment record record can be copied to disk if they so wish, wish, but the original will remain on the network network to be accessed by the teacher whenever they desire.



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The progression of students through the levels of the National Curriculum might be monitored by completing completing a record sheet which can easily be devised depending on what information you wish to keep. keep. This might be set up as a spreadsheet file which makes it is easier to complete and store than to print out on paper and fill in by hand.

Form 5 (page 58) can be used to evaluate and assess the use of ICT in an English lesson.



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Form 5

English English department: department: Evaluation Evaluation and assessment of ICT Subject Subject covered: covered:...... ............ ............. ............. ............. ............. ............. ............. ............. ............. ............. ............. ............. ............. ............ .......... ....

Class: ............ ................... ............. ......

Date:.......... Date:................. ............. ............ ......

1 What What were were the teachi teaching ng object objective ivess in this lesso lesson? n?

2 How How did did ICT help help achiev achieve e the object objective ives? s?

3 Where in the lesson lesson can I observe students students using using ICT ICT and set set targets to to enhance enhance progress? progress?

4 What question questionss can I put to the the students students to ensure ensure they focus focus on the appropriate appropriate use use of ICT?

5 How will will students students show show what they have have learned learned through through feedbac feedbackk in class? class?

6 How will will I ensure that that the students students pick up English English skills rather rather than presentati presentation on skills? (This (This will have implications for mark schemes.)



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10 Sources of further further information

Organisations Department for Education and Skills Local Authority Web Web Sites

http://www.dfes.gov.uk/ http://www.socitm.gov.uk/soclants.htm

National Association for the Teaching of English (NATE) OFSTED Inspection Reports QCA

http://www.nate.org.uk/ http://www.ofsted.gov.uk/inspect/ http://www.qca.org.uk/

The Standards Site

http://www.standards.dfes.gov.uk/

TTA TTA

http://www.canteach.gov.uk/

ICT initiatives British Educational Communications and Technology Technology agency (Becta) http://www.becta.org.uk/ Regional Broadband Consortia via the Becta site http://buildingthegrid.becta.org.uk/procuremen http://buildingthegrid.becta.o rg.uk/procurement/school/rbc.html t/school/rbc.html Standards and Effectiveness Unit (SEU) Teachers Online Project (TOP) UK Online Centres

http://www.standards.dfes.gov.uk/seu/ http://www.top.ngfl.gov.uk/ http://dfes.gov.uk/ukonlinecentres/

Internet use and policy Acceptable Use of the Internet http://www.becta.org.uk/te http://www.becta.org.uk/technology/infoshee chnology/infosheets/pdf/accuse.pdf ts/pdf/accuse.pdf Collaborative School Internet Links

http://www.top.ngfl.gov.uk/topweek4.php3

Home–School Links http://www.becta.org.uk/teaching/homeschoollinks/examples.html

Internet Safety Week Superhighway Safety

http://www.top.ngfl.gov.uk/featureweek1.php3 http://www.safety.ngfl.gov.uk/



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10 Sources of further information

ICT policy ICT in the English Curriculum http://curriculum.becta.org.uk/docserver.php?temid=84

Implementing IT – NAACE

http://www.naace.org/imp/

Writing a whole school ICT policy http://www.top.ngfl.gov.uk/technology/infosheets/pdf/itpolicy.pdf

Resource providers Andrew Moore’s Teaching Resource Site English and Media Centre

http://www.shunsley.eril.net/armoore/ http://www.englishandmedia.co.uk/ http://www.englishonline.co.uk/

English Online

English Teaching in i n the United Kingdom K ingdom http://ourworld.compuserve.com/homepages/harry_dodds/ Free Resources for English Teachers Headstrong Interactive

http://www.english-teaching.co.uk/ http://www.headstrong.demon.co.uk/

Teachers Online Project

http://www.top.ngfl.gov.uk/

TeachIT – English Teaching on Line Virtual Teacher Centre

http://www.teachit.co.uk/ http://vtc.ngfl.gov.uk/

http://curriculum.becta.org.uk/docserver.php?te http://curriculum.becta.org .uk/docserver.php?temid=261 mid=261

Web Site Reviews

Copyright Copyright and ICT http://www.becta.org.uk/tec http://www.becta.org.uk/technology/infosheets hnology/infosheets/pdf/copyright.pdf /pdf/copyright.pdf

General author sites The Victorian Web: An Overview http://www.stg.brown.edu/projects/hypertext/landow/victorian/victov.html British and Irish Authors on the Web Web http://lang.nagoya-u.ac.jp http://lang.nagoya-u.ac.jp/~matsuoka/UK-a /~matsuoka/UK-authors.html uthors.html See also Using the Internet – English (Pearson Publishing, 2000) for lots of Web sites devoted to particular authors.



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10 Sources of further information

Etext libraries Bartleby.com

http://www.bartleby.com/

Electronic Text Centre – University of Virginia Full Text Books Online Literature Resources from MIT Malaspina Great Books Medieval Sourcebook Project Guttenberg The Internet Public Library

http://etext.lib.virginia.edu/english.html

http://www.bb.com/freebooks.cfm?requesttimeout=2000 http://libraries.mit.edu/guides/subjects/literature/ http://www.mala.bc.ca/~mcneil/template.htx http://www.fordham.edu/halsall/sbook2.html#lit2 http://www.promo.net/pg/ http://www.ipl.org/

Search engines There are many general search mechanisms available which can assist in searching for specific items or subjects on the Web.

AltaVista

http://www.altavista.co.uk/

Excite

http://www.excite.co.uk/

Google

http://www.google.co.uk/

Lycos Mirago WebCrawler

http://www.lycos.co.uk/ http://www.mirago.co.uk/ http://www.webcrawler.com/



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Contents Introduct Introduction ion ......... .............. ......... ......... .......... ......... ......... .......... ......... ......... .......... ......... ......... ......... ......... .......... ......... ......... .......... ......... ......... ........ ...

1

1

Defini Defining ng ICT....... ICT.......... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... .....

3

2

ICT in the Englis English h classr classroo oom m ...... ......... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... .....

6

3

Key Governm Government ent initiativ initiatives es ........ ............ ......... .......... ......... ......... ......... ......... .......... ......... ......... .......... ......... ......... ......... ......

14

4

Developi Developing ng departmenta departmentall policy policy ........ ............ ......... .......... ......... ......... ......... ......... .......... ......... ......... .......... ......... ....... ...

19

5

Managemen Managementt issues issues ......... .............. ......... ......... ......... ......... .......... ......... ......... .......... ......... ......... ......... ......... .......... ......... ......... ........ ...

31

6

The potential potential gains of using ICT ........ ............. ......... ......... .......... ......... ......... .......... ......... ......... ......... ......... .......... .....

34

7

Using ICT in the classroo classroom..... m.......... .......... ......... ......... .......... ......... ......... ......... ......... .......... ......... ......... .......... ......... ....... ...

38

8

Classroom Classroom manageme management nt issues.... issues........ ......... .......... ......... ......... ......... ......... .......... ......... ......... .......... ......... ......... .......... .....

54

9

Assessme Assessment nt procedure proceduress ........ ............ ......... ......... ......... .......... ......... ......... .......... ......... ......... .......... ......... ......... ......... ......... ........ ...

56

10

Sources Sources of further informat information ion .......... .............. ......... .......... ......... ......... .......... ......... ......... ......... ......... .......... ......... ....... ...

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Unit 1 WH ICT in English

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