Kahoot! Sandbox, Showbie. Words I’d never heard of over a year ago and yet as I toured the school this week, I became increasingly familiar with these names as I watched the iPads being used in lessons.

Kahoot! is an app that allows our teachers to design multiple-choice quizzes that can be played as a game with the whole class. The gameplay is simple; all pupils connect to the game through their own iPad with the game being shown on the interactive screen at the front of class. The pupils use their iPad to answer questions created by the teacher. Correct answers earn points and pupils can compete against each other to gain the highest position on the leader board. Whilst the pupils are having fun playing the game, it gives the teacher the opportunity to assess what they have learned so far and plan for learning in future lessons.

Sandbox is a simple app that allows pupils to create their own pixel art following a colour by numbers approach. Our teachers can use it as a fun way to teach number recognition and to develop pupils’ fine motor skills.

Showbie is an app that we’re using across the school to support a whole range of aspects of teaching and learning as well as collaboration between staff. Teachers are able to set up virtual classrooms in which they can share work tasks with the pupils which they can complete and send back to their teacher for feedback. Teachers are able to write comments or add verbal comments to each child’s piece of work to give them feedback and next steps. Within the virtual classroom, teachers can pose questions and give pupils the opportunity to contribute their answers and ideas either through writing, recording a voice message or even posting a photo or link. Our teachers are also making use of the app to collaborate with each other. Staff can create online groups for sharing resources and ideas and discuss teaching and learning approaches.

These are just three of many apps that are beginning to change the way teachers teach and pupils learn. I’ll keep you posted as we continue to integrate technology across the school.

This week we take a closer look at one of our Autism Base classes..

Welcome to AB2. This term we have been settling back into school life very well and making new friends.

We have been enjoying our sensory diet sessions every morning to get us ready to learn and allow us to engage in all our lessons..

We have had fun getting used to new technology and using iPads within the classroom..

We really like the colouring app!

We have enjoyed our Maths lessons working on Big and Small, creating lego towers to match and using the interactive screen to sequence objects in size order.

We have also been loving ICT where we have been using the inclusive technology of the big screen and the keyboard to create a sensory storyboard to match the words from this term’s book ‘What Makes Me a Me?’..

We also like using the interactive screen in our morning routine every day to choose our lunches..

..and in lots of our lessons..

We have also had fun in our Swimming sessions..

..our Music lessons..

..and our Drama, PE, cooking, outdoor education, English and world studies as well!

In Living Skills this term we have been focusing on how to wash our hands properly and when we should do this, so that we can keep ourselves clean..

We have also been enjoying Art where we have been creating our self potraits, using different resources and textures to collage and create a unique piece of art that we can put on display at the end of term..

Everybody has enjoyed making memories already and we have enjoyed having sensory play during choosing time which is one of our favourite things..

We can’t wait to see what the rest of this term will bring!

I’ll leave you with a some news reports on the sinking of the Titanic that our Nurture Group pupils enjoyed filming on their iPads earlier this week after choosing their own backdrops..

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Have a good week,

Gavin

You can find Dawn’s blog for the Learning Centre here

For news on our Key Stage 5 pathway groups at Medtia Square please click here

Click here to read this week’s news from Graham

You can find my previous blog posts here