At ISC, the children in Year 2 develop their ICT skills on a weekly basis, which is crucial to help further their understanding of the topics that they study. The school library is filled with computers and the children are always eager to make full use of them. There are various programmes which have been beneficial to pupil progress. Purple Mash in particular offers lots of activities which really help to reinforce the learning that takes place during lesson time. The activities are engaging and stimulating and they allow the children to take control of their own learning, which encourages independence and self-awareness.

At ISC, we try to make learning fun and we try to avoid an authoritarian approach to teaching. Children often respond well to interactive computer programs, which offer a refreshing alternative to the information provided by teachers. In the Year 2 classroom there are two computers which are rarely out of use. A large television, which is also connected to the internet, is another wonderful resource. Last half term, the topic was ‘space’ and it was through this topic that the television screen really helped to capture the imagination of the children. The images and videos of space were breathtaking and the positive impact that they had on the children was obvious. The children were  asked to draw the viewthey would see if they looked out of the window of a rocket ship deep in space. The outcome was fantastic and I feel that was primarily due to the spectacular images that the children had seen on the TV screen.

I do not feel that technology should replace traditional teaching methods in the classroom, but I do feel that technology should be used to improve teaching methods for young learners. At ISC technology is being used effectively and the benefit it has on the children is clear.