# data[].attributes.headline
Reading Fluency using seesaw record feature

# data[].attributes.subject
Reading Fluency using seesaw record feature

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
1. Click the :add: button. 2. Take a :photo: of a page in a book of your choice that you're currently reading. 3. Use the :rec: tool to record yourself reading. Be sure to read with expression. 4. Tap the :check: to submit to your journal. This should take no longer that two minutes.

# data[].attributes.headline
app.writereader.com to create simple online books with audio recording

# data[].attributes.subject
app.writereader.com to create simple online books with audio recording

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Using digital technologies to give feedback

# data[].attributes.headline
Describe and explain (Photos from class) or Literacy resources

# data[].attributes.subject
Describe and explain (Photos from class) or Literacy resources

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Look at the picture
Can you describe and explain what’s happening in the picture for 1 minute without stopping?
Which three WOW words we learned this week could you use?
Practice first!
WOW WORDS: Twinkling, magical, powerful
When ready use the :mic: to record yourself.
Listen back to check. When h…

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Pupils in Carrigaline Educate Together National School use Book Creator to research and demonstrate their knowledge of History topics, eg the Vikings or Ancient Rome. Their teacher, Cormac Cahill, speaks about how creating ebooks supports literacy, problem solving, Music and Art in his classroom. Pupils work in groups to research facts and strong emphasis is put on using creative commons content. The pupils are creating permanent resources that can be used by subsequent classes.

# data[].attributes.attachment_caption
Book Creator Online. All books are stored in the cloud for easy access. Pupils enter your 'Teacher Bookshelf' by scanning their unique QR code.

# data[].attributes.body
https://www.pdst.ie/primary-digital-portfolios

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Digital portfolios are "...student-owned dynamic digital workspaces wherein students can capture their learning and their ideas, access their collections of work, reflect on their learning, share it, set goals, seek feedback and showcase their learning and achievements."

NCCA, 2013

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Digital portfolios are "...student-owned dynamic digital workspaces wherein students can capture their learning and their ideas, access their collections of work, reflect on their learning, share it, set goals, seek feedback and showcase their learning and achievements." NCCA, 2013

# data[].attributes.headline
Cross-curricular project work and digital portfolios

# data[].attributes.subject
Cross-curricular project work and digital portfolios

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Digital Portfolios Project with 6th Class

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Julie Somerville, a 6th class teacher in St. Aidan’s explains how her school has benefitted from participation in the Digital Portfolios Project and support from PDST Digital Technologies Team Advisor John Meegan. Julie discusses a project her class completed using digital portfolios collaborating together to plan, research and present a slideshow on the moon landings leading to increased engagement among pupils.

# data[].attributes.headline
Create a short video report about climate change. 

# data[].attributes.subject
Create a short video report about climate change. 

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Digital Storytelling for a Global Goals Project

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
In this video, Mairíosa McGee, Mount Anville Primary School, describes how her class created video projects based on the UN Global Goals. In pairs pupils were assigned a global goal and had to create a project in the form of an Adobe Spark digital story based on their global goal. After researching their goal using various online sources, the pupils created a short digital story based on the goal which they then presented to the class. During the lessons Mairíosa took the opportunity to teach them about copyright and using only copyright free images for their project. As well as presenting the projects to their own class, the pupils had the opportunity to present them to younger classes in the school to educate them about the global goals. Mairíosa saved all of the projects to Google Drive as an assessment record. The pupils created their projects using shared laptops.

# data[].attributes.headline
Using Green Screen in a senior room for Art

# data[].attributes.subject
Using Green Screen in a senior room for Art

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Cormac Cahill of Carrigaline Educate Together National School uses a green screen to extend learning in his classroom. In this video pupils find themselves walking through a famous artwork. They combine looking and responding in Art with descriptive writing in English to create a narrated video. This helps the pupils to delve deeper into the piece of Art, while supporting the use of descriptive language.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Inis dom an scéal faoi Cítí Cailleach agus a madra leis an micreafón agus na pictiúirí seo.

# data[].attributes.body
Creating a class newsletter using Bookcreator in 6th class

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Template for writing Newspaper articles | Find thousands of free educational ebooks for classroom use at read.bookcreator.com

# data[].attributes.attachment_caption
Sequencing cards are an aid to explain in chronological order

# data[].attributes.headline
Take a picture of sequencing cards in the correct order and record oral explanation: First... Then... Next...

# data[].attributes.subject
Take a picture of sequencing cards in the correct order and record oral explanation: First... Then... Next...

# data[].attributes.body
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bS4bQ0gG8Oo

# data[].attributes.headline
use video or microphone tool to retell a story

# data[].attributes.subject
use video or microphone tool to retell a story

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Sequencing - Goldilocks and the Three Bears

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
1. Click the image to read and listen to the story 2. On the template use :move: to put the pictures in the correct order 3. Use :mic: to tell me the story in your own words

# data[].attributes.headline
Sock Puppets or Puppet Pals 2 App for Oral Language : Béarla nó Gaeilge/  Social stories

# data[].attributes.subject
Sock Puppets or Puppet Pals 2 App for Oral Language : Béarla nó Gaeilge/  Social stories

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Tap the :add: button Tap the :drawing: button and practice your handwriting. Tap the :mic: button to record your screen and use the pen tool to write your word. Replay your writing by tapping play. When you are happy with your work you can send to teacher.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
A handwriting demonstration tool

This tool lets you replay your handwriting and stores it for later.

Handy hints:

I found this a great tool for after lunch calm down handwriting. I like to put on acoustic guitar music, (Rene Aubry or Søren Bødker Madsen are great).

It works on tablets, prop them up and give the children their handwriting books.

It allows the teacher to walk around the room and watch the children as they work, giving feedback.

Please note, words only save on the device you are using.

Save a set of words during lunch so that you're ready when class begins.

Why not model digit formation in Reception / Year 1.

Morning routine: Why not leave it running on your IWB as the children come in?

Have fun!
HAVING TROUBLE LOADING? Please try this version.

This game is © copyright 2023, J.Barrett, ictgames.com All Rights Reserved.

Made using the and libraries.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
This tool lets you replay your handwriting and stores it for later. Handy hints: I found this a great tool for after lunch calm down handwriting. I like to put on acoustic guitar music, (Rene Aubry or Søren Bødker Madsen are great). It works on tablets, prop them up and give the children their handwriting books.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
PDST - Primary Language Curriculum eBulletin 1

# data[].attributes.headline
Pupils collaborate to storyboard a comic strip story. Draw a story board and then use Book Creator to add voice recordings and captions to their story

# data[].attributes.subject
Pupils collaborate to storyboard a comic strip story. Draw a story board and then use Book Creator to add voice recordings and captions to their story

# data[].attributes.body
Pupils encouraged to take ownership of AR. Monitor progress through app. Become proficient in viewing targets, bookshelf etc.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Renaissance Place ID

What is it? Renaissance Place ID is a unique identifier that provides a shortcut to your Renaissance Place site.

Where can I use it? Renaissance Place ID can be used during setup of Accelerated Reader on iPad®, iPhone®, or iPod touch® and during setup of STAR Reading, STAR Maths and STAR Early Literacy on iPad®.

What if I don't use Accelerated Reader or STAR assessments? Renaissance Place ID automatically appears on the Renaissance Place Welcome page and can be used wherever you see the RPID image going forward.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
What is it? Renaissance Place ID is a unique identifier that provides a shortcut to your Renaissance Place site. Where can I use it? Renaissance Place ID can be used during setup of Accelerated Reader on iPad®, iPhone®, or iPod touch® and during setup of STAR Reading, STAR Maths and STAR Early Literacy on iPad®.

# data[].attributes.headline
Choose a topic for persuasive writing. Write a script and record your argument using Apple Clips/ seesaw video/ voice recorder. 

# data[].attributes.subject
Choose a topic for persuasive writing. Write a script and record your argument using Apple Clips/ seesaw video/ voice recorder. 

# data[].attributes.headline
See... Think... Wonder... Take a photo of your favourite picture in your book. 1. What can you see? 2. What do you think is happening? 3. I wonder...

# data[].attributes.subject
See... Think... Wonder... Take a photo of your favourite picture in your book. 1. What can you see? 2. What do you think is happening? 3. I wonder...

# data[].attributes.headline
Create a radio ad to market a book they have just read

# data[].attributes.subject
Create a radio ad to market a book they have just read

# data[].attributes.body
Use Scratch programme (already installed on most ipads) to collaboratively create an interactive story. Share creations through Seesaw

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Scratch is a free programming language and online community where you can create your own interactive stories, games, and animations.

# data[].attributes.headline
Use MS 'Reading Progress' to develop and track reading fluency

# data[].attributes.subject
Use MS 'Reading Progress' to develop and track reading fluency

# data[].attributes.body
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=65SMvu0BYTk

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Create a Reading Progress assignment

Support independent reading practice with Reading Progress assignments in Teams.

1. Enter a title for this assignment - this is required.

2. To select a passage for your students:

6. (Optional) Complete the additional fields to create more data sorting opportunities when reviewing student work.

Pronunciation sensitivity: Specify how strict you'd like Auto-detect to be when listening and estimating errors. Choose Less sensitive to leave more flexibility for pronunciation, and More sensitive to demand more exact reading performance. This setting is adjustable when reviewing student work.

Note: Pronunciation detection for each language is generalized based on common pronunciation and may not recognize accents and dialects well. This is just a starting point, and we are working to ensure those with accents and dialects are included. Use your discretion to mark errors manually when the speech detection does not meet the needs of your student.

Reading Coach defaults to On when you create a Reading Progress assignment. Toggle Reading Coach to Off from here if desired.

Edit your passage: If you've uploaded a Word or PDF document of your own, you can edit the passage right in Reading Progress. Select Edit, then make any changes you'd like in the document.

Note: ReadWorks passages are not editable. Passage details like title, reading level and genre will populate automatically.

7. Select Next.

​​​​​

8. (Optional) Edit additional aspects of your assignment by adding Instructions, changing the Points or extending the Date due.

9. Select which student's you'd like to have complete this assignment, then select Assign.

Your students will be notified of their new assignment, and it will appear in your assignments list.​​​​​​

​​​​​

Review and Return student work in Reading Progress

Collect valuable data while you review and return student Reading Progress assignments.

1. Mark and categorize student errors by selecting any word they misread. Use the dropdown menu to mark words as correct or categorize an error. Reading Progress will collect and tabulate the errors in the Accuracy rate and Correct words per minute cards at the top of the review panel.

Error types include:
- Omission: a word in the passage that the student skipped
- Insertion: a word not written in the passage that a student added
- Mispronunciation: a word that wasn't pronounced clearly or correctly
- Repetition: a word that a student reads more than once
- Self-correction: when a student reads incorrectly, recognizes their mistake, and reads again correctly ​

2. If the student has added additional words, you can insert them in the body of text.

Select the word closest to where you would like to insert text.

Choose Edit text from the dropdown menu.

Select where you would like to insert text, then type in what you heard the student say.

9. Decide what you would like students to see in their report.

10. Enter written feedback and points for the assignment, then select Return.

11. Press the arrows next to your student's name to quickly navigate to the next student.​

Note: You can also select Return for Revision toask students to try the assignment again.

Use Auto-detect to save time

Estimate student errors to save time. Auto-detect evaluates student recordings to identify likely mispronunciations and other reading errors for educators. Educators can always adjust the errors to reflect student performance.

Keyboard shortcuts for quick reviewing

Once you've selected any word in the text, you can use keyboard shortcuts to navigate the reading and categorize errors.

1. Move from word to word with the Left and Right arrow keys.

2. Use Ctrl+> to jump to the next error word. The video will begin playing again from that point.

3. Use the Space bar to play and pause the video as needed.

4. When you encounter a word you'd like to adjust, press Down or Enter to open the error menu.

3. Select Enter to mark the error; the dashboard will recalculate as you mark errors and the dropdown will close.

Complete a Reading Progress assignment

Got a Reading Progress assignment due? To complete this assignment you will record yourself reading out loud. It looks just like your other assignments and will show up in your class team's General channel and in the Assignments tab.

1. Select the document under My work to open Reading Progress.

Note: The first time you complete a Reading Progress assignment, you will need to select Allow so the app can access your camera and audio recordings.

2. You can select the Immersive Reader and choose the settings that help you read best.

Celebrate - your brain is getting stronger!

Languages that can use the auto-detect feature

Auto-detect is a PREVIEW feature in Reading Progress that estimates errors based on common pronunciation. Documents in any language can be uploaded and marked manually. Languages that are currently supported by Auto-detect include:

Netherlands

Belgium

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Getting started with Reading Progress in Teams

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Support independent reading practice with Reading Progress assignments in Teams. Enter a title for this assignment - this is required. To select a passage for your students: 6. (Optional) Complete the additional fields to create more data sorting opportunities when reviewing student work.

# data[].attributes.headline
Using sequencing cards as a prompt, re-tell the story of the Gingerbread man 

# data[].attributes.subject
Using sequencing cards as a prompt, re-tell the story of the Gingerbread man 

# data[].attributes.headline
Take a photo of a particular genre e.g. persuasive text. Use the drawing tools to circle/ annotate particular features of the text e.g. connectives/ persuasive language etc. 

# data[].attributes.subject
Take a photo of a particular genre e.g. persuasive text. Use the drawing tools to circle/ annotate particular features of the text e.g. connectives/ persuasive language etc. 

# data[].attributes.headline
To show collaborative work record a group doing a role play

# data[].attributes.subject
To show collaborative work record a group doing a role play

# data[].attributes.headline
Draw a picture of something they just learned about. Record what they liked about it and what they would like to know more about.

# data[].attributes.subject
Draw a picture of something they just learned about. Record what they liked about it and what they would like to know more about.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
How to draw butterfly life cycle drawing

# data[].attributes.headline
record themselves reading a favourite poem. Write and record another verse/ poem

# data[].attributes.subject
record themselves reading a favourite poem. Write and record another verse/ poem

# data[].attributes.headline
Take a photo of their favourite piece of writing from the week. Record why they are proud of their work.

# data[].attributes.subject
Take a photo of their favourite piece of writing from the week. Record why they are proud of their work.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Digital portfolios are "...student-owned dynamic digital workspaces wherein students can capture their learning and their ideas, access their collections of work, reflect on their learning, share it, set goals, seek feedback and showcase their learning and achievements."

NCCA, 2013

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Digital portfolios are "...student-owned dynamic digital workspaces wherein students can capture their learning and their ideas, access their collections of work, reflect on their learning, share it, set goals, seek feedback and showcase their learning and achievements." NCCA, 2013

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Please enter your Scoilnet account details to access:

# data[].attributes.headline
Use 'My Story 2' to create a social story relevant to them.

# data[].attributes.subject
Use 'My Story 2' to create a social story relevant to them.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
How do I create a completely new story? How do I save my story? How do I send a story to friends and family? How do I print my story?
How do I create a printed booklet with my story?
Will my printed story be exactly like my digital story?
How do I change the font size and text alignment in the PDF file and pictures?
Sending by email
Opening a story sent by email
Sending by Dropbox
What happens when I rename my story?
How do I save my story on other devices?
Can I save my story on a PC?
Can I disable the delete button?
How do I change an existing story?
I cannot see any of my photos
My device does not seem to recognize my camera
How much text can I write with each picture?
How many stories can I save?
How long can my recorded audio with each picture be?
How do I turn off automatic spell-checker and dictation?
Why is the app called Our Story 2?

If you want to make a completely new story then on the opening page tap on the Create button. On the next page, drag one of the pictures from your gallery onto the storyboard at the bottom of the screen. If it is difficult to drag a picture, then rest your finger on it until the picture expands slightly and then drag it to the storyboard.
If you wireless printing (e.g. Apple Airprint).
When the picture is in the storyboard if you tap on a picture then you can add sound or text to the picture. In this way you can build up a story using the pictures on your device.
If you cannot use wireless printing then print from another computer.
If you want to delete a picture from the storyboard then simply drag it off the storyboard.

In the storyboard there are icons beneath each picture to let you know whether the picture has text, sound or is a heading. It is usually possible to dictate the words you want to add to the picture by tapping on the microphone above the keypad.

On the opening page tap on the 'Use Existing story' button. Select the story you want to change and then tap on the edit icon (a crayon). You can then change a story in exactly the same way as described above.

On the Create page tap on the orange 'save' icon at the top at any time to save your story. There also are prompts to ask you to save your story at critical points. If you save a story then the previous version of this story will not be available. If you want to keep a story safe then it is a good idea to send and store the story on another device (see Sharing).

When you rename a story then the story you are editing is given a new name and the previous version is not saved.

You can use the share option to send the complete story (with sounds) to another person or another device. The complete story can only be read on a device (apple or android) which has the Our Story app. It is also possible to send PDF files which have all the pictures and text, but no sounds, to be read on most digital devices and computers. If you want to send the complete story to another device, then tap Share and select 'Play and Edit' when you get to the Format page. Next send the story by Dropbox or email. Storing important l stories on another device is a useful way to make sure you have a back-up.

Yes, you can do this via email or Dropbox (see sharing above). Remember, you cannot play the audio associated with your story on a PC/Mac; this is only possible on a device that has Our Story installed on it. However, friends and family without an iPad or tablet are likely to enjoy seeing the pictures and text as a PDF file. You can also backup valued stories on a PC and then send back to your apple or android device if needed.

Yes, on the opening page tap the cog icon in the top right, then scroll down the options and tick the appropriate box about disabling the delete button.

Open a picture in the storyboard at the bottom by tapping on it. Then tap on the microphone icon. Tap the red button to start the recording and you will see the duration of the recording displayed. Tap the square red button to stop the recording. To hear your recoding tap the green arrow. If you do not like the recording tap the dustbin to delete it.

Open a picture from the storyboard by tapping on it. Then tap on the bottom white rectangle to add the text. When finished tap 'Done' or close the keyboard. It may be possible to dictate the words you want to add by tapping on the microphone icon above the keypad.

Sometimes it is useful to be able to put a heading in a story, for example, 'Day 1' as a heading for photos about the first day of your holiday. Teachers can use headings as a way of suggesting what their students might write or do. Dragging a heading into the storyboard will allow you to use one of the colours as a heading page in your story. You can also use one of your photos by selecting 'make this a heading' when you open the photo in the storyboard. The text for a heading will appear in the middle of a page rather than at the bottom.

You can send your story with sound recordings via email or Dropbox. Depending on your Internet connection and the size of your story (which is determined by the number of pictures and the amount of sound), the transfer may take a while. The revolving circle lets you know the computer is sending (or saving) your story.

If the receiver of your story has the app installed on their device, they will be able to open the story immediately after they receive it.

If you have an email account then this is the least complicated option. Simply tap on the green sharing icon (box with arrow), then on the next page tap on the appropriate email connection. Next, fill in the mail address of the person you are sending your story to.

Usually you can simply tap on the attachment in the email and it will open in Our Story.

On iPads and iPhones, when the download has finished, you will see a row of icons, scroll to the left to reveal the Our Story icon, tap on this icon, then tap OK when story is imported.

On Android devices opening stories is more variable, tap on the story file in the email and this will start the process of opening the file.

There is the option of using the download button on the 'existing story' page (blue icon with down arrow) which will allow you to search for files that have been downloaded to your device.

Sometimes if you are using your institution's webmail system (e.g. Outlook) you may not be able to download story files from your webmail account to your device. This problem is often solved by installing and using an email app on your mobile device (e.g. Outlook for Android) and using it to access your institution's email system.

Sharing by Dropbox

If you or the receiver doesn't have a Dropbox account, this will need to be set this up before sending your story via Dropbox. The story is sent to your Dropbox folder and then you can share via Dropbox or another means such as email.

Tap on the blue print icon and then on the next page select the print option again. You will be given the choice of different booklet sizes, choose the page size that you would like. You will then need to give details about your printing choices.

To print from computer or another device you will need first to create a PDF file of your story while using Our Story; tap the print icon and then tap 'Send PDF'.

You will need to send a PDF version of the story to your computer by email or drop box (see Sharing above). Then print the PDF file in the usual way on your computer or other device.

You can create different sized booklets (full page pictures, half page pictures or quarter page pictures which some children really like). For a full sized booklet, you can print it in one-sided or double-sided and bind on the left hand-side.

For smaller booklets, you need to print them on one side of the page and cut along the horizontal dotted line.

Then fold the paper so the pictures are on the outside.

Put all the folded paper together and staple or bind the booklet on the left hand side.

You can print it in various formats and adjust the font and text orientation via settings (see below).

Text size and alignment can be altered by tapping on the settings icon (top right on opening page of the app). This allows you to stop video recordings and the use of headings. You can also alter the text size and alignment when playing or story or printing a PDF file.

Check that you have allowed the device to access your photographs and camera roll.

You may need to set the location Services to 'on'.

You can write as much text as you like, there is no restriction.

You can save up to 50 stories within the app, but remember these can be very big files.

Your audio can be as long as you like. However, remember that a long audio may take up a lot of memory on your device.

Exit the app, go to settings and switch off the support you do not need.

A previous iPad version of Our Story has been in use over a number of years and we needed to update the code. The version with the new code is called Our Story 2 and this is available for iPads and iPhones and for Android tablets and most Android smartphones.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Creating a New Story and Changing an Existing Story How do I create a completely new story?How do I change an existing story? Saving and Deleting a Story How do I save my story?What happens when I rename my story? How do I save my story on other devices?

# data[].attributes.headline
Immersive Reader Accessibility tool for pupils with reading difficulties and inbuilt multi-language support for EAL pupils

# data[].attributes.subject
Immersive Reader Accessibility tool for pupils with reading difficulties and inbuilt multi-language support for EAL pupils

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Microsoft Learning Tools are free tools that implement proven techniques to improve reading and writing for people regardless of their age or ability.

# data[].attributes.headline
SEN tools with Microsoft Education Support

# data[].attributes.subject
SEN tools with Microsoft Education Support

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Educator Center Overview - Microsoft Learn Educator Center

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Microsoft Learn for Educators takes the best of Microsoft Learn online learning paths and helps you to bring instructor-led training materials from Microsoft into your courses. This program provides members with access to Microsoft ready-to-teach curriculum and teaching materials aligned to industry-recognized Microsoft Certifications.

# data[].attributes.headline
Google Workspace for Education Set up and Tutorials

# data[].attributes.subject
Google Workspace for Education Set up and Tutorials

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
The following content has been circulated by Google Workspace for Education* and added to by our PDST Digital Technologies Advisors formerly known as GSuite for Education
Brief Description:

Google Workspace for Education is a suite of free* Google tools and services that are tailored for schools. It is available globally to all educational institutions that qualify. Google reserves the right to determine an organisation's eligibility for Google Workspace for Education.

With Google Workspace for Education, educators and learners can avail of cloud based services such as Google Docs, Google Classroom, Google Calendar, Google Meet, Gmail and more.

* Google Workspace for Education also has some paid for models available

Google for Education provides events and training for Irish schools, along with videos from their reference schools on this webpage: https://sites.google.com/chrome-school.com/uki/events-programmes/ireland

Google Educator Group (Ireland)

This group of educators provide webinars and support materials for schools using Google Workspace for Education products. Their website can be accessed here

Getting Started:

Setting up Google Workspace for Education in your school. If you don't have the expertise within your school to do the initial setup and you should contact your ICT service provider for help to set up your educational Platform. Check out the links below to help you get set-up.

Once you have signed up for Google Workspace for education, you will have access to the core applications for communication and collaboration.

Google offers a Getting Started with Google for Education 8-week training programme. Every week a bite-size training tutorial is sent directly to your inbox. Each lesson takes less than 15 minutes to complete and provides basic training videos to get you started with Google Workspace for Education. Visit here to sign up: https://teachercenter.withgoogle.com/gettingstarted

Google Digital Maturity Framework

As you take stock and assess where you and your school is at in terms of your digital maturity, consider using Google's helpful Digital Maturity Framework as part of your data gathering process.

Distance Learning Supports:

Google's Applied Digital Skills team created 4 new landing pages to help teachers and learners during the challenging Coronavirus situation:

Back to School 202 2: Start the school year by incorporating digital skills lessons in your class to jumpstart student engagement.

Teach from anywhere: Keep your students learning with these lessons to teach digital skills, even when you're not together.

Learn from anywhere: These lessons show you how to learn effectively using digital tools, from the comfort of your own home.

Work from anywhere: Use these lessons to learn digital skills that will keep you working efficiently, even when you can't communicate in person.

Google has created a hub called Teach from Home with information on:

Teaching remotely with video

Teaching remotely without video

Managing the virtual classroom

Making lessons accessible to all

Keeping students engaged

Keeping in touch with colleagues and other teachers

Tools for Distance Learning:

Google Classroom

Google Classroom is a free web service, developed by Google for schools, that aims to simplify creating, distributing, and grading assignments in a paperless way. The primary purpose of Google Classroom is to streamline the process of sharing files between teachers and students.
https://support.google.com/edu/classroom/answer/6020265?co=GENIE.Platform%3DDesktop&hl=en
What can you do with Classroom?

Create assignments for learners including content such as video, PDFs, Google Docs or Google Forms surveys

Share lesson materials and resources with learners

Reuse assignments, tests or other course content in future classes

View assignments, announcements and other resources on a class resource page

Draft assignments or announcements and schedule them to post on a later date

Use Google Calendar to track assignment due dates

Set permissions on whether students can make posts or comments (or mute individual students)

Set permissions on which teachers can create and manage classrooms, or which schools within a district can use Google Classroom

Google Meet

Google Meet is a video calling tool built in to Google Workspace for Education.

What can you do with Meet?

Easy to join video calls that can be initiated through Google Calendar, Gmail and Google Classroom.

Google Forms

Manage event registrations, create a quick opinion poll, and much more. With Google Forms, you can create and analyse surveys right in your mobile or web browser-no special software required. You get instant results as they come in. And, you can summarise survey results at a glance with charts and graphs.

Forms are among the internet's most versatile tools. Whether you need a contact form or a checkout page, a survey or a student directory, a form is all you need to easily gather that information. With Google Forms, it only takes a few minutes to make one for free.

Google Forms-along with Docs, Sheets, and Slides-is part of Google's online apps suite of tools to help you get more done in your browser for free. It's easy to use and one of the simplest ways to save data directly to a spreadsheet.

When you need to gather data for your spreadsheets, a form is your best friend. In this chapter, let's take an in-depth look at Google Forms' features, hidden tools, and add-ons to help you make the forms you need in minutes.

What can you do with Forms?
Create Quizzes in Google Forms https://edu.workbencheducation.com/cwists/preview/15779x
Google Docs

Google Docs brings your documents to life with smart editing and styling tools to help you easily format text and paragraphs. Choose from hundreds of fonts, add links, images, and drawings. All for free.

Word processing for teams

Create and edit text documents right in your browser-no dedicated software required. Multiple people can work at the same time, and every change is saved automatically.
Getting Started with Google Docs https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LLtqkw6o-UY
Google Drive

Google Drive is a free service from Google that allows you to store files online and access them anywhere using the cloud. Google Drive also gives you access to free web-based applications for creating documents, spreadsheets, presentations, and more. Google drive is th hub where all your content is automatically saved.

Distance Learning Strategies
Link to Distance Learning Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gslpx7Q8mhc
See below to see what aspects were discussed:

6:40 -- Opportunities for engagement using Hangouts Meet, Docs and Slides

12:35 -- Tips for chunking content into shorter segments

17:25 -- Integrating Hands-on Activities

19:25 -- Using Google Forms and Quizzes

21:45 -- Using Classroom discussions and Assignments

24:39 -- Extending Hangouts Meet

30:45 -- Incorporating Social Emotional Learning

36:15 -- Incorporating Project Based Learning

39:37 -- Sharing Recordings for Make-Up Work

41:35 -- Communicating with Families

44:45 -- Working with Teacher Unions

45:32 - Working with ELLs

48:45 -- Teacher Resources

50:30 -- Hangout Premium Features Extension

Supports and Tutorial links:
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLzyK2mZu28iSZcZdpBATvWSYdj0RhUUmH https://padlet.com/michellebrady/gsuiteforeducation https://www.blog.google/outreach-initiatives/education/distancelearning-covid19 https://edu.google.com/latest-news/covid-19-support-resources/?modal_active=none https://teachercenter.withgoogle.com/resources/general/details?key=ahpzfmd3ZWItZWR1LXRyYWluaW5nLWNlbnRlcnIcCxIPR2VuZXJhbFJlc291cmNlGICAqKzjo8cIDA https://www.blog.google/outreach-initiatives/education/covid19-chromebooks/ https://www.blog.google/outreach-initiatives/education/ Google Hangouts Meet - Enabling Recording - Watch Video
Webinars
Past webinars:
A range of previously screened webinars are available to watch on demand at educationonair.withgoogle.com

Creating a Google Classroom Webinar: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s4uUEJ78t-o

End of year platform tips
https://www.controlaltachieve.com/2019/05/classroom-cleanup.html https://support.google.com/edu/classroom/answer/6149813?hl=en&co=GENIE.Platform=Desktop https://support.google.com/edu/classroom/answer/7449476?hl=en&ref_topic=9049977 https://source.mpls.k12.mn.us/google-classroom-archive-or-delete-a-class https://www.backupify.com/blog/the-11-steps-to-take-before-you-delete-a-user-from-a-google-apps-domain
Social Media Links

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
The following content has been circulated by Google Workspace for Education* and added to by our PDST Digital Technologies Advisors formerly known as GSuite for Education Google Workspace for Education is a suite of free* Google tools and services that are tailored for schools. It is available globally to all educational institutions that qualify.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Digital Portfolios - Formative Assessment Resources

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Here are some sample formative assessment activities that can be used in conjunction with your digital platform. Click on any of the images and press ↓ to download.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Getting Started with Puppet Pals HD on iPad

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Digital Portfolios - Good Practice Videos

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Principal, Tomás Hayes explains how his school became involved in the Digital Portfolios Project and received sustained support from PDST Digital Technologies Advisor John Meegan. The staff collaboratively wrote their Digital Learning Plan and integrated their implementation plan for the Primary

# data[].attributes.headline
Google Classroom: assigning work and feedback via comments

# data[].attributes.subject
Google Classroom: assigning work and feedback via comments

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Google Classroom - Learning Intentions & Success Criteria

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Setting and correcting assignments in Google Classroom

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
By Med Kharbach, PhD |

Students with special needs can sometimes face challenging problems that disrupt their learning process which is why, as teachers and parents, we need to make sure we are equipped with the right pedagogical tools and strategies to help this group of learners thrive and shine.

In today's post I am sharing with you this collection of helpful resources that you can use to this very purpose: help kids and students with special needs overcome learning challenges and remove obstacles that might stand in their learning path.

This collection is a work in progress and I will be adding more resources and updating it regularly (last update was in July 6, 2022).

The initial version of this post contained a chart but I removed it because of the complaints I received from readers complaining that the chart does not render well on their mobile devices.

Currently, the list contains three main categories: Dyslexia apps, Autism apps, and apps for students who are blind or with low vision. If you have other suggestions to add to this list, share with us on social media.

1. Apps to help with dyslexia

These dyslexia apps offers different services including scanning tests to identify reading challenges for kids, interactive reading materials designed specifically for students with dyslexia and struggling readers, activities and games to help children with dyslexia develop key literacy skills, fun quizzes and exercises, and many more.

2. Apps to help with autism

These apps can help kids with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and other developmental challenges (e.g., Apraxia, Down Syndrome, Cerebral Palsy, etc) develop a number of key skills that cover areas related to communication, decision making, problem solving, emotional management, social interaction, language learning, logical and abstract thinking, creativity, hand-eye coordination, self-confidence, color and shape recognition, attentiveness and alertness, and many more.

3. Apps for The Visually Impaired

Here are some of the popular apps to use with kids and students (and anyone else for that matter) who are blind or with low vision.

The apps will not only enable them to navigate the world in a much more accessible way but will also provide them with extra pair of eyes to use to improve their learning.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Best iPad Apps for Students with Special Needs - Educators Technology

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Students with special needs can sometimes face challenging problems that disrupt their learning process which is why, as teachers and parents, we need to make sure we are equipped with the right pedagogical tools and strategies to help this group of learners thrive and shine.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Getting started guides Seesaw is a learning platform that can be used for Digital Portfolios. Click on the Getting Started button below to find quick reference guides to getting started with Seesaw. These guides are grade level specific, with ideas to deploy Seesaw to pupils of all ages.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Warning: the video of Jessica sharing her Jolly Phonics book is extremely cute!

This year my eldest daughter Jessica has moved into Foundation Stage 2 and her phonics journey has begun as she learns to read. It's been a real joy to help her develop her sounds and reinforce the great work being done in school following the excellent Jolly Phonics programme.

I decided that it'd be great to help develop her understanding of the phonics through the creation of digital content, so I introduced her to Book Creator.

Now remember, Jessica is only four, so I knew that she'd need a fair bit of support but I also knew that she'd end up with something amazing that she could truly be proud of. In fact, there were several reasons that I felt this would make a great project for Jess.

She would be creating rather than absorbing content which is proven to produce higher retention rates in students.

She would create something that she could refer back to and further reinforce her understanding.

She would get to create multimedia pieces of work to help her learn the phonics in a variety of ways.

We could collate work from other apps and work created physically within the ebook.

We could share it to family abroad easily.

Jess could begin to appreciate the difference between an ebook and a physical book.

And so, a couple of weeks back, we began to create her book. The project has been amazing and Jess has been absolutely loving it (as you can see from the video below!).

We even mailed it to her Nan during a FaceTime call (gotta love the new split screen on iOS 9) and she lit up when nan suddenly held up her iPhone and Jess saw her book was on the screen!

How we made the book

I'm going show you what we included on each page and highlight any additional apps used.

I've been trying to keep a balance between using apps and real world activities. So far we have covered the following sounds: s, a, t, i, p, n, c, e, h and m.

We collated some images of things beginning with 'S' from the web and I taught Jess how to record her voice and then add invisible sound buttons to make the images interactive in her book.

How to add audio hotspots

For 'T', Jess practised the letter formation with a pencil. We just took a photo of this and then she added an invisible sound button. With 'T' on my mind, I found myself thinking of T-T-Tellagami so Jess used this to record the Jolly Phonics tennis-themed song for this sound.

She's actually played around with Tellagami before so she was eager to include it. Finally we looked at blending in some counting and using the stamps in Doodle Buddy, she created her image of ten toucans, ten turtles and ten trees!

For the letter 'i', we animated Inky the Jolly Phonics mouse in Puppet Pals and Jess sang along. Then she used an inky app called Splatter! to write the word ink.

The third piece was done in WordFoto, where we collated a selection of words that begin with 'i'. Can't remember how she ended up choosing that giant coin image though!

The second one is from the awesome Elmer The Patchwork (hence the choice) Elephant app from TouchPress.

Finally we have the puffing out the candle video. Check out the Jolly Phonics song for 'P' to see why!

The first piece for 'N' is probably one of my favourites in the book so far - I recorded Jess as she demonstrated how to write the letter. She sounds just like a little teacher!

This is accompanied by some sketches of things that start with the letter 'N'. We used the Drawing Pad app for them.

After taking a picture of one of our cats for the 'C' page, Jess wrote the word directly into her book using the pen tool.

How to use the pen tool in Book Creator

Later that day we were at a mall and she started spotting the letter all over the place so I gave her my iPhone and she snapped the signs. These then went into Pic Collage Kids and aligned the photos to show only the 'C' of each.

The video shows her making castanets from bottle tops and a paper plate. When she sat down to do this, I had no idea what she was actually doing but she had done it at school earlier in the week to go with the song!

Then we painted the letter and some pictures across a huge roll of art paper. The panorama setting on my iPhone allowed me to capture the whole thing as one composite image.

Then we took a picture of The Hulk into ChatterPix and she did an impression.

The last page in the book so far is 'M'. We started outside, drawing the letter on the driveway with chalk. I took some videos and photos and edited them in iMovie.

Jess chose her own theme, titles and music by the way. After this it was off on another sound hunt and we collated the photos that she took directly in Book Creator.

Working with images and video in Book Creator

Read the finished book!

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Dad teaches his daughter phonics with Book Creator - Book Creator app

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Warning: the video of Jessica sharing her Jolly Phonics book is extremely cute! This year my eldest daughter Jessica has moved into Foundation Stage 2 and her phonics journey has begun as she learns to read. It's been a real joy to help her develop her sounds and reinforce the great work being done in school following the excellent Jolly Phonics programme.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Wordwall - Create better lessons quicker

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Need a fresh teaching resource that fits your class and teaching style? Create a customized pack of interactive and printable activities in just one minute.

# data[].attributes.headline
Demonstrating a skill e.g balancing/ jumping in PE by a video clip (active homework?)

# data[].attributes.subject
Demonstrating a skill e.g balancing/ jumping in PE by a video clip (active homework?)

# data[].attributes.body
https://youtu.be/SQBzEpWlh_4

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
One of the best, most effective tools for the classroom is anchor charts, although you won't find Anchor Charts 101 on most teacher training programs' syllabi. If you're new to teaching, you may have lots of questions about what anchor charts are, what purpose they serve, how to get started, and when to use them. So we've created this primer to help you out! Also included is a huge list of anchor chart roundups to use as a resource. Once you get started, we're pretty sure anchor charts are going to be one of your favorite go-to strategies.

What is an anchor chart?

An anchor chart is a tool used to support instruction (i.e., "anchor" the learning for students). As you teach a lesson, you create a chart, together with your students, that captures the most important content and relevant strategies. Anchor charts build a culture of literacy in the classroom by making thinking-both the teacher's and students'-visible.

How do I create anchor charts?

You really don't need any special materials or artistic skills-just chart paper and a colorful assortment of markers.

It's easy to incorporate anchor charts into your lesson plans. All it takes is a clear purpose and some pre-planning.

Typically, you will prepare the framework of your chart ahead of time, giving it a title, including the learning objective, and creating headers for the main points or strategies you want to highlight. It's very important not to create the entire poster ahead of time. They are best used as an interactive tool with students.

As you model a lesson or learning strategy and interact with your students through discussion, you fill in the blank spaces of the anchor chart. For an awesome tutorial, check out this blog and template from third grade teacher Michael Friermood.

After your chart is created, it can be displayed as needed-for a short unit, as a one-time reference tool, as something you continue to add to, or as something that stays up all year-like your classroom procedures or behavior expectations.

Posting the charts keeps relevant and current learning accessible to students, reminds them of prior learning, and enables them to make connections as new learning happens. Students can refer to them and use them as they think about the topic, question ideas, expand ideas, and/or contribute to discussions in class.

A few helpful tips:

Make them colorful and print-rich.

Use different colors and bullet points to help students discriminate between strategies and quickly access information.

Keep them simple and neat.

Use easy-to-read graphics and clear organization. Don't allow distracting, irrelevant details or stray marks, such as arrows or overemphatic use of underlining.

Draw simple pictures to complement the words.

The more ways students can access information about a subject, the better.

Don't overuse them.

While anchor charts are a super-useful tool, don't feel as if you need to create one for every single lesson. Choose carefully so the ones you create have the greatest impact.

Don't be afraid to borrow from others.

Teachers always get their best ideas from other teachers. If your teammate has already tackled a topic, use the same format. Just make sure you create your own version from scratch so your students experience the learning as you go. You'll find tons of examples at the links included below.

How do I use anchor charts in my classroom?

Now that you know the how, you may be wondering about the when and why. Here are a few ways to get the most bang for your buck.

Reach maximum engagement.

When students are involved in the process of creating learning tools, they are more likely to comprehend more deeply and remember more of what they learn. Anchor charts trigger connections with the initial lesson.

Bring lessons to life.

If you are studying a topic that lends itself particularly well to a visual aid, create an anchor chart! If you are studying plants, draw a giant flower and label all of the parts of it while you teach about it.

Support independent work.

Anchor charts provide students with a source to reference when working on their own. They support students and also save teachers from having to spend classroom time going over concepts multiple times.

Create a library of reference materials.

To help students keep information straight, you could create charts for each topic. For example, if you're teaching math concepts, you could create a chart for geometric shapes, the difference between perimeter and area, and how to multiply and divide fractions.

Reinforce classroom procedures.

Provide students with a visual to remind them of routines that make your classroom run smoothly. Some examples: how to use centers, how to line up, how to check books out of your classroom library.

Try them in shared writing.

Model how to write an introduction, the parts of a letter, and the proper use of grammar such as quotation marks, commas, etc.

Use them as a companion to read-alouds.

Create an anchor chart as you stop to make observations, ask questions, take note of story elements, or make predictions.

How can I use anchor charts to introduce new skills?

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.authors[].name
All posts by Elizabeth Mulvahill, B.A. Liberal Arts, Certified Teacher

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Anchor Charts 101: Why and How To Use Them

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Teachers are incorporating anchor charts into their teaching in all subject areas. But what exactly are they and what are they good for?

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Learning to identify and understand character traits, inside and out, can help readers improve their overall comprehension. When kids are young, character traits are often spelled out clearly in the text. As they progress to more advanced reading though, they'll need to learn to make inferences from dialogue and actions. Post these character traits anchor charts to help your students know what to look for as they read.

1. Inside and Outside

This inside/outside poster is one of the most popular character traits anchor charts out there. If you're not up for the artwork, grab a free printable here instead.

Source: Heidi Roberts/Pinterest

2. Actions and Dialogue

Remind students that they'll have to look deep into the text to learn about the characters, including analyzing what they say and do.

Learn more: Actions and Dialogue/ELA Anchor Charts

3. Emotions vs. Traits

It's important for kids to be able to separate emotions, which are temporary, from traits, which are ongoing. This chart provides two great questions students can ask themselves as they read.

Learn more: Teacher Trap

4. Says, Does, Thinks, Feels

If students keep in mind four things while they read-what characters think, do, say, and feel-they'll find it easier to tease out the traits of each one. This is a nice anchor chart for elementary students.

Learn more: Teaching With Simplicity

5. Feelings, Dialogue, Actions, Thoughts

Middle and high school students can benefit from character traits anchor charts too. We like the clean look and detailed examples on this one.

Learn more: Upper Elementary Snapshots

6. FAST

The FAST acronym is one more way to remember how to analyze a character's traits. Help your students make their own character traits anchor charts using this format for a book you're currently reading as a class.

Learn more: Smiles and Sunshine

7. Character Traits and Antonyms

If kids are having trouble finding the words they want for identifying more subtle traits, try this antonym chart. It's a good way to note that most characters are a mix of positive and negative traits too.

Learn more: Crafting Connections

8. Characters Can Change

As if character traits aren't complicated enough, many characters change and grow over time. Encourage students to be on the lookout for these developments as they read.

Learn more: Characters Can Change/ELA Anchor Charts

9. Characters Have Feelings Too

Although feelings and emotions are different than traits themselves, they can help us learn more about character details. For instance, if a character often feels happy when they share with others, one of their traits might be "generous."

Learn more: Miss DeCarbo

10. I Know This Because ...

It's vital that kids be able to give examples that demonstrate the traits they've identified. If they say a character is a strong leader, they should be able to point to places in the text where the character's actions back that up. This chart requires kids to give both traits and examples by filling in the blank, "I know that because ..."

Learn more: Around the Kampfire

11. Grow Ideas About a Character

For kids having trouble digging deeper into more complicated texts to identify traits, try this chart. It provides useful questions and prompts to help students think their way through the reading.

Learn more: Crafting Connections/Pinterest

12. Readers Workshop

We love the idea of having kids create their own character traits anchor charts during a readers workshop. Learn how one teacher does it at the link.

Learn more: Mrs. Patton's Class

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
12 Character Traits Anchor Charts for Elementary and Middle School

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Learning to identify and understand character traits, inside and out, can help readers improve their overall comprehension. When kids are young, character traits are often spelled out clearly in the text. As they progress to more advanced reading though, they'll need to learn to make inferences from dialogue and actions.

# data[].attributes.headline
Create interactive lesson resources for free

# data[].attributes.subject
Create interactive lesson resources for free

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Kahoot! | Learning games | Make learning awesome!

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Kahoot! is a game-based learning platform that brings engagement and fun to 1+ billion players every year at school, at work, and at home.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Storywizard.ai | Create incredible learning experiences using AI

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Storywizard reimagines the way children learn by harnessing the power of AI to create personalized and engaging educational experiences.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Make animated videos in minutes. With the help of simpleshow's AI-powered animation maker you can create explainer videos quickly and easily.