# data[].attributes.body
http://www.primaryresources.co.uk/

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Acclaim: Exploring the Lives of Leading Scientists | STEM

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Acclaim was a national programme to increase the public recognition and appreciation of the work of leading scientists in the UK. It was a collaboration between the Royal Society and the Centre for Science Education at Sheffield Hallam University, with support from the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council, the Medical Research Council and 4Learning.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Printable and Digital Teacher Resources | Twinkl USA

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Instantly access Twinkl’s printable and digital K-12 teaching resources, including worksheets, eBooks, games, PowerPoints, Google Slides, and more!

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Welcome to Instant Display Teaching Resources .A collection of free printable teaching resources.

Recent Additions to Instant Display

Alphabet Bunting

Instant Display Limited Registered Office: 25 Threadneedle Place, Atherton M46 0TW
Registered in England
Company Number 08080247

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Printable display materials for classrooms around the world. Teaching resources, posters, displays, information sets and worksheets to download and print.

# data[].attributes.body
Book link for growth mindset etc

# data[].attributes.body
https://nrich.maths.org/primary

# data[].attributes.body
A whole variety of inspirational films and ideas for creative writing. Also under development for SPAG content so keep checking back

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Welcome to The Literacy Shed - the home of visual literacy. Here at Literacy Shed we aim to provide teachers with high quality films and animations that can be used in the primary classroom to enhance the teaching of reading and writing. All of the films on the site we think are suitable for primary aged children although some films may not be suitable for younger children. We urge that teachers watch any films before showing them to children.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
A website for teachers filled with ideas for literacy teaching using visual resources such as film, animation, photographs and picture books.

# data[].attributes.body
A great website for definitions.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Online porn - hobby.porn! h25.io Instant Profits AI В казино Вавада регистрация открывает двери к миру азарта и больших выигрышей. Получите свой бонус и начните играть в любимые слоты уже сегодня! Стать частью онлайн-казино можно всего за несколько простых шагов. Vavada online работает 24/7. И любые сбои при регистрации или выводе средств решаются мгновенно. Лицензирование подтверждено официальными документами выданными Кюрасао.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
This grammar review site includes detailed terms, interactive exercises, handouts, PowerPoints, daily Twitter practice, videos, teacher resources, and more!

# data[].attributes.body
Resources for both primary key-stages.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Supporting primary school teaching | Barefoot Computing

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
DISCOVER how Barefoot Computing equips teachers with the confidence, knowledge, skills and resources to teach computer science in primary schools.

# data[].attributes.body
Approach to teaching the whole child & supporting the most vulnerable through their time at school

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
What is Thrive?

Thrive offers a trauma-informed, whole school or setting approach to improving the mental health and wellbeing of children and young people.

We do this by giving you access to DfE-accredited training and an award-winning profiling and action planning tool, Thrive-Online (TOL). Thrive's training courses and TOL help you to better understand the needs of your pupils, provide targeted support, and measure (then report on) your impact.

Ready to join the 75,000+ senior leaders and classroom staff boosting young people's self-awareness and resilience every day? You're in the right place.

Who we work with

Transitions are being managed effectively and children are settling quickly at Cullompton pre-school in Devon.

A complete non-attender is now accessing full time, mainstream education and choosing GCSE options at Birmingham's Fortis Academy.

Across all 3 key stages, Leed's Elland Academy has seen an 80% reduction in exclusions and an increase in attendance.

31 schools across Delta Trust are reaping the benefits of teaching social and emotional skills to children and young people.

Surrey County Council has committed to supporting its early y ears providers to give children the best possible start in education.

10 schools in Australasia have adopted Thrive to improve learning engagement and boost staff retention.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
The Thrive Approach to social and emotional wellbeing | The Thrive Approach

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Thrive® promotes positive mental health and emotional wellbeing in children and young people. We provide you with the tools and training so you know what to do and how to be with children and young people.

# data[].attributes.body
Username Wingers2018
design quizzes to be played with whole class at school or online at home. Completely customisable.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Join a game of kahoot here. Kahoot! is a free game-based learning platform that makes it fun to learn – any subject, in any language, on any device, for all ages!

# data[].attributes.body
Creativity for the unconfident!

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Storybird - Read, write, discover, and share the books you'll always remember.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Become a better writer with Storybird's creativity tools. Online courses, challenges, and reader feedback will help you improve your writing.

# data[].attributes.body
Programming & Coding

# 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.body
Fantastic quick reference source when you get caught short in the classroom.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.keywords[]
designed / suitable for national curriculum

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.keywords[]
education / teaching methods & materials / mathematics

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Help Your Kids with Maths is the perfect guide for every frustrated parent and struggling child, who wants to understand maths and put it into practise. Includes a glossary of key maths terms and symbols.

# data[].attributes.headline
Carol Vorderman Help your kids with SPAG

# data[].attributes.subject
Carol Vorderman Help your kids with SPAG

# data[].attributes.body
Good reference book for term

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.keywords[]
help your kids with spelling and grammar by carol vorderman

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Help Your Kids With Spelling And Grammar By Carol Vorderman

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Buy Help Your Kids With Spelling And Grammar By Carol Vorderman by (ISBN: ) from Amazon's Book Store. Everyday low prices and free delivery on eligible orders.

# data[].attributes.body
Possible route straight to teaching alongside my final degree year

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Straight to Teaching | QTS course | Tes Institute

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Get QTS without leaving your position at your school, with Straight to Teaching. A unique programme for quick transition into fully qualified teaching.

# data[].attributes.headline
The teaching of science in primary schools 7th edn Harlen & Qualter

# data[].attributes.subject
The teaching of science in primary schools 7th edn Harlen & Qualter

# data[].attributes.body
Everything you wanted to know about primary science but were afraid to ask. (7th edn.) Harlen & Qualter

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
BBC - Schools Ages 4-11 - Science Topics

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
List of science topics for 4-11 year old students, including games and activities and resources for teaches and parents.

# data[].attributes.body
make you own mini-movies. Really easy & intuitive to use.
Username sch email

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Powtoon | Create Awesome Videos Yourself

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Powtoon gives you everything you need to easily make professional videos and presentations that your clients, colleagues, and friends will love! No design or tech skills are necessary - it's free, easy, and awesome!

# data[].attributes.body
A source of inspiration for eco-conscious science lessons.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
As with all good scientific investigations, eco-monitoring projects need to start with a question. This can come by asking children to look around their classroom, school and local community for environmental problems. Perhaps it gets too hot (or too cold) in the classroom at different times of the year. Maybe the teacher always puts the lights on or the data projector seems to be producing a lot of heat. Perhaps there isn't much protection from the sun in the playground, or it's near a busy road which produces noise and fumes. Is there a problem when parents drop children by car in the mornings or pick them up after school. All of these issues can be turned into questions which involve measuring something using a datalogger.

On the right is a list of questions investigated by children in the Bath and Hillingdon Eco-monitoring projects, with links to what they found out.

Is there too much carbon dioxide in our classroom?

Video of the children's photo-story

Y5 pupils at Bathwick St Mary Primary School in Bath decided to monitor carbon dioxide levels in their classroom at different times of day. They found that levels in the late morning rose to around 1600 ppm, well above the recommended level of 1000 ppm, which they decided was leading them to feel sleepy and lose concentration! Next, their eco-governor came to help them investigate possible changes they could make to reduce the build-up of CO2 levels. These included leaving doors and windows open, installing sucking and blowing fans, and thinking about portable air conditioning. At the presentation day, pupil questions raised the issue that, whilst effective, some of these solutions actually risked causing heat pollution in the outside atmosphere.

The children presented their findings as a photo-story (see right).
The teacher's project plan
How can we make our classroom cooler?

Many classrooms overheat in the summer. At St Anne's Primary School near Bristol, children wondered whether it made a difference to leave the door open (see graph on right):

'Our results show that in class 1/2J the temperature changed most so they must be the warmest classroom, because the heat from the classes beside it travels through the walls and warms up the class. 5/6SB was the coldest classroom because she didn't have the blinds open and the lights were turned off. The best class to be in in the summer is 5/6L because it was the coldest with the door open.'

At Hayes Park Primary School in Hillingdon children wondered whether the classrooms with air conditioning units would be cooler than those with fans. They measured the temperature at different points in each room. They found that there was a small temperature difference, but wondered whether it was sufficient to justify the extra cost and environmental impact of the air-con.

Do we really need the lights on?

Data from the light experiment

At St Bernadette's Primary School, Hillingdon, children discussed how they could use dataloggers to answer this question. They decided that the most important data would be the difference between the light levels with the lights on and off. If there was a great difference, perhaps the lights were needed. They found that some locations around the school needed artificial light for safety or to enable children to see their work clearly, but that others didn't.

In Hayes Park Primary, some rooms have sensors that automatically switch lights off when there is no movement in the classroom. Children wondered whether these really helped to save light. So they used dataloggers to measure light levels in classrooms with the different types of lights for thee days. They predicted that the light-sensor classrooms would have lower overall light levels than those with switches. Their findings were surprising:

'In the year 1 classes the light levels for the switch lights are lower than the sensor lights but in the year 6 classes it is the opposite. We think that the reasons why the year 6 classes are the opposite to year 1 classes results because in 6P (the class without sensors) it is in constant use, more than the other classes, as the majority of the house captains are in 6P. We have learnt that (though the evidence is not clear) lights that are activated through sensors don't always save energy (which is what they are designed to do).'

How polluted are the roads around our school?

At Holy Trinity Primary School in Hillingdon, children in the eco-club monitored carbon monoxide levels in the roads near the school at different times during the day.

The eco-monitoring team at Batheaston Primary School monitored temperature, carbon monoxide and carbon dioxide levels around the City of Bath. They planned to integrate several curriculum areas waithin the project:

Science: Gases around us

ICT: Environmental monitoring

ICT: Graphical modelling

English: Persuasive writing

Maths: Data handling

Geography: Use of maps

History: Changes in our local area

Art: Representing atmosphere and weather

Music: Creating a soundscape

Citizenship: Identify and discuss items in the news

Pupils planned the route and decided which data to collect - sound, temperature, carbon monoxide and carbon dioxide levels. Back in school, pupils researched background information on carbon monoxide and dioxide and their impacts on the environment; produced a book of photographs, data collected and interpretation; and produced posters to persuade fellow pupils and parents to reduce emissions.
Child's illustrated map of the pollution walk
How polluting are the teachers' cars?

Video of the teachers' car emissions enquiry

Children at St Bernadette's Primary School used the carbon monoxide monitor to measure the emissions coming out of teachers' cars. They predicted that:

Bigger cars would produce more carbon monoxide emissions.

Older cars would produce more carbon monoxide emissions.

They were surprised by their results. Larger engines seemed to produce more CO2 but age didn't seem to affect it.

How can we save energy in our school?

Children at Bishop Sutton Primary School near Bristol decided to mount a 'Powerdown' campaign - monitoring light and temperature levels around the school before and after a whole-school initiative to switch off unnecessary lights and electrical equipment. They produced a range of promotional posters and led an assembly to raise awareness amongst other pupils in the school. They also monitored the school's electricity usage and calculated the savings made. They shared their findings online at www.participateschools.co.uk by producing electronic posters.
View the electricity usage chart View the electronic posters
Children at Fromebank Junior School, Bristol, used maps of the school to plot areas to monitor, and timetabled the best times to record data, in small 'eco-teams'. Pupils then took photographs of appliances which were likely to produce light and heat pollution, designed and made posters and stickers to remind staff and other children to turn off lights and shut doors.

The pupils monitored light and temperature levels for another week, then compared the data from week 1 to week 2, noting a considerable reduction in energy use and corresponding changes in light and temperature levels. As a result of this project the school now has weekly eco-awards in during the 'Achievement Assembly', and Y5 pupils made suggestions to school council on how to make further energy savings.

How can we reduce noise pollution around the school?

Children measuring noise levels

At Christ Church Primay school in Hanham, near Bristol, Y5 pupils decided to monitor sound levels around the school, implementing changes to reduce sound pollution. They made predictions that Reception class would be noisy all day, whilst other classrooms would have highest sound levels when children were entering or leaving. Y6 they predicted would be quiet all day because of SATs revision! These predictions were largely confirmed by analysing the resulting line graphs, and children began to appreciate the value of dataloggers in producing graphs over a period of time which could 'tell a story'.

Children at Longwell Green Primary School near Bristol started their eco-monitoring project by making 'emotion' maps of the school, shading areas which they felt more or less comfortable with. They wondered whether these feelings were related to the ambient noise levels in different parts of the school. They planned a route for the data logging, making sure they walked past or through some of the main noisy and quiet areas. They walked the route five times at different times of day in order to see whether there were any differences. Children noticed that the classes that are closest to the playground or walk through corridors seem to be disturbed the most. They proposed the following solutions:

Have class corridor monitors that wear a sash and encourage people to be quiet in the corridor and tell the teacher anyone who isn't.

Remind children to walk quietly to and from the hall. The monitors could stand at the front and back of the line.

Teachers collect the children from KS2 assembly.

Cone off areas near KS2 classrooms to stop KS1 children banging on the classroom windows and playing near the classrooms where children are working.

Make posters for problem areas.

Data examples
Are playgrounds close to the road more polluted?

At St Philip's Primary School, Bath, children put one datalogger in the junior playground and one in the infant playground with a carbon monoxide sensor, for a whole school day. From the resulting graphs, they concluded that there was more carbon monoxide in the infant playground because it is next to the road, whilst there was no carbon monoxide in the junior playground from 10-11.30am because the playground is away from the road. The highest level was recorded at the end of the school day in the infant playground because lots of cars were coming to collect children from school.

What is the best habitat for pond creatures?

Using a temperature sensor

Y5 children at Cherry Gardens Primary School, South Gloucestershire, decided to link their school project to work in a local environmental education centre - Willsbridge Mill. At the request of staff at Willsbridge, they monitored the temperature at different depths in several local ponds - looking at effect of position, vegetation and depth of water on wildlife diversity.

Their visits also included monitoring a number of other environmental indicators around the site. The children drew a number of conclusions about the best habitats for wildlife within the Willsbridge ponds and wider site, making some recommendations for management of the environment.

See right for a video of presentation of pond project at children's science conference.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
As with all good scientific investigations, eco-monitoring projects need to start with a question. This can come by asking children to look around their classroom, school and local community for environmental problems. Perhaps it gets too hot (or too cold) in the classroom at different times of the year.

# data[].attributes.body
username -OU identifier
p/word- baby girl 01

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Home : iSpot Nature - Your place to share nature. iSpot is a website aimed at helping anyone identify anything in nature. Once you've registered, you can add an observation to the website and suggest an identification yourself or see if anyone else can identify it for you.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Home : iSpot Nature - Your place to share nature. iSpot is a website aimed at helping anyone identify anything in nature. Once you’ve registered, you can add an observation to the website and suggest an identification yourself or see if anyone else can identify it for you.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Most educators who learn to use Twitter effectively say they learn more from their personal learning network (PLN) on Twitter than they've achieved from any other forms of professional development or personal learning.

Unfortunately educators often dismiss Twitter, or fail to see the value of Twitter, when they're first introduced to Twitter.

Our aim of this post is to provide all the information you need to learn how to use Twitter effectively as an educator.

We regularly update this post with new information. This post was last updated June, 2014.

Click on a link below to go to the section you want to read:

1. About the Twitter-a-holic's Ultimate Guide

2. Introduction to Twitter

3. Signing up for your account

4. What to do before following other people

5. Tips on choosing who to follow

6. Tips for engaging in twitter conversations

7. Introduction to Twitter terminology

8. Protected vs Private Twitter accounts

9. Getting more out of twitter using Twitter Clients

10. Getting Started with TweetDeck

11. Using the Twitter app on your mobile device

12. Posting links when composing tweets

13. Connecting with others using Hashtags

14. Tips for using Hashtags

15. Participating in Twitter Chats

16. How to create and use Twitter lists

17. How to Schedule tweets

18. How to embed Tweets

19. Customize your profile

20. What to do if your twitter account is hacked.

21. Keeping up with links shared on Twitter

22. Getting more out of Twitter with Twitter Tools

23. Using Twitter with students

About the Twitter-a-holic's Ultimate Guide

The original Twitter-a-holic's Guide was published in July, 2010 when I'd just returned from attending a large conference overseas and realized that while a conference can make you feel really overwhelmed and alone - especially amongst the 13,000 ed tech professionals participants who attend it each year - I never felt alone.

Why?

Because for Twitterers conferences are like walking into a big party where you know everyone and are meeting up with old friends.

So I decided to share advice on using twitter to help others since I've been using Twitter since March 2007 and wrote the post with assistance from my twitter network and readers comments - thanks everyone who helped!

For those who have heard of twitter and have dismissed it thinking '"Twitter is for people with too much time on their hands" - think again!

Educators are connecting with each other on Twitter and using it like a lunch room that's open 24/7 whenever they need help, assistance or just want to connect with others.

The post you are currently reading is an updated version of the original post which I published in 2012. We've now redirect all traffic from the original post to this post; and regularly update this post. This post was last updated June, 2014.

Introduction to Twitter

Twitter is an online social network and micro-blogging service that enables users to send and read tweets on their computer and mobile devices, in the form of text messages limited to 140 characters.

Common misconceptions are that twitter is: for celebrities, sports stars and journalists: like posting an update to Facebook; or like an email where you need to read everything.

Twitter is about connecting with others as part of a global community who will help you with your learning, improving your lessons, helping your students connect with other students and content experts.

Watch this video to learn how Twitter is used effectively in education.

Signing up for your account

1. Go to Twitter and create your account.

2. Remember first impressions count! Choose your username and an avatar carefully

3. Choose a username that makes it easier for others to relate to you as a real person and conveys the right impression of who you are. e.g. Compare spwat3 with suewaters - which is easier?

4. But don't stress too much - your username can be changed anytime without affecting your twitter account by editing your profile information.

5. When you initially sign up for Twitter it takes you through a series of steps where you can select people to follow. DON'T follow anyone when you first create your account.

6. You need to scroll to the bottom of the page and click "Skip this Step" until you get to your main Twitter page as it is important to set up your profile information and post a few tweets before you follow anyone.

Watch this video on how to sign up for your account.

Before you start following other people

1. Complete your bio and add your blog/website URL (if applicable) - people use this information to decide whether they follow you. Focus on providing information that helps others work out if you have similar interests/background.

2. Upload your twitter profile picture - people are less likely follow those using the default avatar as it's common for a spammer to use a default avatar.

3. Don't start following people on twitter until you've published some tweets! Most people won't follow a person who hasn't updated.

Watch this video on how to upload your profile image, twitter header and edit your twitter profile.

http://youtu.be/ZkP8riJvau8

Watch this video to learn how to post your first tweet.

http://youtu.be/nRjL3RK7QOE

Back to Top

Tips on who to follow

1. Choose about 100 people to follow initially. You can always add more as you go and this helps you not feel overwhelmed when starting out.

2. Find people to follow who have similar interests or with blogs you like who either share great info and links or who willingly engage in conversations.

3. Follow a few people you know and follow who they follow. Look at who they chat with or check their Following list.

4. Find a twitter mentor who will help and guide you. Get them to ask their followers to add you.

5. You can always ask me to help by sending an @suewaters tweet. Make sure when people do start adding you that add them back quickly and thank them for adding you to their account!!!

6. Don't just follow anyone - follow those who have the same interests and who you like.

7. Remember following does not have to be forever - you can regularly update/change who you follow to suit your needs.

8. Think about how you want to use it - to follow latest news? to follow other educators? to share what you know? to connect with others?

9. Check out the Edublog Awards Best Individual Tweeter 2013 list to find educators others recommend following!

10. Participate or check out the different weekly hashtag conversations. They are a great way to find new people to follow (refer to hashtag information below).

11. Check out new followers before following. Look at their bio, how many they are following, how many follow them and their latest tweets. This information helps you work out if they are the type of people you like to follow.

Watch this video to learn how to follow people.

Tips for engaging in the conversation

Twitter is very similar to a face to face conversation. Think of Twitter as a conversation with work colleagues in the lunch room. A mixture of small talk, relationship building, helping others, getting help and sharing is just as important on Twitter as it is in the lunch room.

1. Be patient. It takes time to build your Twitter network.

2. Use it everyday for four weeks, even if only for 5 minutes per day. Some people find that setting a goal of 15 minutes a day for the first few months helps.

3. Remember twitter is a two way conversation - you need to answer as much as you ask but most importantly share, share, share.

4. Participate and say something, anything. Don't always expect people to always answer. It does depend on how many you follow and what you're asking.

5. Get involved in the conversation. Don't be afraid to reply and if you don't get a response back, don't be offended. It happens - you'll soon see those that do/don't engage in conversations

6. Learn the twitter language and how to use it well i.e. @, DM, #, hashtags, RT

7. Use a twitter client where possible and not the web interface.

8. Avoid using up all 140 characters as it makes Retweeting harder

9. Remember online is forever. If you didn't want it online don't say it in the first place.

10. It's extremely easy for others to misinterpret your written text. Remember this!

11. Think about how what you say reflects on how people visualise you.

12. Educators love following people who share great links since it saves them time. Steven W Anderson's (@web2classroom) is a great example of this type of Twitterer.

Watch this video to learn how to reply, retweet and engage in Twitter conversations.

Intro to Twitter language
Handle @reply and mentions

an @reply is used when a person is having a conversation with another twitterer. An @reply starts with the @username of the person who the tweet is directed at.

You'll only see @replies between two people if you follow both twitterers or you are looking at another person's tweet timeline.

Mentions is any Twitter update that contains "@username" anywhere in the body of a tweet. For example, you use @username within a tweet when referring to specific twitter users. All your twitter followers are alerted to tweets including @username provided the @username isn't placed at the start of the tweet and the person who you mention isn't using a protected Twitter account.

Your @replies and mentions are located under Mentions on the Notification page.
DM (also known as Direct Message)

Direct messages are private messages sent from one Twitterer to another. They can't be seen by other users.

You can only send a direct message to a person who follows you and they can only reply to your direct message if you also follow them.

It's bad twitter etiquette to send a direct message to someone that follows you that you don't follow back - they can feel uncomfortable asking you to follow them when you initiated the direct message.

Direct messages are accessed by clicking on the envelope icon in the top right navigation bar via the web or on the Twitter app on your mobile device.

Any word starting with the "#" hash (pound) symbol is known as a hash tag.

Hash tags make it easier to search and follow the twitter conversations on specific topics.

Read more about connecting with others using hashtags here.

RT (also known as a Retweet)

Any tweet starting with "RT" means someone is re-tweeting some one else's tweet.

Retweets are used to quickly share tweets by someone else that might contain links, news or anything you think your twitter followers will find interesting.

Retweeting is an important way twitterers share information across the Internet.

You won't always see "RT" at the start of a retweet as it does depend on what twitter client you are using. Some clients enclose the Tweet in quotes while other clients may add via and the original twitterer's username at the end of the tweet.

If you are a blogger than it's important to add a Retweet option to your blog posts, such as AddThis Social Share or Share Options, as Twitter is an essential way people now learn about posts worth reading.
MT (also known as a modified tweet)

Any tweet starting with "MT" means someone is re-tweeting some one else's tweet but have modified the tweet. A re-tweet might be modified to make the tweet fit into the 140 characters or to add your extra thoughts to the conversation.

Used to quickly share tweets by someone else that might contain links, news or anything you think your twitter followers will find interesting while making your followers aware that you have modified the tweet.

Retweets and modified retweets are an important way twitterers share information across the Internet.

Favorite

Favorites are represented by a small star icon next to the tweet and are normally used when a twitterer wants to save (refer) to a tweet later.

When you favorite a tweet the original person who posted the tweet is notified that you like their tweet.

You access the tweets you have favorited by clicking on Me in the top right navigation bar via the web or on your Twitter app on your mobile device and clicking on Favorites.

Search (Discover)

Learning how to search twitter well is a key skill for getting the most out of Twitter.

You can search for any person, keyword, hashtag etc using the search box in the admin bar via the we or use the # Discover section.

The # Discover section is all about discovering new content. Here you'll find curated tweets from people who you don't follow and can search for content. When geolocation is activated (Settings > Account) you'll also see curated tweets from what going on near you in real time.

Try it out for yourself! Next time there's an important news story locally or globally go to the # Discover section add the name of the location or event and check out the latest tweets as it is being reported.

Notifications and Mentions

The Notifications tab offers a simple way to see how others on Twitter are interacting with you.

Just click on Notifications in the top left navigation bar via the web or on the Twitter app on your mobile device. and you see all tweets directed to you (@replies and mentions), new followers. your Tweets that have been favorited by other users and any twitter lists you've been added to.

Click on the Mentions tab on the Notifications page if you only want to see your @replies and mentions.

Public vs Protected Accounts

By default, when you sign up for Twitter your account is public and any one can see your tweets.

Some twitter users prefer to use Protected twitter accounts where their updates are kept private - where only approved followers can see their tweet updates. You change your privacy options in Settings > Security and Privacy.

If you choose to use a Protected Twitter account then you need to understand there are people who won't follow some one who uses a protected twitter account.

For those who won't follow protected twitter accounts it is important to understand there are numerous reasons why an educator use protected account and it might not be related to concerns of posting an inappropriate tweet.

It is also important to be aware that if you tweet to several people in the same tweet, and one person has a protected account, the other people won't see your tweet if they aren't being followed by the protected Twitter user's account.

Getting more out of Twitter Using Twitter Clients

A twitter client is a MUST as they provide instant notification of the latest updates and easy response to the tweets.

Which Twitter client you use is personal.
The most commonly used Twitter clients are:
TweetDeck and Hootsuite are popular because of their ability to add extra columns makes it easy to filter and keep up with conversations using the columns. You can sign into TweetDeck and Hootsuite using your web browser.

I personally prefer using the desktop version of TweetDeck.

Getting Started with TweetDeck

TweetDeck is one of the most popular desktopTwitter client because it's ability to add extra columns makes it easy to filter and keep up with conversations using the columns.

The other benefits of TweetDeck is it allows you to manage multiple Twitter and Facebook accounts, using your TweetDeck account, and synchronize your configuration when you use TweetDeck on different computers and mobile devices. No need to reset up your columns of @, searches, inbox, hashtags, lists and so on again!
To get started with TweetDeck you just need to:
1. Go to http://tweetdeck.twitter.com/ or install the desktop version of TweetDeck.

2. Launch TweetDeck and sign in with your Twitter account.

Use a twitter account that isn't shared with other people.

Once you have signed in, you can connect multiple Twitter accounts to your TweetDeck account.

3. Below is a summary of the main features of TweetDeck.

Summary of TweetDeck menu:

4. Just click Compose a tweet icon to write your tweet.

5 Here's a quick overview of what each icon on a tweet does.

Clicking on the More icon reveals other options.

6. You can move a column, customize, change alerts and delete columns by click on the down down arrow on a column.

Watch this video to learn how to use TweetDeck.

Getting started with the Twitter app

There are a wide range of Twitter apps you can use on your mobile devices however the most commonly used is Twitter's own Twitter app ( iOS | Android ).

Refer to the following video tutorials to learn how to use the Twitter app. I was unable to find any good video tutorials for Androids and I recommend you watch the video tutorials for iOS devices as the Android Twitter app version is very similar to the iOS version.

Watch this video to learn how to use the Twitter app on your iPhone.

Watch this video to learn how to use the Twitter app on your iPad.

How to Post Links

It's common to see links posted on Twitter appear as shortened links because it makes it easier to include a URL within the 140 character Twitter limit.

Previously if you wanted shortened a link when writing a tweet on the Twitter.com web interface you had to use a URL shortening services, such as tinyurl.com and bit.ly, and then paste the shortened link into the tweet box on Twitter.com.

Twitter has now introduced automatic link shortening which means you no longer need to use a third party service to shorten your links. All links posted into the compose box on Twitter.com, TweetDeck and their mobile Twitter apps are automatically shortened.

Please note some twitter clients automatically shorten links for you using services such as bit.ly.

While you can continue to use another URL shortening service the benefits of using Twitter's automatic link shortening include:

1. It's quicker.

2. Unlike other URL shorteners, Twitter's shortener, t.co, creates a link that is a shortened version of the original link and includes the full domain name so your followers will know the site they are going to when they click the link.

3. Shortened links are a common method used to hacked Twitter accounts . URLs converted by Twitter's link service are checked against potentially dangerous sites - this is designed to help protect users from malicious, phishing and offensive links.

Connecting using Hashtags

A hashtag is any word on twitter that starts with the "#" hash (pound) sign.

Hash tags make it easier to search and follow the twitter conversations on specific topics.

How it works is everyone agrees to use a standard hash tag in their tweets when they tweet about a specific topic. Then you set up a search for that hashtag using your twitter client, or use twitter search tools such as Twitter Search, Twitterfall or Tagboard to track the conversation.

Hashtags are also commonly used at conferences to share thoughts on presentations, organize meet ups and coordinate after parties. For example, the hashtag used at ISTE 2013 conference was #iste13
Here are some of the commonly used educational hashtags:

1. #arted - art education

2. #Comments4Kids- used by educators to tweet student posts that deserves to be commented on such as a post that is awesome or student that needs encouragement (learn more about Comment4 kids here)

3. #earlyed - Early education

4. #edchat - used for discussions between educators on thought provoking topics. You can read more about #edchat here

5. #ELTchat-used for discussions between EFT educators on thought provoking topics.

6. #lrnchat - -used for discussions between educators interested the topic of learning (learn more about #lnrchat here)

7. #edcamp- Edcamp are educator unconferences and #edcamp (or variations of #edcamp with the conference) is the hashtag used for them Here's where you can learn more about Edcamp.

8. #ukedchat - ukedchat is a more UK-educator friendly version of the very popular twitter discussion #edchat.

9. #cpchat -where Principals can go to connect on Twitter and have an ongoing conversation with other Principals (learn more here).

10. #d5chat - daily 5 hash tag

11. #ebshare - Edublogs Twitter hashtag for sharing good links and for educators to tweet links at Edublogs so we can share them with our community

12. #edchatie - Irish freiendly version of #edchat (learn more here).

13. #edtech - general hash tag used for posting about technology related resources for the classroom and education.

14. #educationation - created by NBC last summer ti highlight their series on reports on Education in the USA.

15. #educoach - for instructional coaches/leaders.

16. #eduit - Blends the educational side of technology with the technical side.

17. #elemchat -To provide elementary (or primary) school educators a venue for discussing issues and strategies that are specific to teaching in the elementary school context (learn more here).

18. #ellchat - repository of ideas for teaching English language learners (learn more here).

19. #eltpics - used by EFL educators to tweet images that they upload, tag and make available on Flickr to share their diversity

20. #engchat - English freiendly version of #edchat (learn more here).

21. #followfriday or #ff - used by Twitterers on Friday to recommend people worth following.

22. #kinderchat - for those working with small children (learn more here)

23. #lmchat - For those interested in the topic of learning from one another and who want to discuss how to help other people learn in formal, informal, social and mobile ways (learn more here).

24. #mlearning - for conversations on mobile learning.

25. #musedchat - for music education (see more here).

26. #pegeeks - for health and physical education.

27. #pencilchat - amusing and thought provoking parody about ICT use in schools.

28. #playoutdoors

29. #scichat - for science educators (see more here).

30. #slpeeps - for speech language pathologists and students (learn more about #slpeeps here).

31. #spedchat - for special education (see more here).

32. #tlchat - for school librarian community (see more here).

33. #teachertuesday - used on Tuesdays to recommend educators worth following

34. #ukfechat - for UK educators interested in further education discussions (see more here).

35. #yourmatter - Created by @AngelaMaiers to talk about how we are all wonderful in our own ways.

For more hashtags used in education refer to:
Tips for using Hashtags

Do not place hashtags in front of keywords in your tweet for no real reason

Hastags are for referencing events, news, software, or memes, not for random words

Commonly used hashtags such as #edchat are great for finding new people and conversations you would never have discovered otherwise

Excessive overuse of hashtags can make you look like a twitter spammer

Most twitters don't mind hashtags when used for specific things such as conferences, events, groups but can get annoyed with excessive use of silly hashtags like #thingsthatannoyme

Always check the hashtag you're planning to use by searching Twitter Search to make sure it isn't already being used for another purpose

Set up a search for hash tags using your twitter client to make it easier to engage in the conversations

Learning how to use hashtags well, and who you follow, are key skills for getting the most out of Twitter.
Monitoring hashtags using TweetDeck columns is as easy as:
1. Add your hashtag term to the search box in TweetDeck and press Enter.

2. When the search window loads click on Add Column.

3. Your search column will load in TweetDeck and all tweets using that hashtag will be updated as they're tweeted.

Participating in Twitter Chats

Twitter chats are where educators meet at a set 'meeting time' to engage in conversations by sending out tweets on a topic using a designated hashtag during a specific time on a certain day.

During the twitter chat you'll see educators tweet their responses in real time. The best way to participate in a Twitter chat is to set up twitter search for the hashtag in TweetDeck, Hootsuite or in the Twitter app on your mobile device.

You'll find our detailed step by step guide to participating in Twitter chats here.
Popular Twitter Chats are:

#edchat - normally takes place on Tuesdays around 12 PM EST (USA) and 7 PM EST (USA). Learn more here.

#edchatie - Irish friendly version of #edchat (learn more here). Takes place every Monday night 8.30-9.30 PM (GMT).

#engchat - English freiendly version of #edchat (learn more here). Takes place every Monday at 7-8 PM EST (GMT).

#kinderchat - for those working with small children (learn more here). Takes place on Mondays 9.00 PM EST (USA) and 8:30 PM EST (USA).

#lmchat - For those interested in the topic of learning from one another and who want to discuss how to help other people learn in formal, informal, social and mobile ways (learn more here). Takes place Thursdays at 8:30-9:30 PM EST (USA)

#spedchat - for special education (see more here). Takes place on Tuesdays from 9:00-10:00 PM EST (USA).

#ukfechat - for UK educators interested in further education discussions (see more here). Takes place on Thursdays 9:00-10:00 PM (GMT).

You'll find a complete list of weekly Twitter Chats here.

Watch this video on How to participate in a Twitter Chat.

This is a 'must watch' video for any one who wants to host a Twitter chat because Vicki Davis shows examples of schedule tweets she has set up in HootSuite to help participants (you'll see these examples at 2:25 minutes into the video). HootSuite works very similar to TweetDeck.

Learn how to schedule Tweets for a Twitter chat here.

How to create and use Twitter Lists

A great aspect of twitter is you can organize other twitter users into groups called 'lists'. When you view a list, you'll see a twitter stream of all the users that are included in that group.

The benefits of twitter lists include:
# 1 They help you organize who you're following
Lists let you organize your followers into different groups of people and/or areas of interest. Instead trying listen to what all your twitter followers are saying; you can focus on the key conversations by the main people whose tweets you want to read.

This reduces the noise created when you're following lots of users; saving you time, makes your life easier and lets you quickly connect with those you most want to interact with.

Twitter clients and the Twitter.com web interface are designed to let you quickly check your twitter lists.
#2 They help other twitter users
Twitter lists can be public or private. A public twitter list can be viewed by anyone and other twitter users can quickly follow your list or choose people from your list to follow.

A private list and who is on that list can only be viewed by you.

Public list also highlights who other twitter users recommend as worth following. If you look at a user's profile in TweetDeck it displays the number of lists a user has been added to.

Twitter lists are handy if you're running a workshop on using Twitter, or want to encourage your students to follow specific twitter users. It's as simple as creating the list and then getting them to either follow the list or the users on the list.

Tips:

You don't need to be following some one to add them to a list.

Subscribing to someone's list doesn't mean you now following all users on that list. You'll just see the tweets from users when you view that list. You need to click follow next a user if you want to follow them to have their tweets appear in your twitter timeline.

Creating a list in Tweetdeck as simple as:
1. Click on the Lists icon in Tweetdeck.

2. Click on Create a list.

3. Add the name of your list, a short description (optional) and choose if it is public or private (only you can see a private list).

4. Click Save.

5. Add / remove users to / from your list by selecting 'Add or remove from list' under the More Link under a tweet.

Or using the 'Add or remove from list' option on a user's profile page.

You find users to add by:

searching for them

using their profile page

looking through your follower / following list or other twitter users follower / following list

adding them as you see their tweet.

6. Now just select which list to add them to and click Done.

Subscribing to someone else's twitter list via the web interface is as simple as:

1. Click on the person's List tab located under More on their profile page.

2. Click on the list you would like to subscribe to.

3. On the list page click Subscribe to follow the list.

4. Alternatively you follow people on the list by clicking on List members and then Follow for those you want to add to your twitter account.

Watch this video to learn how to create a Twitter list.

Scheduling Tweets

There are a range of tools that can be used to schedule your tweets to be posted at specific times and date.

This is handy for:

Promoting events or sharing details on conference sessions - especially when you might be busy at the event.

Sharing information with twitter followers in different time zones.

Sharing links and information while you're away.

Situations where you might forget or can't post but want to make sure the information shared.

Examples of tools you can use to schedule tweets include:

A simple option is to use TweetDeck.
Scheduling tweets using TweetDeck is as easy as:
1. Click on the Compose Tweet icon

2. Compose your tweet and then click on Schedule Tweet.

3. Select the date and time you want the message to be tweeted.

4. Click Tweet at.

5. A new column will appear with your scheduled Tweets.

6. You use this column to edit or delete a schedule tweet at any time.

Watch this video to see how you schedule a Tweeting using Tweetdeck for a Twitter Chat.

Embedding tweets

A cool aspect of Tweets is you can easily embed them into your blog posts.

To easily embed a tweet in an Edublogs blog, or WordPress powered blog you just need to:

1. Locate the tweet you want to embed and click on the timestamp.

3. You'll be taken to the tweet's individual page. Copy the URL in your web browser's address bar.

2. Go to Posts > Add New or Pages > Add New or open an existing post or page in editing mode.

3. Paste the URL on a line by itself in your post/page editor.

Below is what an embedded tweet looks like embedded:

Here is a Sock Puppet video on Digital Citizenship: Making Comments: http://t.co/ioISr460Ru via @YouTube @courosa @mrsjarmstrong6 @suewaters

- M Roland Semenchuck (@mrsmrs10) June 18, 2014

Customizing your profile

Twitter launched a new profile design in April, 2014 and one of the key changes was a larger profile image and header image that spans the width of your screen. Prior to this change you would personalize your profile design using a background image. With this new Twitter profile design, background image is no longer needed, because it isn't visible on your profile page and the header image is now how you make your account stand out from others.

The background image still shows up when someone views an individual tweet or a list you've created however most recommend you change to a solid background color if you had been using a background image previously. You can remove your background image in Settings > Design.
You add or change your header photo as follows:
1. Click on the Me tab in the top left of the navigation bar via the web.

2. Click on Edit Profile.

3. Click the camera icon over your header image to change your header photo. Select to Upload photo or Remove, or simply drag and drop a photo into this section.

Recommended dimensions for header photos are 1500 x 500 pixels.

The header is visible when someone visits your profile from any device; and changes with screen size.

The header has visible and invisible areas that change depending on if your profile is viewed on a computer, a tablet or a smartphone. Refer to this header template to learn more.

Recommended dimensions for profile photo are 400 x 400 pixels.

4. Click Save Changes.

What to do if your twitter account is hacked

There are Twitter worms that work by hacking users account by stealing their account credentials when the user clicks on the link. Unexpected tweets or sudden unintended DMs being sent from your account are indicators your account might have been compromised.

Here's what you need to do if your account has been compromised.

Keeping up with links shared on Twitter

A twitter network is a rich source of great links to read and it's handy to grab these links using twitter tools so you can check them out at your leisure.

Here's some options:

1. Flipboard - collects the content of social networks and websites and then presents them in a magazine format on a mobile device. Learn more about using Flipboard here.

2. Zite - similar to Flipboard and collects the content of social networks and websites and then presents them in a magazine format on an iPad, iPhone and iPod Touch

3. Shiftlinks - creates an RSS feed of your links posted by your twitter followers which you can subscribe to using an feed reader such as Google Reader. This works works well when following a small number of people.

4. Paper.li - creates a daily newspaper based on the top links shared by your twitter follower. Here's my personalised Paper.li.

Paper-li can be set up to send an automatic tweet of your daily newspaper and identify the source of your top stories of the day based on RTs, Favorites etc.

Flipboards is very popular for any one using an mobile device because it allows you to easily read, share, bookmark and retweet links from within the Flipboard app. Learn more about using Flipboard here.

Watch my video on how I use Flipboard to keep up with links shared on Twitter.

Cool Twitter tools

There are so many tools for getting even more out of using twitter. Check out the Definitive list of Twitter tools to see some of the different options.

Using Twitter with students

Educators aren't just using Twitter for their personal learning; they are also using it in innovative ways in their classrooms. We've seen a significant increase in the number of class and school twitter accounts. You'll find a comprehensive list of Twitter class accounts here.

Here are some tips for using Twitter with students:

1. Set up a classroom twitter account separate from your personal twitter account. Most teachers allow their students to log into the class twitter account during class to compose tweets but the tweets aren't allowed to be sent until checked by the teacher or an adult.

2. If you decide to use a hashtag make sure it isn't being used by others.

3. Carefully select who you follow as students will see all tweets by any account you are following. Drew Frank's Classroom Twitter list is a good place to find other class twitter accounts to follow.

4. Make sure parents are aware you are using Twitter in class and check your school's policies to find out if parent's need to sign a permission form. Karen Lirenman's permission form is located here.

Here's where you can find out more about using Twitter in your Classroom:

1. The Ultimate Guide to Using Twitter in Education.

2. 50 Ways to Use Twitter in the Classroom

3. 35 Interesting Ways to use Twitter in the Classroom

4. 60 Inspiring examples of Twitter in the Classroom

5. Using Twitter in a Primary Classroom

6. Using Twitter to #GuessMyNumber

7. Using Blogs and Twitter with Young Students: This is what it looks like.

8. Using Twitter to learn maths.

9. Learning with Twitter - What's outside your window?

10. Using Twitter to practice math number stories.

11. Using Twitter to teach voice.

Below is a summary of a twitter conversation by teacher using twitter to connect with content experts to help answer student questions.

Watch this video of Karen Lirenman explains how she uses Twitter with her Grade One students.

Watch this video to learn how Ms Cassidy's Grade One students use Twitter in their classroom.

Here is an example of a teacher using Twitter with English language learners.

What Do You Think?

Have we missed any important tips or resources?

Let us know in the comments below and we will be sure to add it to the post!

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
The Twitteraholic's Ultimate Guide to tweets, hashtags, and all things Twitter

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Most educators who learn to use Twitter effectively say they learn more from their personal learning network (PLN) on Twitter than they've achieved from any other forms of professional development or personal learning. Unfortunately educators often dismiss Twitter, or fail to see the value of Twitter, when they're first introduced to Twitter.

# data[].attributes.body
free online set of resources to create your own interactive games & activities inc QR code generator

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.authors[].name
Russel Tarr, International School of Toulouse

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
ClassTools.net: Create your own interactive learning resources

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Dozens of templates, quiz generators and learning tools for use in the classroom

# data[].attributes.body
Research results of impact of SPaG testing.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Kimberly Safford, The Open University. Co-authors: David Messer, Jill McLachlan and Kim Walker, The Open University; Kerenza Ghosh and Stephanie Laird, Roehampton University; Ann Disney and Deborah Wright, Oxford Brookes University. An investigation of the impact on teachers and teaching of the grammar element of the statutory test in Spelling, Punctuation and Grammar (SPaG) in England.

This study explored the impact on teachers and teaching of the grammar element of the statutory test in Spelling, Punctuation and Grammar (SPaG) in primary schools in England. It drew on teacher interviews with 16 teachers in two local authorities and a national online survey for teaching staff (N=170). Grammar teaching resources and lesson planning formats used by teachers were also scrutinised and a paper questionnaire given to 27 Teaching Assistants in one of the above local authorities. SPaG attainment patterns nationally and in four local authorities were also examined, specifically in relation to pupils' ethnicity, languages, deprivation and special educational needs.

Key findings were:

Time spent teaching decontextualized and contextualised grammar has increased significantly;

Grammar is now taught explicitly and formally as a classroom literacy routine;

The grammar test format influences teaching content and approaches;

Teachers observe that pupils enjoy learning grammar and taking the test;

Teachers disagree about the extent to which explicit grammar teaching and testing have a positive impact on pupils' language and literacy skills;

Teachers feel more confident about teaching grammar;

Ethnic and linguistic minority pupils perform as well as, or better than, white and native English speaking pupils on the SPaG test;

Pupil socioeconomic deprivation is the strongest indicator of low performance on SPaG;

Socioeconomically disadvantaged pupils perform better on SPaG when they are learning in classrooms that are linguistically and ethnically diverse.

Safford, Kimberly (2016). Teaching Grammar and Testing Grammar in the English Primary School: The Impact on Teachers and their Teaching of the Grammar Element of the Statutory Test in Spelling, Punctuation and Grammar (SPaG). Changing English, 23(1) pp. 3-21.

View the article based on the outcome of this research

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Teaching grammar and testing grammar in the English primary school : UKLA Funded Projects

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Kimberly Safford, The Open University. Co-authors: David Messer, Jill McLachlan and Kim Walker, The Open University; Kerenza Ghosh and Stephanie Laird, Roehampton University; Ann Disney and Deborah Wright, Oxford Brookes University. An investigation of the impact on teachers and teaching of the grammar element of the statutory test in Spelling, Punctuation and Grammar (SPaG) in England.

# data[].attributes.body
article regarding mindset & lifelong learning