Scenario 6 – Practising skills for literacy

Introduction Whether pupils are using a mouse with an on-screen keyboard or using their fingers on an ordinary keyboard, they need to know their way around. A pupil who has struggled with slow and laborious writing needs to feel that a keyboard will make recording potentially as fast, as well as neater than other pupils' handwriting. Some pupils may need lower case keyboards if they have difficulty recognizing upper case letters. For pupils only able to use one hand, some keyboards can be adapted to a more efficient layout than the standard ‘QWERTY’.

To encourage familiarity, significant keys can be colour coded with removable stickers, different lines of keys can be colour coded, or the keys each finger is responsible for in touch-typing can be coloured the same. Pupils can get to know the keyboard by making a game of typing common words, rhyming words, or words that have their letters close together on the keyboard.

There is now a range of keyboards and keyboard gloves available with either lower case stickers or high contrast keys for pupils with low vision. These are elaborated upon in Unit 7 - Accessing Technology.

Example 1 – Learning the keyboard

Younger users will benefit from a keyboard awareness program that is linked to the learning of early literacy skills.

In the days before computers we taught keyboard familiarity by putting a keyguard on an electric typewriter, a cardboard cover over that and then made a hole to expose each new letter as we needed to teach it to the pupil.

Becky, aged six, now uses the computerized version of that old teaching tool. First Keys to Literacy puts an almost life-size keyboard on the screen and letters are introduced through a variety of activities that teach position, letter recognition, word building and spelling. Becky uses the keyboard to respond to the tasks set, but she could also use a mouse.

She also enjoys working away from the computer on the activity screens that can be printed out. Her teacher appreciates the fact that Becky can work independently but there will be a simple record sheet that will help her to monitor Becky’s progress.

Key skills and equipment

The key skills for the above example are:

• load and use the software
• be able to exchange a mouse for a mouse alternative if necessary

The key equipment is:

• First Keys software
• rollerball to replace the mouse (optional)

Example 2 – Touch-typing

Once the pupil has some keyboard awareness, research suggests that pupils who have poor handwriting, but reasonable fine motor skills, may benefit from a touch-typing program. One little girl remarked that since learning to type ‘her fingers remembered how to spell’.

Being able to use a keyboard easily and efficiently is an important skill for the pupil whose main difficulty is the inability to produce written work that reflects their ideas and abilities.

Robin had been loaned a notebook computer with a typing tutor installed, but made little progress with it as he found it ‘rather boring’. By special arrangement with the school SENCo, Robin came in to school a little early each morning and used the PC in her room. This ran UltraKey which he rated as ‘really cool’ because of the graphics, speech feedback and animation. After only a month Robin’s keyboard skills had improved to the extent that he was prepared to practice using the program already on his portable keyboard.

Key skills and equipment

The key skills for the above example are:

• use the Typing Tutor before the pupil does
• be aware of the range of Typing Tutors available in order to select one to match the pupil’s needs – tutors for one handed users are available

The key equipment is:

• UltraKey 4 software
• Keywords Smart Applet for Alphasmart 3000

Example 3 – Spelling practice

There are now many computer programs available to ‘remediate’ spelling weaknesses; their use provides more variety for learning and the essential, regular, repetition of misspelled words. Today these programs allow the teacher to tailor exercises to the needs of the pupil or focus on current curriculum vocabulary. Individual records of the pupil’s work chart progress and show where extra practice is needed.

We believe that it is important to tailor spelling lists so that they are relevant to the child. Keyboard software such as First Keys allows the teacher to set up lists of those words that they want the pupil to learn. When teaching spelling patterns on the keyboard we encourage pupils to practice typing words where the letters are all close to each other (look, are, was, saw, where, tree…) and encourage them to build up typing patterns for the most commonly used words and those with similar endings. We tell them that they are learning their ‘fast’ words. If the pupil has a visual impairment then the facility to hear each letter read back to them as they enter it is essential.

Farhad is ten years old and has severe dyspraxia. He is able to copy write but has very limited independent spelling skills. Farhad began to compare himself unfavourably with his peers and developed avoidance tactics and behaviours which he felt gave him status but in fact, antagonized both staff and pupils. Eventually he became isolated and even more unhappy. Having been referred to the Authority’s ICT / SEN Advisory service, Farhad was introduced to a word processor that offered pictorial support for each word spelled correctly. If the word was not spelled correctly, then no image appeared.

The visual prompt proved to be very effective and combined with speech feed-back, helped him to produce longer and more interesting pieces of writing. He used the symbol support and speech for his early drafts and removed the symbols before printing out the final text. As reinforcement he was allowed to use a structured spelling program every day to improve his skill and confidence.

Key skills and equipment

The key skills for the above example are:

• ability to use the symbol / word processor
• ability to use the structured spelling program

The key equipment is:

• Inclusive Writer software
• Word Shark software

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