Word Processing Progression
What can this look like in the classroom...
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Which Word Processing application?
Which Word Processing application?
Learners in Wales have access to several word-processing applications through Hwb. Teachers and learners will be most familiar with those which are used in the classroom, most commonly those in J2e, Google Workspace for Education and Microsoft Office 365.
As learners develop their understanding of the significance of writing having meaning, they can begin to develop their skills both offline with mark making and letter formation, and online using applications suitable for them.
This page will look at word processing applications that can be use as learners start to develop their writing and what progressive steps can be made.
Where to start...
Where to start...
This can be dependent on several factors;
Devices which are available to the learners, some apps are simpler to use than others
The confidence of the staff in using the technology
The apps which are used by other learners (Microsoft Teams/Google Classroom)
Literacy skills
Literacy skills
Word processing will allow for the application of literacy skills.
Reading Skills
Reading Skills
Encouraging learners to read over what they have written as a form of self-assessment will support the initial reflection point; by implementing peer assessment, learners can develop their critical thinking skills to identify issues and articulate them to their partner.
Writing Skills
Writing Skills
When using technology to support writing skills, learners have a range of additional support tools. This can allow them to focus on other objectives of their learning. E.g. a spell checker can allow learners to focus on the genre of their writing and make corrections to their spelling with little additional worry.
By using technology learners are also able to make corrections to their work based on the feedback they receive in class, this allows the learner to see the evolution and improvement of their work, without the need to retype the entirety of their work. In most online applications there is the ability to look back at the history of the document; this means that during monitoring, there is evidence of the learning process.
Learners can apply the writing skills they are developing in their books to their digital work. For example, as learners are developing their knowledge of paragraphs they can also use them in the digital word processing they do. This also means that they can correct any misconceptions they may have had.
Numeracy skills
Numeracy skills
Word processing skills can support learners in explaining their mathematical thinking.
By recording their workings, learners can explain their conceptual understanding and logical reasoning. Word processing skills will allow learners to organise their work in an effective manner; including tables, lists etc. to support their reasoning.
Cognitive Load Theory
Cognitive Load Theory
John Sweller suggests our working memory can only hold a set amount of information; for this reason, it is important to manage the skills/knowledge that learners are asked to apply.
Learners must use technology to enhance their learning experiences. Therefore, we should avoid overloading them with applying digital skills and having to recall the knowledge they are showcasing.
Word processors can be used to support and reinforce the literacy skills being developed in the classroom. As learners are developing their literacy in books, digital media can reinforce the concepts. Digital, however, allows learners to make edits/corrections to their work at the moment based on the feedback they receive.
Starting with Word-processing (Rec/Yr 1*)
Starting with Word-processing (Rec/Yr 1*)
Learners can start to use apps like JIT in Just2Easy, they can develop an understanding of using the keyboard to type their words and using the space bar to separate them.
They can also begin using the Shift/Caps Lock buttons to apply what they're learning within their writing.
Learners are also able to augment their font style, it's size and colour. And use the delete key to correct their work.
*All year groups are suggestions based on knowledge of examples where this has been implemented successfully in classrooms
Starting with Word-processing apps (Yr 1/2*)
Starting with Word-processing apps (Yr 1/2*)
As learners develop their writing skills in class with pencil and paper. They can begin to reinforce those skills in their digital work.
Learners can retell stories and use Capital letters and full stops/commas. They can begin to add images to support their work.
*All year groups are suggestions based on knowledge of examples where this has been implemented successfully in classrooms
Developing skills in Word-processing (Yr 2/3*)
Developing skills in Word-processing (Yr 2/3*)
Learners can begin to organise their work the way they will in their books. Starting to indent for paragraphs, or using enter to being to partition parts of their work.
They can start to use copy-and-paste functions and insert images to help with their stories.
Teachers can create activities which allow learners to collaborate on documents.
*All year groups are suggestions based on knowledge of examples where this has been implemented successfully in classrooms
Progress using features in Word-processing (Yr 3/4*)
Progress using features in Word-processing (Yr 3/4*)
As writing skills improve, using digital will reinforce learners' understanding. They can incorporate speech marks and other punctuation marks.
Learners can incorporate and use
bullet points
spell checkers
Align & Indent
Learners should also have opportunities to use word-processing skills to complete other digital pieces of work.
Letters
Stories
Lists
Scripts
Reports etc.
*All year groups are suggestions based on knowledge of examples where this has been implemented successfully in classrooms
Organising text with Word-processing (Yr 4/5*)
Organising text with Word-processing (Yr 4/5*)
Learners can further edit how their work looks. By using:
Line & paragraph spacing
Checklists
Headers & Footers
They can also start to use the history of their documents to review any changes.
*All year groups are suggestions based on knowledge of examples where this has been implemented successfully in classrooms
Effective use of Word-processing (Yr 5/6*)
Effective use of Word-processing (Yr 5/6*)
Learners can use word-processing apps and incorporate work from other apps they have used.
E.g. if they have used spreadsheets to collect data and created charts, these can be imported into their work.
Learners can also look to publish their work and incorporate hyperlinks where appropriate.
*All year groups are suggestions based on knowledge of examples where this has been implemented successfully in classrooms
Secondary School skills developments
Secondary School skills developments
Assuming all feeder primary schools are developing the above skills within the assignments their learners are completing. In that case, secondary schools can apply their focus to the subject content and make use of word-processing apps to support teaching and learning.
In secondary schools, teachers can look at the skills identified above and ensure they continue to be used in the work they create.
Learners should now be able to make effective use of Word Processing applications to create work. The skills developed in Primary School should continue to be implemented.
Secondary Schools should make use of opportunities to develop:
Using Templates: Learning to use and customize templates for different types of documents like resumes, reports, and letters.
Tables and Charts: Inserting and formatting tables and charts to organize and present data effectively.
Headers and Footers: Adding and customizing headers and footers for consistent information across pages, such as page numbers, dates, and document titles.
Citations and References: Using tools to insert citations, footnotes, and bibliographies, which is crucial for academic writing.
Track Changes and Comments: Utilizing these features for collaborative work, allowing for feedback and revisions.
Inserting Media: Adding images, hyperlinks, and other media to enhance the content of their documents.
Spell Check and Grammar Tools: Making use of built-in tools to check for spelling and grammatical errors to ensure polished and professional writing.
Document Security: Understanding how to protect documents with passwords and manage permissions for sharing and collaboration.
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