Reading Reform Foundation

Posted: **Sat Feb 07, 2009 8:41 pm**

I note that the UK is fairly far along in incorporating ICT into elementary schools and there are many sites with online curriculum-related activities or games to reinforce skills.

I'm familiar with the BBC online activities for reading and math, and I came across another one here:
http://www.kented.org.uk/
but while the games appeared to support a SP approach (for example, the child places graphemes onto lilypads in order and the program says the sounds -- but not the word), none of the activities appeared to provide any feedback, so the child would never know whether s/he was doing the activity correctly. I don't see much learning happening in such a case. Of course, they may be intended to be done along with an adult, but I am looking for sites that students can do in school with an adult assisting 10-12 children at one time.

I figured all you UK experts might be able to suggest some good sites (perhaps specific to certain primary schools). Math sites also welcome! Ditto ones for science and other curriculum areas.

I found one in the USA that, while oriented towards "balanced literacy," has some good games and activities to practice correspondences, segmenting words for spelling, and general memory and sequencing tasks. It is here:

www.literactive.com

You need to register, and they send you a password, but it is free.

Australia has some good sites, too -- one called www.rainforestmaths.com comes to mind (haven't used it yet this year).

All suggestions welcome!

Susan S.

Posted: **Sat May 02, 2009 12:25 am**

http://www.lcfclubs.com/englishzone/pho ... nt-ENS.asp

I like this site

and this one

http://www.phonicsplay.co.uk/Phase%204%20menu.htm

Posted: **Sat May 02, 2009 12:42 am**

http://www.teachers.ash.org.au/jeather/ ... onary.html

Brilliant maths dictionary

http://www.supermathsworld.com/

This is a really good site

Posted: **Sat May 02, 2009 9:57 am**

Maltesers wrote:http://www.teachers.ash.org.au/jeather/ ... onary.html

Brilliant maths dictionary

I entered this one as a guest and after a little while it seized up on me, so that I was unable to access any more definitions. However, I started with "algorithm", and disagreed with it. It was defined something like "a way of setting out a calculation". This conforms neither with my understanding nor the Chambers dictionary. An algorithm is a rule or set of simpler instructions for carrying out the calculation. For instance addition of positive integers (also known as "natural numbers") can be defined in terms of two simpler functions, S() and P(), for Successor* and Predecessor:

Add(x,y):
BEGIN
While x>0 DO x := P(x); y := S(y); ENDDO
Result := y
END

The example given, something like

12 + 12 =

illustrates a notation for stating a problem, not an algorithm.

* Successor is used in the Peano's axiomatic definition of the natural numbers. See axioms 5 and 6 here.

http://www.supermathsworld.com/

This is a really good site

I liked the concept. Unfortunately, if I can still do algebra (which I could for most of them), some of the examples did not offer the correct answer.

Posted: **Sat May 02, 2009 5:26 pm**

I am sorry that you have found errors in these sites. I suppose the definitions I look up are for Key Stage one so they appear to be correct. I wouldn't have any need to look up algorithm or do algebra.

I hope others aren't put off by what you have found though because I do believe these sites are very good. Perhaps you could contact them and inform them about their errors

Posted: **Sat May 02, 2009 7:04 pm**

Maltesers wrote:I am sorry that you have found errors in these sites. I suppose the definitions I look up are for Key Stage one so they appear to be correct. I wouldn't have any need to look up algorithm or do algebra.

I hope others aren't put off by what you have found though because I do believe these sites are very good. Perhaps you could contact them and inform them about their errors

I tried the two links you posted and found the sites rather confusing. If you give me appropriate email addresses for the two resources you posted earlier I will write to them.

Posted: **Sat May 02, 2009 11:38 pm**

For the Maths dictionary site - click 'feedback' at the bottom of the screen and there is a button for email.

Just found the email address for supermathsworld - mail@supermathsworld.com

Posted: **Mon May 04, 2009 8:18 am**

I believe in giving feedback to publishers and we have evidence of people on the receiving end of feedback doing something about it!

I would imagine most people who have apparent 'errors' in their publications (be they paper-based or online) are pretty horrified to think they have something wrong and are very pleased indeed that people bother to inform them.

I certainly am!

Posted: **Mon May 04, 2009 3:42 pm**

Maltesers wrote:For the Maths dictionary site - click 'feedback' at the bottom of the screen and there is a button for email.

Just found the email address for supermathsworld - mail@supermathsworld.com

Thanks. I have emailed both.

Posted: **Tue Oct 27, 2009 2:12 pm**

I was asked recently about ICT to support synthetic phonics in the classroom.

I have 'Handheld Phonics' which is good: http://www.syntheticphonics.co.uk/teach ... 211107.pdf

I saw a demonstration at an exhibition of a programme that looked very good, but I don't remember its name, and now I can't find the paperwork I picked up and I can't find it on google.

Have any of you come across any more good ICT resources since this string of messages began?

Reading Reform Foundation

ICT resources?

ICT resources?