Respect for all: Hello and welcome

This activity was was used with children in reception and key stage 1, year 1.

Aims

• To create an ICT resource that is relevant to children's cultural backgrounds and first languages.
• To create a welcoming and effective learning environment.
• To encourage links between the home and the school.

Activity objectives

• To use a digital camera to collect images.
• To discover that information can be stored and presented through sound and pictures.
• To use a computer mouse to make choices.

This activity relates to the scheme of work unit 1c ' The information around us' and the key stage 1 ICT programme of study, particularly:

• gathering ideas (1a);
• entering and storing information (1b);
• sharing ideas (3a);
• presenting work (3b);
• working with a range of information (5a).
  

Activity description

The teachers and pupils used a digital camera to collect images of parents. A short video message from each parent was recorded: each of them gave a welcome message in their own first language. With the help of the teacher, the children combined the pictures and sounds to produce a presentation made of a series of 'welcome screens'.

The children interacted with the presentation. As they selected and clicked on the photographs, the welcome messages played. Initially, the children repeatedly clicked on their own parent to hear them speak. Later, they explored the messages attached to images of other parents and heard a variety of other languages.

The video clips were later added to an audio-visual presentation that is used at parents' evenings.

Commentary

This activity demonstrated to the children that pictures and sounds could be combined using multimedia software. They developed confidence making choices using the mouse.

Importantly, the activity celebrated and valued all the languages (European and non-European) spoken by the children and their families. The children began to interact with all the cultures within the school community on equal terms. Creating and using this ICT resource made the children and their parents feel the school was a welcoming environment.

Resources

The information and communication technology schemes of work can be found at www.standards.dfes.gov.uk/schemes
The online national curriculum can be found at www.nc.uk.net