Technology is applied to real situations for a real purpose Computers are part of classroom activities, rather than set apart in a separate room or lab Language Development and Emerging Literacy Conversations that take place between the children as they work contribute to language development. In addition when adults write down children's stories, from children's dictated words or from a tape recorder, children see how the spoken word can turn into the written word. They help children develop their storytelling ability and an understanding of how sound connects to print. Young children who cannot yet read or write can listen to stories being read and record their own. Children can create their own stories on the computer with the help of an adult, using word processing software.
Physical experiences are important for children's development.
Have them build and create, then use a digital or video camera to take pictures of the creations and display them on the computer. Children can write or dictate or record captions for these photos, or use voice recordings to tell about their work. Children can use patterning or drawing software to practice seeing relationships and predicting what comes next in a series, helping to build a concrete understanding of math. Many programs can be used in conjunction with building blocks, patterns in music, or math manipulatives such as pattern blocks or tiles. Learning to identify and sort objects by their attributes is basic to both science and math.