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Using the interactive whiteboard
Organisational issues
Preparation of materials
The use of the interactive whiteboard allows for the creative and seamless use of materials as lessons or topics can be structured around a single file. Files or pages can be prepared in advance and used to link to other resources deployed in the lessons. Teachers say that preparing lessons around a single file helps with the planning and flow of the lesson, and helps to improve pace.
Some other aspects to consider are:
- The screen should not be crowded with too much text. Everything must be easy to read from the back of the room.
- A font type and size that can be easily seen at the back of the classroom should be used. Arial, Comic Sans and Sassoon Primary are recommended fonts for schools. Font size and type should be checked for visibility from the furthest position before the lesson starts.
- White and strong colours should not be used as background colours, as these are too bright. Pale pastel colours improve legibility. If there is a problem with glare from windows without blinds, a high-contrast combination such as a black background with white or yellow text is effective.
- Colour should be exploited to draw attention, for example to gender. Colour-coding should be standardized across the department.
- The direction of animated text can be used to reinforce the visual impact. For instance, masculine words could drop in from above and feminine from below.
- There may be copyright issues with materials such as images found through an Internet search or books which have been scanned and used for display.
Saving and sharing resources
One of the main advantages for teachers of having a bank of electronic resources is that these can be shared across a department. It is therefore important for a department to have a good electronic filing system that is regularly updated.
During the lesson
Make use of full screen utilities within applications, such as when viewing a website, by pressing F11 on the keyboard. All toolbars at the top of the page are removed, displaying the web page in a much larger screen, and thus making the page more visible.
Use a wireless keyboard which can be passed to pupils for them to add text to a screen. This minimises movement around the room and also means that pupils do not have to come to the front if they find this daunting or embarrassing.
If you intend to use a website in a lesson, add its address (URL) to Favourites or Bookmarks in order to access it without typing in complex web addresses. Websites should be checked in the classroom before the lesson to ensure that they are not filtered by the school firewall, and also that the computer has the necessary plug-ins installed, such as Flash.
Teachers should be aware of health and safety issues when using the projector. Do not look directly at the light shining from the projector as it can damage the eye. Pupils should also be made aware of this. If a portable data projector and interactive whiteboard are being used, care must be taken to ensure that wires are taped to the floor so that they do not pose a hazard.
Training
In order to make full use of the interactive whiteboard, it is ideal for teachers to receive some Modern Languages-specific training. This could either be undertaken by a member of the department or on a training course, such as those run by CILT, the Association for Language Leaning, Comenius Centres and training companies. A good course will include hands on practice and be at the trainees’ level.
