Using a Visualiser

Last term the Department started using a visualiser (sometimes known as a document camera) in class. Our model is the Elmo L-1ex (pictured). We'll be demonstrating it, and its tremendous effectiveness in the classroom, at an in-service session for staff tomorrow.

Here's a brainstormed rough-notes list of ways a visualiser can be used in English teaching and learning (without an interactive whiteboard):-

• Pupils have their own books open, but also show the text of play/poem/novel on the board, and annotations/highlighting on this. This helps pupils stay on track on the the page, and teacher to point out things on the board. It is also very helpful for getting the class to focus together on a point (also handy if some pupils have different editions of texts).
• Text displayed for pupils missing a textbook.
• Text annotation demonstration. Have a store of different coloured highlighters and pens for underlining.
• A big saver on photocopying.
• You can also remove the screen and annotate directly on whiteboard (there may be some glare).
• Large focus on small part of text - line, stanza, phrase: ‘every small book becomes a big book’. Use the highlight function to select/reveal parts of the text.
• Display good work by pupils - a paragraph, an opening, a piece particularly well presented, quotations list, well-organised notes.
• Easy to show something from a newspaper/magazine.
• Mark ‘live’ (with pupils’ consent).
• Use a smartphone app/watch/stopwatch to time class test, or to time a discussion/conversation, divide class into sections.
• Media Studies: close up and 3D look at packaging, advertising brochure, magazine etc.
  
• Quick look-ups: dictionary, cross-reference to another book etc.
• Quickly prepare handwritten notes / mind-map before class.
• Postcards as stimulus for writing.
• Postcards of author photos/portraits.
• Old photos are fascinating: lots of writing prompts - and camera quality allows close zoom.
• Shuffling lines of poetry (cut up into strips). Pupils can then try to rearrange, discuss.
• Discuss book covers (try different covers for same book). What expectations are raised by different covers?
• Smartphone: project apps on screen (angle to avoid glare).
• Objects for texts: pupils bring in image or small object as symbol of character, idea, etc.
• Lesson objectives. Faster and more direct than the whiteboard. Return to the sheet at the end.
• Notes for pupils with writing difficulties - hand them over at the end or capture as image for electronic distribution.
• Project lines onto the whiteboard for notes.
• Answers to a test/self-test, revealed by masking.
• Display illustrated book / storybook / graphic novel / comic.
• Display past papers.
• Hand out sticky Post-It notes for some exercise/answer/ideas, and display returns.
• Prep: pupils find a favourite poem, bring it in, display and talk about it.
• Have image/postcard/words projected on screen as pupils come in for discussion, thought, idea later in the lesson.
• Image save and recall means for last 5 minutes of class you can go back over all elements.
• Flash cards: pupils can make own, demonstrate question/answer.
• Use record function to capture short acted scene and then replay.
• Project Story Cubes on the screen.