'Dressing Teddy' in MyWorld:
Year R

• Show an interest in ICT
• Know how to operate simple equipment
• Complete a simple programme on the computer and/or perform simple functions on ICT apparatus
• Find out about and identify the uses of everyday technology. Use information and communication technology and programmable toys to support their learning

Learning context
As part of a class project on Goldilocks and the Three Bears, three weeks into the Autumn Term, we set up the home corner as the bears' cottage. This state-of-the-art cottage came complete with all the technological equipment which Mummy and Daddy Bear might have used - the washing-machine, the iron and ironing-board, the kettle and the cooker.

As the role-play developed, we explored the uses of the different machines and how each would be operated. Subsequently we had to add a vacuum-cleaner, a television, a toaster and a mobile phone, because "Mummy was worried that Goldilocks might come back again and she'd have to phone the police!" The microwave was created after we had tried out a variety of porridge recipes, because "the porridge doesn't get burnt in the microwave."

The porridge tasting session facilitated our first data-handling experience. The graphs created on the computer were done as a very directed task with the whole class, and compared with the pictogram created with bear faces in the traditional cut and stick fashion.

Activity: Dressing and undressing Teddy (My World).

Objectives
1. Develop mouse control and appropriate skills e.g. hand-eye co-ordination:

• Skill 1: extending the right-hand index finger ready to hold the mouse - soon to be christened "your pointy finger"
• Skill 2: grip the mouse gently, whilst positioning that finger over the left-hand button of the mouse
• Skill 3: moving the mouse to a specified / chosen piece of clothing - without lifting the mouse up to do so, turning it through 180° or putting it on the screen!
• Skill 4: click your index / 'pointy' finger once on the left-hand button - subsequently practised to tap out rhythms, track text, point to pictures, etc.
• Skill 5: use the mouse to 'drag' the item of clothing to the right place
• Skill 6: use your index / 'pointy' finger to click once to 'drop' the garment in place develop Subsequently develop skill of double-clicking to select the icon for a program.

2. Develop understanding and use of technical vocabulary, through collaborating effectively in telling each other how to use the program (independently during follow-up child-initiated activity sessions).

Activity Description
In discussion, it was decided that one of the jobs to be shared within the household was the dressing and undressing of young Baby Bear. This led nicely into the program Dress Teddy. Rather than discard clothes randomly in the 'bin', which creates difficulties, children first need to establish the order in which clothes are best taken off. This doubles opportunities to practise mouse control, and also naming the clothes, discussing positioning and instruction-giving.

Using my laptop and the data projector, I demonstrated how the program worked to the whole class. It became obvious that there was a diverse range of both previous experience and natural desire to learn. As the demonstration progressed, it became apparent that we needed to do work beyond developing the ICT skills on their knowledge of clothing vocabulary, the order of putting one's clothes on and where one logically put them.

The day's story was "How do I wear it?" by Shigeo Watanabe. Baby Bear obviously needed a more extensive wardrobe in the home corner! I showed children what happened if they put the clothes in the 'bin' and how very difficult it would be for them to restart the programme without an adult to help. (This is particularly hard in My World, even for those children who can navigate normal Windows programs - F10, Exit, scrolling down to Teddy, enter.)

As an incentive not to break the chain, stickers were put on offer for anyone who could show that they could dress and undress the bear! Demonstration over, most of the class were now desperate to have a go! TA at the ready, groups of 4 were established to practise their social skills in turn-taking, collaborating, discussing, etc.

By the end of the morning, even the most reluctant had been persuaded that the computer would not bite them and had experienced some success, albeit with the TA's hand directing theirs, and keen to try alone (Stepping Stone One achieved by all - Show an interest in ICT. Stepping Stone Two by some - know how to operate simple equipment. Stepping Stone 3 yet to be demonstrated - complete a simple program on the computer and/or perform simple functions on ICT apparatus.)

The next day the computer was set up again, but left unattended. To my surprise, two of my quietest girls sidled over and began discussing what to do, although neither was prepared to relinquish the mouse until she had finished! Although they had no previous experience with computers they found the program easy to manage and quickly were set up as the 'class experts' / sticker monitors for this program.

The next time that a parent-helper came in to the classroom, she was set-up to run a cascade system where three children work together - Child A Child B Child C. Child B is the computer operative being instructed by Child A, the expert in the programme, whilst Child C watches. Then Child A leaves Child B to instruct Child C, whilst a fourth child watches. Thus the information is cascaded through the class with previous experts to call upon if necessary. In this instance the parent was astounded by her daughter's expertise - my original 'expert', no less!

Commentary
Above average child:

managed to load the program by double-clicking on an icon, dress the teddy with great accuracy and explained what she had done - Stepping Stone 3 plus!

CT:" What would you do if Teddy didn't need his sunglasses on?"
F:" Put them in the rubbish bin. But you wouldn't be able to get them back you know!"

Average child:

A knew how to operate the program, but still lacks the independence to do so without adult support and needs to develop the precision within his mouse control - Stepping Stone 2.

CT:"What have you done here, A?"
A:"Put some clothes on Teddy."
CT:"What about his vest and his pants? What will you do with them?"
A:"Chuck 'em away."
CT:"I'd like to do that A. Tell me what to do."
A: "Use that (pointing at my finger) to click that button (showed me) when the ladybird (on-screen pointer ) is on that (pointing to the vest). Go there (the bin). Press the button again."

Less able child:

B was very keen to use the computer, but had no previous experience, and did not understand the vocabulary - either in relation to the clothing or the ICT - and experienced great difficulty following the instructions. He needed adult assistance to click the correct mouse button and to move the mouse without lifting it up! He also had major difficulties trying to explain what he was trying to do. He also had problems deciding which glove / sock / shoe belonged to which hand / foot.

The number of articles of clothing made the task too daunting for him, so we devised the following simpler screens:-

The next stage will be to provide differentiated activities for the child with perceptual problems, to take from Stepping Stone 1 to Stepping Stone 2.

To develop further, other My World screens will be used to explore scenarios - e.g. Goldilocks, Find Teddy.