Reading Askability online

Introducing Askability

It is a good idea to spend time becoming familiar with Askability before introducing it to students.

Askability can be used by individuals or by groups, in the classroom or at home. Once you have become familiar with the sections and navigation of the website, and are ready to introduce students to Askability, you may wish to lead a session on exploring the website as a group activity, or encourage students to browse Askability as a one-to-one activity with a member of staff.

The Internet

A good place to start is to find out what the students already know about the Internet and whether or how they already use it. You can download a quick, fully-symbolised survey on 'Using the Internet' (see above), which you may want students to complete before you introduce Askability to them. This survey can also be used as the basis of a discussion in the classroom.

Widgit Symbol vocabulary cards

This Askability Schools Pack contains Widgit Symbol vocabulary cards, in two sizes (downloadable above). They provide a large selection of vocabulary and responses you might use when discussing the topics on Askability.

• The 'small vocabulary cards'can be cut up so that the student could use them, with help if needed, to answer the questions on activities.

• The 'large vocabulary cards' can be used as prompts and responses in discussions, to encourage the students to talk about the Internet and the topics on the site.

Showing Askability for the first time

Rather than trying to explore the entire site in the first instance, you may want to identify some specific sections or articles to show.

Most of the website’s content is of general interest, but you may wish to start with a section that would be of particular interest to your students. If there is local content for your area on the website (such as local news, local ‘What’s on’ articles etc), showing this would be a great place to start.

When demonstrating the site, it’s a good idea to help students identify the navigation buttons, as well as drawing attention to the content of each page. This will them become confident in navigating their way around the site.

Exploring Askability

After demonstrating the basic structure of the website, try to get members of the group to choose links to follow – ideally allowing them to use the controls themselves, but otherwise suggesting content that they might like to explore.

Viewing Askability as a group in class could be either student-led or teacher-led, depending on the students’ ability and confidence. The website content can provide a variety of prompts for discussion within the classroom, which could fit in with lesson plans.

'URL Cards' are provided in this pack with the URLs (web addresses) of specific sections on the website – e.g. www.askability.org.uk/activity-books. These could be cut up and given to students to give them guidance on what to look at on the site, either as a group or individually. There is a sheet of cards for each section of the website and also a document with a single URL card for each section.

The features within each section are regularly updated, and there is a space on each card for the teacher to write a particular feature / item for the children to find – e.g. ‘Travel Activity Book’. Some areas of the site require you to specify your local area in the URL. In this instance a gap has been left to write this in.

You may wish to cut the cards up and use them in an activity such as placing them in a hat for the students to pull out.

The 'Reading feedback sheet'can be completed by students, helping them to think about the topic they have read about, and also creating a record of the activity. The sheet asks what they have read and where (linking back to the earlier Internet activity), then asks them to describe the article, (showing comprehension and recall skills),and finally, how the article made them feel.

The URL cards and feedback sheet can be used to create homework, group or individual activities. If these are used for out of school activities, there is also a supporting 'Askability summary letter' that can be used to explain what the site is about. This letter is a MS word document so can be edited.

Once a student is familiar with Askability, allowing them to explore the site by themselves or with a helper, will greatly build their confidence in navigating their way around the site and finding articles that interest them.

Feedback on Askability

The pack includes a 'Using Askability' activity, which can be completed by students after they have browsed the website – either individually or as a group activity. It encourages them to reflect on the parts of the website they like the most and find the most interesting, which can provide useful feedback on their areas of interest, for future lessons.

As with all the student surveys in this pack, the questions in the ‘Using Askability’ survey can also be completed using the Widgit Symbol vocabulary cards – either by sticking the smaller cards on the sheet, or by using the larger cards in discussion.

The next section looks at how the content can be discussed and used: Next

• Home
• What is Askability?
  
• What’s on the Askability website?
  
• Reading Askability online
• Offline Activities
• Participating in the website
• Chat on Askability
  
• Widgit Symbols

Go to Askability.org.uk