Effective Use of ICT
Good Practice: Technology through Play
Cafe Role Play
Key Focus Areas:
Language, literacy and communication,
Creative development
Personal and social development
Mathematical development
Knowledge and understanding of the world
Planned Outcomes:
- Become aware of the uses of technology in a café and how they can be programmed such as cooker, microwave, kettle, cash register
- Understand the uses of technology and use them appropriately in their play
- Play cooperatively, take turns and share resources
- Become aware of the purpose of money and familiar with different
- coins
Key Questions:
- How can I cook these cakes?
- How can I control how hot the oven gets?
- What does a microwave do?
- What else does it do?
- How does it work?
- How do people know what to order?
- How much does it cost?
Teacher-Directed Activity:
It is important to ensure that the children visit a cafe if possible to develop a common understanding. The children should also be involved in setting up the café role play area and making resources.
Role play scenarios involving adults in the setting can be planned to develop the children’s understanding (see Role Play Planning Sheets). It is also important that adults support child led play in the area where appropriate.
Office Role Play
Key Focus Areas:
Language, literacy and communication
Creative development
Personal and social development
Mathematical development
Knowledge and understanding of the world
Planned Outcomes:
- Become aware of the uses of technology in an office and how they can be programmed such as computer, photocopier, telephone, fax machine, answering machine
- Understand the uses of technology and use them appropriately in their play
- Play co-operatively, take turns and share resources
Key Questions:
- How can I write a letter using the computer?
- How can I send an e-mail to ……?
- How can I print this letter?
- I want to make a copy of this letter, what can I use?
- Someone has left a message on the answering machine – what do I need to do to listen to it? What do I need to do now?
Teacher-Directed Activity
It is important to ensure that the children visit the school office if possible to develop a common understanding. The school secretary could be interviewed to help the children understand her role and responsibility within the school.
The children should also be involved in setting up the office role play area and making resources.
Links to Role Play Resources and KidsDesk
Role play scenarios involving adults in the setting can be planned to develop the children’s understanding (see Role Play Planning Sheets). It is also important that adults support child led play in the area where appropriate.