Classroom Strategies for Spreadsheets

The aim of using spreadsheets is to provide pupils with the understanding and experience of using and applying mathematical formulae, and plotting graphs to display suitable information that can then be interpreted. Pupils should spend as short a time as possible entering the information into the spreadsheet. If the program has a facility which enables information/formulae to be entered quickly then this should be used.

Examples of using a Spreadsheet:

  • weather averages: enter in rainfall data etc. and then use a formula to work out total or average rainfall; graphs could be used to show days where there was above or below average rainfall
  • if the topic is All About Me, pupils could measure various body parts or height etc. and use the spreadsheet to find who is above or below the average size. Investigate to find out whether the time of year born has anything to do with the differences
  • making puppets: pupils measure their own body parts and then use formulae to scale body parts to 1/10 or 1/30. Puppets can then be constructed with accurate proportions
  • school tuck shop: purchasing costs; selling on costs and profit
  • building a house: enter all material and unit costs, then use formulae to calculate the sub-total costs and work out the overall total
  • cake making: enter the ingredients needed for one cake and then, using formulae, calculate the ingredients needed for 36 or 56 cakes
  • best value buy: enter in brand names, weight and cost and then use a formula to calculate the cost per gramme or ml
  • calculating perimeters or areas
  • magic squares

The teacher needs to think very carefully about the reasons for using a spreadsheet. Maybe a mathematical investigation supporting the topic on Ourselves could be used to prove or disprove the saying "I am 2.5 times taller than my head circumference". Consider the type of information likely to be entered. What will the data be used for - comparison, averages, less than, more than? What sort of graphs would be plotted from the information entered into the spreadsheet? This is the time, perhaps, to brainstorm with the pupils about the types of information required.

A questionnaire/table could be used to focus the activity and ensure that all pupils were collecting the same data.

The number of labels (column headings), you would consider using would depend on the ages, abilities and past experiences of the pupils. Once a decision on the number of labels and the wording for each label has been made, the spreadsheet can be constructed. The pupils will need to be shown how to enter the information into the program, how to use the Copy/Fill facility, and how to save and retrieve.

This demonstration can be to:

  • the whole class, which would save on teaching time, or
  • a group of pupils who could then become pupil tutors

Pupils can then transfer the information from the original questionnaire into the spreadsheet. The Copy/Fill facility should be used to enable pupils to quickly and easily enter information into the spreadsheet.

Similar methods can be employed to demonstrate to pupils how to use formulae to perform calculations on the data, and how to create graphs based on that data.

Teachers should prepare a differentiated, focused worksheet that will allow pupils to investigate the spreadsheet. Pupils can write their findings either onto a question sheet, or alternatively, on a word processor where graphs can be inserted. Printed work can either be used for display or placed in a pupil workbook/file.

Tasks should be developed from prescribed to open-ended. This will offer support to pupils in the early stages of using spreadsheets, and lead to increasingly challenging investigations by the more able pupils as they become proficient with the program.

At all times, teachers must be vigilant and consider all safety aspects when pupils are working at the computer. It is important to ensure that:

  • there are no trailing cables, either on the work surface or on the floor beneath the computer trolley
  • pupils are comfortably seated at the computer - ie. the chairs are neither too low nor too high

Assessment of pupils' work should be in line with the school policy. When assessing collaborative work it is accepted that assessment can be carried out through:

  • questioning the pupils
  • a printout of pupil's work
  • saving pupils' files to disc
  • discussing outcomes with pupils - this should identify individual children's contribution to the activity

SEN and ICT
Teachers should be able to recognise the specific contribution that ICT can make to teaching pupils with special learning needs. Supporting children in mainstream classrooms is based upon the need to provide access to the curriculum in a manner appropriate to the pupil's needs and being able to identify where ICT can provide subject specific support.

The code of practice is a guide for schools LEAs about the practical help they can give to pupils with special educational needs. It recommends that schools identify children's needs and take action to meet those needs as early as possible.

A child has a special educational need if he has a learning difficulty which calls for special educational provision to be made for him or her. A child has a learning difficulty if he or she:

  • has a significantly greater difficulty in learning than the majority of children of the same age
  • has a disability which either prevents or hinders the child from making use of educational facilities of a kind provided for children of the same age in schools within the area of the LEA
  • is under five and falls within the definition of the two points above or would do if special educational provision was not made for the child

A child must not be regarded as having a learning difficulty solely because the language of the home is different from the language in which he or she will be taught.

Using ICT effectively:

  • be aware of the range of needs of the pupils you work with
  • be aware of targets that any child with Individual Education Plans (IEPs) have
  • differentiate ICT teaching to take account of these needs and targets
  • monitor any progress made
  • ensure that you are aware of the way that ICT can support and enrich pupil's learning
  • know how ICT supports the school SEN policy
  • check the existing software and peripherals that could be used during the support of the pupil
  • work with subject co-ordinators to ensure that individual schemes of work have differentiated ICT activities within
  • work with class teachers during the 'planning sessions' to ensure that ICT supports the IEPs

For pupils with learning difficulties, ICT can be a focus for language development activities. It can make writing more accessible, and enable and encourage children to practice skills. Using ICT offers a medium for differentiated activities and can make information more accessible.

Children with emotional and behavioral difficulties can find ICT motivating because it is not threatening or judgmental. It can offer a medium for differentiated activities that are more manageable and provide more satisfying outcomes.

Children with visual impairment may need help to make the most of their vision when using ICT. You should consider the position of the pupil in relation to the screen. Clarity of display is essential, as is the use of large fonts and possibly adjusting the colours. Where possible, use speech facility to provide speech feedback.

Children with hearing impairment where language is a major problem can benefit from the use of ICT. Where ICT is used for language activities symbol or picture enhanced text can bring meaning to text. Graphics can stimulate writing while access to whole words can help children to organise thoughts and aid expression.

Range of Tasks