There are many opportunities to use written activities for exploring particular issues and aspects of the content. Surveys, check-lists, worksheets and questionnaires are all useful ways of provoking children’s thinking, of helping them to gain new insights, and of examining topics in some depth.
The use of polls and surveys is commonplace in the media, and children can learn to be more critical of some of these approaches as they use them in their own activities. Drawing up lists and creating and answering questionnaires will allow children to gather and record information and learn to compare and contrast findings and conclusions. Projects can encourage children to explore and research a topic in detail, to question popular ideas, and to develop opinions and ideas of their own.
Information gathered can form the basis of further exploration or research and encourage the children to think about an issue in a real and meaningful manner. It is essential that any written activities undertaken are discussed, findings explored, and reasons given for particular conclusions.
The children can collate and present their findings using one of the page make-up programs that are available. This will make it easier for them to analyse their data and to draw conclusions from their findings. They can develop their computer skills and learn how to present their work in an appealing and interesting manner as they draw up questions for surveys, carry out a project or create a check-list.
These experiences will also help them to become familiar with the ways in which presentation techniques can be used to distort information and to present a particular point of view.
The exemplars on the following pages illustrate some activities that require children to write or record their findings. They include
- surveys
- questionnaires
- lists and check-lists
- projects
- worksheets.
EXEMPLAR 24 - Lists and check-lists