How can a visualiser support KS1 and KS2 teaching?

A classroom visualiser is a lot more than just a camera connected to the screen. When a high specification visualiser is used creatively and correctly, it is a powerful teaching tool.

The following are a few ideas for how a visualiser can be used by a teacher, shown by subject area.

Numeracy

• Show the class how to use tools such as protractors and calculators. You could even record your demonstration and leave it playing on a loop
• Explain how to construct charts and graphs. You can show exactly how to do this and which tools to use
• Ask students to try to complete a puzzle whilst the class watches
• Place a variety of 2D and 3D items on the visualiser and ask the children up to separate them out according to criteria, inviting peer assessment
• Learn about symmetry. With a mirror image function, you can explain about reflection, symmetry and angles

Literacy

• Demonstrate how to use a dictionary or thesaurus. Then ask children to come up and look up words to check they have understood
• Use for guided reading and writing work. You can clearly demonstrate procedures such as letter formation for the whole class to see
• Build up word lists for spelling and comprehension
• Show any sort of text, image or drawing. Any small book becomes large and visible
• The whole class can see any printed item without the need for photocopying
• Whilst reading aloud, display items in large scale using the visualiser adding an exciting visual element to our teaching and helping younger children fully understand

Geography

• Display printed and pupil-drawn maps and use the zoom function to show specific areas
• Use a pupil-controlled mobile device so they can annotate photos of their community
• Display photographs of different countries and cultures, without spoiling the original
• Ask the children to find their own school site on an aerial photograph. Use the zoom feature to see what familiar items they can spot

Science

• Compare a variety of seeds and discuss the differences
• Display a vegetable, photograph it discuss, and repeat each day for a week to record the process of decay
• Show different types of plants and flowers and label the parts
• Safely show living things such as insects to the whole class
• Display tiny items in magnified detail and annotate different parts
• Demonstrate how a magnet works. Ask children to bring up items to see if they are magnetic or not

Lots more ideas available in our interactive Guide to Classroom Visualisers – view online free now!

Or if you’d like to discuss these ideas, if you have or own or if you’d like a demonstration, please contact our specialist team.