Planning with IT

Overview

Unit: Tech Task Mastery (Lesson 2 of 7)
Duration: 45 minutes
Class size: 8 students
Entry Level: Entry Level 1
Subject: Technology (IT Focus)
Age group: Young learners or those at Entry Level 1, approximate age 14+ or learners with SEN following the National Curriculum for England Entry Level 1 standards.

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National Curriculum Alignment

• Key Stage: Entry Level 1
• Subject Area: Computing - National Curriculum Programme of Study for Computing (England)
• Relevant statements:
  • "Use technology purposefully to create, organise, store, manipulate and retrieve digital content"
  • "Recognise common uses of IT beyond school"
  • Entry 1: "Use simple IT devices to perform straightforward tasks."
  • Entry 1: "Recognise some uses of IT in the home and wider environment."
• Functional Skills E1:
  • Identify and understand uses of IT in everyday life and work.
  • Work with others to share ideas and information.

This lesson directly supports developing learners’ understanding of how IT can improve efficiency and effectiveness in tasks, building foundational knowledge and skills to meet Entry Level IT requirements.

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Learning Objectives

By the end of this lesson, students will be able to:

1. Identify at least two advantages of using IT for a simple given task (e.g., writing a shopping list, sending a message).
2. Describe how IT can make a task easier or faster.
3. Collaborate in pairs to share and discuss ideas about IT’s role in everyday tasks.
4. Present their paired findings to the class, demonstrating communication skills.

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Resources Needed

• Large sheets of paper or whiteboards for brainstorming
• Markers/pens
• Example task cards (e.g., “Planning a family meal”, “Booking a taxi”, “Sending an invitation”)
• Simple visuals showing IT devices (phones, computers, tablets)
• Projector or screen (optional) to display examples or key vocabulary
• Timer or stopwatch

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Lesson Structure

1. Starter Activity (5 minutes) – Activate Prior Knowledge

• Activity: Quick class discussion to recall examples of IT learners know (e.g., phones, computers).
• Teacher prompt: “Can you tell me what IT could be?”
• Show pictures of common IT devices; encourage students to name them.
• Link to last lesson by reminding students about tasks they have seen or done with IT.

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2. Introduction (8 minutes) – Contextualise the Task

• Explain today's aim: "We’re going to find out how using IT can make tasks easier or better."
• Introduce a simple given task (for example, “Writing a shopping list”).
• Ask: “What are some ways we can do this now? How can IT help us?”
• Use examples such as making a list on a phone app vs. on paper.

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3. Main Activity (Brainstorming in Pairs) (15 minutes)

• Pairs formation: Students work in pairs; each pair gets a different task card.
• Instruction: Brainstorm and write down advantages of using IT for their given task.
• Teacher support: Circulate, ask guided questions:
  • “How does IT help us do this faster?”
  • “Does IT make it easier or safer?”
• Encourage students to use simple sentences or keywords.

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4. Presentation of Findings (10 minutes)

• Each pair presents their task and the advantages they found (1-2 minutes each).
• Other students listen and can add ‘thumbs up’ or a quick comment.
• Teacher emphasises positive communication and listening skills.

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5. Plenary (5 minutes) – Recap and Reflect

• Group discussion: What have we learned about IT today?
• Teacher revisits learning objectives and checks understanding by asking simple questions:
  • “Can someone tell me one way IT helps with tasks?”
  • “What did you like about working with your partner?”
• Celebrate participation and effort.

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Assessment & Evidence of Learning

• Formative assessment:
  • Observation during pair work and presentations (engagement, ability to identify advantages).
  • Response to questions and participation in discussion.
• Evidence:
  • Annotated brainstorming sheets or whiteboard notes.
  • Teacher notes on student contributions and paired discussions.

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Differentiation & Support

• For learners needing additional support:
  • Use of pictorial cards illustrating advantages to scaffold ideas.
  • Sentence starters (“IT helps us because...”, “IT makes it easier to...”).
  • One-to-one adult support if needed during brainstorming.
• For more confident learners:
  • Challenge to explain how IT can affect the speed or accuracy of the task.
  • Encourage extending their lists with examples of why the advantages are important.

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Inclusion & Engagement Strategies

• Use clear, simple language with plenty of visuals to support comprehension.
• Pair work encourages social interaction and communication skills.
• Engaging, real-life tasks make IT relevant and accessible.
• Celebrate all answers to build confidence.

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Teacher’s Notes / Tips

• Encourage the use of everyday language around IT rather than technical jargon.
• Foster a safe space where all ideas are valued.
• Use positive reinforcement throughout to motivate learners.
• Prepare example sentences or visuals beforehand to model good thinking.
• Consider a mini interactive quiz next time to reinforce the advantages discussed today.

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This lesson plan embraces the spirit of the National Curriculum's Computing programme of study at Entry Level 1, helping learners gain a foundational understanding of the value of IT in everyday tasks, promoting both digital literacy and collaborative skills in an inclusive environment.