iPads at school

[lanbury]

Hi, I've hopped over here from the SEN boards as my DS in a special school. I have no experience of a "normal" mainstream education. Please can you tell me do your DC have access to and get to use iPads at school? How are they used in lessons? How do they help? Are there any negatives? It probably seems like a strange question, but I'm trying to gain evidence for an anual review! Thanks so much.

How old is your DS?

DS is 4, and has access to several iPads at school. DSS is 14, has his own iPad which is used at school (and bought through a school scheme).

Thanks for your reply. He's 13! The only tech on offer are desktop PCs, they are putting up lots of barriers to iPads so hence me wanting to research

My dd is at a private secondary school where iPads are handed out at the start of year 7 & completely integrated into the learning. It was set up by Jose Picardo who was now moved to another school but you can follow his really interesting views on Twitter & he has published a book.

Depends on the issues

Dyslexia - iPads can photograph he homework or written work
It can read back to them
It can write what they speak for assessments
It can be used to set reminders for detention homework
They can access audio books
They can access google classroom behaviour rewards et
They can access google docs for English lessons or history
They can play word games
They use them for the music apps and art apps

They can record plays and their understanding of topic work

Lots of reasons to embrace technology

Strange they are putting up all sorts of barriers because special schools are usually quite good at recognising that many of their pupils do benefit from using iPads. As he is 13 he should be doing the national curriculum for KS3 in computing, which does not require specific computers, so unless you can convince the school of the capability of the iPad then you might be struggling to win this argument.
Another factor is of course finance and you have no idea whether the school has the finances to be able to purchase new iPads because we will not be talking one iPad but probably at least one class full, along with iPads for teachers.

Thank you, this is really helpful. Greentulips these are exactly the reasons I feel he needs access to an iPad. It's good to know. I am prepared to finance one myself. I just need to convince the school to support its use. You would think a special school would be more forthcoming, but sadly it isn't, and I can't even articulate how hard it is to get across that DS is floundering with the lack of intervention in respect of assistive technology.