TimeToast as an useful online resource for kids!

 Hello everyone!

In this new post, I am going to describe an activity that my students of 4th grade of Primary Education have done during our English classes. It consists on an activity in which they have used a tool named TimeToast.

Along Unit 2, they have been learning vocabulary related to daily routines, the time and Present Simple to express them. In that way, I thought that a good idea was creating their timelines about this topic.

Here you can see one of the timelines they have created in TimeToast:

Now, it is time to reflect about the activity. First, I am going to describe the learning objectives of the activity and the steps we had followed. Then, the advantages of using Timetoast for this activity and its help to achieve the objectives described. After that, it is necessary to deal with the possible problems along the activity and students’ reaction. Finally, I am going to expose changes or improvements for next time.

Firstly, the learning objectives are:

a) To reinforce the vocabulary about routines.

b) To practise present simple tenses and the time.

c) To express themselves using an online tool.

d) To improve their digital competence using the TimeToast online tool.

Regarding the steps, we have followed these ones:

1. Write in a piece of paper their routines, using the vocabulary and the grammar.

2. Look for pictures according to these daily routines.

3. Complete their time line using the TimeToast tool.

4. Present orally their production to the rest of the class.

 Once we have used this online tool, some of its advantages are that it is an exciting resource to practise vocabulary and grammar; it improves pupils’ digital competence; it is a tool of expressing their daily routines in a visual way; and it engages students in the learning process. All of its characteristics help us to achieve the objectives expressed before.

However, some problems can be found when using this tool: a bad Internet connexion, pupils’ low capacities when using this type of resource or the lack of digital infrastructure in the school. Another problem is the fact that they have to use concrete dates in their time line and they need to use the time to express daily routines. To solve this, they added each daily routine in different days. Regarding students’ reaction, they are so motivated and interested along the activity because they love technologies and visual resources.

Finally, in relation to improvements, I think that it is possible to watch a video tutorial before using TimeToast tool or to prepare enough laptops and tablets for individual use. Moreover, it will be better to use another topic in which they use different dates along the history. In that way, pupils won’t be bored while they are waiting for their turn and they will be prepared to use the tool.