The preschool class is creating an iPad book which will be an ongoing project throughout the school year. The book will include info from all the different topics the children will explore.
In September family pictures were added to the book. Teachers ask children questions about the pictures in both English and Chinese. These questions are typed onto the page and then the audio is recorded by the teachers. Next the children’s recorded and type written responses are placed on the page. The children can read the book during center time by touching the audio buttons. It will also be shared with the group at circle time.
The iPad book can help children develop language skills as well as other concepts. The audio buttons are placed next to the text, so the children will begin to understand that written words are related to spoken language. They are also using the book to learn Chinese and I suspect the vocabulary retention rate will increase.
The possibilities for using the iPad book are endless! This week pictures of the Halloween flannel board bats were added to the book. The teachers and children then made recordings counting the bats in Chinese. This helps to reinforce the concepts learned at circle time. Pictures of classroom projects will be added to the book which will allow children to review previously learned material. Children can also share important events in their lives such as birthdays, family vacations, and other events.
Another benefit the book offers is the one on one experience each child will receive while working with teachers. This will allow the children to create closer bonds with teachers and at the same time may help teachers to understand where each child is developmentally and which skills may need extra practice. It also has the potential of letting parents become more involved in their child’s classroom experience as they help their child choose pictures from home to share in the book.
We’re using Book Creator to write our book. I’m sure as the year progresses we will find many creative ideas for our book. I would love to see how other preschools are using the iPad in their classrooms.
Little Pandas Playschool 
I love reading your post as they are filled great ideas! I cannot always use them as I have a home daycare. I would like to introduce the children to french and find it hard to interest them to it. I read to the toddler in french and always speack to my daughter in french so they can hear it but that is about it. Thanks for sharing your ideas 🙂
Thank you! Your are on the right track to start teaching your kids French. It took a long time to implement the Chinese piece of our program. Even now it’s a work in progress. Before I was able hire Chinese teachers I purchased books, videos, and music CD’s, so the children could hear the language every day. I learned right along with the kids. I don’t speak Chinese, but do know a lot of vocabulary, so you’re ahead of me there! I believe its very important for children to learn a second language when they’re young. Children won’t be fluent when they leave my program, but will have a foundation to continue building on. Some of our kids will enroll in our public school’s Mandarin immersion program when they enter kindergarten. I would suggest just adding one activity at a time. Maybe you could create a flannel board color set or find a French program on the computer.
I checked out your blog and am impressed with what you’re doing! It’s very inspiring.
Thank you for the suggestions I appreciate!:-)