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Goodbye board pen

I haven't used a board pen for months.

When my classroom had its interactive board installed about five years ago I was provided with a pen to use with the Interwrite workspace software. I used it for a while, but then the batteries packed up a few times and I got used to using my computer keyboard for writing notes, informations and (occasionally!!) lesson objectives on the board.

Fot the whole of this year the only time I have used the pen is when students come up to do interactive tasks with Boardworks or languagesonline.

All my grammar notes (conjugated verbs, note on tenses or other structures) are kept as Word files and I display them whilst still being able to face the class or sit at my desk. (I have not got into the habit of Powerpoint for notes and for most items I don't see the advantage of it.)

They are nearly all available here as free files.

Another good site for read-made notes on grammar is Jon Meier's Langweb. A further practical advantage to not using the pen is that you can stand away from the board and use the computer mouse/cursor to highlight items. This means you are always facing the class and leaving the board clearly visible at all times. This works because my computer is just to the site of my desk.

We all get used to working in our own way, but I have found this suits me well, as does having all the students facing the front. But that's another matter!

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