Active learning ideas
Word processing is a cornerstone of digital literacy in the Leaving Certificate Applied program. This topic moves beyond simple typing to focus on professional document creation. Students learn to manipulate text using font styles, sizes, and alignments to ensure clarity and impact. These skills are vital for creating CVs, reports, and business letters.
Activity 01
Show three versions of a formal letter with different fonts (e.g., Comic Sans, Times New Roman, Arial). Students discuss which looks most professional and why before sharing with the class.
How do we change font styles and sizes?
Activity 02
Students work in pairs to complete a formatting task using only keyboard shortcuts. One student coaches while the other types, then they swap roles to build muscle memory.
What is the purpose of text alignment?
Activity 03
Groups are given a poorly formatted CV. They must use alignment, bolding, and bullet points to make it readable and professional within a set time limit.
How do we use cut, copy, and paste effectively?
A few notes on teaching this unit
Watch Out for These Misconceptions
Using the space bar to align text in the middle of a page.
Show students how the alignment buttons and tab keys work. A hands-on comparison showing what happens when the font size changes helps them see why the space bar method fails.
Thinking that 'Cut' and 'Copy' are the same.
Explain that 'Cut' removes the original while 'Copy' leaves it behind. A physical role play with paper and scissors can model this process effectively before moving to the screen.
Methods used in this brief