| LESSON PLAN BY DIANE McCARGAR
|
Using Fields, Even Beginners Can Write Their
Autobiographies
Literacy Objectives: Students will be able to read and answer simple
questions about themselves.
Computer Objectives: Students will be able to type and edit words.
Level: Beginner
Materials: Microsoft Word 97 for Windows
Introduction/Preparation:
Often beginner literacy students are also beginner computer users. Their lack
of writing experience and computer experience can combine to make word
processing a very frustrating experience. The fields feature in Microsoft Word
can automate the typing process, allowing beginner students to create
impressive documents such as their autobiographies. Using this feature,
students are asked questions by Microsoft Word. When the students have answered
all the questions, the program automatically insert their answers into a
document that was previously typed by the teacher. This feature cuts down
considerably on the amount of typing and, more importantly, on the amount of
editing required of the student.
For this lesson the teacher will need to create a Microsoft Word template
that contains fields. Fields are special codes that you can place in a
Word document that automatically carry out a specific task. They are similar to
macros. In this lesson we will be using the fill-in field to enter the
results of a question in a specific place in a document that has already been
typed. Here are the steps you need to follow:
| 1. |
Type a sample document such as an autobiography, leaving out
the information specific to the student. (Your copy should not contain blank
lines or extra spaces.) |
My Story
My name is ______________________. I was born in ______________________ on
_______________. I have lived in __________________ since _________________. I
am ________________. I have _______________ children. I have worked as a
_____________________. In my free time I like to _________________________.
|
|
2. |
Everywhere you want to place student information you must insert a fill-in
field asking for the appropriate information. For example, here are the steps
you would follow to insert the first fill-in field for the student's name.
|
- Click in the place where the student's name should appear.
- Go to the Insert Menu and choose Field.
- Click on Mail Merge and click on Fill-in.
- After FILLIN you should type the prompt you want to give the student. The
prompt should appear in quotation marks. For example,
| FILLIN "What is your name?" |
or |
FILLIN "Name?" |
- Click on OK.
- Right away you will be asked to insert the answer to your prompt. You can
type a sample answer just to see if it is working and then click on OK. (Don't
press Return or you will put a Return in the document as well.)
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