Blog 4
        LEARN & GO!! 
LEAPPAD LEARNING SYSTEM

The pen may be mightier than the sword, but the Leap Pad is mightier than all (LeapPad Learning System, 2009). Today H entered the preschool with her leap pad.   Her mum told me that she bought leap pad couple of months ago. H always uses it at home and today she wanted to share it with her friends. After talking to H’s mum I came to know what exactly the leap pad is. You might be wondering what leap pad is. Leap Pad is an electronic educational interactive book for preschool children from Leap frog Enterprise.  Interactive  books incorporate modern technology which is computerized books and it also features a device called a magic pen that allows stories to come to life.

Leap pad books are fundamentally the most crucial ingredients in learning and development of children. It is intended for use in conjunction with books designed for it, which include many popular  numerous Disney characters. This technology gives children a story-time experience rich with songs, sounds, activities and options that will make the experience fun and unique each time. Providing children with age-appropriate tools for learning is important, but making that learning fun and engaging is invaluable. Leap pad makes reading and writing totally fun. The biggest value of leap pad is giving ideas to children to read. Even for an early age children, from this technology children pick up words and understand more complex language. The more children use the more they understand and expand their vocabulary, and develop a love of reading (LeapPad Learning System, 2009).

There is evidence to suggest that most young children aged from birth to five years are growing up in media-rich digital environments in which they engage actively from a very early age. Everyday playful experiences in print-rich environments expose children to reading and writing. Language and literacy development are major strengths of technology use with children. Leap pad encouraged children more complex and longer speech and the development of fluency. When interacting with leap pad children were engaged in high level communication and cooperation such as social interaction and conversations related to children’s work and turn taking (LeapPad Learning System, 2009).

Leap pad technology offers children more opportunities to enhance their learning through active engagement in the learning process, cooperative learning, frequent interaction and a sense of connection to real-world contexts and applications. Children have advantages in the areas such as fine motor skills, language and communication, reading readiness skills, mathematical thinking, academic achievement, creativity, critical thinking, problem solving, self-concept, self-confidence, cooperation, motivation, and positive attitudes towards learning (LeapPad Learning System, 2009).

Leap pad technology offered children with different story and adventure in different learning concept. After using leap pad H learnt to correctly write each letter and number while hearing its phonetic sounds.Education is an important tool to make us ready in facing the requirements of life. Education starts as soon as children are born. New technology engages children for longer period of time. While engaged in active learning through leap pad children gained knowledge and skills that build on prior knowledge, resulting in new knowledge (Mindes, 2006). Leap pad is one of the instructional technologies that promote learning at a maximum level of success and pleasure.  Reading has a big role in a children’s development and it is a way to future success. Leap Pad encouraged children to read and develop their reading skills and it also prepared children for academic success. When using  leap pad children developed phonics mastery, vocabulary building, vocabulary, maths, motor skills, creativity and social development (LeapPad Learning System, 2009).

While using leap pad children experienced exposure to holding and using a writing tool which is important for children's motor skill development. Children also developed their ability to learn to read, and move their fingers to hold pencil which is a major milestone, especially for children who are ready to enter school. Children also increased their ability to recognize handwritten letters and numbers with a 'magic pencil'.  Te Whāriki, He Whaariki Mātauranga mo nga Mokopuna o Aotearoa (Ministry of Education, 1996) states that “children use a variety of technologies for different purposes as they explore their world” (MOE, p. 98). Leap pad is helping to create a multisensory learning experience. Leap pad also helped children pre-writing skills to even younger children such as gripping a writing implement, tracing letters and development of fine motor skill.

I will extend children’s further knowledge on Leap pad technology by asking centre manager if we can buy leap pad and other educational technology for the children in the centre to extend their learning.

REFERENCE LIST:

 Learn with Leappad Learning system. (2009). Retrieved April 25, 2011, from Online:  http://learnwithleappadlearningsystem.com

Learn and go leap pad. (nd). Retrieved April 25, 2011, from Online: http://www.leapfrogshop.co.uk/leapfrogshop/info/leappad/leappad_info.htm

 

Ministry of Education. (1996). Te Whāriki: He whāriki mātauranga mo nga mokopuna o Aotearoa . Wellington, New Zealand: Learning Media.

Mindes, G. (2006). Social studies in kindergarten. In D. Gullo (Ed.), K today: Teaching and learning in the kindergarten year (Chpt. 10, pp.107115). Washington, DC: National Association for the Education of Young Children.