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Equipment and activities need not be complex for children to gain a working knowledge of how to use things, write Colin MacFarlane and Sarah Armstrong For young children ICT is an exciting and motivating medium that involves much more than just developing their computer skills. There is great scope for practitioners to develop awareness and experience of technology in all areas of learning. The QCA's Curriculum Guidance for the Foundation Stage highlights such opportunities, with particular reference in the 'Knowledge and Understanding of the World' area of learning. But there can be a clear role for ICT in all of the six learning areas, to support teaching and learning.

For young children ICT is an exciting and motivating medium that involves much more than just developing their computer skills. There is great scope for practitioners to develop awareness and experience of technology in all areas of learning. The QCA's Curriculum Guidance for the Foundation Stage highlights such opportunities, with particular reference in the 'Knowledge and Understanding of the World' area of learning. But there can be a clear role for ICT in all of the six learning areas, to support teaching and learning.

The guidance says that practitioners should:

* 'Give opportunities for the use of ICT to develop skills across the areas of learning, for example a talking word processor to develop language and communication, vocabulary and writing, talking books for early reading, a paint programme to develop early mark-making, a telephone for speaking and listening, CD-Roms, video and television and musical tapes to find things out.'

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