I’ve recently been introduced to an augmented reality app by my friend, Debra Atchison. The Narrator AR app stresses the importance of penmanship. Students will put fine motor skills to the test as they write their letters, numbers, words, and personalized names.
Using the Narrator AR app, students see the process of writing letters and numbers correctly. Surprisingly, it seems that fewer students are taught the direction that should write. As a parent of a daughter who has dyslexia, I noticed early that she would write letters starting from the bottom and move up, rather than the top down.
Thankfully, she was taught cursive by her dyslexia teacher because her printed letters were taking too much time to write. Her writing fluency has improved significantly since she began writing in cursive. This may not have been a struggle if she was taught to write the letters effectively.
As mentioned on the Narrator AR website, handwriting is foundational for literacy success:
Visual recognition of letters, which improves reading and overall literacy
Fine motor and visual coordination skills
Increased brain activity and development at an age where the opportunity to develop the brain is accelerated
Improved memory
The ability for children to spend less time thinking about letter formation and more time critical thinking (and imagining!)
The Narrator AR app uses worksheets to practice letters and numbers. When the students finish practicing, the augmented reality displays how to write them in the correct direction. Students can select either the rocket ship or unicorn to see the letters and numbers appear in augmented reality.
The company values the benefit of putting the writing tool on paper with practice before jumping into technology. Students may need to use resources such as clay before they leap into the augmented reality experience. The goal of the augmented reality feature is to provide visual reinforcement for the direction of the letters, and it’s also a tool to engage students that aren’t excited to write.
The steps below help you get started with Narrator AR.
The benefit of the AR experience is the flexibility to walk around the letters and get as close as needed. Students can explore the 3D scene without putting on a headset or using expensive equipment.
Now it’s your turn! Download the Narrator AR app and test out this worksheet below. Don’t forget to share what you create using #31DaysofARVRinEDU.
Find more resources for your students using the sample sheets or purchasing more your own at NarratorAR.com.au. More handwriting templates include individual capital and lower case letters, numbers, word families, story pages, and customized words (as shown below).
A way to avoid the sheets over and over again is laminating the sheet in matte (if possible to prevent a glare). Students can use dry erase markers to practice writing the letters and then see the letters come to life in augmented reality.
The lesson plans in the handwriting templates include prior knowledge, activity plans, extension and discussion ideas, evidence of impact, and educational standards. While the company is based in Australia, I was surprised to see Common Core standards included. I’m thrilled to see more augmented reality apps and resources for our young learners.
This blog is part of the #31DaysofARVRinEDU event. Expect a new augmented or virtual reality resource for the classroom to post every day in March. All subscribers will receive daily notifications.
Share what you're learning in the #31DaysofARVRinEDU event and WIN! Winners are announced every Sunday in March. Don't forget to tag me @jaimedonally.
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