Siobhan Thatcher

Locations: COSAT, Michaelhouse, King David Primary

Literacy and Language Hacks to Engage Younger Learners: Google Docs and Free Tools to Make Learning Come Alive and Bring Valuable Skills to Your Learners

In this workshop, educators will learn to use Google Docs, Google Presentations and Google Forms to create engaging learning opportunities for younger learners in language and literacy classes. Write topic sentences and practice collaborative summary skills in Google Docs. Create your own interactive digital books and vocabulary learning ‘key cards’ with Google Presentations. And peer-assess your learning with Google Forms.

With an academic background in Media, Linguistics and Education, Siobhan Thatcher has primarily worked in schools and on projects in the development sector. After working with children – integrating technology into learning – she moved into designing and developing education programmes to help schools adopt ICTs to improve educational outcomes. In the ICT sector, much of Siobhan’s work has focussed on adult education, supporting young people entering the workplace and teachers as they adopt technology into their teaching practice.

In 2013, Siobhan co-founded EdTech Summit Africa, the innovative technology conference produced – free of charge – for educators in Africa, now in its 7th year of production. Siobhan is an advocate for EdTech in schools, and maintains that this must always be relevant and effective in serving teaching and learning outcomes.

Most recently, Siobhan’s social impact focus is on ensuring that young people have access to the resources that help them become economically viable citizens, able to contribute in a developing South Africa. Siobhan’s mission is to work in and contribute to the space where young South Africans are able to access relevant learning and training, develop values that commit them to improved social justice, and become self-aware and successful South African citizens able to participate in the South African economy.