The interface with Moodle doesn't have to be so text heavy. You can build a graphical one using tables, images & links--with supporting text titles for students who are pre/early literate--emerging readers.
Here's how I built the
graphic interface sample below:
1) create your icons--define your visual "language" & use consistent styles; define the size(s) you will use like 100px by 100px or whatever. Here I grabbed "reading" & "game" clip art elements from Word--brought them into an image editing software to overlay & resize. If I stuck with theme--all my games links should use the same puzzle element in the same location each time.
2) create another page in Moodle or link directly to applicable
URL. In this case, I'm linking to the url as demo in cell A1. However, if I were doing this for young students, I would use something like OneNote or a screen capture tool to hack the images from the URL in A1, then create another Moodle html page & embed them in my own table. In that secondary table, I'd link directly out to the
activities in question. Why? original URL too busy. Keep it simple.
3) upload the icons to your "files" in moodle--hopefully you have a folder/directory created with a name like "images" or "icons" to store these specific image types. If you don't--make one before loading so that all your "icons" are in the same place.
4) create an html page in Moodle & create a table--border thickness @ 0. You might also want to set some other properties like the width at 75% or specific size.
5) type text name in the cell eg. "Reading Games" in A1 or "Fishing Sight Words" in B1.
6) Click in cell before text and insert the graphic into the table using the little "framed mountain icon" in the editing tools.
7) Select image & text and create a link with the "links" tool (chain image) in the editor
So in cell A1--I've done steps 1-7.
In cell B1--I've done the image hack from the URL in "Reading Games" using Microsoft's One Note--though any screen capture software will work. I then combined it with my "games" graphic element in an image editor and linked straight to the specific game. (Look at Sumo Paint if you don't have a good image editing program--free online)
Re. demo in B1, I would likely use this in a separate Moodle HTML page in the course headed with the reading games icon/text. Then I would build a table on this "Readings Games" page linking only to the games I vetted for reading practice. Notice consistent use of the "games" icon from main link to game link. If I were being a bit more finicky, I would make sure on the "page" of reading games that the "Reading Games" Icon was at top center of page & larger than rest, but that all graphics in the table for actual games were same size re. image hack for game & "game" (aka puzzle") image. I'd also create a "back" icon & "home" icon with appropriate links for easy navigation.
Demo:
Once you've built it, have students use it in class--likely you will have to log in with them. I'd also do a F2F orientation with parents to your resource, and for folks who can't make it--send an old fashioned handout or email a link to your parent support resource. Ask parents to login with students at least once.
If you are in an area with socio-economic challenges, why not collaborate with the local library or other after/before school support services. Train them to support the students as well.
Once you build the first interface--you can clone your course shell for other classes/courses. Parse out the work with a colleague--have someone handy at the image editing? someone handy at the page building? Collaborate to work out the concept, parse up the work, bring it all together and share the shell. In fact, the more consistent your layout & visual elements from class to class, course to course, the lighter the cognitive load on the student/parent users. Makes it a breeze to use multiple class/course sites. In fact, the availability of a generic shell helps scaffold new teachers use of Moodle in general. I ran a session on using course shell templates to get staff up and running quickly @ MoodleMoot Canada 2009 in Edmonton.
Hope this helps folks,
Julia
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Fishing Sight Words