Here is a quick tutorial to show you how to use the iPad app, Lifecards. It is very simple for primary age children to use, ideally Yr 3- 6. It is great for transactional writing but there are a number of different templates which can be adapted for different writing genre. If you were focussing on current events and news writing this would be a great way of teaching this genre. I also use this in conjuntion with a website called Kiwikidsnews which is written for Kiwi kids by a NZ teacher. The news items are all readable by kids which many news sites on the web are not. I get the kids to read a favourite piece of news that interests them, save an image from that story to the photo roll and then go to Lifecards and write about it in their own words.
I have taught children how to use this in 20 minutes, who are then able to teach other children afterwards.
