Scratch Logo

Scratch is a high-level, block-based visual programming language and website aimed primarily at children as an educational tool, with a target audience of ages 8 to 16. Users on the site can create projects on the website using a block-like interface.

Website: https://scratch.mit.edu/ 

Screenshot of Scratch Application
Screenshot of Scratch Application

Thanks to Carla Salgado Simões from Agrupamento de Escolas Gil Paes, Portugal for recommending this tool.

Carla has been a maths teacher for twenty five years now, and for the last eighteen years she’s been a part of Agrupamento de Escolas Gil Paes. She is qualified to work with students from the age of 12 to 17, although lately she’s been working with students up to 15 years only. She is curious about technology and enjoys learning and trying out new methods of teaching with her students.

Some students of mine had already used this platform to program games in their free time. Bringing something familiar to them, that they enjoy, to a learning context was really helpful. The students who weren’t familiar with the platform got to learn with the others and understand how the classmates used it.

All students enjoy and are curious about technology, so it’s no surprise they are always more engaged in these lessons. They all enjoy trying out new methods and testing them. In my opinion, this type of software allows for a closer, and therefore better, relationship between maths and all students.

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