WORD for Words

Sometimes helpful, sometimes just plain annoyingMicrosoft Word's AutoSummarize and AutoCorrect tools can play an effective role in the K-12 classroom -- if you remember they're not perfect and that you tell them what to do and what NOT to do. Learn how to make the tools work for you!

What's the Point?
Word can help students who miss the point.

Microsoft Word's Autosummarize feature can help students who are struggling to find the main topic in their reading selections or to organize their writing. Open a Word document (or copy and paste text from the Internet into a Word document), then go to Tools>Autosummarize and choose Highlight Key Points. Word will highlight what it thinks are the main points of the text. Because Word is not perfect, however, and its choices might not reflect your choices, teach students to use this feature only as a guide.

What's the Trick?
Let Word type for you.

Instead of typing the same word, phrase, or title over and over again, let Word type it for you. Click Tools>Autocorrect, and select the Autocorrect tab. In the Replace blank, type an abbreviation for the oft-typed phrase (for example, "8g"). In the With blank, type the complete phrase (for example, "8th Period Geometry Class"). Click Add and OK. Now, whenever you type "8g," Word will replace it with "8th Period Geometry Class."

What's the Problem?
Hold Word's AutoCorrect feature in check.

Do you get annoyed when you hit Enter/Return while typing in Microsoft Word and the next letter is automatically capitalized -- even if you don't want it to be? Have you ever misspelled a word and had MS Word try to spell it correctly for you -- but given you a different word altogether? Go to Tools>AutoCorrect and uncheck any boxes of categories you'd rather have Word leave up to you to correct!

Article by Lorrie Jackson
Education World®
Copyright © 2004 Education World