Introduction to MS Word

Learning Objectives

• State what a word processor is and name its uses.
• Identify the parts of the Microsoft Word window.
• Start Word, create a new document and type text.
• Use the basic editing keys to correct a document.

What a Word Processor Is

A word processor is application software used to create, edit, format and print documents made of text. Microsoft Word is the most widely used word processor. Others include LibreOffice Writer, Google Docs and WPS Office.

A word processor replaces the typewriter. It lets you correct a mistake anywhere in a document, change the font at any point, copy a passage and paste it somewhere else, and print the result without retyping.

Editing means changing the text in a document.

Formatting means changing the appearance of text.

Uses of a Word Processor

Word processors are used to write letters, reports, essays and assignments. They are used to produce forms such as school report cards and admission forms. They are used to write business letters, invoices and memos.

They are used to prepare notices, programmes and newsletters. They can also include tables, pictures and charts, and they can correct spelling as you type.

Parts of the Word Window

The title bar at the top shows the name of the open document. The ribbon below it holds tabs such as Home, Insert and Layout. Each tab contains groups of related commands.

The ruler shows margins and indents. The document area is the white space where text is typed. The vertical bar on the right is the scroll bar. The status bar at the bottom shows the word count and the current page.

Creating a Document

To start, open Word from the desktop icon or from the Start menu. A blank document appears. Type your text in the document area. The cursor, shown as a blinking line, marks where the next character will appear.

To correct, select the wrong word and type the right one. Backspace deletes the character before the cursor. Press Enter to start a new line or paragraph. Use the mouse or the arrow keys to move around the document.

Save means copying the document from memory to storage.

Practical Work

1. Start Microsoft Word and identify the title bar, ribbon, ruler, document area, scroll bar and status bar.
2. Type your full name, address, school and date on separate lines.
3. Correct two typing errors using Backspace and by selecting and replacing text.
4. Insert three new paragraphs using the Enter key and move the cursor back using the arrow keys.
5. Save the document and reopen it to confirm the work was kept.

Scenario-Based Questions

1. A school secretary is typing a list of examination results. Explain two ways a word processor is faster and neater than a typewriter.
2. Name four uses of a word processor in a school office.
3. Explain the difference between editing and formatting a document.
4. A pupil has typed a long assignment but the cursor is at the top of the document while the mistake is at the bottom. Explain how to reach the mistake.
5. Name four parts of the Microsoft Word window and state what each one does.
6. Explain why the status bar is useful when writing an essay of a specified length.
7. Give two reasons why a school would prefer typed report cards to handwritten ones.

Lesson objectives

By the end of the week, learners should be able to:

1. Explain what a word processor does and name three examples.
2. Identify the main parts of the Word window, including the ribbon, tabs, groups and status bar.
3. Create a new blank document and set A4 paper size and normal margins.
4. Apply bold, italics, underline, font size, colour and centre alignment to given text.
5. Select text using the mouse and keyboard shortcuts, and undo a mistake.
6. Save a document with a correct filename in the correct folder.

Key vocabulary

• Word processor: software for creating, editing, formatting and printing text documents.
• Ribbon: the strip of tabs and command groups at the top of the Word window.
• Tab: a labelled section of the ribbon, such as Home, Insert or Layout.
• Group: a set of related commands within a tab, such as Font or Paragraph.
• Cursor (insertion point): the blinking line showing where the next character will appear.
• Save: stores the current document under its existing name and location.
• Save As: stores the document under a new name, format or location.
• .docx: the standard Microsoft Word file format.

Common misconceptions

• "Save and Save As do the same thing." Save updates the existing file. Save As creates a new copy or changes the format.
• "Word saves my work automatically when I close it." Closing without saving discards the changes, though newer versions may offer to keep them.
• "A word processor is only a typewriter." It also edits, formats, checks spelling, inserts tables and pictures, and prints.

Teacher activities

1. Starter: show a typewritten page and a formatted document, and ask the class which is easier to correct and why.
2. Name three word processors and open Word or LibreOffice Writer on the projected screen.
3. Tour the window: title bar, ribbon tabs, groups, ruler, workspace, scroll bar, status bar and zoom.
4. Model creating a new document, setting A4 and normal margins, and typing two lines.
5. Demonstrate selection (double-click a word, triple-click a line, Ctrl+A) and formatting (Ctrl+B, Ctrl+I, Ctrl+U, alignment, font size), then undo with Ctrl+Z.
6. Set the notice task and finish with the save routine: File, Save As, choose folder, type filename, Save.

Student activities

1. Answer the starter and give one reason.
2. Label a printed Word window diagram with eight features.
3. Create a new blank document and set A4 with normal margins.
4. Type the given three-line notice without formatting.
5. Apply the required formatting: bold heading, centred title, one bulleted list, and one underlined sentence.
6. Save as jss1_notice_surname.docx in the class folder, then close and reopen it to confirm it saved.

Practical / learning evidence

A saved one-paragraph notice containing a centred bold title, at least three lines of body text, one bulleted list and one underlined sentence, saved as .docx with a correct filename in the class folder. The learner must reopen the file and show it to the teacher.

Resources and preparation

Computers with Microsoft Word 2016 or later, or LibreOffice Writer, with A4 set as the default. Printed Word window diagrams, a short notice text for typing, and a class folder on each machine or a shared drive. Offline route: paper mock-ups of the Word window for labelling, with the typing task moved to a rotation. Check that the computers start, that the software opens and that learners can write to the class folder.

Assessment for learning

Inspect the reopened file. Reopening shows that the save worked. Check the filename against the agreed pattern and the location against the class folder. Look for formatting applied to the correct text and for evidence that Ctrl+Z was used instead of retyping.

Inclusion and homework

Provide the notice text as a printed copy so learners do not have to compose while learning the software, and allow a partner to read the steps aloud. Extend confident learners with line spacing, a page border or a simple table. Homework: list five things a word processor can do that a typewriter cannot.