G Gems 35: Extend yourself!

1. Voice typing in Google Sheets IS POSSIBLE with the Voice in Voice Typing extension from the Marketplace.  Just install the extension and double click in any cell to record the entry.

It's very accurate! Here's a demo video >>>

2. Have you tried Grammarly's tone detector yet? I've been using this for about 3 weeks now and it's proving quite entertaining as it tries to guide me to write appropriately worded content whilst correcting spelling and grammar.

I've enjoyed challenging it to see how accurate it is, and obviously, as a beta, it's still learning but it's been quite helpful beyond the novelty value on more than one occasion already. 

Grammarly guides you on the wording and tone of an email
as well as checking your spelling and grandma 😉

3. Check my links is a useful extension. It shows you which links are working properly and which ones are no longer valid for any pages or documents that you visit. Super handy for documents containing links to 3rd party sites, other documents or resources.

Activate the extension and it highlights links using the scale above.

Add Check my links here

G Suite Gems 17: Reducing workload

G Suite Gem 17: Reducing Workload

5 top tips because I've got that Friday feeling.

Classroom bookmarking: 

If you're an avid Classroom user, why not save yourself a few clicks by adding each classroom to your bookmark bar? Each one can be edited to a shortened name and keeps the theme colour for the class on the bookmark bar icon.   

Equation toolbar:

Ok, so many of you will know of and may have used Equatio from the TextHelp team and it's great, but did you know Google Docs has it's own Equation Toolbar?  

Go to VIEW and Equation Toolbar and type away with lots of different options that are otherwise tricky on a keyboard.

Watch a brief demo here - great for Mathematicians and scientists alike.

Pupil Pref - this is a great Google Doc add on to give your docs a range of colour transparency effects with just one click rather than having to change page set ups. You can change colour in one click, great for any visually impaired readers.  Click here

Voice typing:

Use this awesome function to redraft work, correct errors, dictate letters or even practice your speaking in another language. It's awesome! Watch here

Forms: 

I've been working this week on taking our school's GCSE Options process on to Google Forms. It's very exciting to know that this year we'll almost completely eradicate errors and confusion with students completing their forms as we can control selections available to them. 

No more duplications of subjects, subjects in the wrong blocking, misspelt subjects or ones we don't even run.  Add to that the fact that no-one is going to have to sit for hours typing up the choices made because it all drops straight into sheets and that both students and parents will get confirmation by email of their choices immediately and everyone's a winner.