When I'm at work: Using a computer - Trainer's guide
Chapters
Using Microsoft WordŽ
- Microsoft WordŽ
- Opening Microsoft WordŽ
- Saving documents
- Closing documents
- Opening an existing document
- Printing a document
Microsoft Word®
Microsoft Word® lets you type letters, minutes of meetings, a resume for a job, reports and other kinds of documents. Although there are a number of versions of Microsoft Word®, we will be using Microsoft Word® 2003 in this resource. Microsoft Word® is also known as 'Word'.
Opening Microsoft Word®
Click on the Start button 
.
- Point to All Programs and move your mouse to the right.
- Move your mouse down the list of programs and click on Microsoft Word®.
- Word will now start.
Below is a new Microsoft Word® document. You can type in the white area. You should notice that there is a blinking key that looks like ' | '. Remember that this is called the cursor.
This is where you will begin to type. It is usually after the last thing that you type, but if it is a new document it will be at the very top of the page.
Type your information here, and the words you type appear on the screen.
Before you type in your information look at the screen in front of you or at the image on the page above. The areas at the top of the screen or image are called the Menus and Toolbar. From the menus and toolbar you can choose menu items to help you when you are putting information into the computer. Your supervisor or trainer will show you some of the menu items and 'tools' you can use.
- Demonstrate some of the common tools on the toolbar, for example, bold, italic and font size.
- Explain to the learner that from the toolbar you can access a menu that lets you do more things with your information. In the next section on saving documents we will look at one of these menus.
Activity: Typing in Microsoft Word®
Type your name and the name of your Disability Business Service.
Saving documents
Saving documents on your computer means that you will be able to use the documents again.
Activity: Saving your Microsoft Word® document
With the document you created previously on the screen in front of you:
- Click File from the menu.
- Click on Save As from the menu box. A 'dialog box' opens on the screen. A dialog box appears on the screen to give you choices about what you would like the computer to do.
- Type in Practice 1 in the File name box. On the computer each document you make and save is called a file. You can put many files into a place called a folder in the computer.
- Your supervisor or trainer will tell you how to fill in the information in the dialog box so that your information is saved for later.
- Prior to the training session, set up folders for each learner in the appropriate location on the computer.
- Demonstrate to each learner how they can save the document.
- Explain to the learner the difference between a file and a folder on the computer.
- Explain to the learner the purpose of the dialog box.
- Click on the Save button
in the dialog box, and Microsoft Word® will save the document as a file called Practice 1. This will also change the name at the top of your document.
Point out to the learner that the file name at the top of the document has changed and is now the name they called the document when they saved it.
Tips when saving
- Try to save your document as soon as you can so you don't lose it if there is a power failure.
- Give the document a name that tells you what it is about.
- Choose a location to save it to where you can easily find it again.
- Talk to your trainer or supervisor about where you can save documents to.
Closing documents
Once you have saved your document you can close it.
To close your document:
- Click on the File menu.
- Choose Close.
Please note: If you have not saved your document a dialog box will pop up and ask if you want to save the document. If you click Yes the Save As dialog box will appear on the screen. If you click on No, the information you typed will not be saved.
Activity: Closing your document
Close the file Practice 1 by clicking on the File menu and moving the mouse to Close, and then click.
Opening, changing and saving changes to an existing document
To open an existing document:
- Click on the File menu.
- Choose Open to get you to a dialog box.
- Click on the file name that you want and then click on the Open button.
- Type your changes, for example, add the address of your workplace.
- Click on the File menu and you can save the document so it is ready for the next time you want to use it.
Explain to the learner that as the file already has a name you only need to click on Save, and not Save As.
Activity: Opening your document
Open the file Practice 1 by following the above steps 1 to 3.
Printing a document
If the computer is connected to a printer then you can print your document.
To print your document:
- Click on the File menu.
- Choose Print from the menu.
- A Print dialog box will appear on the screen.
- Move the mouse and click OK.
- Your document is now printing.
If appropriate for the group, demonstrate how documents can be opened, saved, closed and printed using the icons from the toolbar.
Activity: Printing your document
Print the file Practice 1 by following the above steps 1 to 5.
Summarise this topic with the learner and sign the topic checklist in the learner's workbook.