Primary 2 digital literacy vocabulary, Grade 2 technology words, 2nd grade computer terms, media literacy language and online safety vocabulary help children use devices, websites, files, messages and digital media with greater understanding. Important words include device, hardware, software, app, file, folder, save, edit, upload, download, browser, website, internet, link, search, keyword, source, media, account, username, password, private, permission, share, publish, digital footprint, respectful and report.
For parents and teachers searching for Primary 2 computer vocabulary, Grade 2 digital citizenship, 2nd grade online safety words, technology vocabulary for children, internet safety, media literacy, privacy words or search skills, the central principle is purposeful control. A child should know not only how to tap an icon but also what the action does, where information goes, who may see it, what evidence supports a claim and when a trusted adult must become involved.
This guide is the conceptual owner for Primary 2 digital literacy, technology, media and online safety vocabulary. It sits beneath the What is Primary 2 Vocabulary apex guide and connects to the Primary 2 Academic Vocabulary guide, the Context and Reading Comprehension guide and the Vocabulary Transfer guide. The aim is to build safe, critical and creative digital participation without expecting young children to manage online risk alone.
The 50-Second Router
- Need the basic model? Read Why Digital Literacy Has Its Own Vocabulary.
- Need device and file words? Go to Devices, Hardware and Software and Files and Folders.
- Need internet and search words? Read Internet, Web and Websites and Search, Keywords and Results.
- Need media literacy? Go to Media, Author, Audience and Purpose.
- Need privacy and safety? Read Private Information and Permission and Online Safety and Trusted Adults.
- Need a programme? Use the 12-Week Digital Vocabulary Programme.
Central proposition: Primary 2 digital vocabulary should help children understand what a digital action changes, where information moves, who may gain access, how claims can be checked and when responsible adult support is necessary.
Digital Literacy Vocabulary in One Model
| Layer | Question for the learner |
|---|---|
| Device | What physical tool or software is being used? |
| Action | What does tap, save, edit, upload, download, share or delete actually do? |
| Information | What content is created, changed, copied, stored or sent? |
| Audience | Who can see, use or respond to the information? |
| Evidence | Who made the claim, what source supports it and what remains uncertain? |
| Safety | What information stays private, what permission is needed and which adult should help? |
1. Why Digital Literacy Has Its Own Vocabulary
Digital literacy combines technical understanding, reading, writing, media awareness, privacy and responsible participation. A child may know how to open a game without knowing the difference between an app, a website and the internet. Precise words reveal the system behind the screen.
Many digital words are ordinary words with specialised meanings. A window can be part of a building or a region on a screen. A cookie can be food or stored website data. A cloud can be weather or remote computing infrastructure. Context selects the meaning.
Digital vocabulary also creates safety boundaries. Private, permission, account, password, report and trusted adult tell a child what not to manage alone.
Failure mode: adults may teach button sequences without explaining consequences. The learner can complete one familiar task but cannot predict what happens in a changed interface.
Teaching move: name the object, action, information change, audience and safety boundary during every digital task.
Transfer: digital terms become useful when the learner can explain a new screen or action rather than merely remember where to tap.
2. Device, Hardware and Software
A device is a tool designed for a purpose. In digital learning, devices may include tablets, laptops, desktop computers, cameras, interactive boards and accessibility tools. Hardware is the physical equipment; software is the instructions and programs that run on hardware.
A screen, keyboard, camera and speaker are hardware. A drawing program, browser or operating system is software. The two depend on one another, but they should not be treated as the same category.
Children should learn that a device is not automatically connected to the internet and that an app can sometimes work offline. This protects against the vague idea that everything on a screen is “the internet.”
Teaching move: sort examples into hardware, software and non-digital tools, then explain borderline cases such as a printer or smart toy.
Care move: carry, charge, store and clean devices according to adult and manufacturer instructions.
Transfer: device vocabulary supports troubleshooting without encouraging children to open or repair equipment.
3. Input and Output
Input is information or a command sent into a system. Output is information or an action produced by the system. A keyboard sends text input; a screen displays visual output.
Touch, voice, camera images and mouse movement can be inputs. Sound, vibration, printed paper and displayed images can be outputs. One component can sometimes support both directions.
The input–process–output model helps children understand cause and effect. When Alicia taps a drawing tool, the app processes the command and changes the image on screen.
Teaching move: identify input and output during a familiar task, then predict what happens when an input changes.
Privacy move: camera and microphone input may capture other people or private surroundings, so adult permission matters.
Transfer: input–output vocabulary supports coding, media creation and accessibility understanding.
4. App, Program and Operating System
An app or application is software designed for particular tasks. A program is a broader term for software instructions. An operating system manages the device and allows other programs to run.
A drawing app, calculator and browser serve different purposes. Opening an app does not guarantee that its content is suitable, accurate or private.
Icons represent apps but are not the apps themselves. Similar icons can lead to different programs, and an icon can change after an update.
Teaching move: match apps to purposes and identify the information each app may request or create.
Permission move: children should not install, buy or approve permissions without a responsible adult.
Transfer: purpose vocabulary helps learners choose a suitable tool rather than using the first visible icon.
5. File and Folder
A file is a stored collection of digital information, such as a document, image, audio recording or video. A folder is a container used to organise files and sometimes other folders.
A file name helps identify content, while the file location tells where it is stored. Two files can have similar names but different content or locations.
File extensions and formats can identify types, but Primary 2 learners need only recognise that different file types may open in different apps.
Teaching move: create a simple folder system by subject or project and explain why each file belongs.
Privacy move: file names should not expose private information on shared devices.
Transfer: file organisation supports retrieval, collaboration and revision.
6. Create, Edit, Save and Save As
To create is to make new digital content. To edit is to change existing content. To save is to store the current state so work can be reopened. Save As usually creates another version, name or location.
Saving is not the same as sharing. A file can be stored privately on a device or account without being sent to another person.
Version names such as story-draft-1 and story-revised help children recognise development. Repeatedly overwriting one file can hide earlier work.
Teaching move: make one small edit, save, close and reopen to verify what changed.
Error move: if work seems missing, stop and ask an adult before creating many duplicate files.
Transfer: create–edit–save vocabulary supports writing, art and project work.
7. Delete, Trash and Recover
To delete is to remove a file, message or item from its current location. Some systems move deleted items to trash or a recycle bin before permanent removal. Recover means restore an item when the system still allows it.
Delete does not always mean information disappears everywhere. Copies, backups, shared versions or screenshots may remain.
Children should not delete shared files, messages or account data without permission. A seemingly unused item may belong to another person or project.
Teaching move: practise on disposable teacher-created sample files and explain each stage.
Safety move: do not attempt complex recovery or account changes without an adult.
Transfer: delete vocabulary supports careful decision-making and digital-footprint understanding.
8. Upload and Download
Upload means send a file or information from a device to an online service or another system. Download means copy information from an online service or another system onto a device.
The same file can exist in both places after transfer. Downloading does not necessarily remove the online original, and uploading may make information accessible to others depending on settings.
Children should ask what file is moving, from where, to where and who may gain access. Uploading a class photo requires adult permission and privacy checks.
Teaching move: draw arrows between device and approved class platform to represent direction.
Safety move: do not download unknown files or upload personal content without a responsible adult.
Transfer: directional language prevents upload and download from becoming button names without meaning.
9. Internet, Web and Website
The internet is a global network connecting devices and systems. The World Wide Web is one service that uses the internet to provide linked pages and resources. A website is a collection of related web pages and content.
An app may use the internet without being a website. Email, video calls and online games also use network services. This distinction helps children avoid calling every digital activity “the web.”
Being online means connected to a network service; offline means not currently using that connection. Some content may remain available offline after being saved.
Teaching move: sort examples into device, app, website, web page and internet service.
Adult boundary: children should use approved sites and services under family or school guidance.
Transfer: network vocabulary supports accurate troubleshooting and safety discussion.
10. Browser, Tab, Address and Link
A browser is software used to access web content. A tab holds one browser view. A web address identifies a location or resource. A link connects one resource to another.
Visible link text may not show the full destination. A familiar-looking button can lead somewhere unexpected. Children should use approved links and stop when a destination looks unfamiliar.
Opening many tabs does not create many internets; it creates several browser views. Closing a tab is not the same as deleting content or signing out of an account.
Teaching move: identify browser controls on a teacher-approved page and describe their effects.
Safety move: do not enter personal details after following an unexpected link; tell an adult.
Transfer: browser vocabulary supports navigation without risky independent exploration.
11. Search, Keyword, Query and Result
Search means use words or other input to locate information. A keyword is an important search term. A query is the complete request. A search result is an item the system returns in response.
The first result is not automatically the best, safest or most accurate. Results can be influenced by wording, popularity, advertising, location and other system factors.
A useful query includes the topic and the exact information needed. Frogs is broad; frog habitat for children is more focused, though the sources still require checking.
Teaching move: compare two teacher-led queries and discuss why their results differ.
Privacy move: never search using a child’s full name, address, password or private question without adult guidance.
Transfer: search vocabulary supports research and independent question refinement.
12. Source, Evidence and Reliability
A source is where information comes from. Evidence is information used to support or question a claim. Reliability concerns how dependably a source or method supports the intended use.
Children can begin with simple questions: Who made this? What is the purpose? When was it created? Does another trusted source agree? Is the claim supported by evidence?
A polished design does not prove accuracy. A familiar person can still make a mistake. A website ending or brand name can provide clues but should not replace reading and comparison.
Teaching move: compare two age-appropriate pages about the same fact and identify source, date and evidence.
Uncertainty move: say I am not sure yet when evidence is incomplete.
Transfer: source vocabulary supports Science, Social Studies and everyday media.
13. Media: Text, Image, Audio and Video
Media are forms used to create, store and communicate information or expression. Digital media can include text, images, diagrams, audio, animation, video and interactive content.
Each form highlights some information and leaves out other information. A photograph captures one frame; a video selects an angle and duration; a caption guides interpretation.
Content can be edited, staged, generated or taken out of context. This does not make all media false, but it means learners should ask how it was produced and what evidence supports it.
Teaching move: represent one idea as text, image and audio, then compare strengths and limits.
Permission move: obtain adult guidance before recording or sharing other people.
Transfer: media vocabulary supports creative production and critical viewing.
14. Author, Creator, Audience and Purpose
An author or creator makes content. The audience is the intended or actual group that receives it. Purpose describes why the content was made—to inform, explain, entertain, persuade, sell, record or connect.
Actual audiences can be larger than intended audiences after content is forwarded, copied or published. A message meant for one friend may be screenshotted and seen by others.
Purpose affects design. Bright claims and urgent buttons may be intended to attract attention or sell. A lesson page may use headings and diagrams to explain.
Teaching move: identify creator, audience and purpose in a teacher-selected message or page.
Critical move: ask what the creator wants the audience to think, feel or do.
Transfer: audience awareness improves writing and privacy decisions.
15. Account, Username and Sign-In
An account is a stored identity and set of information used to access a service. A username identifies the account; sign-in confirms authorised access through approved credentials or methods.
A username may be visible to others and should not reveal unnecessary private information. The account may contain settings, files, messages or activity records.
Signing out ends an active session on that device, while closing a tab may leave the account signed in. Shared devices require careful sign-out under adult guidance.
Teaching move: use a fictional account diagram showing username, password, settings and content.
Adult boundary: children should not create new accounts, change recovery information or use age-restricted services without adult permission.
Transfer: account vocabulary supports access and privacy awareness.
16. Password and Authentication
A password is secret information used to help confirm authorised access. Authentication is the broader process of checking identity. Some systems use additional factors managed by adults.
Passwords should not be shared with friends, classmates or online contacts. Young children should follow family or school rules about which responsible adults manage credentials.
A strong password should not be an obvious name or simple sequence, but Primary 2 learners should not be asked to publish or demonstrate real passwords.
Teaching move: use fictional examples and ask which reveal personal clues, without creating actual account credentials.
Safety move: if a password may be exposed, stop using the account and tell the responsible adult who manages it.
Transfer: password vocabulary supports secrecy boundaries and help-seeking.
17. Private, Personal and Public Information
Private information should be protected and shared only with appropriate permission and purpose. Personal information identifies or describes a person. Public information is intentionally available more widely, but public does not mean harmless to copy or misuse.
Examples needing protection include full name with other identifiers, home address, school details, live location, passwords, private photographs, contact details and personal documents.
Context matters. A first name in a classroom may be ordinary, while a full name combined with location and schedule can create greater risk.
Teaching move: sort fictional information into okay to share in an approved class task, ask an adult first, and keep private.
Safety move: unknown people online do not become trusted merely by being friendly or knowing details.
Transfer: privacy vocabulary supports messaging, forms, photographs and location services.
18. Permission, Share and Publish
Permission is approval from the appropriate person or authority. To share is to give access to another person or group. To publish is to make content available to an audience, often wider and less controllable.
Sharing a file with one teacher is not the same as publishing it openly. Settings can change audience, but mistakes, forwarding and screenshots may expand access.
Permission should cover the content, audience and purpose. One person’s image, voice or work should not be posted simply because another child created the file.
Teaching move: use an audience ladder—self, teacher, class, family group, public—and discuss how risk changes.
Adult boundary: publishing and external sharing require responsible adult approval.
Transfer: permission vocabulary supports ethical media creation.
19. Digital Footprint and Record
A digital footprint is the record created by digital actions, content and interactions. Some parts are deliberate, such as a posted message; others are generated by systems, such as logs or settings.
Deleting content may reduce visibility but does not guarantee every copy disappears. Screenshots, forwards, backups and records can remain.
The concept should not frighten children into silence. It should encourage pause, permission, respectful language and adult guidance before sharing.
Teaching move: trace a fictional photo from creation to class share, forwarding and screenshot to show audience expansion.
Repair move: mistakes should be reported quickly to an adult rather than hidden.
Transfer: digital-footprint vocabulary supports long-term thinking.
20. Message, Email, Chat and Tone
A message is information sent to another person. Email and chat are different systems for sending messages. Tone is the attitude or feeling a reader perceives from wording, punctuation, timing and context.
Digital messages lack some facial expression and voice information. A short reply can sound angry even when the sender was only rushed.
Messages can be copied or forwarded. Children should not write anything they would be afraid to show a trusted adult.
Teaching move: revise a vague or harsh fictional message into clear respectful language.
Boundary move: do not reply to unknown contacts, pressure or requests for private information; tell an adult.
Transfer: tone vocabulary supports writing and conflict prevention.
21. Respectful Digital Communication
Respectful communication considers the person, purpose, audience and likely effect. It includes clear language, appropriate timing, consent before sharing and willingness to repair mistakes.
Disagreement can remain respectful. Learners can state I disagree because… without attacking a person. Humour that embarrasses someone after they ask for it to stop is not harmless simply because others laugh.
Digital spaces can make reactions visible and rapid. Pausing before sending creates time to reread tone, facts and privacy.
Teaching move: use a pause–read–check–send routine on fictional messages.
Repair move: acknowledge harm, stop the content, tell an adult and follow school or family guidance.
Transfer: respectful vocabulary supports group work and citizenship.
22. Repeated Harm, Cyberbullying and Reporting
Cyberbullying commonly refers to repeated or significant harm carried out through digital communication. Examples can include cruel messages, exclusion, impersonation or sharing embarrassing content. School and legal definitions vary.
A child should not investigate, retaliate or handle sustained harm alone. The priority is to stop engagement, keep appropriate evidence only with adult guidance and report to a trusted adult.
One unkind message is still worth reporting even if it does not meet a formal definition. Vocabulary should not become a barrier to help.
Teaching move: practise the words block, mute, report, save evidence and trusted adult in non-graphic fictional scenarios.
Support move: if the first adult does not help, tell another responsible adult.
Transfer: reporting language supports both online and offline safety.
23. Unknown Links, Misleading Messages and Online Safety
Some messages use urgency, prizes, fear or curiosity to make people click, reply or reveal information. Primary 2 learners do not need advanced fraud terminology; they need a simple stop-and-tell routine.
Warning signs include unexpected links, requests for passwords or codes, secret contact, pressure to act immediately, prizes that seem unrealistic and instructions to hide the message from adults.
A known person’s account can also send unusual content if it is misused. Familiar name alone is not proof that the message is safe.
Teaching move: classify teacher-created messages as expected, ask an adult, or stop and report.
Safety move: do not click, reply, download, send information or meet an online contact; involve a trusted adult.
Transfer: warning vocabulary supports games, email, chat and web browsing.
24. Original Work, Copyright and Credit
Original work is content a person creates. Copyright is a legal framework protecting many forms of creative work. Credit identifies a creator or source but does not automatically provide permission to copy everything.
Primary 2 learners can begin with simple habits: make your own work, use teacher-approved resources, name the source and ask before copying or publishing.
Remixing, quotation and educational use have legal details beyond this article. Children should follow school instructions rather than make independent legal judgments.
Teaching move: distinguish own photo, licensed class resource and copied online image in a fictional project.
Ethical move: credit classmates whose ideas or media are used with permission.
Transfer: creator vocabulary supports honest academic and artistic work.
25. Generated Content, Automation and Checking
Some digital systems automatically generate text, images, audio, suggestions or answers. Generated content is produced by software from patterns, instructions and available data rather than direct human observation of every claim.
Generated output can be useful for ideas or practice, but it can also be incorrect, invented, biased, unsuitable or unclear. Confident wording does not prove truth.
Children should use only school- or family-approved tools, avoid entering personal information and involve an adult when a system requests accounts, uploads or external sharing.
Teaching move: compare a generated statement with an approved book or authoritative source and mark what is verified.
Creator move: disclose tool use when the teacher requires it and preserve the learner’s own thinking.
Transfer: generated-content vocabulary supports future critical technology use without product-specific dependence.
26. Screen Balance, Accessibility and Device Care
Screen balance means fitting digital activity into a wider pattern that includes sleep, movement, relationships, offline learning and rest. It is not one universal number for every child and task.
Accessibility features help people perceive, operate or understand technology. Examples include larger text, captions, screen readers, voice input, colour adjustments and alternative controls.
Device care includes safe carrying, charging, storage, ventilation, cleaning and reporting damage. Children should not repair batteries, electrical parts or broken glass.
Teaching move: identify one accessibility feature and explain what barrier it reduces.
Well-being move: follow family, school and professional guidance for breaks and screen use.
Transfer: balance and accessibility vocabulary supports inclusive digital participation.
27. Assessing Primary 2 Digital Vocabulary
Assessment should distinguish word recognition, system understanding, action consequences, source evaluation, privacy decisions, communication and transfer. A child may define share but fail to predict who gains access.
Useful checks include sorting hardware and software, organising files, explaining upload direction, improving a query, identifying audience, classifying information and responding to fictional safety scenarios.
Never assess using real passwords, private account details, personal messages, browsing history or forced online disclosure.
Diagnostic move: identify whether the problem concerns vocabulary form, technical concept, reading, privacy, source evaluation or help-seeking.
Delayed move: revisit terms in writing, research, art and group projects.
Mastery: accurate explanation and safe decision-making matter more than fast clicking.
A 12-Week Primary 2 Digital Vocabulary Programme
| Week | Focus | Evidence of learning |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Device, hardware and software | Learner classifies physical and digital tools. |
| 2 | Input, output, app and purpose | Learner explains what information enters and leaves. |
| 3 | Files, folders, create and save | Learner organises and retrieves approved work. |
| 4 | Upload, download and internet | Learner explains transfer direction and audience risk. |
| 5 | Browser, website, link and search | Learner uses teacher-approved navigation language. |
| 6 | Sources and reliability | Learner asks creator, purpose, date and evidence questions. |
| 7 | Media, author, audience and purpose | Learner compares representation choices. |
| 8 | Accounts, passwords and private information | Learner preserves adult-managed access boundaries. |
| 9 | Permission, sharing and digital footprints | Learner predicts possible audience expansion. |
| 10 | Respectful communication and reporting | Learner revises tone and seeks adult help. |
| 11 | Unknown links, generated content and credit | Learner stops, checks and verifies. |
| 12 | Integrated safe digital project | Learner creates, cites, saves and shares only as approved. |
Keep the programme cumulative. The words audience, permission, source, private, report and trusted adult should return across every topic. Safety should not be isolated as one final lesson.
For stronger learners, add metadata, algorithm, licence, verification and accessibility. For learners who struggle, use physical cards, diagrams, oral rehearsal and teacher-controlled examples before live interfaces.
Primary 2 Digital Literacy Vocabulary Teaching Library
The thirty entries below are compact teaching systems. Each term is connected to a core meaning, a contrast, an action consequence and a safety boundary. Use teacher-controlled examples, fictional accounts and delayed recall. Never ask children to reveal real passwords, private messages, exact locations, account details or browsing histories.
1. Device
A device is a physical tool designed for a purpose. Digital devices include tablets, computers, cameras and accessibility tools.
Contrast device with app. The device is hardware; the app is software running on it. Retrieval: identify the device, its purpose and one care rule.
2. Hardware
Hardware is the physical equipment in a digital system, such as a keyboard, screen, camera, speaker or printer.
Contrast hardware with content. A screen displays an image but is not the image itself. Retrieval: sort physical parts from programs and files.
3. Software
Software is a set of instructions or programs that helps hardware perform tasks. Apps, browsers and operating systems are forms of software.
Contrast software with device. Software can be updated or changed without replacing all hardware. Retrieval: match software to a task.
4. App
An app is software designed for particular purposes such as drawing, calculating, reading or communicating.
Contrast app with website. An app may use the internet but is not automatically a website. Retrieval: explain what information an approved app creates or requests.
5. File
A file is stored digital information such as a document, image, audio recording or video.
Contrast file with folder. A file contains content; a folder organises files. Retrieval: identify a useful file name without private details.
6. Folder
A folder is a digital container for organising files and sometimes other folders. Its structure helps retrieval.
Contrast folder with location. A folder has a name; its location is where it sits in the wider system. Retrieval: explain why a file belongs in a chosen folder.
7. Save
Save means store the current state of digital work so it can be reopened. Saving does not automatically send it to another person.
Contrast save with share. Save stores; share grants access. Retrieval: demonstrate save, close and reopen on an approved sample.
8. Edit
Edit means change existing content. Editing can improve accuracy, organisation, design or meaning.
Contrast edit with delete. Editing revises; deleting removes an item from its current location. Retrieval: name one change and why it improves the work.
9. Upload
Upload means send a file or information from a device to an online service or another system.
Contrast upload with save. Upload changes location and possibly audience; save may remain local or private. Retrieval: draw the direction and identify permission needed.
10. Download
Download means copy information from an online service or another system onto a device.
Contrast download with move. The online original may remain. Retrieval: explain why unknown files should not be downloaded without an adult.
11. Browser
A browser is software used to access and display web content. Tabs, addresses and links are parts of browser use.
Contrast browser with search engine. A browser opens web resources; a search system helps locate them. Retrieval: identify a browser action on a teacher-approved page.
12. Website
A website is a collection of related pages and resources under a shared identity or address structure.
Contrast website with web page. One page belongs within a larger site. Retrieval: identify title, creator and purpose on an approved site.
13. Internet
The internet is a network connecting devices and systems. The web, email, calls and games can use this network.
Contrast internet with screen. A device can display offline content without internet access. Retrieval: classify activities as offline, online or able to be either.
14. Link
A link connects one digital resource to another destination. Visible text or images may hide the full address.
Contrast link with destination. The link is the connection; the destination is where it leads. Retrieval: state the stop-and-tell response to an unexpected link.
15. Search
Search means use words, images or other input to locate information. Search results require evaluation.
Contrast search with answer. A result is not automatically correct. Retrieval: improve a broad query while preserving privacy.
16. Keyword
A keyword is an important term used to represent the topic or information needed. Several keywords can narrow a query.
Contrast keyword with complete sentence. Both may be useful depending on the search tool. Retrieval: select three non-private words for a teacher-led research question.
17. Source
A source is where information or media comes from. The creator, date, purpose and evidence help readers evaluate it.
Contrast source with claim. The source contains information; a claim is a statement made from it. Retrieval: identify the source behind one approved fact.
18. Media
Media are forms for creating and communicating information or expression, including text, image, audio, video and interactive content.
Contrast media form with message. The same message can appear in several forms. Retrieval: compare what an image and paragraph each show or omit.
19. Account
An account is a stored identity and set of information used to access a service. It may contain settings, files and activity.
Contrast account with device. Several accounts can use one device, and one account can sometimes be used on several devices. Retrieval: explain why accounts need adult-managed access.
20. Username
A username identifies an account and may be visible to other people. It should avoid unnecessary private information.
Contrast username with password. One identifies; the other helps protect access. Retrieval: evaluate fictional usernames without creating a real account.
21. Password
A password is secret information used to help confirm authorised access. It should not be shared with friends or online contacts.
Contrast password with display name. A display name may be public; a password remains secret under adult rules. Retrieval: state what to do if a password may be exposed.
22. Private
Private information is protected and shared only for an appropriate purpose with permission. Context determines sensitivity.
Contrast private with secret pressure. A safe adult may need private information to help, but an unknown person asking for secrecy is a warning sign. Retrieval: sort fictional examples.
23. Permission
Permission is approval from the appropriate person or authority. It should cover the content, action, audience and purpose.
Contrast permission with assumption. Silence or access to a file does not automatically permit sharing. Retrieval: ask before recording or posting another person’s work.
24. Share
Share means give another person or group access to information or media. The audience can expand through forwarding or screenshots.
Contrast share with save. Saving stores; sharing grants access. Retrieval: identify audience before a teacher-approved share action.
25. Publish
Publish means make content available to an audience, often broadly. Published material may be copied or remain accessible.
Contrast publish with submit. Submitting work to one teacher is not public publication. Retrieval: explain why responsible adult approval is required.
26. Digital Footprint
A digital footprint is the record created by digital actions, content and system logs. Some parts are intentional and some are automatic.
Contrast footprint with a complete biography. Digital records show selected actions, not the whole person. Retrieval: trace how a fictional post might spread.
27. Respectful
Respectful digital behaviour considers consent, privacy, tone, purpose and effect. Disagreement can still be clear and respectful.
Contrast respectful with merely polite-looking. A friendly emoji does not make pressure or sharing without consent acceptable. Retrieval: revise a harmful message.
28. Block
Block is a platform action that limits contact or visibility from an account. Exact effects differ by service.
Contrast block with solving every problem. Blocking can reduce contact but adult reporting may still be necessary. Retrieval: identify when to stop, block under guidance and tell.
29. Report
Report means tell an appropriate adult or use an approved system to flag unsafe, harmful or rule-breaking content.
Contrast report with retaliation. Reporting seeks help; retaliation adds harm. Retrieval: give a factual account without replying to the sender.
30. Verify
Verify means check a claim or item against reliable evidence. Verification can use another trusted source, original context or responsible adult guidance.
Contrast verify with repeat. Repetition does not make a claim true. Retrieval: mark which parts of a generated answer are checked and which remain uncertain.
Primary 2 Digital Literacy Scenario Laboratory
Scenario 1: The Missing Story File
Alicia cannot see yesterday’s story in the expected folder. She is tempted to create the whole document again. The useful words are file, folder, name, location, save, search and recover.
She first checks the approved recent-files list, folder names and search tool under teacher guidance. The file may have been saved with a different name or location.
The lesson separates missing from deleted. Not seeing a file does not prove it is gone. Creating many copies can make organisation harder.
Transfer: use an image or presentation file and ask learners to explain a safe retrieval sequence without changing account settings.
Scenario 2: Save or Share?
Tricia finishes a drawing and taps a button labelled with an arrow. She is unsure whether it saves locally, uploads or shares. The correct action is to stop and ask before tapping.
Vocabulary includes save, upload, share, audience, destination and permission. Similar icons can perform different actions across apps.
Ask learners to predict consequences for each action: save stores; upload transfers; share grants access. The exact interface must be checked.
Transfer: compare an approved class submission with public publication and explain why they are not the same.
Scenario 3: A Better Search Query
Kai Kai searches for animals and receives too many results. The class needs information about how desert animals conserve water.
Vocabulary includes search, keyword, query, result, source and relevance. A more focused query includes desert animal, water and adaptation at an appropriate reading level.
Results still require source checking. A focused query improves relevance but does not guarantee accuracy.
Transfer: refine a query about plant habitats or map symbols without including personal information.
Scenario 4: Two Websites Disagree
Two child-friendly websites give different numbers for an animal’s lifespan. Learners identify creator, date, source evidence and whether the pages refer to wild or captive animals.
Vocabulary includes source, claim, evidence, reliable, compare, context and uncertainty. The disagreement may come from definitions rather than one page being completely false.
Ask what an authoritative book, museum or research organisation says and whether a range is more accurate than one number.
Transfer: compare weather, history or Science claims and practise the sources differ because….
Scenario 5: The Class Photo
A learner wants to upload a class photo to a project. The image includes other children, name labels and the school entrance.
Vocabulary includes image, private information, permission, audience, upload, share and publish. Creating the photo does not provide permission to post everyone in it.
A responsible adult checks consent, school policy, identifying details and whether another image can achieve the same purpose.
Transfer: use an audio recording or artwork by classmates and preserve the same permission principle.
Scenario 6: An Unexpected Prize Message
A pop-up claims that Tricia won a prize and must click immediately. She did not enter a competition.
Vocabulary includes unexpected, urgent, link, private information, warning sign, stop, close and report. She does not click, reply or enter details.
A known logo or bright design does not verify the claim. A responsible adult handles the message and checks the device if needed.
Transfer: compare prize, account-warning and secret-message examples using the same stop-and-tell routine.
Scenario 7: The Password Request
A classmate asks for Kai Kai’s password to help finish a project. The request sounds friendly, but passwords protect account access.
Vocabulary includes password, account, private, authorised, share and trusted adult. Collaboration should use approved sharing settings, not credential sharing.
If the password has already been revealed, Kai Kai tells the adult managing the account immediately rather than hiding the mistake.
Transfer: distinguish password, username, display name and one-time code without using real examples.
Scenario 8: A Message Sounds Rude
Alicia receives the message Send it now. She interprets it as angry, but the sender may have written quickly.
Vocabulary includes message, tone, context, audience, clarify and respectful. Digital text lacks voice and facial cues.
Instead of replying harshly, Alicia asks an adult or sends an approved clarification such as Do you mean you need the file before class?
Transfer: revise several short messages for clarity, politeness and purpose.
Scenario 9: A Joke Is Forwarded
A private joke about a classmate is forwarded to a larger group. The person feels embarrassed and asks for it to stop.
Vocabulary includes audience, forward, screenshot, consent, respectful, harm, stop and report. The sender’s intention does not erase the effect.
Learners identify repair actions: stop forwarding, tell an adult, follow platform and school guidance, apologise without demanding forgiveness and avoid blaming the target.
Transfer: use an embarrassing photograph or altered drawing and preserve consent and reporting principles.
Scenario 10: A Generated Answer Looks Certain
A digital tool gives a confident answer about a historical date, but the class book gives another date. The learners do not choose based on confidence alone.
Vocabulary includes generated, claim, verify, source, evidence, date and uncertainty. Software output can invent or confuse details.
The class checks an approved authoritative source and records which part is verified. The incorrect output becomes an opportunity for source literacy.
Transfer: check generated image labels, Science facts or summaries and distinguish useful ideas from verified facts.
Scenario 11: Downloading a Template
A teacher provides an approved link to a writing template. Tricia identifies the source, file type and destination before downloading.
Vocabulary includes link, source, download, file, folder and open. She does not click similar advertisements or alternate download buttons.
After download, she verifies the file name and opens it through the approved app. An unexpected warning or unfamiliar file leads to adult help.
Transfer: compare downloading a template with viewing it in a browser and uploading completed work.
Scenario 12: Closing a Tab Is Not Signing Out
Kai Kai uses a shared classroom device, closes the browser tab and assumes his account is secure. The account may remain signed in.
Vocabulary includes account, session, tab, sign in, sign out, shared device and privacy. Closing a view is different from ending access.
He follows the teacher’s approved sign-out procedure and asks for help if the option is unclear.
Transfer: compare lock screen, close app, sign out and shut down at a conceptual level.
Scenario 13: Organising a Group Project
Three learners create text, images and audio for one project. Without agreed names and folders, they cannot identify the newest versions.
Vocabulary includes file, folder, version, creator, edit, save, permission and collaborate. Each learner’s role and editing access should be clear.
The group uses approved names such as habitat-script-draft-2 and preserves originals before major changes.
Transfer: organise an art, Mathematics or Science project using the same system.
Scenario 14: The Cropped Photograph
A photograph appears to show an empty playground, but the wider image reveals a large group just outside the crop.
Vocabulary includes image, crop, frame, context, creator, audience and evidence. Editing can change interpretation without inventing pixels.
Ask what the image supports and what it cannot prove. A single frame should not establish a broad claim about usual attendance.
Transfer: compare captions, camera angles and selected video clips.
Scenario 15: Giving Credit in a Presentation
Alicia finds an excellent diagram on an approved museum page. She wants to place it in a class presentation.
Vocabulary includes creator, source, permission, copyright, credit and original. Naming the source is important but does not automatically allow every use.
She follows the teacher’s resource and citation instructions, or creates her own diagram from understood facts.
Transfer: credit a classmate’s photograph, quote or idea after permission.
Scenario 16: An Unknown Player Asks to Meet
An unknown player in a game asks for a real name, school and meeting. The child does not reply, provide information or arrange contact.
Vocabulary includes unknown contact, private, location, block, report, trusted adult and unsafe request. Friendly language does not establish trust.
The child stops communication and tells a responsible adult, who follows the service and family safety plan.
Transfer: use requests for photographs, voice calls or secret chats and preserve the same boundary.
Scenario 17: Accessibility Changes the Interface
Tricia increases text size and turns on captions so a video and article are easier to use. The content remains the same while access changes.
Vocabulary includes accessibility, caption, text size, contrast, voice input and barrier. Features are tools, not unfair advantages.
Ask what barrier each feature reduces and whether another learner may need a different setting.
Transfer: explore screen reader descriptions, keyboard navigation or alternative input through teacher-led demonstrations.
Scenario 18: A Device Becomes Hot
A classroom tablet feels unusually hot and shows a warning. The learner stops using it and tells the teacher.
Vocabulary includes device care, warning, temperature, charging, ventilation, damage and report. Children should not open, cool with water or repair the device.
The authorised adult follows manufacturer and school procedures. The learner’s role is observation and reporting.
Transfer: use cracked glass, damaged cable or swelling battery and preserve the keep-distance-and-report boundary.
Scenario 19: Screen Activity Displaces Sleep
A fictional character continues watching videos beyond the family bedtime routine and feels tired in class.
Vocabulary includes screen balance, routine, sleep, pause, choice and adult rule. The lesson avoids one universal screen-time number or family judgement.
Ask how digital activity fits with sleep, movement, homework and relationships. The response may include device settings and adult support.
Transfer: compare a long creative project, video call and passive viewing; purpose and timing matter.
Scenario 20: Reporting Repeated Hurtful Messages
A learner receives repeated insulting messages from several accounts. The learner feels worried and wants to reply angrily.
Vocabulary includes repeated harm, cyberbullying, evidence, block, report, trusted adult and support. The learner does not retaliate or manage the accounts alone.
A responsible adult helps preserve appropriate evidence, use platform tools and follow school procedures. The target is not blamed for the harm.
Transfer: use exclusion from a group or sharing an embarrassing image and preserve the stop–save under guidance–report sequence.
Teaching Labs
1. Hardware–Software Sort
Sort photographs and word cards into hardware, software, file and non-digital tool. Require one reason and revisit borderline items.
2. Action Consequence Map
Map save, upload, download, share, publish and delete to information movement, storage and audience. Use arrows and approved fictional files.
3. Query Workshop
Improve broad questions with topic, purpose and reading-level words. Remove private information and compare result relevance.
4. Source Check
Use two teacher-selected sources. Identify creator, purpose, date, evidence, agreement and uncertainty before accepting a claim.
5. Audience Ladder
Place content at self, teacher, class, family group and public levels. Discuss permission and what changes when the audience expands.
6. Private or Ask First?
Sort fictional information into approved class share, ask a responsible adult and keep private. Context should be discussed rather than memorised mechanically.
7. Tone Repair
Revise unclear, demanding or embarrassing messages. Check purpose, audience, facts, consent and likely effect before sending.
8. Stop-and-Tell Simulation
Use teacher-created links, prize messages and private-information requests. Learners name the warning sign and practise stopping and telling without live interaction.
Deep Practice Notes
Deep practice 1 — Object and action: name what is on screen and what each action changes. Avoid teaching icons as permanent universal meanings.
Deep practice 2 — Direction: draw information movement for upload, download, share and publish. Audience belongs in the model.
Deep practice 3 — Retrieval: hide the glossary and give a screen, diagram or situation. Ask for the term and consequence.
Deep practice 4 — Source literacy: ask who made it, why, when and with what evidence. Design quality alone is never enough.
Deep practice 5 — Privacy: teach combinations of information, not one permanent public/private list. Name plus live location can be riskier than either alone.
Deep practice 6 — Adult boundary: account creation, purchases, unknown contacts, external sharing and recovery settings remain adult-guided.
Deep practice 7 — Spacing: revisit audience during writing, permission during art and verification during Science and Social Studies.
Deep practice 8 — Accessibility: treat captions, screen readers and alternative input as standard participation tools.
Deep practice 9 — Error repair: report accidental sharing or password exposure quickly. Hiding a mistake increases risk.
Deep practice 10 — Transfer: change app, device and interface while preserving the underlying concept.
Diagnostic Matrix
| Observed difficulty | Likely bottleneck | Next teaching move |
|---|---|---|
| Calls every screen activity “the internet” | System categories | Sort device, app, website, web page and online service. |
| Confuses save and share | Action consequence | Map storage, transfer and audience with arrows. |
| Cannot find saved work | File organisation | Practise name, folder, location and recent-file search. |
| Accepts first search result | Source evaluation | Compare creator, date, purpose and evidence across results. |
| Shares identifying details casually | Privacy context | Sort information combinations and practise ask-first language. |
| Replies to unknown messages | Safety routine retrieval | Rehearse stop, do not click, do not reply and tell an adult. |
| Writes harsh messages impulsively | Tone and pause routine | Use pause–read–check–send with fictional messages. |
| Trusts generated output automatically | Verification | Check one claim against an approved authoritative source. |
Parent Route: Digital Language at Home
Name digital actions during ordinary routines: save the file, close the tab, sign out of the account, ask before sharing and check the source. Precise calm language is more useful than general warnings that the internet is dangerous.
Use family rules consistently. Children should know which adults manage accounts, downloads, purchases, messages and external publishing. Do not ask children to remember adult responsibilities alone.
When a mistake happens, prioritise disclosure and repair. Thank the child for reporting, secure the account or content and avoid creating fear that prevents future help-seeking.
Teacher Route: Small-Group Digital Vocabulary
Use a compact cycle: show an approved interface or printed mock-up, name the target term, predict the action consequence, perform only the approved step, then explain and retrieve without the screen.
Keep online safety embedded. Every create-and-share task should identify audience, permission and private information before the final click.
Use fictional credentials and messages. Never display a student’s real account information, history or private communication for teaching.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is digital literacy?
It is the ability to use, understand, create and evaluate digital information and tools safely and purposefully.
What is the difference between hardware and software?
Hardware is physical equipment; software is the instructions and programs that run on it.
What is the difference between save and share?
Save stores work; share gives another person or group access.
What should remain private?
Passwords, exact home and school details, live location, contact information, private photographs and personal documents require protection and adult guidance.
Can a deleted post disappear completely?
Deletion may reduce visibility, but copies, screenshots, backups or records can remain.
How should children respond to unknown links?
Do not click, reply, download or enter information. Stop and tell a trusted adult.
Is the first search result the best?
No. Results should be checked for source, purpose, date, relevance and evidence.
Can generated content be wrong?
Yes. It can be inaccurate, invented, biased or unsuitable, so important claims require verification.
What is a digital footprint?
It is the record created by digital actions, content and system activity.
What should a child do about hurtful messages?
Do not retaliate. Stop engagement, preserve appropriate evidence only with adult guidance and report to a trusted adult.
How should digital vocabulary be assessed?
Use explanation, sorting, approved mock interfaces, source comparison and fictional safety scenarios—not real private accounts.
What does mastery look like?
The learner explains digital actions, protects private information, checks sources, communicates respectfully and seeks adult help when risk appears.
Quality Gates for Primary 2 Digital Vocabulary
A strong lesson passes seven gates. The term has a clear technical meaning; the action consequence is visible; audience and information movement are identified; source evidence is considered; privacy is protected; adult responsibility is explicit; and transfer is tested in a changed interface.
Do not reward speed over understanding. Fast tapping can hide weak concepts and unsafe assumptions. Ask the learner to explain before acting.
Do not make safety depend on fear. Children need memorable actions—stop, do not click, do not reply, tell an adult—and confidence that reporting a mistake leads to help.
Do not treat technology as automatically trustworthy or harmful. Evaluate the tool, purpose, source, audience and setting.
Evidence and Further Reading
- Common Sense Education: That’s Private!.
- United States Federal Trade Commission: Protecting Kids Online.
- Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency: Cybersecurity Best Practices.
- eduKateSG: Context, Multiple Meanings and Reading Comprehension.
- Research traditions on digital literacy, media literacy, source evaluation, online safeguarding, accessibility and digital citizenship.
Final Principle
Primary 2 digital vocabulary should make invisible systems visible. Device, file, source, audience, permission, private, share, footprint and report matter because they explain what technology does and what responsible use requires.
Teach terms through approved interfaces, printed mock-ups, source comparison and fictional safety situations. Preserve privacy, make adult boundaries explicit and verify important claims.
Return to the Primary 2 vocabulary apex guide, the Academic Vocabulary guide or the Vocabulary Learning Hub.