Tag: Literacy

Writing Rammy

The Writing Rammy is open to everyone, regardless of age or writing experience – everyone has a story in them!

Taking part is easy:  all you need to do is write a short piece of original fiction or poetry on a theme of your choice and email it in.

About the Writing Rammy

  • Simply send your entries to our dedicated email address, with your contact details to  writingrammy@falkirkcommunitytrust.org
  • Alternatively typed entries can be handed into any library in the Falkirk district by the closing date.
  • Your entry should clearly state your name, age, address, tel. no, and email address or your school and form class.
  • The word limit is 250 words for under 15s, or up to 500 words for 15 and over.
  • The competition is open now and the closing date is Saturday 18th August 2018
  • Please read the terms and conditions for the competition at: http://www.falkirkcommunitytrust.org/libraries/writing-rammy/writing-rammy-rules.aspx , or view them in your local library

Entries will be judged by a panel from the library service and a winner and runner up will be chosen in each of the following categories:

  • 7 and under
  • 8-11
  • 12-14
  • 15-17
  • 18+
  • Best Family Entry

Winners will be announced mid- September and invited to a special winners’ ceremony on 11th October 2018 during National Libraries Week.

Pupil Entries

If pupils would like to participate, their class teacher can email in several entries at once, but please make sure each entry clearly states the pupil’s name, age and form class.

 

 

Interesting Update from the last National Literacy Network Meeting

Yvonne McBlain, Yvonne Manning and Carol Turnbull (FCS Literacy team) attended the National Literacy Network Meeting on 19th March 2018. Helen Fairlie, Development Officer, Education Scotland arranged and hosted the event which consisted of:

  • Sharing of early messages – an overview of Literacy nationally

Helen Fairlie is in the process of analysing available HMIE inspection reports and other data to compile her report on how pupils and schools are currently progressing with Literacy. An extract of her slide presentation can be accessed here – Helen stressed that this is interim data about pupil achievement of literacy within CfE, and that her analysis of inspection reports is not complete.

  • Conversations about Language and Literacy:

Click on the snapshot above of Dr Sarah McGeown’s blog to discover more about how she is linking research and practice. Her work focuses on early reading, motivation and engagement in reading, gender differences and children and young people’s reading choices.

Dr Lynne Duncan   is researching pre-school language and emergent literacy and reading among bilingual learners, as well as literacy difficulties. Click the snapshot of the Improving Children’s Literacy website below to explore their work further.

Click here to view their presentation from the event.

 

 

 

Sharing of developments by Dundee City Council

Gail Stirling and Nicola McDonald from Dundee City Council shared their development of literacy at all levels. Click here to view their presentation and hear how the process they are supporting is already impacting on learner attainment.

  • Sharing of Literacy priorities in each local authority area

Each local authority submitted a presentation slide showing their current priorities for literacy – there was time to discuss these in the afternoon.

Watch out for Interesting Update 2 with more info about the afternoon.

 

Creating a Reading Culture – Inspiring Classrooms

Bring reading to life in the classroom

Inspiring Classrooms is a project created by the First Minister’s Reading Challenge to help schools build and sustain a reading culture.

Schools can apply to Inspiring Classrooms to receive a small grant for a project of their choice which includes an author visit and books for Primary 1 – 7 children taking part in the First Minister’s Reading Challenge.

The 2nd round of funding is now open for applications:

  • 16 February 2018 – Application deadline
  • 9 March 2018 – Notification of outcome
  • March 2018 – Funding distributed
  • March – June 2018 – Events held
  • June 2018 – Evaluation feedback deadline

Find out more about Inspiring Classrooms here.

Can you write a story in just 50 words?

The Scottish Book Trust runs a writing competition every month inviting you to write a story in 50 words! They provide a prompt for a story to get you started.

The competition includes the following categories:

  • Young Writers 5-11
  • Young Writer 12-18.

The entries will be judged by a panel and the winning stories will be published on the Scottish Book Trust’s website two weeks after the closing date.

Prizes are awarded to a writer in each category:

  • Young Writers 5-11: A fun selection of books.
  • Young Writers 12-18: A great selection of books

Find out more here

 

RED Book Award

RED Book Award

The RED Book Award is Falkirk Council’s Book Award in which each secondary school in the authority participate. RED stands for Read, Enjoy, Debate and is all about reading for enjoyment and stimulating lively debate about books. https://twitter.com/readenjoydebate?lang=en

The award is now in its 12th year. This year’s shortlist is:

Rebel of the Sands by Alwyn Hamilton

Welcome to Nowhere by Elizabeth Laird

Boy X by Dan Smith

Hell and High Water by Tanya Landman

13 and 14-year-olds from English classes in Bo’ness Academy, Braes High, Denny High, Falkirk High, Graeme High, Grangemouth High, Larbert High and St. Mungo’s High as well as reading groups in Polmont Young Offenders Institute and from a variety of countries take part. The young people read the 4 shortlisted titles, vote for their favourite book and produce a creative interpretation of one of the books for the award ceremony.

The Books

The shortlist of books is decided after lengthy debate by school and public librarians, young people feed in their opinions to the debate too. The criteria include books must be available in paperback, the author is available to attend the award ceremony and the books must have the wow factor.

The young people decide the winning book through a secret vote a few weeks before the award ceremony. The winner is revealed by opening the red envelope at the close of the big day!

Key Dates

April – August: A longlist of books is read from which the shortlist is agreed.

September – April: Young people read, enjoy and debate the books.

April: Pupils vote for their favourite book.

May: The RED Book Award ceremony held at the Falkirk Town Hall FTH

The RED Book Award Ceremony

Around 250 young people and invited guests pack into the Falkirk Town Hall to participate in the RED Book Award ceremony. Participants are encouraged to wear a red accessory and there are prizes (sponsored by Bright Red Books, www.brightredpublishing.co.uk) throughout the event for winners of the book review competition (sponsored by Palimpsest, www.palimpsest-bp.co.uk), a book cover design competition and best red accessory. The day is full of energy and fun and packed with a host of activities – from book signings and chatting with the authors to creative interpretations of the books and live entertainment by the young people.

The ceremony culminates in the opening of the red envelope to reveal the winning book.

Follow the RED on twitter.

Previous winners and shortlists:

RED 11 (2016-2017 award): 13 Hours by Narinder Dhami

Nominated:

  • The Apple Tart of Hope Sarah M Fitzgerald
  • The Year of the Rat Clare Furniss
  • Devil You Know Cathy MacPhail

RED 10 (2015-2016 award): Mind Blind by Lari Don

Nominated:

  • Beneath Gill Arbuthnot
  • Salvage Keren David
  • Inflicted Ria Frances

RED 9 (2014-2015 award): Raining Fire by Alan Gibbons

Nominated:

  • Rat Runners Oisin McGann
  • Mosi’s War Cathy MacPhail
  • Soul Shadows Alex Woolf

RED 8 (2013-2014 award): Slated byTeri Terry

Nominated:

  • Mortal Chaos Matt Dickinson
  • Torn David Massey
  • Mr Creecher Chris Priestly

RED 7 (2012-2013 award): An Act of Love by Alan Gibbons

Nominated:

  • My Sister Lives on the Mantelpiece Annabel Pitcher
  • Gladiator Simon Scarrow
  • Blood Red Road Moira Young

RED 6 (2011-12 award): Wasted by Nicola Morgan

Nominated:

  • Ausländer Paul Dowswell
  • Koh Tabu Ann Kelley
  • Black Out Sam Mills
  • Timeriders Alex Scarrow

RED 5 (2010-11 award): Grass by Cathy MacPhail

Nominated:

  • Wolfcry Julia Golding
  • Colony J A Henderson
  • Chalkline Jane Mitchell
  • Deathwatch Nicola Morgan

RED 4 (2009-10 award): Divided City by Theresa Breslin

Nominated:

  • Don’t Tell Sandra Glover
  • Beast Ally Kennan
  • Forged in the Fire Ann Turnbull

RED 3 (2008-09 award): Worse Than Boys by Cathy MacPhail

Nominated:

  • Message from Mia Sandra Glover
  • Bunker 10 J A Henderson Fearless Tim Lott
  • Alone on a Wide, Wide Sea Michael Morpurgo

RED 2 (2007-08 award): Blood Ties by Sophie McKenzie

Nominated:

  • The Ice Cream Con Jimmy Docherty
  • Ostrich Boys Keith Gray
  • Strangled Silence Oisin McGann
  • Spider Linda Strachan

RED 1 (2006-07 award): Looking for JJ by Anne Cassidy

Nominated:

  • The Star of Kazan Eva Ibbotson
  • Airborn Kenneth Oppel
  • Tamar Mal Peet
  • Montmorency Eleanor Updale

Read Write Count

Read, Write, Count is a new campaign to improve the literacy and numeracy skills of Scotland’s children by providing advice and support for the families of children in Primary 1, 2 and 3. It is a key part of the Scottish Government’s commitment to raise attainment for all and close the attainment gap.

Read, Write, Count aims to build on the success of the Play Talk Read and Bookbug programmes in the early years and encourage parents and families to include easy and fun reading, writing and counting activities in their everyday lives. For many years, Through the Read, Write, Count campaign, all P1 to P3 children will receive a free bag with books, counting games and writing materials in the autumn of this year.

Research tells us that parental involvement in children’s learning is one of the best ways to improve educational outcomes for all children. Read, Write, Count is about giving parents the confidence to get involved and provides resources to support learning at home.

http://scottishbooktrust.com/learning/read-write-count/

Contact Yvonne Manning, yvonne.manning@falkirk.gov.uk 01324 501990 for more information.

First Minister’s Reading Challenge


Scottish Book Trust, on behalf of the Scottish Government, is delivering an exciting new reading initiative for children in Primary 4 – 7.

Reading has the power to change lives, and developing a love of reading in childhood can have a huge impact on educational attainment and future wellbeing. The First Minister wants to make sure every child in Scotland has an equal opportunity to experience the huge benefits that reading for pleasure brings.

The First Minister’s Reading Challenge aims to build on the work already taking place in schools across the country to encourage children to read widely, explore a range of books and develop a love of reading. The main focus of the Challenge is to encourage reading for pleasure and support schools, libraries and communities to build reading cultures.

Children in P4-P7 in every school in Scotland are invited to take part in the Challenge. Once schools have registered, they can order Reading Passports that pupils can use to log their reading journeys. They can also register classes to take part in the challenges and find book suggestions, learning resources and ideas to encourage young people to develop a love of reading.

There will be a range of prizes awarded in June 2017 for schools and pupils to celebrate their reading journeys. The Challenge will also give the opportunity for every child’s personal achievements to be recognised by their teachers and librarians.

https://www.readingchallenge.scot/

Book Week Scotland


Book Week Scotland is a week-long celebration of books and reading that takes place every November.

During Book Week, people of all ages and walks of life will come together in libraries, schools, community venues and workplaces to share and enjoy books and reading. They will be joined in this celebration by Scotland’s authors, poets, playwrights, storytellers and illustrators to bring a packed programme of events and projects to life.

Scottish Book Trust are now accepting applications for Book Week Scotland event funding! The deadline for applications is Friday 2 June,5pm.

http://www.scottishbooktrust.com/reading/book-week-scotland/about

National Improvement Hub

NIHLogo

The purpose of the National Improvement Hub is to provide information and support which will enable practitioners to improve their practice quickly and increase the quality of learners’ experiences and outcomes. The National Improvement Hub will provide practitioners with access to: self-evaluation and improvement tools, knowledge/research, teaching and assessment resources, exemplars of practice and support for on-line collaboration and networks.