Category Archives: Languages and Literacy

Languages and Literacy

The First Official Scots Teachers

Leave a comment

On Tuesday 22nd February 2011, teachers for the first time ever were awarded Professional Recognition for Scots Language Teaching by the General Teaching Council for Scotland. The awards were presented by Tony Finn, CEO of the GTCS, at the Scottish Parliament to twelve teachers before an invited audience of MSPs and guests from all sectors of Scottish education.

The teachers awarded were:

Katrina Lucas, Primary, Falkirk

Caroline Stein, Primary, Falkirk

Rhona Craig, Primary, Fife

Gillian Bell, Primary, South Ayrshire

Laura Brandon, Primary, Edinburgh

Laura Smart, Primary, Dundee

Muriel Angus, Primary, West Lothian

Anne White, Primary, West Lothian

Lois Cassidy, Primary, Falkirk

Gillin Anderson, Secondary, Falkirk

Anne McKinnon, Secondary, West Dunbartonshire

Elaine Webster, Scottish Language Dictionaries

The GTCS is encouraging more teachers from across Scotland to apply for Professional Recognition for Scots Language Teaching. More information and application forms are available from the GTCS website at http://www.gtcs.org.uk/professional-development/apply-for-professional-recognition.aspx

As Education Officer for Itchy Coo, Matthew Fitt worked with the GTCS to establish this category for Scots Language Teaching. Without the support of the Scottish Arts Council/Creative Scotland and Learning & Teaching Scotland and various local authorities around the country, the awards simply would not have been possible.

NB: Photos available at http://www.flickr.com/photos/gtcs

Health and Wellbeing, Languages and Literacy, Sciences, Social Studies

Excellence Groups reports acknowledge “The link between creativity and achievement.”

Leave a comment

Education Secretary Michael Russell today welcomed the publication of the reports of 17 Excellence Groups which highlight best practice in key subjects and areas.

http://www.scotland.gov.uk/News/Releases/2011/03/11121127

The reports, which include 15 subject reports and reports on excellence in health and wellbeing and on developing young people’s skills, emphasise the importance of both subject knowledge and skills such as creative thinking and problem solving.

The key findings include: “The opportunities the arts present for promoting creativity across the whole curriculum, and the link between creativity and achievement.”

Dance, Drama, Languages and Literacy, Music

Festival of Arts for Dundee City Pupils

Leave a comment

Over 5,000 pupils will be taking part in the Dundee City Council Schools’ Arts Festival between Monday (March 7) and Wednesday (March 9).
Performances will highlight the talent and potential being developed in the city’s primary and secondary schools.
Competitions cover a range of instruments, choirs, solo singing, poetry, drama and dancing.
The Caird Hall, Marryat Hall, Bonar Hall and Bell Street Music Centre will all be the focus of activities over the three days.

http://www.dundeecity.gov.uk/news/index/article?article_ref=1355&month=03&year=2011

Languages and Literacy

Today is World Book Day: Reaching Children Across Scotland

Leave a comment


For World Book Day (3 March 2011) Eoin Colfer, award-winning performer and author of the bestselling Artemis Fowl series, will star in one of the day’s biggest events as he speaks directly to thousands of young fans across the UK in the latest Meet Our Authors webcast

The Meet Our Authors webcast will see Eoin answer questions submitted by fans online on topics ranging from his incredible career, to his latest novel Artemis Fowl and The Atlantis Complex, which is set for its paperback release in April.

http://www.creativescotland.com/news/world-book-day-reaching-children-across-scotland-02032011

Languages and Literacy

Meeting writers in Aberdeenshire

Leave a comment

Aberdeenshire young people encouraged to celebrate World Book Day http://www.aberdeenshire.gov.uk/news/release.asp?newsID=1951

Aberdeenshire Libraries will celebrate World Book Day next month and have arranged for talented writers to meet young readers across the north-east. It has long been recognised that meeting and working with writers enthuses, delights and surprises young readers and can provide the impetus needed to encourage even the most reluctant reader. This year World Book Day falls on Thursday, March 3 and Aberdeenshire Libraries will host a variety of events designed for young people.

Languages and Literacy, Technologies

AMES Conference Breaking Barriers: Multimodal and Media Literacy in the Curriculum for Excellence

Leave a comment

The 2011 AMES Conference Breaking Barriers: Multimodal and Media Literacy in the Curriculum for Excellence will take place at Abertay University in Dundee on Saturday 14 May 2011. It will address the issues raised in the recently published position which can be downloaded at www.mediaedscotland.org.uk

The keynote speaker is leading media education researcher Professor David Buckingham of the University of London’s Institute of Education. There will also be a range of workshops allowing primary, secondary and further education educators to explore unfamiliar pedagogies or reinvigorate familiar ones. Details and application forms will be in Scottish schools/colleges and on the website after the Easter holidays.

Languages and Literacy, Technologies

An app’s an app for a’ that

Leave a comment

http://www.scotland.gov.uk/News/Releases/2011/01/18135558
The complete works of Robert Burns, Scotland’s National Bard, have been made available free of charge on the iPhone for the first time.

An iPhone app allowing enthusiasts around the world to download and instantly access Burns’ poetry has been developed by the Scottish Government.  The app includes a searchable database of every poem written by Burns, a summary of facts about the poet’s life and a guide to hosting a Burns Supper.

Languages and Literacy

Brilliant bairns become Burnsian bards

Leave a comment

Hundreds of pupils from across South Ayrshire wrote poems to celebrate the opening of the new Robert Burns Birthplace Museum in Alloway.

Competition judges Matthew Fitt, Itchy Coo, and Nat Edwards , RBBM Director, challenged pupils to write a poem for Robert Burns and be crowned Scots Poetry Champion.

Using Glow technology, pupils from Alloway and Kincaidston primaries filmed a Scots Language Poetry workshop with Scots expert Matthew Fitt, which was then made available to all primary school pupils and teachers in the region.

Winners Lewis Doak and Beth Murdoch from Alloway Primary School, will have their poems performed by the Chemical Poets at the official opening of the new Museum on 22 January.

Admission to the museum is FREE on that day and everyone is welcome to come and listen.

RBBM Director Nat Edwards said: ‘’I was really impressed with the standard of entries and congratulate pupils and teachers on their excellent efforts.”

Itchy Coo Director Matthew Fitt said: “A lot of hard work from both pupils and teachers went in to this competition.”

Languages and Literacy

Family Legends Viral Video Competition – Scottish Book Trust

Leave a comment

Scottish Book Trust are running a competition for all new media students, creative types, animators, film-makers and anyone handy with a video camera.

You can win an Apple iPad for making the most entertaining, creative and inspiring short film or animation on the theme ‘Family Legends’.

Family Legends Viral Video Competition http://www.scottishbooktrust.com/family-legends-viral-video-competition-win-an-ipad