Category Archives: Languages and Literacy

5-18 year olds wanted to help create new national CfE website

www.BeXcellent.org.uk <http://www.bexcellent.org.uk/>

If you’re aged between 5-18, or work with young people who are, we

need you …!

• Are you an aspiring webmaster?

• Are you into art and graphic design?

• Do you love writing?

• Is film-making or photography your passion?

• Are you interested in business, marketing and managing a budget?

We are recruiting children and young people from around Scotland to

become part of a team; to work together to manage and develop a

website.

www.BeXcellent.org.uk <http://www.bexcellent.org.uk/>

is the only website available for children and young people to

inform and share ideas on Curriculum for Excellence.

The BeXcellent team will:

• Develop and refresh the website

• Provide interesting, fun and relevant content

• Produce a website designed and written by children and young

people for children and young people

A smaller group of the team will become the project leaders and will

be expected to make decisions to help steer the work.

There will be plenty of support available from staff at Children in

Scotland and opportunities to learn from experts working in the

different areas.

This is an exciting opportunity to develop and showcase your talents

and skills. We understand that some of you may want to start with a

small contribution and build up your confidence and learn.

However, you might feel ready to make a bigger commitment. Being part

of the team is voluntary and will involve some of your time.

The work will be complete by Spring 2014 and some of the team will

launch the refreshed website at a big event in Edinburgh. There will

be awards for special contributions made by team members and all team

members will receive a certificate that can be used in personal

profiles, for UCAS applications or future job applications.

We look forward to hearing from you.

Click here to download an application form

<http://www.childreninscotland.org.uk/docs/ApplicationForm.pdf>

More information

• Apply directly or through a school, youth group or club by

Wednesday 18 September 2013

• You need to be between the ages of 5 and 18

• You need to have an adult sponsor or supporter. This could be a

teacher, youth leader or family member

• You need to have consent from an adult to take part in this

project

• Children in Scotland staff will be on hand throughout the project

to support and guide you

• The new website will be launched at an event with Scottish

Government in Spring 2014 and all participants will be invited

For more information, contact Linda Young

lyoung@childreninscotland.org.uk

<mailto:lyoung@childreninscotland.org.uk>

or Lesley Warren lwarren@childreninscotland.org.uk

<mailto:lyoung@childreninscotland.org.uk>

Glow TV events from Edinburgh International Book Festival – create your own story

EIBF 2013 – Superhero Siblings with Gwyneth Rees, 20 August 10.30am http://bit.ly/14xLyVH

Saffie is no ordinary sibling, she’s a sister with superpowers! Join author Gwyneth Rees and meet the quirky characters from her enchanting My Super Sister series. Share stories of superpowered magic and mayhem, and find out how to create your own super special story idea. This event is suitable for Primary 3-5.

EIBF 2013 – The Physics of Superheroes with James Kakalios, 20 August 12.00 midday http://bit.ly/1477joh

James Kakalios explains the basic principles of physics without an inclined plane or pulley in sight.  Instead, all of his examples come from superhero comic books (particularly those in which the heroes get their science right!). Starting with fun superhero questions, the fascinating mysteries of science are revealed. This event is suitable for S2- S6.

EIBF 2013 – Ciaran Murtagh: Jokes, Genies and Japes, 21 August, 12.30 pm http://bit.ly/1br310Z

Ace author, CBBC scriptwriter and star of The Slammer, Ciaran Murtagh wants you to help him make up a brand new story.
Choose a title, decide what happens next and then make sure everything’s all right in the end. Giggles are guaranteed as this master storyteller weaves words into stories right before your eyes!
This event is suitable for P3-6.

For full details of these and other events, please log in to Glow and view the current schedule:

https://portal.glowscotland.org.uk/establishments/nationalsite/GlowTV/tvpages/Schedule.aspx.

(Glow log-in and password required).

Young writers and artists/designers wanted – GIRFEC project

GIRFEC Wellbeing competition – still plenty time to enter

http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Topics/People/Young-People/wellbeingwk/competition

The Getting it right for every child (GIRFEC) team is looking for talented young writers and artists/designers to help develop a meaningful guide for young people about GIRFEC. The competition is open to young people aged between 11 and 15.

GIRFEC Wellbeing competition – writing and design

GIRFEC Wellbeing competition – What does wellbeing mean to you? http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Topics/People/Young-People/wellbeingwk/competition

The Getting it right for every child (GIRFEC) team is looking for talented young writers and artists/designers to help develop a meaningful guide for young people about GIRFEC. The competition is open to young people aged between 11 and 15.

Writing competition – entrants are invited to write a 500-word short essay, story or poem about one of the eight GIRFEC ‘indicators’ of wellbeing – the words that describe what it looks like when things are going well for a child or young person.

Design competition – we’re also looking for a design for a cover for the guide – or perhaps for a web-based version.

The closing date is 30 September 2013.

Reminder – Design a book cover competition for schools

Edinburgh International Book Festival (10-26 August)

The Design a Book Cover Competition is an exciting opportunity to showcase your pupils’ creative skills whilst encouraging them to engage with books and reading.  It’s open to all primary schools and it’s easy to take part.  There are two entry categories: P1 – P3 and P4 – P7 and there are prizes to be won for your school and pupils.  The closing date is Monday 3 July 2013. Full details and the Entry Pack can be found on the competition website or by emailing michelle.mcleod@bailliegifford.com

Working in the Music Business, Tony Robinson and Biodiversity – Glow Meets

Look, Capture, Create – B is for Biodiversity and Beauty, 4 June http://bit.ly/14RG47G

https://blogs.glowscotland.org.uk/glowblogs/eslb/2013/05/27/look-capture-create/

During week 3 of the ‘Look, capture, create’ interdisciplinary learning experience we will be joined by a scientist/mathematician from Dundee University live in the Dundee Botanic Gardens to learn more about the importance of Scottish Biodiversity and how we can do simple things to help nature survive and grow. We will look in particular at the types and purposes of the beautiful patterns nature creates.
Find out more about this interdisciplinary learning experience below and visit the Look, Capture, Create Glow group here: http://bit.ly/153Zoha

Working in the Music Business, 5 June 2.00 pm http://bit.ly/12hGHXr

Yes World of Work Wednesdays is back again!  This event will give you a great insight into the real world of the music industry. The UK music business employs 150,000 people and is worth £3.5billion to the UK economy. We’ve brought together experts from all aspects of the industry including a manager, a singer, a record producer and a marketing manager.

Authors Live – Tony Robinson, 6 June 11.00 am http://bit.ly/Zv1tBk

Authors Live is stepping back in time with renowned popular historian, actor and author, Tony Robinson, to discover the strange secrets hidden in our Weird World of Wonders. Join us as we march through time with the Romans, Greeks and Egyptians and find out what made us Britons British. It’s history, but not as you know it!
After watching the live webstream in the morning why not join us for an interactive question and answer session with Tony Robinson at 1.30 pm http://bit.ly/13kLxyI

For full details of these and other events, please log in to Glow and view the current schedule:

https://portal.glowscotland.org.uk/establishments/nationalsite/GlowTV/tvpages/Schedule.aspx.

(Glow log-in and password required).

21st Century fairytales sought to celebrate golden anniversary

National Trust for Scotland

http://www.nts.org.uk/learn/events_writing.php

To mark the 50th anniversary of the National Trust for Scotland’s care of Craigievar Castle – the conservation charity has teamed up with the Press and Journal, Aberdeenshire Writer in Residence Deborah Leslie and the Friends of Craigievar Castle to launch the Craigievar Creative Writing competition. Entries are invited from school pupils in 2 categories P6 – P7 for Junior Category and S1 to S6 for Senior Category, and all stories must be 500 words and suitable for children under ten years of age.

The winning entry will be chosen by Aberdeenshire’s Deborah Leslie the celebrated author of children’s tales such as the ‘Fyvie Castle Witch Trials’,  and the top 2 stories will be performed by Deborah at Craigievar Castle on the 7 and 8 September at a special Family Fairytale Castle day.

To find out more information including How to Enter, Facts about Craigievar, take a virtual tour of the castle to help inspire you and the terms and conditions for entry visit http://www.nts.org.uk/learn/events_writing.php or to discuss the competition please contact Dr Alison Burke – ABurke@nts.org.uk or 0844 493 2161.

Love Literacies, Love Lifelong Learning, Love RaPAL and be published

Research and Practice in Adult Literacies (RaPAL) are asking for short written pieces (story, poem, report) on experiences of successful teaching and learning to launch their new website (http://www.rapal.org.uk/) on 18 May 2013 to coincide with Adult Learners Week in the UK. The most rewarding pieces will be published in the RaPAL journal and top three will be invited to present at one of RaPAL’s annual conferences. Prizes include a year’s free subscription to RaPAL. No more than 1,000 words. Deadline: 31 May 2013

For more information, please contact journal@rapal.org.uk.

National Trust for Scotland Creative Writing Competition

To mark the 50th anniversary of the National Trust for Scotland’s care of Craigievar Castle – the conservation charity has teamed up with the Press and Journal, Aberdeenshire Writer in Residence Deborah Leslie and the Friends of Craigievar Castle to launch the Craigievar Creative Writing competition.

Entries are invited from school pupils in 2 categories P6 – P7 for Junior Category and S1 to S6 for Senior Category, and all stories must be 500 words and suitable for children under ten years of age.

The winning entry will be chosen by Aberdeenshire’s Deborah Leslie the celebrated author of children’s tales such as the ‘Fyvie Castle Witch Trials’,  and the top 2 stories will be performed by Deborah at Craigievar Castle on the 7 and 8 September at a special Family Fairytale Castle day.

To find out more information visit http://www.nts.org.uk/learn/events_writing.php

Young Writers Award

The Young Writers Awards are open to young people aged between 14 and 17 and living in Scotland. The awards will give young people the chance to work with a professional writer, helping them improve their writing and learn more about the publishing industry. They will also be working with other like-minded young writers, helping to build their confidence and skills. Deadline for applications: Friday 21 June.


http://www.scottishbooktrust.com/writing/opportunities-for-writers/young-writers/young-writers-awards