Category Archives: Literacy

Literacy, Literacy and English

Daily What Headline Competition

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Your chance to win a Kindle and see your work published

All you have to do is to think up a catchy headline, with no more than eight words, to go with the featured story.

The winning entry will be picked by the editor-in-chief of the Herald & Times newspaper group, Jonathan Russell, from a shortlist chosen by the Daily What News team.

Our winner’s headline will be published with the story on the Daily What News website, and will appear in the Herald newspaper. The lucky writer will also get a Kindle e-reader, courtesy of the Herald & Times group.

Deadline for entries: midnight on Thursday 1 December 2011

The winner will be announced on Friday 9 December 2011.

To find out more about the competition click here.

Early Years, Languages, Literacy, Literacy and English, Responsibility of All

Scots Language in the Early Years

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Do you know what ‘cow’,  ‘dog’ or ‘vest’ is in Scots? If not tune in and watch again on Early Years Glow TV. We had a fantastic session with Matthew Fitt this morning, lots of establishments tuned in and took part by burlin’ roon  and shoutin’ oot!

If you would like to know more visit the Glow TV ‘discussion’ section of our Early Years National Glow site and download the hints and tips on how to explore Scots more in your classroom/playroom.

Here are some useful links too:

Scotland’s Songs for Early Years

Scotland’s Stories

Itchycoo

Thank you for tuning in!

Assessment, Expressive Arts, Health and wellbeing, Health and wellbeing, Literacy, Literacy and English, Mathematics, Modern Languages, National Qualifications, Religious and Moral Education, RME, Sciences, Social studies, Technologies

Curriculum Area Events on Glow TV

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SQA, in partnership with Education Scotland, are holding a series of curriculum area events to discuss the new national qualifications and give practical support on their implementation. The events are also an opportunity for practitioners to give their views on the new qualifications. Places have been allocated to local authorities and their schools, independent schools and colleges. The events are part of a range of support to help local authorities and individual centres prepare for implementing the new qualifications.

The events will take place on 29 November, and 1, 5, 7, 8, 9, 12 and 13 December. Each event will be streamed live on Glow via the SQA Glow Group.  Most events and workshops will be shown live and recorded for watching again later.

A number of resources will be available following each event, including opportunities to hear some of the discussions from the day.

Early Years, Literacy, Literacy and English

Come and meet Debi Gliori!

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Debi Gliori lives in Scotland. Debi is well known for both her picture books and her novels for children and has been shortlisted for all the major prizes, including the Kate Greenaway Award (twice) and the Scottish Arts Council Award. Debi was the Shetland Islands’ first Children’s Writer-in-Residence. She published her first book in 1990 and since then has published so many successful books that she has lost count. She has written and illustrated No Matter What, The Trouble With Dragons, Stormy Weather and, most recently, The Scariest Thing of All for Bloomsbury.
In this session she will work with pupils from Primary 2 at Haddington Infant School – why don’t you join her?
Yes I would love to join her! (29.11.11 @ 1.30pm)
Can’t join in at the time? Remember to watch again!
Early Years, Languages, Literacy, Literacy and English

The latest Early Years Glow meet

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Our Glow meet, “Towards the Vision: Developing Literacy in the Early Years” was a great success.

Join in the interesting discussions here.

Grant Gillies, Literacy Development Officer at Education Scotland spoke about Bloom’s Higher Order Thinking fans. Find out about the Kilmalcolm case study here:

http://caledonianblogs.net/nilfs/2010/02/25/questioning-kilmacolms-innovative-blooming-blooms-approach/

Find Bloom’s Higher Order Thinking fans here:

https://portal.glowscotland.org.uk/establishments/nationalsite/Literacy%20and%20English/AAA%20Hidden%20Pages/CL%20-%20Resources.aspx

Literacy, Literacy and English, Senior Phase, Social studies

Get Debating for St Andrew’s Day

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On Monday 28th November, the annual St Andrew’s Day debating championship will be held in the Scottish Parliament with students and senior pupils from universities and schools across Scotland competing in debating heats covering a range of issues important in today’s society. The Final will take place in the Debating Chamber chaired by the Presiding Officer with the opportunity to win the specially engraved Scottish Parliament Quaich. This year, for the first time, all schools across the country will be able to follow the progress of the competition on Glow throughout the day and then watch the final, streamed live on Glow TV. This is an exciting opportunity for pupils to get involved in a high quality debate and to learn more about debating.

Sign up here to follow the debate on Glow TV.

For more information on developing your own debates in school click here.

Literacy, Religious and Moral Education, Social studies

Resources for St. Andrew’s Day

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St Andrew is the patron saint of Scotland. Find out more about the Saint, view an animated version of his story, and discover why the Saltire is Scotland’s national flag. Find out more information on Education Scotland’s Celebrating St. Andrew’s Day Website.

Click here to find St. Andrew’s Day resources.

On Monday 28th November, the annual St Andrew’s Day debating championship will be held in the Scottish Parliament with students and senior pupils from universities and schools across Scotland competing in debating heats covering a range of issues important in today’s society. To find out more click here.

Other Education Scotland resources include:

Scotland’s Songs

Scotland’s Stories

Literacy, Literacy and English, Technologies

Moving Image Education

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Moving Image Education (MIE) is fast becoming an integral part of 21st century literacy and modern teaching practice. Using moving image texts as a source in addition to the written word has been proved to vastly increase wider literacy skills, confidence, engagement and fun in the classroom.

Education Scotland is working in partnership with Creative Scotland to make moving image education more accessible and active within Glow.

We now have a Moving Image Education National Glow Group which is steadily being populated with information, resources and CPD opportunities. Work is also underway to engage with Glow users across Scotland and encourage them to participate in interesting and relevant topics of discussion through the group’s Glow Forum. We look forward to seeing you on Glow.

Health and wellbeing, Literacy, Technologies

Make a Sport Podcast!

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Over two Mondays in November and December, The L.A.B will work with you to make your own radio programme or podcast – on a sporting theme. We’ll be hosting two workshops in The L.A.B at BBC Scotland, and you can join in from your classroom. In the first workshop, you’ll be working with us to record an interview with a special guest, plus idents for your programme. And in the second workshop we want you to record an event at your own school. By the end you’ll have made your own sporting podcast. Where possible, we’ll publish your finished work on The L.A.B’s website.
In advance of the Glow Meet:
Practise with recording equipment. Think about what makes a good interview. The special guest will be Scotland and Glasgow Warriors rugby star, Ryan Grant. You should do some research about him in preparation for the Glow Meet.
To sign up to this Glow TV Event, click here.
Click here to visit The Lab Glow Group. 
Literacy, Literacy and English

Additional Glovember Author Dates

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There is still time to sign up for the already very successful Glovember Glow TV author events.

Still to come:

Alette J. Willis Monday 21st November @ 1.30pm
Julie Sandilands Wednesday 23rd November @ 1.30pm
V. Campbell Thursday 24th November @ 1.30pm
Caroline Clough Friday 25th November @ 11am
Debi Gliori Tuesday 29th November @ 1.30pm

(Click on the author name to sign up to the event, Glow log in required)

Remember pupils can take part in the writing and illustrator competition, click here to find out more information.

To find out more information about Glovember visit the Glow Group.

Literacy, Mathematics, Sciences, Technologies

STEM Central raising issues for debate and discussion

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Perhaps your use of STEM Central contexts has raised debate around ethical issues – access to clean water, housing sustainability, energy through renewables? If so, the Speak Up Scotland! initiative might be of interest to you. Free workshops for teachers introduce different forms of debating, so you can encourage learners to explore the ethical and moral considerations around scientific developments. The programme also offers to arrange visits from or online discussions with university and industry STEM Ambassadors.

More details available on the SSERC website or by e-mailing science@esus.scotland.org.uk

Literacy, Literacy and English

Imprint Book Festival & Glovember

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The East Ayrshire Imprint Book Festival schools programme was watched by just under 3500 pupils from around Scotland on GlowTV. Pupils from schools in Dumfries and Galloway to Orkney logged on to Glow to see and hear the authors. There were also many East Ayrshire schools joining these events on Glow as well as pupils from local schools attending the Burns Monument Centre in Kilmarnock in person. Glow teamed up with east Ayrshire’s Imprint Book Festival to make the 5 author sessions with Lynne Rickards, Scott McIntyre, Simon Puttock, Barry Hutchison and Tony Bonning part of Glovember, Glow’s national writing competition taking place throughout the month of November.

 This was an excellent example of partnership working between Education and Library Services in East Ayrshire, and the national Glow team, to provide events to schools that promote and encourage literacy and reading. At the Imprint Festival finale on Saturday, Councillor Douglas Reid highlighted the input of Glow as one of the successes of the festival.

To find out about more up and coming author events during November, visit the Glovember Glow Group.

Early Years, Literacy, Literacy and English, Responsibility of All

Only 7 days to go……

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On Tuesday 22nd November the Early Years team here at Education Scotland are hosting a topical debate on Glow TV. We ask an expert panel:

  • Thinking about your own work and experience, what do you think is the best way to develop children’s literacy skills?
  • What do you believe that parents of young children can do to support their literacy development?

We will also discuss the latest findings from PISA:

 “the performance advantage among students whose parents read to them in their early school years is evident regardless of the family’s socio-economic background”

Visit the Early Years National Glow site today to find out more!

CLD, Early Years, Health and wellbeing, Literacy, Literacy and English, Research, Responsibility of All

Very interesting research about parental involvement in the early years

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“Children whose parents frequently read with them in their first year of school are still showing the benefit when they are 15, says an international OECD study.”

(BBC News 8 November 2011)

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/education-15639642

Health and wellbeing, Literacy, Religious and Moral Education, Religious Education in Roman Catholic schools, Responsibility of All, RME, Social studies

Edinburgh Interfaith Week

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Edinburgh Interfaith Week Programme has been launched and offers an ideal opportuntiy for those in and around the Edinburgh Area to find out more about faith and belief and its relevance to the world today.

 EIFA Inter faith week

Early Years, Expressive Arts, Health and wellbeing, Health and wellbeing, Literacy, Literacy and English, Mathematics, Responsibility of All, Sciences, Social studies, Technologies

Wise Up Wednesday!

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Early Years Glow: Did you know?

There is a whole wealth of Early Years whiteboard activities in the Aardvarks storecupboard!

  1. Visit the National Early Years Glow site
  2. Click ‘places to go’
  3. Click on the Aardvarks storecupboard
  4. Click on a subject area and have fun!
Literacy, Literacy and English, Technologies

Glovember Competition & Glow TV

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Why not enter our Glovember writing competition – we are looking for stories, poems and drawings from young people across Scotland.

All of next week GlowTV will be hosting different authors as part of Glovember. Please join us with:

Lynne Rickards – Monday 7th November @ 1:30pm

Scott McIntyre – Tuesday 8th November @ 1.30pm

Simon Puttock – Wednesday 9th November @ 1.30pm

Barry Hutchison – Thursday 10th November @ 1.30pm

Tony Bonning – Friday 11th November @ 1.30pm

You can sign up here on GlowTV.

Click here to visit the Glovember Glow Group.

(You will require a Glow login to take part in these events.)

Literacy, Technologies

Purple Mash

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Purple Mash brings you a selection of online creativity tools to support and inspire young children.

The following resources from Purple Mash are available through Glow.

2Publish

2Publish is a program which allows pupils to create simple layouts using text and drawings. A selection of templates, word banks and images are available to use.

2Design & Make

Design and make 3D models. Select from a range of templates or create your own design. As you work watch the changes take effect on a 3D preview of your model. Customise your model with the painting tools then print it out to fold and stick it together to complete your model.

2AnimateLite

Get started with simple frame animation to develop an understanding of sequences and processes. Use the ‘onion skinning’ facility to ensure smooth transition from one frame to another when you play your film.

You can access Purple Mash by clicking here. (Glow login required)

You can also add a Purple Mash webpart to your Glow Group by:

– clicking on Modify Shared Page

– Add Webpart

– Search, type Purple Mash

– Click Virtual Server Gallery

– Drag and drop the webpart or select the relevant area on Add to

Early Years, Literacy, Literacy and English, Responsibility of All

The Early Years team would love to hear from you!

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Now that all Early Years establishments have the new issue of Education Scotland’s Early Years Matters we would love to hear your views on the literacy questions which were discussed at the Saturday conference in May. These are:

* Thinking about your own work and experience, what do you think is the best way to develop children’s literacy skills?
* What do you believe that parents of young children can do to support their literacy development?

Please visit our discussion forum on our Early Years Glow site and share your thoughts and ideas. We look forward to hearing from you.

Link to discussion forum:

https://forums.glowscotland.org.uk//forums/viewforum.php?f=3490&sid=542c87bd12ded5eb8d56b128e56a2dc8

Click the link on our Glow site to see Early Years Matters online:

https://portal.glowscotland.org.uk/establishments/nationalsite/Early%20Years/default.aspx

Literacy, Literacy and English, Sciences, Technologies

Daily What News – Science & Technologies

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The Daily What News for Schools in Scotland is an online news service provided byEducation Scotland for Scottish schools. Its main purpose is to help the development of literacy and language (English and Gaelic) in young people aged nine to 16 as well as support their needs for news and information. At the same time, its functions facilitate interdisciplinary learning and critical thinking skills. The service empowers teachers and learners to develop trusted learning resources and classroom activities using community-created content and group interactivity.

To visit the Science and Technology articles click here. (To access the interactive materials you will require your Glow log in)

To visit the Science and Tecnhnology Staff Area click here.

To view Science and Technology Daily What Resources that teachers have created click here. (Glow log in required)

You can also add a Daily What News Feed webpart to your Glow Group by:

– clicking on Modify Shared Page

– Add Webpart

– Search, type Daily What

– Click Virtual Server Gallery

– Drag and drop the webpart or select the relevant area on Add to

Literacy, Senior Phase, Social studies

The Statistical Accounts of Scotland

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This morning I had a meeting with The Statistical Accounts of Scotland. Glow users have full access to this site, http://edina.ac.uk/stat-acc-scot/.

Just go to the link, and choose to log in via the UK federation. Choose Glow Scotland from the drop down list and press select. Then the screen will prompt you to enter your Glow username and password. You will then be able to access the accounts.

The two Statistical Accounts of Scotland, covering the 1790s and the 1830s, are among the best contemporary reports of life during the agricultural and industrial revolutions in Europe. Learn more about the area in which you or your ancestors have lived, or use this key source to study the emergence of the modern British State and the economic and social impact of the world’s first industrial nation.

Based largely on information supplied by each parish church minister, the original (first) Statistical Account and the New (second) Statistical Account provide a rich record of a wide variety of topics: wealth, class and poverty; climate, agriculture, fishing and wildlife; population, schools, and the moral health of the people.

To find out how to use the resource click here.

You can also like The Statistical Accounts of Scotland on Facebook by clicking here or follow them on Twitter @statacc.

If you are using this resource with your pupils or are interested in using the resource, it would be great to hear from you! Please leave a comment on this blog post.

Additional Support for Learning, Literacy, Supporting Learners, Technologies

Improving communication skills – Duncanrig radio

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” Improving Communication Skills – Duncanrig radio” case study has been published on the Education Scotland website

http://www.ltscotland.org.uk/sharingpractice/i/improvingcommunicationskillsduncanrigradio/introduction.asp?strReferringChannel=sharingpractice&strReferringPageID=tcm:4-671139-64

Pupils from Duncanrig Secondary School and the associated Communication Support Base (CSB) which caters for pupils with autism spectrum disorders, have been taking the radio airwaves by storm with their very own radio project. The pupils have been performing their own radio shows on community radio. The project was set up to support inclusion in a realistic and fun setting as well as enhancing communication skills. Pupils showcased their work at SLF and also took the opportunity to interview Michael Russell on the day.

Literacy, Literacy and English

Mary Queen of Scots Got Her Head Chopped Off!!

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Live from Dundee Rep Theatre, join us on Tuesday 25th October from 4.15pm for an exclusive Glow Meet with the acclaimed playwright Liz Lochhead.

This is a rare opportunity to hear the current national poet talk about her writing and in particular the modern Scottish classic, ‘Mary Queen of Scots Got Her Head Chopped Off.’ Mary Queen of Scots Got Her Head Chopped Off is a co-production between the Royal Lyceum Theatre, Edinburgh and Dundee Rep Theatre. You can view further information and videos of the production on the Lyceum website.

Join the Glow Meet for language and drama activities, design resources and activities, as well as video interviews with the director, actors and designer.

Sign up and join us in Glow TV for this exciting opportunity.

Additional Support for Learning, Early Years, Expressive Arts, Health and wellbeing, Health and wellbeing, Languages, Literacy, Mathematics, MCMC/16+LC, Responsibility of All, RME, Sciences, Senior Phase, Social studies, Supporting Learners, Technologies, Universal Support

Glow Meet – Global citizenship DROP IN

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Every month the DGC team will be available on our new Glow TV channel to answer your questions about global citizenship and to signpost you to resources and ideas to help you embed global citizenship in the curriculum.  This is an informal session open to any school leader or practitioner in Scotland – just drop into the Glow meet to pick our brains, find out what’s coming up or tell us what you’re up to.

The inaugural session will take place from 3.30-5.00pm on Wednesday 26th October.  The theme for the first 45 minutes of this session will be A Games Legacy for Scotland and will showcase how the London Olympics 2012 and Glasgow Commonwealth Games 2014 can be used to create exciting learning opportunities for global citizenship activities and interdisciplinary learning.  Find out how to get free tickets to the Olympics, hear about the Forest Pitch football strip design competition and how the organisers plan to Get Scotland Dancing. 

A general Q & A/open floor session will follow from 4.15pm to 5pm. Put the day in your diary and join us for all, or part of, this event to discuss and share or get help with a particular issue. Visit Glow TV to register and take part on the day: http://bit.ly/DGCdropin

If you can’t make this one then the following drop in session will be on Tuesday 6th December 2011 from 3:30pm – 5pm. The theme will be: Developing a whole school approach to global citizenship.

CLD, Literacy, MCMC/16+LC, Young people, children & families

Are You Using BLT: The Big Book of Literacies Training?

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 The Youth Literacies Network with the support of YouthLink Scotland and Education Scotland produced BLT – a non-prescriptive resource bank to assist youth workers and others embrace literacies work with young people in a variety of contexts and settings earlier this year.

The purpose of the resource is to assist you to better meet the literacies needs of the young people you work with. We are keen to know who is using BLT and in what way. Please get in touch with a brief description of how you are using them and if you have added to them or adapted the original materials.

The Big Book of Literacies Training is available to down load from here.

Contact: Heather McVey at YouthLink Scotland, phone: 0131 313 2488 [ e-mail ]

Health and wellbeing, Health and wellbeing, Literacy, Responsibility of All

School open day: Mearns Primary School (East Renfrewshire)

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Main focus: Learner voice and Rights Respecting Schools

 Thursday,  13 October 2011,   9.30 am – 3 pm 

 Mearns Primary School, –  this year’s Education Awards in the category ‘Global Citizenship’ -,  will provide you with the opportunity to spend the day in the school to talk to staff and pupils about a high level of momentum and commitment to learner voice across the whole school for years.    This has enabled the school to transform the ethos as well as the overall life and work of the school and to develop rich learning experiences and activities including:

  • Implementing a highly effective pupil participation strategy
  • Developing international education programme through the ‘Connecting Classrooms’ programme (British Council) and links with other foreign schools.
  • Forging strong partnerships with parents and a wide range of local community groups and businesses.
  • Establishing a whole school ethos based on justice, fairness and human rights agenda leading to Rights Respecting Schools accreditation and peer assessor status.

 A focus of the event will be to identify and share the practical lessons and ideas that have helped the school move forward in its journey, and also to reflect on the challenges encountered along the way.  Time will also be set aside for some professional dialogue and exchange of ideas.

 For more information see attached document: Mearns Primary Open day

How to book

To book, please email: globalcitizens@LTScotland.org.uk or

 Phone  0141 282 5172.

Places are limited so please book early to avoid disappointment. 

     This is a free event!

Literacy, Literacy and English, Responsibility of All

Literacy Team Update 3rd October 2011

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CPD
The last of the very successful Literacy Across Learning days are being undertaken over the next few weeks and will be quickly followed by LAL2.

The Primary CPD Support for this session will focus on Learning to read and reading to learn at first and second level.

Both support sessions are currently in development and a wide variety of partners are being consulted in the process. All authorities have been approached to identify dates and the first of these days will take place at the end of October.

It is intended that participants will register there interest and intentions through CPD Central.

ROA
Anna Cartlidge has been doing a power of work with all targeted support teams to develop a resource that will promote ROA. Anna is a Primary Teacher based in Aberdeen and is a very welcome addition in coordinating the teams.

Research update
Great news on the uptake for the survey as part of the Reading research – we have reached 101 responses. This is an excellent rate and will provide a sound backdrop for the interviews. All of these tools will help build an insight into pupil enjoyment of reading. Anecdotally, the clear response from Secondary pupils is that they want to be read to more often.

Assessment, Literacy, Social studies, Technologies

SLF 2011: Technologies: Curriculum for Excellence: Learning, Teaching and Assessment, Making the Connections

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During the Technologies Seminar at the Scottish Learning Festival 2011, Claire Kane and Carla Watson from St. Nicholas RC Primary in West Lothian, joined by their pupils Olivia, Anna, Ewan and Jack presented an interesting and inspiring account of how Technologies for Learning were embedded in their Social Enterprise Project – Food for Thought Community Cafe.

You can view the presentation here. (Glow log in required)

You can also follow the project on Twitter @fftcc or visit their blog.

Expressive Arts, Literacy, Literacy and English, Responsibility of All, Technologies

New Media Literacy Resource

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Screening Shorts is a major new online resource to help and show teachers how to use moving image education in the classroom.
Log in using your glow password to access over 30 short films with teaching resources and helpful advice as to how to use moving image in the classroom. The films are copyright free and can be downloaded for editing/mash ups. The shorts are suitable for all curricular areas and age ranges.

 Link: http://www.screeningshorts.org.uk/

Literacy, Literacy and English

Glovember

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Why not get your pupils ready to enter Glovember’s writing & drawing competition on Glow. Find out more in the National Glow Group.

To get you in the mood, throughout November there will be Glow TV events taking place with lots of authors that you can join, or watch again later. There will also be a competition for young people to write their own stories. These will be judged by authors in 3 sections of early primary, later primary and secondary, with prizes for the winners and runners up including having your story published with the other winning entries in an eBook.

We will also be running an illustrator competition to design the bookcover for this eBook. Details regarding the authors taking part and the competition can be found in the National Glow Group here.

So what are you waiting for, get those pens, pencils and keyboards for a Write Good Glow?!

Early Years, Literacy, Literacy and English

Alarm bells and whistles:Toddler book apps

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Melissa McClements article in yesterday’s Guardian:
Interactive versions of books for very young children are becoming mainstream. Are they enhancing early reading experience – or diminishing it?

http://www.guardian.co.uk/books/2011/sep/27/toddler-book-apps

Additional Support for Learning, Assessment, Health and wellbeing, Health and wellbeing, Languages, Literacy, Mathematics, National Qualifications, Responsibility of All, Sciences, Senior Phase, Supporting Learners, Technologies

Curriculum for Excellence Action Plan – details announced at #SLF11

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This Scottish Government Action Plan details the priorities for the implementation of Curriculum for Excellence for 2011-2012. Details of the plan were announced in the keynote speech by Michael Russell, Scottish Government Cabinet Secretary for Education and Lifelong Learning, at the Scottish Learning Festival on 21 September, 2011.
http://www.ltscotland.org.uk/resources/c/cfeactionplan2011.asp

Assessment, Health and wellbeing, Health and wellbeing, Literacy, Responsibility of All, Sciences

#SLF11 Planning for…CfE in Sciences!

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George Eliot is quoted as saying “Great things are not done by impulse, but by a series of small things brought together”. The great things showcased in an #SLF11 seminar “Learning, Teaching & Assessment – Making the Connections” by inspiring practitioners and learners from the Bearsden Academy cluster started with small things.  The cluster comprises Bearsden Primary, Baljaffray Primary, Castlehill Primary , Mosshead Primary and Beasden Academy. The small steps? Practitioners within the cluster talking together about transitions, about improving literacy in science. The end result? The wordle shows all that this piece of cluster work encompassed. And the impact? The learners shared with delegates the impact on their wellbeing resulting from understanding more about secondary science, more about expectations of learning in secondary and having already been welcomed into the school community. Evidence of how assessment within sciences truly can enhance learning and teaching.

Assessment, Literacy, National Qualifications, Sciences

#SLF11 Learning, Teaching & Assessment in Sciences – Making the Connections

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Joanna McGillivray, Head of Science and Computing at Forth Valley College shared with delegates at #SLF11 on Thursday a number of exciting and innovative programmes of work which the college offers, in partnership with schools in a number of local authorities, employers and industry. Learners studying for the Science Baccalaureate have celebrated tremendous success; delegates were able to view work produced by learners as part of the interdisciplinay project element of the Bacc. The value of connecting learning, teaching and assessment to real world applications to support learners in making the transition to sustainable post school destinations, whether FE, HE, further training or employment cannot be underestimated. Read about learners’ opportunities to find out about effective science communication within the Bacc programme and see the Journey to Excellence website to hear from staff and students, the benefits of “hands on” education.

Health and wellbeing, Literacy, Responsibility of All

Skills for Learning, Life and Work

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Developing skills for learning, life and work

 Six filmed case studies, from a variety of primary and secondary settings around Scotland, have been published, demonstrating evidence of progression in the development of skills for learning, life and work as outlined in Building the Curriculum 4, including:

  • literacy and numeracy
  • personal and learning skills (including leadership skills)
  • confidence building and other skills linked to the health and wellbeing agenda
  • employability
  • working with others.

The material can be used to support the development of skills and measurement of progression at the specified levels by practitioners within particular contexts, as well as by children and young people, parents and employers.

http://www.ltscotland.org.uk/sharingpractice/d/developingskillsforlearninglifeandwork/auchenharvie.asp?strReferringChannel=learningteachingandassessment&strReferringPageID=tcm:4-646682-64

Expressive Arts, Literacy, Technologies

Marks on the Landscape – Technologies

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The Marks on the Landscape web resource which focuses on inspiring creativity across the curriculum was launched today at the Scottish Learning Festival.

To view how this resource can be used in relation to Technologies click here.

There are two Design Challenges that have been created for third level Technologies Outcomes:

Design a Computer Game

Design a Logo

Languages, Literacy, Literacy and English, Modern Languages, Responsibility of All

Literacy Team Update 19th September 2011

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A busy week for the Literacy team with lots of really interesting (and popular!) SLF workshops. Ranging from Gavinburn Primary School talking about their multi-modal texts to Debbie Gardner who has a wealth of experience promoting Literacy across all sectors, there is something for everyone.

You can see some of the Gavinburn work here:

http://www.strath.ac.uk/scilt/events/past/mindsets/challengingmindsetsbreakingdownbarriers-conferencematerials/showcasingvideo-gavinburnprimary-frenchrockstars/

In the longer term we are following on the success of of our targeted support days on Literacy Across Learning we will roll out LAL 2 beginning in October. The Primary day will focus on the development of reading and is called, “Learning to read, Reading to learn” with the Secondary following on the theme of Literacy as a responsibility of all.

Both days are very dynamic and include a range of practical ideas. They are supported by materials and resources that are shared from various authorities across Scotland.

The day will be booked through CPD Central and we have advertised it to all our NLN contacts.

Health and wellbeing, Literacy, Modern Languages

French resources to commemorate Holocaust Memorial Day – Jan 27th 2012

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Based on the Louis Malle film “Au Revoir Les Enfants” and the Joseph Joffo novel “Un Sac de Billes”, these engaging resources have been added to the Modern Languages National Glow Group.  They encourage learners to explore the plight of Jewish people in France under the Nazi occupation.  Click here to access resources

Assessment, Literacy, Mathematics, Sciences, Technologies

STEM Central – new contexts on the way

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Development Officers for Sciences and Technologies, along with the team at ES, are working on a new context which will soon be added to the STEM Central resource. The Bioengineering context will feature learning journeys for sciences and technologies, based on third and fourth level E&Os, including learning, teaching and assessment ideas. Stop by STEM Central for quality assured resources, bringing relevant, engaging and exciting Scottish contexts into the classroom.

Early Years, Literacy, Technologies

The Land of Me pilot project

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The past 6 months or so has seen the team from the Consolarium working within Early Years and Early Primary settings in Dundee, West Lothian and Argyll & Bute in order to explore the educational potential of a piece of software called The Land of Me. A number of posts have been made on the Consolarium blog (content soon to move over to this blog) about the work that some teachers have been doing with this resource. This post gathers all realted posts together so that they are easily accessible:

Posts from Argyll & Bute

Land of Me Initiative kicks off in Argyll & Bute

1/5 Land of Me at Port Ellen PS: Planning for Good Learning

2/5 Land of Me at Port Ellen PS: A Visit from the King of the Land of Me

3/5 Land of Me at Port Ellen PS: Gleeful Children Lost in the Learning Space

4/5 Land of Me at Port Ellen PS: Parental Involvement

5/5 Land of Me at Port Ellen PS: Encouraging Outdoor Adventure

Posts from Dundee and West Lothian

Land of Me pilot: Dundee teachers’ and EYPs’ early feedback

The Land of Me in Dundee: Building Dens in Templeton Woods

West Lothian Land of Me pilot concludes

Feedback or comment on any of these posts are most welcome. If you are using this resource or any other digital world in an early years or early primary setting then please do let us know.

Literacy, Mathematics, Sciences, Technologies

STEM Central @ Aberdeen Primary Science Summer School

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Education Scotland colleagues attended the Aberdeen Primary Science Summer School this week to meet primary practitioners eager to enhance their understanding of learning and teaching in sciences. This gave us a chance to link STEM Central contexts, videos and interactives to practical workshops, in partnership with Satrosphere, Dundee Science Centre and the University of Dundee. We also highlighted new Education Scotland resources to engage learners and support practitioners including Glow Sciences video resources and Weather & Climate Change. STEM Central is about enriching learning and teaching through relevant engineering contexts and about strengthening links with industry and employers, and partners in education, so we were delighted to be given the opportunity to participate in this event. The STEM Central presentation is available on slideshare.net via the link below.

STEM Central
Health and wellbeing, Languages, Literacy

Literacy in the Outdoors

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Alison Hammerton and Grant Gillies worked together on a Literacy in the Outdoors day recently for the cluster ASG at Grantown on Spey. It was a really successful day and the activities all highlighted the opportunities for teaching Literacy in the Oudoors.

Visit the Glow site to see the day

Outdoor Learning Activities

CLD, Health and wellbeing, Literacy, Social studies, Technologies

Food for Thought Community Cafe

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I recently was invited to the Food for Thought Community Cafe at St. Nicholas Primary School in Broxburn, West Lothian.

Food for Thought is a Fair-Trade community café run by the pupils of St. Nicholas Primary School. At Food for Thought you can share a tea or coffee and some delicious home baking over a chat while learning more about Fair-Trade and how it helps countries in the developing world. You can also buy Fair-Trade goods and find out more about the pupil’s learning in school. From time to time they may provide entertainment or run workshops for you to get involved in. At Food For Thought their aim is to provide a happy atmosphere and a strong sense of community.

Food for Thought was dreamt up by the pupils while they were working on a block of learning about Global Citizenship. It is a Social Enterprise venture and profits will support their sister school in Ghana and local community groups supported by the St. Vincent de Paul.

You can find out more information about their project and the cafe by clicking here to visit their blog. You can also follow them on Twitter @fftcc.

To view their leaflet click here. FFTCC Leaflet

If you are interested in finding out more about this project, the teacher and pupils involved are presenting at the Scottish Learning Festival this year. Click here to sign up to their seminar.