“Blogs and Online diaries should be part of school curriculum ” says Thinktank October 8, 2008
Posted by Joan MacRae in : Access, Additional Support, Alternative Assessment, Curriculum, Home Teaching, ICT, inclusion , add a commentCharles Leadbeater introduced his lecture at the Scottish Learning Festival on 25/09/08 with a You tube clip of a teenage boy playing guitar in his bedroom. The clip had had 49 million hits!
A report in the Guardian 6/10/08 points out the claims of the Think tank, Demos, (with which Leadbeater is associated), that young people “are being failed by adults who are not paying proper attention to this new medium.”
“The study.. considers how their enthusiasm and skills can be encouraged.”
“The report makes recommendations to help adults cope with the changing online environment and calls particularly on schools to help youngsters understand the long term implications of living their lives in a semi-public way.”
“Schools should prepare young people for an era where CV’s may well be obsolete, enabling them to manage their on-line reputation .” says the report, “we need an educational response that extends beyond the focus of safety towards broader questions of privacy and intellectual property.”
I was personally concerned about the information my teenage daughter was relaying about herself on Facebook, especially when she realised that her boss had added herself as a friend.
Politicians see youngsters as apathetic and unreachable, according to the Guardian.
“The (UK )government is pouring money into this because they feel young people should be making themselves heard”…”but bloggers say it feels contrived.”
Barack Obama in the United States, on the other hand, is said to be the first ‘Youtube politician’ because “he gets that you can’t control it. His campaign team get that its about the enthusiasm”…”he encouraged (young voters) to exercise their creative urges online, instead of simply dictating his ideas to them.”
Exam papers go digital May 9, 2008
Posted by Hilery Williams in : Access, Alternative Assessment , 1 comment so farTESS reports that an alternative to scribes and readers used by pupils requiring support in exams has been launched.
Scotland is the first part of the UK to offer digital papers to exam candidates, as an alternative to scribes and readers for pupils requiring support.
With the exam season fully underway this week, 209 pupils in 48 schools will use the adapted question papers to sit 509 examinations over the course of the next few weeks. This follows successful trials of adapted digital papers in 2006 and 2007 by the Scottish Qualifications Authority and CALL Scotland (the Communication, Access, Literacy and Learning team at Moray House School of Education).
Should we shed any tears as Standard Grades are abolished? April 29, 2008
Posted by Hilery Williams in : Alternative Assessment , add a commentThe Herald Society reports on the National Qualifications review announced last week by the Cabinet Secretary for Education and Lifelong Learning, Fiona Hyslop, and gets views from EIS General Secretary Ronnie Smith, Brian Boyd, Professor of Education, University of Strathclyde, Howard McKenzie, Acting Chief Executive of the Association of Scotland’s Colleges, Michael McGrath of the Scottish Catholic Education Service, Bill McGregor, general secretary of the Headteachers’ Association of Scotland, Jim Docherty, deputy general secretary, Scottish Secondary Teachers’ Association and Judith Gillespie of the Scottish Parent Teacher Council.
National Qualifications Online April 22, 2008
Posted by Hilery Williams in : Access, Alternative Assessment , add a commenthttp://www.ltscotland.org.uk/nq/exampreparation.asp
NQ Online has a collection of resources and web links to help teachers, students and parents prepare for exams. These include:
· Sunday Herald Exam Guide (Spring 2008)
· Scottish Qualifications Authority (SQA) 2008 Exam timetable
· SQA past paper service
· collection of interactive materials to help students to become effective learners and manage their own learning. This resource focuses on important exam issues such as essay writing and memory skills.
Laptops for Exams June 14, 2007
Posted by Hilery Williams in : Alternative Assessment, Dyslexia , 1 comment so farHave a look at this from today’s news:
The Herald
SQA to allow dyslexic students PCs in exams after trial success http://www.theherald.co.uk/search/display.var.1463815.0.sqa_to_allow_dyslexic_students_pcs_in_exams_after_trial_success.php
Children with dyslexia in Scottish schools will be able to sit electronic exams rather than the traditional paper version after a successful pilot scheme. Scotland’s exam body has approved the scheme after a small study found that dyslexic pupils coped better with digital exams using laptops rather than having questions read to them and writing out answers in longhand. The British Dyslexia Association has welcomed the move, which it said would give new independence to dyslexic learners.
Comments welcome!
Parental concerns March 7, 2007
Posted by Hilery Williams in : Alternative Assessment, Dyslexia , add a commentLaw Primary is well on the way to becoming a Dyslexia Friendly school. I was asked to speak to Law parents on 22nd February. Several people raised interesting questions. I hope I answered them adequately.
One of the major concerns was that of transfer to high school and alternative assessment arrangements. Mention was made of perceived inconsistencies in provision across the region. Parents were also keen to find out what tests we did, how early dyslexia may be identified (I steered them away from using the term diagnosis), the role of Educational Pyschologists, and the relationship between dysleixa and numeracy difficulties.
Neil Barnes (HT) reported back to me that a group of parents is setting up a support network to meet in school once a month. I have agreed to attend a meeting at some point to talk about an issue to be mutually agreed. Neil felt that the meeting had successsfully allayed fears. I certainly enjoyed speaking to the parents - there were about 30 there - and feel it’s a good way to develop partnerships. I’ve been asked to meet with a parent (and the child’s teacher) to discuss more specific concerns.
Support for Us February 9, 2007
Posted by Hilery Williams in : Alternative Assessment, Dyslexia , add a commentAfter an in-service I did in November on Assessment and Dyslexia, several people thought it would be helpful to meet occasionally to share ideas/case studies to support each other.
The one this term was on Friday 26 Jan. The next will be on 18th May @ St Gabriel’s Primary School, 1.30 - 3.
It was gratifying to welcome 10 people at the January get together. This included 2 class teachers and one teaching head.
Part of the intention was to make some sort of social network and there was certainly a lot of chat along with the chocolate biscuits.
However, we also discussed specific issues:
- SQA Alternative Assessment Arrangements - referred to in an earlier post;
- Agreement with the principles of formative assessment, but some unhappiness with the work overload implications;
- SfL teachers also felt that the burden of paperwork sometimes distracted from the ‘real’ job of teaching;
- The Aberdeen model of a network support for learning team - based in a secondary school with SfL teachers covering both sectors.
At our next meeting we plan to address the teaching of reading for those who struggle. We shall bring examples of resources we like and suggestions about methodology.
It would be great to have an even larger group to work collaboratively. I’d be grateful to hear if you plan to attend - just so I can get more biscuits and ensure there are enough chairs. And thanks to Irena for offering her wonderful new room at St. Gabriel’s. Hope to see you there.
LABELS ARE FOR JARS February 7, 2007
Posted by Elizabeth Cowan in : Alternative Assessment, Dyslexia , add a comment
Recently, two SQA representatives visited Preston Lodge to clarify Alternative Assessment Arrangements. They discussed possible ‘adjustments or changes to published assessment arrangements for exams for candidates identified as having disabilities or additional support needs’.
The overarching message relating to a Scottish audience is that there is no need for a label - of dyslexia for example - to be assigned to an individual student in order for her or him to be entitled to alternative arrangements during their exams. (more…)
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