Scotland LearnsPractitioner Newsletter |
This practitioner newsletter contains information to support learners, parents and carers as well as news and links for practitioners. |
Learning activities for broad general education |
Literacy and EnglishLearning activities |
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Early Level Develop awareness of sounds, letters and words through stories and games. Explore a range of non-fiction texts to research and develop an area of interest.
| First Level | Second Level Create texts which influence the reader, taking account of appropriate use of spelling, grammar and punctuation. Express opinion and emotional response to art and music.
| Third/fourth Level |
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Numeracy and mathematicsLearning activities |
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Early Level Copy, continue and create patterns involving objects, shapes and numbers. Identify missing numbers in a sequence or on a number line, within the range 0-20.
| First Level Continue and devise repeated patterns of designs, using a variety of media. Describe, continue and create number patterns using the four operations by doubling, halving and counting in multiples.
| Second Level | Third/fourth Level |
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Health and wellbeing Learning activities |
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Cross-curricular Learning activities |
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Early Level Consider special people in life and learn about important people in the local and wider community. Explore toys that use technology, learn about physical movement and explore being creative.
| First Level Research a significant person from the past who has been an inspiration to others, create a timeline showing how an invention has developed over time and consider who inspires people today. Explore the use of technology to inspire, the use of music to promote fitness, and using technology to create art.
| Second Level Research inspirational people in history, consider who is inspirational and why and identify ways to inspire others. Explore different technologies as a source of inspiration, how technology can inspire and motivate people to keep fit and using technology to create art.
| Third/fourth Level Reflect on inspiration from individuals past and present, create a piece of inspirational art, music, dance or drama and reflect on inspiration, motivation and perseverance. Explore technology as a tool to inspire and motivate, research the life and work of inspiring inventors of modern technology and develop a collaborative presentation about 21st century life.
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Gaelic Medium Education Learning activities |
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Remote learning
Supporting remote learning The supporting learning at home webpage provides information about the range of support in place. National overview of practice – first report published and next steps Thank you to all the practitioners who have engaged so positively in discussions with HM Inspectors as part of the national overview. We will continue to engage with you during this period of remote learning. We are currently working with the second group of schools, selected in consultation with our local authority colleagues. The discussions will centre around the same three aspects below with a focus on meeting learning needs, including those with additional support needs. - talking about what is working in their own context;
- listening to concerns and any challenges; and
- learning what further support is needed.
We would also like to thank all of the parents and carers who have given their views in focus groups this week and last week and to those who completed our surveys. The surveys are now closed, with 12,105 parents and carers and 2,667 children and young people taking the time to give us their views on remote learning.
More information about the remote learning national overview which Education Scotland is currently undertaking is available on our website. This includes a series of frequently asked questions which you may find helpful. The first report based on information from local authorities has been published and the reports based on evidence from schools and from parents and learners are due to publish on 29 January.
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National e-Learning Offer West OS
West OS, is an online library of recorded learning episodes created by teachers, providing learning experiences for children and young people. These recorded lessons can be prescribed by teachers to complement the learning experiences they are currently planning for learners working remotely. Links to individual videos can be shared with learners to direct them to specific content related to their current work or to support revision. Young people also have access to West OS to support their independent learning and revision. West OS has been created by teachers, and content is continually being uploaded as this platform evolves. A summary of some of the content currently available on West OS includes: - Lessons in BGE Literacy, Numeracy, Sciences, Expressive Arts, Health & Wellbeing, Digital Literacy & Computing Science.
- Full N5 and Higher Maths Courses
- Full N5 Biology Course
- Units available in: Higher Physics, Higher Chemistry, Higher Modern Studies, Advanced Higher English, Higher English, N5 History, N5 Geography, Higher and N5 HFT.
- Material also available in many other courses including: Religious, Moral and Philosophical Studies, Higher Admin & IT, N4,N5 and Higher Art & Design.
- Recorded practical experiments are also available in N5 and Higher Chemistry, and Advanced Higher Biology.
West OS is already available in the majority of Scottish local authorities through Glow via the West OS, powered by ClickView tile. A few local authorities access through their own learning platform. You can check if your local authority currently has access via this link.
As part of the National e-Learning Offer, West OS aims to ensure that all children and young people are able to access high quality learning experiences regardless of current circumstances. To further support teachers and learners during lockdown, ClickView will also be providing free, temporary access to their full platform until Easter 2021.
e-Sgoil lockdown live A wide range of resources to support remote learning are available on e-Sgoil including:
- Daily, live sessions hosted on the e-Sgoil website. Monday to Friday at 10 am for P2-P7, 11 am for S1-S3 and 2 pm for S4-S6. No prior sign-up required. Further details, including a weekly schedule, can be found here.
- Daytime study support, for a range of Advanced Higher, Higher and National 5 courses. This is in addition to the 25 courses already available in the early evenings. (Pupil Glow account and SCN required to register). Further information and to register, young people click here.
- Early years, including primary 1. Meet internet sensation Dug in his Discovery Den – an ever-evolving online learning environment for our youngest learners. No prior registration required. Visit Dug here.
e-Sgoil will continue to provide support to schools significantly impacted by Covid-19 as its own resources allow. This may, for example, be due to a high number of staff being absent. Further details and how to enquire about this emergency provision can be accessed here.
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'Achieving equity post Covid-19?'
The latest addition to the Scottish Attainment Challenge tile on Scotland Learns includes a paper by Professor Chris Chapman Director of Policy Scotland, and Irene Bell, Research and Impact Officer, West Regional Improvement Collaborative Knowledge Exchange. This highlights some medium and longer-term considerations, offers a typology to stimulate thinking about how we might begin to frame the new-normal and concludes by offering questions for reflection. Professor Chapman will be discussing this paper on 28 January 2021 as part of the next Scottish Attainment Challenge Wee Blether.
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News, resources and useful links |
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Updates from the Scottish Government Education Recovery Group and Covid-19 information
The Covid-19 recovery resource on the National Improvement Hub provides practitioners with a single point of access to guidance and support. It includes key advice from the Scottish Government's Covid-19 Education Recovery Group (CERG), and from sources approved by CERG. This includes recent CERG guidance along with more details about the national overview of practice in remote learning.
A summary of the stay at home guidance is now available as an infographic.
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Information for Gaelic Medium Education practitioners
Immersion activities Immersion activities led by partners (#Cleachdi-aig-an-taigh) support children and young people’s learning and fluency in Gaelic. These can be accessed live, or at any time and in any place to support immersion education. New activities commenced on Monday 18 January. Please note a new arrangement whereby these activities are hosted on Comann nam Pàrant’s website.
e-Sgoil
e-Sgoil, with support from Education Scotland, has developed a blend of standalone, interactive resources and live inputs for 3 -18 learners - Gàidhlig Bheò, and additional early years resources. This complements remote learning put in place by schools. Gàidhlig Bheò offers daily, live lessons for Gaelic Medium Education and Gaelic (Learners). Schools who wish to attend Gàidhlig Bheò should register here. Personalised e-support
Gaelic4Parents provides live online support with homework, audio versions of children’s reading books, games and activities. e-Sgoil offer digital drop in and support sessions for Gaelic. Sharing practice
Education Scotland’s national focus for support enables dissemination and sharing of practice. We hosted virtual conversations to discuss challenges and solutions for immersion and the curriculum as part of recovery education. Practitioners may continue this dialogue and support through a GLOW Team (Glow Password required).
The publication, What Scotland Learned is a collection of inspiring stories detailing how practitioners and partners across Scotland respond during the Covid-19 crisis. It is structured around the five themes of How Good is OUR School? and includes contributions from children and young people, adults, families and communities bespoke to the Gaelic sector.
Children and young people influencing change
Young Scot Gaelic #YSGaelic has launched a national survey to find out more on how young people engage with Gaelic online. You can find the survey here or e-mail ruairidhh@young.scot. The survey closes on 28 February 2021. Statutory guidance on Gaelic Education
Education Scotland’s Parentzone website has resources to support the promotion of Gaelic Medium Education with parents, including for P1 enrolment. Comann nam Pàrant support parents who opt for Gaelic Medium Education. Their latest newsletter has many helpful articles.
Professional Standards The GTCS Professional Standards 2021 are available to view, together with supporting materials. These have references to Gaelic. Languages week
Why not use Languages Week Scotland, 1-5 February as an event for children and young people to build skills in planning and organising an event, whilst Promoting Gaelic? This series of Scotland Learns activities may be useful.
For more information on GME, please visit Scotland Learns.
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Domestic Abuse Information for educators
There will be children and young people experiencing domestic abuse at this time who may not yet be known to child protection or support services. It’s therefore crucially important that indicators of domestic abuse are recognised and educators feel confident in both identifying if a child may benefit from access to a space in school, and sign-posting children and young people who disclose abuse to access support. We therefore encourage local authorities and educators to refresh themselves with the Domestic Abuse Information for Educators guidance, developed in April 2020, to ensure vulnerable children receive the protection and support they require.
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New Scots Language Dictionary App out on 25 January 2021
Produced by the nation’s authority on Scots and with Scotland’s youngsters in mind, the new Scots Dictionary for Schools App provides meanings for 9,500 Scots words and phrases. The dictionary’s content ranges from everyday terms like glaikit and bairn, to words now encountered mainly on Burns Night, like sonsie and drouthy. The dictionary also includes audio guides to the pronunciation of around 600 unfamiliar spellings. |
Scottish Water education hub
A new Scottish Water online Education Hub launched on 26 January. The hub was developed to host free online learning activities for Primary and Secondary aged pupils. The hub aims to educate primary and secondary school aged pupils on topics like the water cycle, our environment, health, and more. Pupils can play games & help the new character Droplet to tackle litter and items wrongly flushed down the toilet. Primary and Secondary registration is now open:
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Young islander’s challenge
If you are a young person living in one of Scotland’s island communities – Youth Scotland want to hear from you! They want to understand what it’s like to live and grow up in our island communities from the people who know best. They are going to provide training and support and will work with young people and community-based youth groups to establish a Young Islander’s Network.
The challenge is free to participate in so register now to take part.
You can find out more information and read some FAQs on their website.
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Pupil Inclusion Network webinars: Getting it Right for Every Girl Pupil Inclusion Network (PINS) is hosting two upcoming webinars with inputs from YWCA Scotland, Girl Guiding Scotland, Education Scotland, Engender and EIS. The webinars will be a great way to connect with each other and do some serious contemplation about how we support girls and challenge the system to do better by them.
- Part 1 Being a girl/young woman in Scotland today: Exploring culture and education Thursday 18 February 10am – 11.15am
- Part 2 Gender equality and the experience of school. Where are we at? What do we need to do? Wednesday 10 March 10am – 11.15am
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Take a Global Citizenship approach to primary teaching
An online professional learning session from Scotland's Development Education Centres with practical and fun ways to introduce Global Citizenship themes into your primary classroom. You will receive a resource list, along with plenty of new ideas on how to weave key Global Citizenship themes like climate change, gender equality, migration and the UN Sustainable Development Goals into lessons. Register now.
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Sunday Mail Young Scot Awards 2021 These awards recognise and celebrate the contributions made by young people (aged 11-26) to all aspects of our communities – from sport and the arts, through to enterprise and volunteering. Last year has undoubtedly shown that young people in Scotland can show resilience and creativity in times of hardship. Practitioners can nominate inspirational young people now for these awards.
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Scottish Apprenticeship Week Scottish Apprenticeship Week 2021 will take place from 1 – 5 March. The theme for #ScotAppWeek21 is Business Backing Talent, with activity that aims to demonstrate how businesses benefit when they back talent through apprenticeships. Recognising the impact the pandemic has had on industry and employment, the week will highlight the vital role apprenticeships play in supporting businesses and the economy now and for the future. More information about the week is on Connect.
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Dates for your diary
February
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Supporting parents and carers |
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Clear Your Head Mental Health Campaign – winter launch This year winter looks very different due to restrictions, and people who might usually have good general mental wellbeing may be feeling worn down. The Scottish Government Clear Your Head Mental Health Campaign encourages people to be kind to themselves at this time. For more tips on getting through to brighter days, visit clearyourhead.scot/winter |
We have a range of webinars, headspace virtual conversations and wee blethers to support practitioners at this time. You can see the full range of professional learning activities available from Education Scotland on our professional learning events page. Equity within remote learning professional learning activity
A professional learning session has been produced by Education Scotland Attainment Advisors. It is for practitioners to support reflection on some of the ways in which we may ensure equity for all learners during the remote learning period. It draws on academic research and lessons learned from the National Equity Audit and can be considered alongside national and local guidance.
Digital Learning Support for online learning
Don’t forget that Digilearn.scot has a wide range of support materials and practical webinars providing step by step guide to a range of digital tools, which may be useful as you plan and deliver remote learning. Digital Fire Drill: preparing for online learning – DigiLearn (glowscotland.org.uk) |
Sharing practice from across Scotland |
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The Scottish Attainment Challenge, in partnership with Education Scotland published an Equity Audit earlier this month to deepen the understanding of the impact Covid19 and school closures had on children and young people from socio-economically disadvantaged backgrounds. |
Two sketchnotes have been produced to help share some of the key findings of the Equity Audit
1. The impact of the pandemic, and in particular school building closures, on children from disadvantaged backgrounds
The first focuses on the impact school building closures has had on children and young people. |
2. Support for children, young people and their families to mitigate the impact of Covid-19 on learning
The second sketchnote illustrates the support available for children, young people and their families to mitigate the impact of Covid-19. |
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