To support schools in sharing the Emerging Literacy approaches and materials with families, a family learning resource has been created. This could be used with families during the Nursery – Primary 1 transition meeting or during a Family Literacy event. Each slide comes with comprehensive notes for the facilitator and links to suggested resources on the Highland Literacy blog.

Click the link below to download the resource.
CLICK HERE – Emerging Literacy Family Resource

http://www.slideshare.net/jcook133/emerging-literacy-family-resource

The resource is freely available to download; however, we kindly ask that any modifications that are made to the resource credit the work of Highland Council’s Emerging Literacy Working Group.

Based on the television show, Countdown, the word building game can be used as part of literacy workshops to further develop phonics and spelling. Learners can work individually, or in competition with one another against the clock.

CLICK HERE – Countdown Word Game

Wishes for Our World is a free new teacher’s resource for you to download and use, based on a moving letter written by Michael Morpurgo, former children’s Laureate and ‘War Horse’ author. 

The letter is from a grandfather to a granddaughter about the world he loves and wants to protect from climate change and has inspired a beautiful 5 minute film starring Jeremy Irons.

Created for Second Level (CfE), the resource encourages children to explore the issue ofclimate change in an inspiring new way. It’s packed full of creative activities and discussion ideas that will get pupils thinking, talking and writing.

CLICK HERE – Wishes for Our World RESOURCE

The Emerging Literacy Group have now published support resources to support the development of Phonological Awareness in classrooms.

For each aspect of the Phonological Awareness Developmental Continuum you will find a number of classroom activities which can be used to support the phonological awareness development of individuals, small groups and whole classes.

CLICK HERE to access the Phonological Awareness page

By clicking on each of the tiles below, you will find classroom strategies which can be used to develop that aspect of the Phonological Awareness continuum.

Check out the National Geographic Young Explorer site to access read long interactive non-fiction texts and lesson plans.

You will find free interactive white board resources on the ‘For Teachers’ section of the website.

CLICK HERE to access a catalogue of issues.

Over the Easter break there have been changes made to the Emerging Literacy page on the Highland Literacy Blog. Over the last year the area has accumulated a number of resources. This area has now been re-organised. We hope you find this more user-friendly and easier to navigate.

Each of the developmental areas – Concepts of Print, Oral Language, Phonological Awareness and Pre-Handwriting – now have their own tabs within the Emerging Literacy tab. In addition to this you will find a tab for the Developmental Overviews and POLAAR . Click the images below to access support materials for each of the areas.

The International Children’s Digital Library has a number of books in English and many different languages that can be accessed and read online. This is a great resource which can be used for shared reading, guided reading, independent reading or with English as an Additional Language learners in their first language.

CLICK HERE TO START SEARCHING FOR BOOKS NOW

Click on the image below for information on an event on Language Disorders in May, delivered by Maggie Johnson (Speech and Language Therapist Advisor).

The Literacy curriculum for Primary 7 pupils in the Millburn Area School Group (ASG) has looked a little bit different this term. They have been developing oral and written communication skills, research skills, critical thinking skills, the skill of making connections, presentation skills and comparing and contrasting sources. The skills themselves have been no different than the skill set that has traditionally been developed within the Literacy curriculum in Primary 7; however, this year they have been driven through the context of Career Education.

Following the work that Lochardil Primary School developed on Career Education through their Literacy and Health and Wellbeing programme, the Millburn ASG have developed this within their school’s curriculum. The children have been researching local industries on My World of Work, comparing the values of businesses to the values of their school, communicating directly with businesses, developing dynamic presentation skills to present to their families and businesses, making the connections between their own skills within the curriculum and the skills across learning, life and work with a focus on industry.

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These core Literacy and Communication skills have been reflected in the direct work that the Millburn ASG has done with Skills Development Scotland, Barnardo’s Works and with local businesses across hospitality, finance, the consumer chain, construction and science, technology, engineering and maths (STEM) industries. Across industries, these skills have been valued as crucial to the work place. This is showing learners in Primary 7 the purpose for developing these skills and the transferable nature of these skills through the rest of their time in education and beyond!

Have you seen the new National Improvement Hub resource released by Education Scotland?

CLICK HERE to access the Literacy resources on the National Improvement Hub. It would be great to hear how you plan to use the resource to support raising attainment in your school.