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World Book Day Reflective Reading Lesson Download!

World Book Day Reflective Reading Lesson Download!

As most of you will be busy planning exciting reading activities, extreme reading photo competitions, and dazzling fiction-related fancy dress costumes for World Book Day tomorrow, I thought I’d share a reading lesson to help alleviate the workload… This Reflective

admin February 28, 2018May 4, 2020 Literacy, Reflective Reading, Resources No Comments Read more

TESS Article: Do I have to spell it out? Synthetic phonics works

TESS Article: Do I have to spell it out? Synthetic phonics works

The following article appears in this week’s copy of TES Scotland (8th December) Do I have to spell it out? Synthetic phonics works Last month I gave evidence at the Scottish Parliament on my petition to improve literacy standards in

admin December 8, 2017May 4, 2020 Education, Literacy 4 Comments Read more

I’d like to teach the world to read… but I’d settle for every child in Scotland.

I’d like to teach the world to read… but I’d settle for every child in Scotland.

You can feel it in the air. The end of term. Proms, prize-givings, leavers’ assemblies and celebrations for all that’s been achieved in another full-to-bursting academic year. As schools close their gates for the summer, many involved in Scottish education

admin June 28, 2017May 4, 2020 Education, Gossip, Literacy, Uncategorized 2 Comments Read more

A Journey to the Dark Side: from Phonics Phobic to Phonics Fanatic

A Journey to the Dark Side: from Phonics Phobic to Phonics Fanatic

A Journey to the Dark Side: from Phonics Phobic to Phonics Fanatic I am delighted to have a feature article published in the summer edition of the NATE Primary Matters magazine. It’s quite a personal one, but it will hopefully

admin June 12, 2017May 5, 2020 Education, Gossip, Literacy No Comments Read more

The Library That Blew My Mind

The Library That Blew My Mind

During the Easter break, as part of my other day job, I was lucky enough to be able to attend the Bologna Children’s Book Fair. I had a fantastic two days at the fair, met lots of wonderful people, saw

admin April 29, 2017May 5, 2020 Gossip, Literacy, Zoo News No Comments Read more

The Winner Takes It All

The Winner Takes It All

As 2016 drew to a close, Strictly Come Dancing, X Factor and The Apprentice all crowned new champions, as the losers clapped to hide their misery in the side-lines. In PISA, the biggest education tournament of them all, Scotland recorded

admin January 27, 2017May 5, 2020 Education, Literacy 3 Comments Read more

TESS article: When it comes to literacy, let’s start at page 1

TESS article: When it comes to literacy, let’s start at page 1

Today Nicola Sturgeon officially launched the ‘First Minister’s Reading Challenge’. Here is an article that I wrote for TESS about the challenge. It was published in TESS on 1st April 2016. TESS article: When it comes to literacy, let’s start at page

admin August 19, 2016May 5, 2020 Education, Gossip, Literacy No Comments Read more

Education Scotland and the Mystery of the Shifty Document Swap

Education Scotland and the Mystery of the Shifty Document Swap

KIA Briefing 2: Early Reading Back in February, Education Scotland published this: A Knowledge Into Action resource for practitioners and education staff Briefing 2: Early Reading. I blogged about the document and how it was a small step in the

admin April 24, 2016May 6, 2020 Gossip, Literacy, Phonics Forever 7 Comments Read more

My Verdict: Education Scotland's 'Early Reading Briefing'

My Verdict: Education Scotland's 'Early Reading Briefing'

Well, it has been just over a year since I started writing angry letters to the Scottish Government and campaigning about the need for proper phonics teaching in the classroom and in teacher training in Scotland. So today gave me

admin February 2, 2016May 6, 2020 Education, Gossip, Literacy, Phonics Forever 6 Comments Read more

Scotland’s Standardised Testing: How did we get here?

Scotland’s Standardised Testing: How did we get here?

A simplified timeline of events: 2010: Curriculum for Excellence (forward-thinking, aspirational and inspirational) begins full implementation. 2010: Standardised testing is abolished. BUT: HMI start asking to see our standardised testing. (But, erm, we just got rid of it… ) THEN: Schools

admin January 24, 2016May 6, 2020 Literacy No Comments Read more

*NEW* Mog's Christmas Calamity Task Map

*NEW* Mog's Christmas Calamity Task Map

Well, the Christmas spirit is strong today – because here is another super festive-themed Task Map for you to download! Today we have Barry Donaldson from Aberdeen City to thank for creating this cute and Christmassy activity-fest! The text is another

admin December 10, 2015May 6, 2020 Literacy, Reflective Reading, Resources No Comments Read more

*FREE* Guy Fawkes Task Map!

*FREE* Guy Fawkes Task Map!

Remember, remember the 5th November! Well instead – forget planning – because here is a Guy Fawkes Short Read Text and a Task Map for you to use in class tomorrow! Best suited for P3, P4 and P5 – but could

admin November 4, 2015May 6, 2020 Literacy, Reflective Reading, Resources No Comments Read more

Planning and Assessing Listening and Talking

Planning and Assessing Listening and Talking

Would you like some *new* and *free* documents to help with planning and the assessment of Listening and Talking? Of course you would! Well, I have created the following that might be useful in your school to provide consistency in

admin October 5, 2015May 6, 2020 Education, Literacy, Resources 1 Comment Read more

Read Between the Lines (TESS article)

Read Between the Lines (TESS article)

Recent comments from Nicola Sturgeon suggest that national testing might be about to return to Scotland. I do support our forward-thinking curriculum, but I also feel there are bits of it where we could do better. We cannot ignore the

admin June 13, 2015May 6, 2020 Education, Literacy No Comments Read more

Dear Ms Constance: An Open Letter

Dear Ms Constance: An Open Letter

Dear Ms Constance I wrote to you in March 2015, although I realise that you probably don’t actually get to read every email you receive, given the demands of your job. I also wrote to my MSP Alasdair Allan back

admin May 20, 2015May 6, 2020 Education, Gossip, Literacy, Uncategorized 2 Comments Read more

Identifying Reading Problems: How will I know?

Identifying Reading Problems: How will I know?

I’ve just finished an interesting article in TESS: ‘When will literacy get its fairy tale ending?’ by Emma Seith. It has a great graphic showing the depressing SSLN results compared with two years ago, and there’s some super stats about

admin May 16, 2015May 6, 2020 Education, Gossip, Literacy, Phonics Forever, Uncategorized 8 Comments Read more

Closing the Gap: Get a New Plan, Stan

Closing the Gap: Get a New Plan, Stan

It has been a busy few weeks in the education world in Scotland, with what has felt like hunners of literacy reports and results being published. Having read them all, I am disappointed to find a lack of specific advice as

admin May 12, 2015May 6, 2020 Education, Literacy, Phonics Forever, Reflective Reading, Resources 1 Comment Read more

It’s time to wake up and smell the /k/ /o/ /f/ /ee/

It’s time to wake up and smell the /k/ /o/ /f/ /ee/

On 29th April the latest SSLN results were published, revealing the performance of our children in reading, writing, talking and listening. You would hope, that given the fact that almost all of our teachers now feel confident in delivering the

admin May 10, 2015May 6, 2020 Education, Literacy, Phonics Forever 8 Comments Read more

3-18 Literacy and English Review: THE BIT THEY MISSED OUT

3-18 Literacy and English Review: THE BIT THEY MISSED OUT

I have just finished reading the lengthy and repetitive report from Education Scotland: 3-18 Literacy and English Review. It’s a cross between an extended inspection report and a reminder of the content of the Experiences and Outcomes; as such it’s

admin April 24, 2015May 6, 2020 Gossip, Literacy, Phonics Forever No Comments Read more

Raising Attainment for All or just for 85%?

Raising Attainment for All or just for 85%?

Over the last couple of days I’ve been following tweets from the Raising Attainment for All National Learning Session 2 in Glasgow with great interest. Even from the tweets it’s clear that there is a real buzz and feeling of

admin March 17, 2015May 6, 2020 Education, Literacy No Comments Read more

Why Everyone Needs an Assessment Giraffe

Why Everyone Needs an Assessment Giraffe

What does a giraffe have to do with assessment? Well, Jeffrey the giraffe, as well as being extremely intelligent, handsome, and good at telling jokes, actually performs a very important function in the classroom: he encourages formative assessment – reminding

admin March 11, 2015May 6, 2020 Education, Literacy, Reflective Reading No Comments Read more

We're Too Hot (Hot Damn)*

We're Too Hot (Hot Damn)*

Nicola Sturgeon recently announced that a new Attainment Scotland Fund, worth over £100 million over four years, is to be introduced as part of a support package to improve educational outcomes for children in the most disadvantaged communities. This is

admin February 23, 2015May 6, 2020 Education, Literacy No Comments Read more

Making Your Mind Up

Making Your Mind Up

In response to last night’s blog post ‘The Attainment Gap? What about The Teaching Gap?’ lots of people have contacted me looking for recommended reading and research. I could just tell you the name of the game-changing book that challenged

admin February 11, 2015May 6, 2020 Education, Literacy No Comments Read more

Forget Valentine's Day…

Forget Valentine's Day…

Hey Everybody! Just a quick post to remind you that as well as being Valentine’s Day on 14th February – it is also International Book Giving Day! And how lovely it would be to celebrate it by exchanging books – we think it

admin February 4, 2015May 6, 2020 Gossip, Literacy, Zoo News No Comments Read more

Haggis, Neeps, Tatties and a Task Map!

Haggis, Neeps, Tatties and a Task Map!

Well, it’s approaching that time of year again which, being from Ayrshire, I used to love in school – Burns Night! No doubt preparations are already underway for Burns Suppers including learning some super Scots verses by the man himself.

admin January 13, 2015May 6, 2020 Literacy, Reflective Reading, Resources No Comments Read more

Happy New Year and Happy New Term!

Dear Readers, Happy New Year! Well, as the first week back draws to a close, I’m sure that for most of you the term is already in full swing, the holidays are a hazy memory and you’re ready for the

admin January 8, 2015May 6, 2020 Education, Gossip, Literacy, Zoo News No Comments Read more

Thank you P3/4 at Burgh Primary School!

Thank you P3/4 at Burgh Primary School!

Well, we had to do an extra post today, because when we received an email from Mrs Scott and her class P3/4 at Burgh Primary School – we just had to share their work with you! Jeffrey was so excited

admin December 15, 2014May 6, 2020 Gossip, Literacy, Zoo News No Comments Read more

Goodbye to Big Writing

Goodbye to Big Writing

Well… what to say… yesterday was my final day of being a Big Writing consultant. The last four and a half years have been wonderful, and it’s truly been an honour and a privilege to work with Ros Wilson and

admin November 30, 2014 Education, Gossip, Literacy No Comments Read more

Ring a Ring o’ Rosen

Ring a Ring o’ Rosen

Dear Mr Rosen, I notice you’re fond of writing open letters, so I thought you wouldn’t mind being on the receiving end of one. Forgive me for thinking aloud, but I wonder if you are running out of things to

admin October 7, 2014 Education, Gossip, Literacy No Comments Read more

A Word About Wow Words

A Word About Wow Words

Everyone loves Michael Rosen. He is one of my favourite authors to use in class to inspire children, through his books, poems and more recently the fabulous internet clips which bring poetry such as “Chocolate Cake” to life in the

admin October 7, 2014 Education, Gossip, Literacy No Comments Read more

Handwriting is Dead (Oh no it isn’t!)

Reading my copy of TESS this week I was enjoying Fraser Speirs’ feature on using mobile phones in the classroom “Don’t run what ya brung”…until I got to the small print. Underneath the article some quotes from Fraser’s Tweets and

admin October 7, 2014July 24, 2023 Education, Gossip, Literacy No Comments Read more

Recent Posts

  • Task Map: John Lewis Christmas Advert 2021
  • The Swindmills of Your Mind: Responding to John Swinney's Edu-Speak
  • Snorghs at Sgoil na Pairc
  • P1 testing: from catastrophe to conspiracy?
  • World Book Day Reflective Reading Lesson Download!

Recent Comments

  • Dr Sandra Percy on Planning and Assessing Listening and Talking
  • Anne Glennie on P1 testing: from catastrophe to conspiracy?
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  • Anne Glennie on Identifying Reading Problems: How will I know?

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