Tag Archives: Numeracy

CPD, Health & Wellbeing, Ideas, Literacy, Numeracy

Third Level Across Learning Experiences & Outcomes

The Secondary NQTs attended a CfE induction session in September where they were set the challenging task of coming up with ideas for delivering all third level literacy, numeracy and health & well-being experiences and outcomes. Not only that, but for literacy and numeracy they were also asked to identify what evidence would arise from the learning and what the success criteria would be.

They did a fantastic job and covered the sheets in lots and lots of ideas (so many that it has taken me this long to process them all!). Below you can see the original powerpoint from the day, and then there is separate presentation for each of literacy, numeracy and health & well-being.

Glow, Maths, Numeracy

Glow Meet with Tom Renwick

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Join us live from Lauder Primary School on Tuesday 16th November at 2pm for a very special Glow Meet with Tom Renwick from Maths on Track.

Learn new techniques to teach the 8x table using a 100+ board and wee red flash box cards which promote working memory and processing speed.

This Glow Meet is ideal for any classes working on their 8x table although Tom will be working with a P5 class on the day.

Register for the Glow Meet through Glow.

Spread the word!

Active Learning, Ideas, Maths

Active Learning in Maths

As part of a recent in-service day, teachers at Windygoul Primary spent some time coming up with active approaches to teaching Maths. You can see some of their ideas in the pictures below.

Have you got any more ideas? If so, why not add them as a comment on this post?

I thought I’d also take this opportunity to point out that Building the Curriculum 2 has been summarised and published as “Building the Curriculum 2 – Active Learning. A Guide to Developing Professional Practice”. Click here to download this summary document.

Assessment, Literacy, News, Numeracy

Moderation in East Lothian 2010/11

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The following information was sent out to schools last week to outline our approach to moderation in Literacy/English and Numeracy/Mathematics for the coming session…

Literacy & English and Numeracy & Mathematics

Rationale

Building the Curriculum 5 states that “professional dialogue is central to the creation of [a] shared understanding” and that “Local Authorities will develop procedures for moderation across their schools and for linking local and national arrangements.” This document outlines East Lothian’s approach to providing opportunities for teachers to participate in professional dialogue and collegiate working.

Inputs

The Local Authority is facilitating three cluster level moderation meetings and three East Lothian wide meetings this session for each of Literacy & English and Numeracy & Maths. An introductory meeting for cluster representatives will also be held in September 2010. These meetings are intended to support moderation activity which should be taking place in all schools as part of Curriculum for Excellence.

Outcomes

By the end of the 2010/11 session, moderation activity as outlined in Building the Curriculum 5 is taking place across East Lothian in Literacy & English and Numeracy & Maths. By this time, practitioners will be developing a shared understanding of standards and expectations for the broad general education (early to fourth levels).

Personnel

Each School (Nursery, Primary & Secondary) should identify a moderation coordinator for each of Literacy & English and Numeracy & Maths; these are referred to as ‘School Coordinators’ below. Some small schools may wish to share these roles. Three (two Nursery/Primary and one Secondary) of these coordinators will represent their cluster at Authority Moderation meetings and lead their Cluster Moderation meetings; these are referred to as ‘Cluster Coordinators’ below.

Timetable

September > Introductory Meetings > L&E 16/09/10 N&M 24/09/10
All Cluster Coordinators to attend a half-day meeting which will provide them with clarification of their role, an overview of the planned process and an opportunity for discussion.

November > Cluster Moderation Meetings > Week Beginning 15/11/10
Cluster Coordinators lead meetings with School Coordinators to provide them with clarification of their role, an overview of the planned process and an opportunity for discussion.

November/December > Authority Moderation Meetings > L&E 02/12/10 N&M 30/11/10
Cluster Coordinators come together to discuss outcomes from Cluster Moderation Meetings and to plan for moderation from January.

January/February > Cluster Moderation Meetings > Week Beginning 31/01/11
Cluster Coordinators lead meetings with School Coordinators to carry out moderation activity using examples from schools in their cluster.

March > Authority Moderation Meetings > L&E 15/03/11 N&M 17/03/11
Cluster Coordinators meet to carry out moderation activity using examples from the Cluster Moderation Meetings.

May > Cluster Moderation Meetings > Week Beginning 23/05/11
Cluster Coordinators lead meetings with School Coordinators to carry out moderation activity using examples from schools in their cluster.

June > Authority Moderation Meetings > L&E 07/06/11 N&M 09/06/11
Cluster Coordinators meet to carry out moderation activity using examples from the Cluster Moderation Meetings.

Assessment, Implementation, Literacy, News, Numeracy

Progress On Curriculum For Excellence: Decisions From June Management Board Meeting

The following letter was sent from Colin MacLean, Chair of the Curriculum for Excellence Management Board, to Headteachers and College Principals on 22nd July. It outlines the decisions made at the June Management Board meeting:

Dear Colleague

PROGRESS ON CURRICULUM FOR EXCELLENCE: DECISIONS FROM JUNE MANAGEMENT BOARD MEETING

1. I am writing to update you on further progress on Curriculum for Excellence (CfE) and would ask that you share this information with all of your teaching staff and others who support learning.

2. I last wrote to you in May about progress made to that date. My letter included an update on advice from the CfE Management Board on the timetable for introduction of the new qualifications following its meeting on 22 April.

3. The purpose of this letter is to update you about decisions made by the Management Board at its most recent meeting on 16 June, specifically about key decisions on recognition of literacy and numeracy skills developed through CfE and about reporting to parents and learners.

4. I mentioned in my May letter that a significant factor in the Management Board considerations when providing its advice was the ten point plan announced by the Cabinet Secretary on 30 March. The ten point plan included a proposal for literacy and numeracy units to be built into English and Maths qualifications to simplify the system for formally recognising these skills which will be developed across the curriculum. Management Board welcomed the Cabinet Secretary’s proposal to remove the qualifications in literacy and numeracy from S3 and agreed to provide advice in due course on an alternative approach.

5. At its meeting in June the Board agreed the following approach to recognising literacy and numeracy skills developed through CfE, subject to the outcome of detailed work being taken forward by SQA and further consideration by the Board as that work progresses. The approach agreed is that:

  • the S3 profile will have a focus on literacy and numeracy skills and will be seen as the main means by which learners gain recognition of the literacy and numeracy skills they have developed across their broad general education up to the end of S3. This would build on the annual reporting of progress in literacy and numeracy in each year prior to S3;
  • freestanding units in literacy and numeracy will be made available at SCQF levels 3, 4 and 5;
  • at SCQF levels 3 and 4, these units will be designed to form part of English and Mathematics courses;
  • at SCQF level 5, appropriate coverage of literacy and numeracy skills will be embedded across English and Mathematics courses. At SCQF Level 5, English and Mathematics courses also need to focus on higher order skills in order to prepare learners for progression. Therefore embedding of literacy and numeracy will provide partial coverage of these skills in English and Mathematics courses. SQA would not certificate literacy and numeracy skills on this basis as coverage is partial. For those who require or would like certification, free standing units in literacy and numeracy will be available. Guidance will be provided to show what evidence can be extracted from courses and, with some topping-up of evidence, can be used to gain certification of literacy and numeracy through free standing units.

6. Further information about the formal recognition of literacy and numeracy skills will be provided during the qualification development process. SQA is working directly with the education community to make sure that all new qualifications take forward the aims of Curriculum for Excellence and meet the needs of schools, colleges, learners and end users. SQA will also be maximising the use of their website and other on-line communication to share information and encourage feedback from a wider professional audience. Information on proposals for the future suites of National Courses will be published in SQA’s Overview of Qualification reports for each curriculum area which will be available on their website from the end of July. People can also sign up to SQA’s ‘My Alerts Service’ (www.sqa.org.uk/myalerts) to receive email alerts of the latest CfE news from SQA direct to their in-box.

7. Finally, Management Board approved advice on reporting which was issued at the end of June and is available on the CfE website within the BtC 5 suite of documents. That advice indicates that parents and learners will continue to receive reports on progress in all curriculum areas, including literacy and numeracy, at all stages. Reports will also provide information on a learner’s progress within and through curriculum levels and the guidance provides further advice on reporting progress within a level.

8. I appreciate that I am sending this letter in the holiday period but I know many of you have in-service CPD days planned for the first few days of the new academic year and wanted you to have the update in good time for the discussions you will be having then. Many thanks in advance for your help in disseminating this information as widely as possible.

Yours sincerely

Colin MacLean
Chair, Curriculum for Excellence Management Board