Principal Assessor Reports

PA Reports for this year's Standard Grade, Int. 1 &2, Higher and Advanced Higher exams are now available online. View them here:

http://www.sqa.org.uk/sqa/2461.html

Each report outlines candidates' strengths and weaknesses in each element. These can be extremely useful to both teachers and PTs. The web page also links to PA reports from 2002-2006.

Exam Timetable

The 2008 English exams will take place at the following times:

Standard Grade - Tuesday 6th May

Writing F/G/C 9.00-10.15am

Reading Foundation 10.35-11.25am
Reading General 1.00-1.50pm
Reading Credit 2.30-3.20pm

Intermediate 1 - Thursday 15th May

Close Reading 1.00-1.45pm
Critical Essay 2.05-2.50pm

Intermediate 2 - Thursday 15th May

Close Reading 1.00-2.00pm
Critical Essay 2.20-3.50pm

Higher - Thursday 15th May

Close Reading 9.00-10.30am
Critical Essay 10.50-12.20pm

Advanced Higher - Thursday 15th May

1.00-4.00pm
(or 100-2.30pm for candidates who submit a Creative Writing folio)

Full details (including times for Alternative Communication/ Spoken English S. Grades and English for Speakers of Other Langugages NQs) can be found here:

http://www.sqa.org.uk/files_ccc/NQExamTimetable2008.pdf

CPD events

Some upcoming CPD events in the North East:

Tuesday 13th November

Developing an Understanding of Writer’s Craft from different Cultures and Traditions – Primary & Secondary
Summerhill 9.00 - 12.00

"Learn to Listen" – Listening Through Media (Levels D&E)
Summerhill 4.00pm - 6.00pm

Monday 19th November (Closure day)

Aberdeenshire

Advanced Higher - Richard Bennett
9.30 - 3.30
Meldrum Academy

Int.1 and 2 Close Reading / Critical essay - Morag Munro
9.30 - 12.30
Meldrum Academy

Standard Grade Writing and Critical Evaluation - Morag Munro
1.30pm - 3.30pm
Meldrum Academy

Aberdeen City

The American Dream - Gatsby and Death of a Salesman -
Bob Cooper (Strathclyde University)
Aberdeen Grammar School, 9.30 - 3.30

An Inconvenent Truth - Rick Instrell
Bridge of Don Academy, 9.30 - 3.30

Moray

Sheena Blackhall / ACfE in English
Keith Grammar School
8.45 - 12.30

Shakespeare Resource

Melvyn Bragg's In Our Time series on Radio 4 continues this Thursday with a programme about the divine right of kings in the 16th/17th century. Could be really useful when teaching King Lear and other Shakespeare plays.

The programme goes out at 9am and again at 9.30pm and will no doubt be available from their archive after this.

The new Advanced Higher Shakespeare texts are The Winter's Tale and The Tempest. Does anyone have resources on either of these? Please leave a comment if you do.

Improving Literature Answers in Aberdeenshire

A Scottish Government-funded AifL project looking at this issue is now underway in four Aberdeenshire schools. Teachers at Meldrum Academy, Gordon Schools Huntly, Peterhead Academy and Turriff Academy will work with Standard Grade pupils on increasing their enjoyment of literature tasks and expanding their range of skills in this area.

Using a starter paper developed by the department at Meldrum, the group will produce a model for teaching structure, analysis and evaluation which will hopefully equip pupils to tackle literature indepedently and encourage a more self-confident and resilient attitude to the demands of the Int.2 and Higher literature exams.

Ultimately their findings will be published in a Case Study report. Email me if you want to know more.

*What strategies do you employ to prepare your S.Grade pupils for Int. 2/ Higher? Leave a comment and share your ideas.

Introducing Film? Great Web Resource

Film Street is a great website for introdcing pupils to film. It would be best used with Upper Primary or S1/2 pupils. The site allows them to explore a lively cartoon film studio and get invloved in aspects of filmmaking. They can create animations, learn about camera shots and then use them to direct a short sequence, write a script and much more.

If you have a whiteboard or access to several PCs, this site will really grab pupils' attention as it is fully interactive. If you have a film club, or are thinking of starting one, the site features a scrapbook where pupils can keep their work and record progress - and they are rewarded with hidden content as they make their way through the activities.

There are also loads of short films and new movie trailers to watch online.

This might even be a fun and unintimidating bit of CPD for those interested in teaching film but unsure of the basics. There are teacher and parent sections featuring advice and suggested activities.

Give it a try at http://www.filmstreet.co.uk/

Blue Peter Book Awards

The 9 finalists have now been chosen for this award.

The Blue Peter Book Club site is a fantastic resource. It features advice on setting up a Book Club and downloadable materials to help, writing tips and the chance for members to chat online with their favourite authors. Malorie Blackman (pictured) is on today.

Check it out at http://www.bbc.co.uk/cbbc/bluepeter/bookclub/

Happy Birthday Reading Bus!

St. Machar ASG's Reading Bus was one year old yesterday and the event was celebrated with a huge party at the AECC. Over 400 pupils attended and took part in "bus stop" workshops showcasing the exciting activities which have been going on aboard the bus for the last year.

The 12 workshops were all delivered by pupils and included broadcasting, animation, storytelling, non-fiction writing, Read Together and Doric. David Barry, writer in residence on the bus, and local author Sheena Blackhall also lent a hand.

View their fantastic website at: http://www.readingbus.co.uk/

There's a link on the site for contacting Jenny Watson, the Reading Bus Co-ordinator.



Broadcasting workshop

Increasing Motivation at Higher

Donald Paterson at Speyside High has been using a blog to try to motivate his Higher pupils. He uses it to encourage discussion through posts and multiple-choice polls . He even posts homework tasks on the blog: pupils can publish mini-essays etc. and then read and comment on each other's work.

It takes only minutes to set up online and all pupil comments come to the teacher first for moderation, so nothing unwanted or inappropriate can make it on to the blog.

Have a look at: http://shshigherenglish.blogspot.com/

Been using a blog with any of your classes? Why not leave a comment with your thoughts or even a link so we can have a look?