Will Handwriting Skills In Children Be Replaced By Technology?

Alistair Owens MD www.keen2learn.co.uk

The growth in the use of computers in education will have profound effect on our children's handwriting skills. The ability to type is becoming the first parameter in communication over any cursive script skill. But there is a device that turns handwriting into a word document. Can this have any real benefit in our technological world?

When I was a lad at school I was taught Italic handwriting. Really got the hang of it and won a school prize. My brother, two years older, received the same tuition and equally mastered the skill. Then a change of location from South of the river to north London meant a change of school. My elder brother entered the fourth form, year 9, and I was in year 7. He was allowed to maintain his handwriting skill, I was to be restructured. The aim; to replace my 'œarchaic Italic script' with a prescribed form.

The restyling lessons totally destroyed my handwriting skills ( my excuse). Within six months the 'award winning' script had become scrawl. I was confused, devastated and demoralised. I never recovered; to this day my infamous scrawl is testament to a botched job at school. My chagrin heightened each time I receive a letter from my brother whose handwriting is legendary.

Perhaps indicative of the damage that can occur with any needless change in educational curriculum. So are we seeing a sea-change in handwriting skills through the advent of typing computer keyboards? Being able to type efficiently is vital, should this therefore be the focus of learning, leaving handwriting to decay? The real problem is there is no choice. To excel in school with the growth in computer learning, Qwerty trumps all. Texting, typing, data entry, pin numbers and telephoning it is possible to go for days or weeks without writing anything. With the dear old cheque being superseded by debit and credit card payment with pin security you rarely even get to sign anything - apart from the back of your credit card once every two years. And tell me you don't practice the signature with a few dry runs!

Is handwriting becoming superseded and unnecessary for the future? Apart from what to do when the power fails or your battery is flat the one measure that will herald the ultimate demise of script - will probably coincide with the last post-it note. But there is one technological gadget that may yet save cursive script. A special pen, looking identical to a conventional pen, sends a radio signal to a mini receiver clipped to the top of a sheet of paper. As you write the receiver tracks the pen to record an accurate image of your handwriting. Upload the receivers' memory to a PC and the software converts the handwritten script to a Word document. Two huge benefits; you don't need a PC or dictation machine to record your notes. There's a huge saving in size and weight, all that's required in a sheet of A4 paper the pen and receiver. Taking notes and diagrams in class at a meeting or on the train is a doodle. But there is a catch; after some training sessions the software is very good at deciphering your handwriting but to work efficiently you need to write clearly and consistently- it's a computer after all. So no off days allowed and to get the full benefit of the system you need to improve your handwriting style and legibility. Hang on isn't that where we came in.

Are English and Maths Doomed In Schools Cut Back?

Maths and English, the two stalwarts in our educational programmes are the subject of further games being played between the DCFS, schools and examining boards. The chief executive of the Oxford Cambridge and RSA (OCR) awarding body says that without a vast injection of cash and teacher training schools will struggle to teach Math and English to the standard needed.

The comment from Greg Watson, chief executive of the Oxford Cambridge and RSA (OCR) awarding body, has ideal timing if maths and English are to escape the proposed cutbacks of £2bn in the schools budget. The bigger problem is rather than defending the current level of expenditure he is asking for an injection of cash above the current spending. If Ed Balls has to find savings as part of the government need to cut back will these vital teaching resources be found or become the sacrificial lamb? If so our current record of sub standard primary education is about to get a lot worse. Nicola Woolcote

Reading Games Take On Technology To Become The Storyteller

Storytelling is under threat from technology. Children, distracted by Nintendo, video games and Wii leave little quality time available for parents to read to them. But technology fights back in the MightyBook on-line reading games now available to help parents and children to enjoy this vital activity. See the full article =>
Keen2learn blog

What Teaching Resources Do We Really Need?

Government educational policies striving to improve standards are criticised. If the pass rate improves it’s down to easier exams, and it they deteriorate it’s due to the wrong teaching resources or technique. But the rate of change in the now global markets is placing different demands on the educational content. Are we matching the output with the actual demand?

In the space of 10 years the world as we know it can change dramatically. The schooling content seen as essential at the start of a decade can be almost irrelevant at the end. So are we programming the right curriculum for our children as they start their 10 year schooling journey and making the best use of modern educational games in our teaching resources?

Remember Y2K ? The 1st of January 2000. The world was scheduled to stop revolving, lifts jam mid floor, bank accounts freeze and computers implode. The computer gurus had overlooked the implications of the date code of the new millennium. Suddenly we were desperately short of ICT personnel to rewrite operating programs and manufacturers to build new computers, servers and networks. The world at large joined in the furore, angst and paranoia.

The hot ticket career in ICT reacted to a demand that nobody foresaw. Inflated salaries, bonuses and a massive workload reflected what turned out to be misjudged panic. Thankfully Y2K passed like a damp squib. The world managed to continue to spin controlled by clocks and computers that continued to work. But there were huge economic consequences. Operating budgets were raided, projects cancelled as funds for replacement computers and services were rushed into place. And then….nothing.

Hardware manufacturers had a ball. Everyone had the latest specification computer, ICT guys had earned a fortune. But the bubble burst. The demand evaporated and the market flooded with skilled ICT professionals looking for a job.

Doubtless we have learned something from this maelstrom. Since Y2Y we have seen the centre of gravity in ICT support moving to Bangalore, manufacturing to China and possibly the Financial Services market to Frankfurt? We need to reprogramme our teaching resources so children can meet the changing demands of a global market. Matching the future needs in the curriculum is complex, and critically, would require decisions a decade in advance.

In the meantime we see continuing conflict in the performance in the key stages of the National Curriculum. A huge number of children in primary school fall short of reaching an acceptable level in maths, English and ICT. The problem is passed to secondary school where teachers, already stressed, attempt to correct shortcomings as well as meet their own standards and targets. Perversely, success in exams is tempered with concern they have become too easy. GCSE’s are criticised by the Confederation of British Industry that their content fails to meet the demands of the modern commercial world. The DCSF and OFSTED wail, gnash their teeth, change policy and muddy the water.

The government have announced changes to the GCSE. Designed to encourage children and provide a better chance of success, on the surface the syllabus is to be brought up to date and coursework will become modular. But this laudable intention has met with an immediate backlash; schools claim their workload will become intolerable as they try to meet the demands of children at varying stages of progress and attainment. Critics claim it would be impossible for the children not to gain good grades. But is the final outcome for the children ideally matched to the career market they are to enter?

Change will always induce reluctance, yet if we do nothing then nothing will change. Forty years ago the pace of change was more regulated. Children had some idea of a career in mind when selecting GCSE and “A” levels. Engineers went for physics, accountants for maths, doctors for the sciences. Today the changing employment options have left children with less focus. Historic careers have vaporised or can radically change within the schooling journey – e.g. the Y2K syndrome and global market forces in manufacturing. Without specific career objectives children are bound to select subjects on their exam success potential. Maybe we should assess children for their likely career potential at an earlier stage to help programme their educational journey more efficiently. Pundits from the respective industry should be involved in the curriculum planning such that the syllabus incorporates developing techniques.

The World Wide Web, email and computers revolutionised communications in the space of 10 years. We are intimately aware of environment issues; global warming, animal migration and climatic changes that are all in state of flux. We need to consider what teaching resources are best suited to the educational objectives that best suit this fast evolving world.

Alistair Owens Keen2learn

Alistair Owens believes education should be fun and use technology to meet the needs of commerce, industry and the environment of tomorrow. Modern teaching resources in the form of educational games and toys use technology to enthuse and make learning fun at school and home.

Educational games using modern technology are already helping to teach children in school and at home. You can see examples here http://www.keen2learn.co.uk/l/64/ICT_Games.php.

Forget the Olympics the Educational games are about to start

Back to school! A fearsome thought for teachers, children and parents. The start of a new academic year, new class, new school, new teaching resources. Welcome back, the educational games have just started.

If you’ve been anywhere near the shops over the summer you couldn’t fail to notice the constant “back to school” promotions. They seem to start on the first day of the holiday ignoring the anguish of teachers, children and parents who dread the thought. Surely holidays are fun and should not be confused with the slog of learning. Fun is relaxed, enjoyable and something you look forward to. School is, however, far from being fun epitomised by adverts relating to shoes, clothing and stationery! But what if the schooling process could become filled with educational toys, games and fun? Is this possible? Surely we should be beating ourselves up with textbooks.

We look forward to something we enjoy and tend to put off something we don’t. Most people enjoyed watching the Olympic Games where medal winners excelled through years of dedication. Hard work, hours of daily practice to improve performance proved the difference between Olympians and “also ran’s”. Above all they enjoy what they do.

Performance is dynamically measured, results seen immediately, giving elation with an improvement, and a challenge with a setback. Determination is the key; Olympians enjoy the challenge to improve. What about school and homework? Can school be enjoyable? Could a child’s performance at school be measured dynamically using modern facilities or has it to rely on textbooks, tests and end of term reports? The answer lies in the latest educational games where parents and siblings can join in. Modern homework can be set as a game replicating the work in progress in the classroom. Setting homework as maths games, English games or science games is “learning in disguise” providing an opportunity for the child to practice whilst enticing effective parental involvement.

The busy classroom of 30 leaves minimal time for the teacher to encourage practice in the classroom. Yet 75% of learning retention is achieved through practice. The International Olympic Committee can be compared with the national curriculum setting the competition ground rules and standards. Teachers are the team mangers but parents are the individual child’s coach. The one to one relationship giving guidance, encouragement and participation can reap huge rewards in performance improvement.

Recent research by the National Confederation of Parents Teacher Associations discovered a massive 80% of a child’s academic progress is influenced by what they do at home, and only 20% emanates from the school environment. Back with the Olympics analogy it may seem obvious that the coach has a huge influence on an individual’s performance.

Teachers and the Department for Children, Schools and Families, aware of this phenomenon, are urging parents to become more active in the schooling process. This is in no way dereliction of duty but highlights a fundamental shift in the training duties a parent or PTA can now effect. Historically, helping with homework has been difficult because the teaching resources were one dimensional. Text books induce reluctance in parents. Unwilling to interfere they are concerned they would use different teaching techniques, or may appear to struggle in the subject area in front of their children. But the modern educational games, toys and puzzles used in school by the teacher are now available for use at home.

In class these educational games take the form of board games, quizzes, puzzles, bingo, toys and software – and are ideal for home use. The short burst in a class of 30 can be extended to 30 minutes at home on a one to one in fun game. This parental involvement means that the child gets the extra time to practice. Parents can assess progress dynamically rather than waiting for end of term reports, and children benefit from a coach at home to boost their performance back in school.

Alistair Owens Keen2learn

Can't Read Can't Write TV Shocker Reveals Teaching Resources Opportunity

he new TV documentary highlights the dilemma. Accepting the inevitable slant TV puts on many programmes to add drama, last night’s docudrama featuring a group of nine mature and illiterate students was still shocking.

The reality of this staggering statistic is a body blow to the educational standards in the UK. We still fail to provide the very basics of education to all our children. The TV teacher chosen to lead the recovery demonstrated passion and commitment to the role. But worryingly he was at considerable odds with the teaching resources he was advised to use. If the reading support, including worksheets and procedures developed by the hierarchy were regarded by the teacher as complex, arduous and missing the point what hope is there it will work.

The slightly over emotional teacher, previously a musician, admitted he had never taught anybody to read in his life. Initially he seemed a strange appointment but his direct approach proved the skill of a good teacher can outweigh a multitude of ring binders of arduous theory. His novel approach using educational games supported his passion in the role that started to break through decades of frustration and neglect. Turning reading support into fun and providing one to one support has started to overcome the many reasons for the student’s illiteracy, epitomising what good teaching is all about. Once the inertia is overcome we can expect rapid progress.

Each of the nine students had been failed by the initial schooling process. They had suffered the law of averages, inevitably casting students operating at the bottom of the class into the inevitable realm of exclusion from the lesson. The point emphasized by the illiterate plumber set word search puzzles at school and sent home at midday.

Teachers facing the constant pressure of attaining academic targets are bound to focus on the average and brighter student to boost the score. In place of spending vast sums of money on complex procedures maybe we need to listen more closely to the operational experience of teachers. Investing in a policy where no student should leave primary school whilst failing in literacy or numeracy would deal with the problem at source. This perhaps brutal approach should receive vital direct funding where it will help give all children the best chance to thrive academically in secondary school. The “Every Child a Reader” literacy scheme introduced by the government has to be a prerequisite in any target judgement.

The sterling work completed by the reading support organisations such as the “Volunteer Reading Help” ( primary schools ) and “Reading Matters”(secondary schools) provide 1:1 support to struggling readers in school. Both are registered charities and reliant on volunteers. Should government funding be extended to develop the services offered by these groups? A greater number of trained volunteers to help teachers in more schools and perhaps adult classes can only help - provided they do not loose their independence.

The TV program’s refreshing angle showed the element of fun through reading games overcame many of the issues faced by the students, and that illiteracy is not down to a single cause. The musical introduction to reading skills introduced enjoyment to the process that seemed adequately to displace the complex procedures. But learning to read through English games involves teaching phonics - the sound of words - ironically where the “ph” of phonics is of course pronounced as “f” which is where we came in!

The Ice Journey

The Ice Journey

This book is an interesting blend of fact and fiction, which could be used effectively in several different ways. One of the stated aims for the author is to encourage and enable grandparents to participate in their grandchildren’s education. Many grandparents have an active part in caring for grandchildren today and this book provides a story they can read to their grandchildren. The fact that the book is written as a grandmother reading the story to her grandchildren positively reinforces the idea of the grandparent having both interesting and even educational information. I feel one of the great advantages of this book are the activities listed at the back. These could be done in a classroom situation but equally could be done in the house with Grandma after reading the story. The idea of making a DNA sweet model struck me in particular as an activity which grandmas would be happy to organise. Grandmas love to give their grandchildren sweets but may be accused of spoiling the children. This they can show is an education activity in which sweets are essential!

I feel the bilingual edition will be of benefit to both learners and native speakers. As a Welsh learner I found the audio Welsh version easy to understand but it did not sound like ‘learner’ material which gave me a greater sense of achievement because I was able to understand it. There is a lack of Welsh language material for learners and native speakers. This bilingual work has the added advantage of providing an opportunity for non-Welsh speakers (parents and grandparents) to become involved in their children’s Welsh medium educational experiences. Non-Welsh speaking grandparents could play the audio version but use the English language text and activities to allow them to discuss the material with their Welsh-speaking grandchildren.

The illustrations blend well with the text, which must have required a great deal of work in the bilingual edition. Single pictures cover a double page with the text in both languages fitting round it. Other pages contain different yet appropriate images on the Welsh and English pages.

In an age where the ‘Google generation’ may shun the printed word, this book may provide a bridge between ‘grandma’s world’ of books as a source of information and the Internet where so many children would ‘google’ to find the information and its links to relevant websites.


Ellen Harris
Learning Resources Adviser
Learning Resources Centre, Trinity College Carmarthen

Schools Reading Support Service

Reading Matters was established in Leeds in 1997 as a training and volunteer network. Based in Bradford, West Yorkshire as a registered charity not-for-profit social enterprise, Reading Matters recruit, train and place volunteers in secondary schools to work as Reading Mentors. Here they work using reading support materials on a one-to-one basis with children who are struggling with their reading.

Reading is a basic life skill that most people take for granted. Imagine for a moment you cannot read the instructions on a bottle of prescription medicine or that you find it difficult to read the job adverts in the local paper. In the UK today an estimated 5 million adults do not meet this basic standard of literacy.

It is vital that children are encouraged to become competent readers in order to benefit from secondary education. Reading Matters offers a range of tried and tested interventions and training programmes that can have a direct impact on this statistic.

The Reading Matters training course for Reading mentors includes:

• understanding of why some young people struggle to read confidently
  

• practical techniques to help support reading
  

• guidance on choosing books, games and other resources to motivate the reluctant reader
  

Reading Matters has linked to Keen2learn to provide logistics support with a selection of key resources to encourage reluctant readers. Selected from the market leaders suppliers the reading resources comprise of reading games, special books developed for reluctant readers and an on-line reading service MightyBook.

To see the full report see Reading Support at keen2learn

Turn A Shower Into An Educational Game

They say education is a lifelong journey. Difficult to comprehend when you are at school slogging through lessons and exams but learning can be greater fun when turned into an educational game. Take a practical application and apply as many subjects that have been learned in the classroom.

This morning I took a shower, a frequent occurrence I hasten to add, but today I had one of those eureka moments – a tribute perhaps to that other rather more famous bather. Have you ever thought how much science is involved in the process of taking a shower?

To highlight the point I have used the following abbreviations as each topic appeared during my ablutions.

• Biology (B)
• Physics (P)
• Chemistry (C)
• Maths (M)
• Citizenship (City)
• Psychology (Psy)
• Geography (G)
• Geology (Geo)
• English Language (Eng)

The first question to loom up is why we take a shower? The experience is functional in removing body odours created by bacteria, (B) but also physiological as it induces endorphins that help wake you up and make you feel good (Psy) Removal of body odours also makes you a little less undesirable to others nearby ( City).

The water is fed from a header tank under gravity- thanks to Newton (P) – and as I’m a devout wuss, heated. Energy is consumed to heat the water by the conversion of electrical energy into heat P). This is measured in watts, the result of multiplying volts by amperes (M +P).

Responding to marketing persuasion I have been attracted to the delights of a power shower. The increased force (P) boosts the endorphins (B) but unfortunately uses 12 times the amount of water (Geo) than the gravity shower all of which has to be heated (P ) This is draining the natural resources, literally, of water and power causing environmental concerns (forgot to add the code for the environment – that’s an (E). The availability of water depends on geography (G) and the natural storage which locally are aquifers (Geo).

Being male I have a predilection to B.o.g.o.f offers ( buy one get one free) in supermarkets and anything in blue packaging (Psy) The resultant over purchase of needless stock (M) led to a ban by my wife (City)that means all shower products used have her stamp of approval and sensible supply level.

Today’s showering experience was a cornucopia of non blue ingredients. The shampoo promised a “Fruitful Infusion” to produce a “Dazzling Shine” (Eng) from the passion flower, patchouli and vetiver ingredients(B). The conditioner provided “Tangle free hair with uplifted volume” enhancing the dazzle effect by way of a “Citrus lift”(Eng) from tangerine, lemongrass and aloe vera (B) And the rest of the body below the head was in turn subjected to “Serious pampering”(Eng) from fennel (B) and sea mineral (C) based in a silky smooth shower gel (C).

The post shower application of talcum powder, contained talc mineral (C+Geo). The deodorant, promising to maintain a “desert – dry”(Eng) atmosphere under the arms (B +G) from aluminium zirconium trichlorohydrex (C). The aftershave contained alcohol ( C).

In the space of 5 minutes I had consumed 150 litres of water, 4 kilowatts of energy (P), half an alpine meadow of additives, and drained the lot away to the water treatment works where they will use bacteria (B) to break the ingredients free from the water, and off we go again.

Taking a simple shower will seem a lot busier from now on. My shower involved 34 applications of science and learning and a lot of fun to see just how many links with education can exist.

Alistair Owens operates an educational games web site and writes on educational matters for a wide range of publications.

Parents Playing Truant At Parents Meetings

Traditional parents’ evenings are becoming less popular and schools should consider other ways to communicate with families, the schools secretary, Ed Balls, said today, 7th May 2008

Speaking at an event today on the government’s Parent Know How programme, which aims to develop new and innovative ways of helping parents access information and support, Balls said research shows parents prefer informal chats with schools staff instead of parents evenings and want to get information on their children’s progress on-line.

While evening meetings will continue to have a role, Balls urged schools to keep parents up to date in ways that better fit their busy lives.

A survey of 5,000 adults for the Department for Children, Schools and Families showed that since 2001 the proportion who saw parents’ evenings as the “most useful” way of communicating has dropped from 43% to just 19%.

Parents now see communicating with schools through “informal discussions with school staff” as the most useful way of finding out about their child’s progress.

Half of parents felt very involved in their child’s education in 2007, up from 29% in 2001. Two-thirds of parents (65%) wanted to be even more involved, the research found.

Balls said: “We know parents are increasingly involved in their child’s education - and want to do even more. See the full report in the Guardian

Dads Falling Behind In the Bedtime Reading Stakes

The vital role of dads in bedtime reading is under threat, new research by the National Year of Reading reveals less than half of dads (42 per cent) say they regularly read bedtime stories to their children, while mums are twice as likely (76 per cent) to do so, despite bedtime reading being one of the best ways of establishing the reading habit in children.

Work pressures including stress and long hours were the main barrier for 58 per cent of dads, while a lack of confidence meant one in ten felt the role was better suited to mums. Boys are falling behind girls when it comes to reading* and more male readers as role models would help redress this.

The study of over 2,000 adults was conducted by the National Year of Reading and YouGov as part of a campaign to raise awareness of the pressures dads face and the impact this has on children’s reading habits. Read the full article

Transformimg Maths From a Chore to a Challenge

A well proven fact states if you fire the imagination of children you also gain their attention – an essential ingredient towards efficient learning. A school in Nottingham in the UK has proven the point by adopting a central Harry Potter theme to lessons.

Maths has adopted a series of spells and codes to enthral and encourage. Science has included “Herbology” as a new theme, and teachers have been dressing up to set the scene. It proves that education can be fun, and fun can be highly educational. By turning lessons into games much of the resistance to learning is removed and the results prove the effort to be well rewarded. Pupils at the Robert Mellors school in Nottingham have moved from the bottom 25% to the top 25% of schools in England in just three years.

A clear case of “Learning in Disguise”; Dona Chambers, the Headteacher said “They don’t realise we are ticking boxes in the National Curriculum during the games. It has had a phenomenal impact on the whole school. Because learning is so much fun, pupils want to be engaged”.

Supporting this form of fun activity is a large range of educational games used in school. They are now available for use at home to turn that boring homework session into a fun entertaining and imaginative approach to learning. And as the saying goes Practice makes perfect, or more appropriately in learning - Practice make Permanent. Many parents ideally like to maintain a role in the schooling process but do not want to interfere in the teaching process. Developments in teaching techniques have benefited from advances in technology and the text book of yesterday has been supplemented by the interactive DVD.

A whole range of educational games and educational toys have emerged over the last decade. Designed to tie in with the school curriculum by educationalists and ex teachers, the key is the element of fun they induce to learning. Children look forward to the games and suddenly learning takes on a hidden dimension. But perhaps the real key is the opportunity for parents to join in.

Learning retention is a combination of different inputs. The classroom environment steers children through the lesson presentation, demonstration and discussion activity, a process proven by the National Training Laboratory (NTL) to achieve 50% retention in learning. The key activity derived by the NTL research is the practice function which a highest level in the retention in learning. This activity is sometime difficult to achieve in class due to lack of time or equipment or the spread of abilities in an average class. To overcome this gap in the learning process inevitably the practice function is transformed into homework exercises.

This single activity is seen to be dull, boring and regarded by children, parents and teachers alike as a necessary chore. But there is an alternative. The maths games referred to earlier are an ideal way for parents to play an interactive role with their child at home. Playing educational games as a form of homework generates the practice function which can be lacking in school and according to the NTL achieves a massive 75% retention in learning.

The Future World Leaders And Scientists Are In School Right Now.

The Future World Leaders And Scientists Are In School Right Now.

The world is a small place. Rapidly expanding and almost instantaneous transfer of information, we are reaching parts of the world that were, until a few years ago, impenetrable. Previously a dearth of knowledge led us to believe that such countries were different, alien and held disparate views on life. Perhaps the greatest surprise once a door is opened is the amazing similarity in the aspirations and fears held by parents for their children. Paramount, irrespective of race, creed and colour are concerns over the health and education of their children. Despite the development in technology, the removal of many barriers to freedom and the realisation of a global market, schooling of children remains an international and fundamental concern.

Learning starts early and involves parents playing educational games with their children. The element of fun is a fantastic stimulus that should be present throughout life’s learning journey, but is largely lost as children go to school.

Parents in Fairfax County USA have the same fears and aspirations as those in Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, Singapore, Taiwan, Japan and the UK. Our knowledge base and influences are becoming international rather than parochial. Globalisation is instigating vast changes in our society, for example just flip over the nearest manufactured object and see if it is not made in China.

If parents view education as a global concern, expressing concerns with current schooling standards why are we unable to correct falling standards. The English language could achieve the status of a global first or second language within a generation thanks in no small part to the spread of the internet. Should we therefore consider a global curriculum with international investment? Vast sums are wasted in localised attempts. Britain as an example invested 22 billion of pounds Sterling over the last 10 years is witnessing falling standards in numeracy and literacy. Many children inadequately equipped to progress from primary to high school subsequently fail to thrive.

The world’s population is expanding yet the number of teachers is not. Stress, changing attitudes in society and pressure to achieve influence many to leave the profession early. So how do we overcome this mounting issue? Whilst computers have infinitely greater processing capacity than three years ago, and many life saving drugs have been developed, academic achievement fundamental to the progression of this cycle is not improving at the same speed. Educational experiments have failed and we are re-introducing teaching techniques contemporary during the lunar landings.

The scaling benefit of a global curriculum would reduce resource costs and widen the application. Perhaps it should also encourage parents to take an active part. Educational games are still fun, stimulate learning and play a crucial role as a teaching resource in school. But they can be used with additional impact at home to replicate the lesson at the pace of the child. The mobilisation of vast numbers of parents providing this additional focus can help overcome the fall in educational standards, and as the saying goes; many hands make light work.

Alistair Owens

Wales Chief Inspector For Schools Wants Parental Involvement

SCHOOLS must do more to involve parents in school life, according to Wales’ new chief inspector for schools. In just six months Dr. Bill Maxwell warned that Wales was in danger of losing its tradition of respecting and valuing education unless more was done to engage parents and carers.“Good schools are taking notice but some need to try harder,” Dr Maxwell said.

“A lot of countries, including Wales, talk about a dip in performance in the early secondary school stages. One of the ways to counter that is to keep that engagement strong between parents, kids and the school.

“Parents tend to get engaged again when their children do exams but in the early years of secondary things can drift.”

A positive role to be considered by parents is to reinforce the classroom lesson. Homework can take on a new dimension and to help are the range of maths games, literacy games, and teaching resources that follow the curriculium.

“Parents want to be involved if they are welcomed in, but that depends on the head. If you are not high up the educational ladder you may feel you don’t understand what the teacher says or be intimidated and more needs to be done to get these parents involved.”

Steven Bowden, head of Porth County Community School, in one of the most deprived parts of Wales, has upped parental involvement by getting them to help run activities and learn with their children.

Take a look at the full article in icWales

All Is Not Lost When The Ideal School Is Full

The annual lottery is amongst us. 25% of children in the UK will not get into the secondary school of their choice. That's a staggering 100,000 disappointed families. The Minister for school's advice to appeal against the local decisions is well meant, but do schools with the pressure they are under to perform have the capacity to deal with 100,000 appeals from displaced parents?

If appeals are upheld the precedent could create even greater annual mayhem. The ideal outcome would be a dramatic rise in the number of good schools. In the meantime extra children being shoehorned into larger class sizes at existing preferred schools seems an undesirable outcome. A significant number of 11-13 years old's already fail to thrive in the secondary environment, which must surely increase as a result of either fighting for a place in a good school or having to attend an indifferent school in another area.

The interactive role of the parent is vital in either outcome. Educational authorities consistently promote the profound and continuing role parents can play in the schooling process. Despite the current surface trauma this activity can be real fun! The educational games used as a teaching resource in school are now available on-line to parents. www.keen2learn.com as an example offer a huge range of maths games, English games, and science games that follow the curriculum. Spending time with your child at home recapping on the lesson content is highly practical, enjoyable and can reap dividends.

10 Ways To Limit Yours Child's Schooling

1. Undervalue your ability to help teach them when they go to school. The skill you developed when they were infants; teaching them to walk, talk, ride a bike, learn about colours, numbers etc should be ignored. Leave everything to the teachers now on.
2. Regard school time as the only time children can learn. Lessons are meant to be hard work and not there to be enjoyed.
3. Treat homework as a chore. It has to done, nobody likes doing it and you don’t want to interfere otherwise it could ruin a good row and you’re very busy.
4. Avoid giving your child help in case its spotted or criticised better to regard your knowledge of school lessons as dated and not applicable to modern teaching techniques.
5. Consider kids free time out of school as sacrosanct. Quality time with children cannot possibly be linked with school work.
6. Believe that TV is the sole means of providing educational input relevant to their lessons.
7. Minimise all contact with the teacher. You’ll find our how your child is doing in end of term reports or parents night. Don’t worry if you wasted a term’s opportunity to help before you found out.
8. Don’t believe the hearsay that the biggest drop in your kid’s performance generally happens when they go to secondary or high school. Fingers crossed they’ll keep up.
9. Always buy presents that other kids have got, have been heavily advertised and hold their interest for about a week.
10. Ignore the range of fun interactive Educational Games & Toys at www.keen2learn.co.uk. They’re great fun for kids aged 3-15, matched to the curriculum and help you take a more positive role in their learning.

Are We Looking More At Testing Than Teaching

The downside of the emphasis on testing is the tendency towards “teaching to test” rather than broadening the horizons. The redirection of time consumed in testing could allow the teacher to make a more rounded assessment of a child’s skills and make it more interesting for the child and teacher

If a child is falling behind teachers should enlist extra effort from parents. The range of educational games now matching the curriculum can make the recovery real fun for parents and child at home. This positive interaction would ensure parents maintain a dynamic involvement in schooling process rather than the sudden burst after the end of term or year reports are released.

The Teaching Trauma

Have you ever considered the number of people who will teach your child during their schooling career? Primary school starts with one or two teachers per year over the three years means your child will be taught by six different teachers. The three years at junior school adds a further nine, but the real shock perhaps arrives at secondary school.

Subject speciality involves a dedicated teacher per subject per year. Allowing for seven subjects over the five years racks up a further 35 teachers. But this assumes that nobody leaves. In reality 50 % of newly qualified teachers quit the profession within three years. Add other changes due to staff movements, retirements, promotions etc. adds a further five changes.

In total the average child will be taught by an army of 65 different teachers during their schooling programme. The law of averages states some of the teachers will be brilliant, others average and unfortunately some will be poor. Add in changes to the curriculum, government policy, lifestyle, technology, social attitudes, and the pot-pourri becomes staggeringly complex.

Yet there is one constant in the equation. As a parent you are present throughout the entire process. And yes – you are a teacher. Who else taught then to walk, talk, ride a bike, understand hygiene health and safety, social etiquette and to stand up for themselves. So why do we let go when they go to school.?

A combination of external issues arises. To some parents it is a relief to get some free time back; work commitments re-emerge and many feel unwilling or possibly inadequate supporting the schooling process; not wishing to interfere. The reality is the opposite. Ask any teacher and they will say one of their biggest frustrations is the absence of parents’ effective involvement in the schooling process. This is not just the end of term report or attending parent’s night, this is the hands on approach throughout the term.

Learning is achieved in stages. The “see and hear” process at school achieves a 30% score in learning retention, whereas the “do” practice activity achieves 75%. Ironically it is this practice function that is the most difficult to achieve at school – timetable, equipment availability, differing learning speeds all conspire to disrupt the activity. Yet this is the one function that is ideal for parents to help at home.

Teachers use a host of educational games to practice the lesson content whenever they can. The further use of these games at home can have a huge befit. This is not the conventional text and exercise homework where parents can perhaps feel isolated. This is spending some fun time at home at the pace of the child enjoying games that significantly help their performance back in class. Like all games there are rules, challenges and the opportunity to become the winner! The key is the opportunity o repeat the exercise at the speed of the child. In effect it is “learning in disguise”

The educational games extend across the whole curriculum, and ideal where a child is perhaps struggling to keep up or wants that extra challenge ahead of the class. More importantly it keeps parents in touch with just how their child is performing and where a little help can have a dramatic effect. And you become the learning mentor, the one constant in a world of academic change!