General

Here at Badger Learning we all understand the importance of literature and the development of literacy skills within school children as they progress through the academic system. It is because of this understanding that it becomes difficult to believe that school libraries are not mandatory within the UK – yet prison libraries are. Although definite statistics are hard to come by on this matter, it is very clear to see that closures of school libraries are beginning to mimic the decline of our public libraries over the last 5-10 years. Unlike prison libraries, there is actually no legal obligation for schools to provide any kind of library facility at all.

Badger Learning is extremely pleased to announce we are once again present on multiple occasions within this year’s What Kids Are Reading report, compiled by Accelerated Reader – Renaissance Learning. The annual report is in its sixth year and is assembled using reading data from 2,106 schools and over 420,000 British students. These school children have read and been quizzed on over 6.5million books, amounting to over 77 billion words in total. All of us here at Badger Learning are extremely proud to have our own publications amongst this impressive list of titles.

The Education Show is an annual event and is the UK’s leading training and resources event for those involved in education.

This year’s Education Show promises to be of great interest to educational establishments of all types, with the educational system in the UK undergoing its significant period of change.  Be it the growth in free schools and academies, reforms in examinations and Ofsted, and the introduction of a new National Curriculum, minds are surely to be centred on what assistance and solutions are available to teachers and leaders; to advise, provide and aid in the implementation of those changes.

There is no denying it, eBooks are fantastic resources of information that help teachers, students and casual readers alike access literature quickly and easily. The ability to retrieve almost any piece of material at the click of a button has delivered a fresh and innovative approach to education; providing both teachers and students with a more modern avenue to learn. But with the popularity of this medium increasing rapidly, will it one day replace actual paper books in the classroom? Many traditionalists would argue strongly against it, whilst the youth of today may welcome this change with open arms. Let’s take a look at the contrasting arguments…

For most families throughout the UK, mealtimes provide a rare opportunity for the whole family to get together and participate in meaningful conversation. Busy work schedules and school time can often mean that the evening meal is the only chance many of us get to spend quality time with loved ones. But did you know that dinnertime conversations can directly relate to children’s confidence in their attitude to conversation and communication skills in general? A recent study carried out by The National Literacy Trust reveals that the amount of participation children have in mealtime conversations can affect their confidence in day-to-day communication.

In today’s technology soaked world, parents often feel as if its mission impossible getting a child to pick up a book; especially if the child is a boy. It’s generally accepted that it’s much more difficult getting young boys into reading than girls because old and modern distractions such as television, computer games, friends and the great outdoors seem to have a much greater hold over those born with a Y chromosome.

It’s often said that the greatest thing you can give to a child is the gift of reading, and there’s a lot of truth in that statement. The benefits of reading from an early age are immense. If you can get a boy into reading it will improve his logical thinking, concentration, discipline, communication skills, grasp of language and, importantly, imbue him with the knowledge that reading can be lots of fun. Numerous studies have found that boys who begin reading at an early age perform far better throughout their academic lives than those who don’t. So what can you act

A well-established literacy strategy, guided reading has been prominent feature in many primary school classrooms for a considerable length of time.

Guided reading consists of a teacher working with a small group of pupils, normally around 6, for the duration of 20 minutes.  Depending on their reading level, the teacher then selects a reading book for the pupil, who then reads the book individually.

Within the strategy, children are grouped with peers that demonstrate similar reading levels; and the texts chosen are those that require little support but also present the opportunity to challenge and promote problem solving. Texts pitched at this level allow children to build both their confidence and literacy levels.

The most popular role of the teacher within guided reading is to lead the group by facilitating discussion and helping pupils with new and difficult words, rather than reading the text for the child.

A new scheme has been announced by English Heritage in which they are offering thousands of state schools free school trips to famous historical sites.

The scheme, funded by donations and legacies, will look to benefit over 30,000 children a year, with schoolchildren visiting iconic sites such as Stonehenge and Hadrian’s Wall.

Whether preparing for GCSEs or A-Levels, developing a good revision technique is essential.

However, it goes without saying that what works for one person, may not work for somebody else.

Trying out different techniques and using them for a range of subjects will allow you to get a good feel for what works best for you.

With this in mind, we’ve put together a selection of tips to help you get the most out of your revision time, plus a range of resources designed to support your learning.

We’ve found that most students rarely just stick to the one technique, equally so when it comes to resources; most students we’ve spoken to use a whole host of them; textbooks, papers, apps. It really is down to personal preference, your learning styles and the subject you’re studying for.

A recent study by the publisher Pearson, of over 2,000 parents has found that over 30% of parents “don’t feel confident enough in their own maths skills to help their children with their primary school maths homework”.