EDUCATION TAKEAWAY FOR JOLLY PHONICS RESOURCES FUN LEARNING EDUCATIONAL GAMES

Jolly Phonics for Parents

2011-03-25T08:10:00.000-07:00

Are you struggling to understand Jolly Phonics? Do your children ask for help, but you don't really know how? Jolly Learning have developed the My Jolly Phonics kit. The kit is an extensive range of Jolly Phonics materials that have been carefully developed to be used in the home.The kit is packed full of multi-sensory resources enabling the child to explore and learn in a fun and enjoyable way.

Items in the kit include:
Jolly Phonics Activity Books 1-7
Jolly Phonics DVD
Jolly Phonics Games CD (Single User)
Jolly Songs
Jolly Stories
Jolly Phonics Letter Sound Poster

Plus FREE triangular grip pencils and eraser. Open Snake's mouth at side of case to find red, yellow, green, blue and graphite pencils plus eraser.

Jolly Phonics Vowels

2011-03-18T10:31:00.000-07:00

Found this great video on Youtube and thought how much it could help you encourage your children to learn their vowel sounds. Catchy tunes as well.

Mums Business Club North East

2011-03-17T12:53:00.000-07:00

ONE FOR THE LADIES OF NORTH EAST

Online business networking is great and essential way to reach mums further away but sometimes you need to get out there and meet other mums like you; face-to-face. Human contact is important too and the Mum’s Business Club meetings gives us opportunity to chat in an informal environment, with the kids too and explore new possibilities for business with like-minded women. Meetings are simply informal gatherings for mums who also run businesses around the kids.

All the meetings are run by mums who understand the importance of networking and have the determination to find and unite local mums. So as well as making the arrangements, she will be your point of contact and will make you feel welcome. So do pop along. You can come along every time or every now and then, it’s there for whenever you need it. You’ll spot the organiser straight away and you’re sure of a warm welcome. It’s there for you whether you want serious networking or just a chat and let off steam and see a human, grown up face for a change!

Sign up for thier newsletter and keep up to date on events in and around the North East. http://northeast.mumsbusinessclub.com/

Contact Julie of Ann who will be more than happy to welcome you along to one of their meetings.

Jolly Phonics Magentic Letters

2011-03-17T12:43:00.000-07:00

JOLLY PHONICS MAGNETIC LETTERS

A tub of 106 lower case letters. Consonants are in red and vowels are in blue. Tub contains 2 each of the 42 letter sounds, 4 each of the vowels a, e, i and o, 6 each of m and d. Both c and k and q and qu are included. y is included in both red and blue (as both consonant and vowel).

North East Baby Roadshow

2011-03-05T02:44:00.000-08:00

Following the success of our 2010 Road Show, we have planned another huge event to cater for Maternity, Baby and Toddler needs!

We cater for every stage of the magical journey of pregnancy through to parenthood, with everything you need under one roof from the latest products and services for mum to be and for the little one on the way.
Big brothers and sisters are also to be catered for, with entertainment for the kids, facepainting, competitions, products and information on local classes and groups to join.

This year you can enter your baby in our Face of The Baby Road Show competition, simply bring your little one (under 5 years) along on the day, where your beautiful baby wll have their photograph taken by Simply U Photography!

All images taken on the day will be entered and then judged by our panel (all images available to purchase at the event).
The winning baby shall become the Face of The Baby show 2012, and shall win a bundle of items donated by a selection of our exhibitors!!

I'll be exhibiting with my lovely range of Phoenix Cards, so come along a join in the fun

The Big Chocolate Tea Party

2011-03-03T12:25:00.000-08:00

I can't even begin to image what it must be like to look after a sick child, but then again I don't have to. I have a very fit and healthy daughter. I suppose I take this for granted, I'm lucky but not everyone is in the same boat as me. The Sick Childrens' Trust holds The Big Chocolate Tea Party to raise funds to help parents of sick children stay together while their child is going through hospital stays and treatment. Their mission is to provide high quality 'Home from Home' accommodation for families whose children are receiving hospital treatment for serious illness.

The image above is a greetings cards, I know it looks good enough to eat. Prices at only £1.50 or £1.20 when you buy 10 or more. I will donate 20% to Sick Children's Trust from every order placed in March which inlcudes this cards. The card comes from Phoenix Trading that are fully recyclable because they haven't been produced using chlorine or other environmentally harmful chemicals or adhesives. So if you would like to support me in rasing funds for Sick Children's Trsut please visit my Phoenix Trading Website.

WIRE (Women in Rural Enterprise) Durham

2011-03-03T11:33:00.000-08:00

WIRE Durham meet, the third Tuesday of every month with the first meeting being on 15th March starting at 09:30 and finishing around 12 noon. The venue is Headlam Hall Hotel, Gainford, Darlington. Full details can be found by clicking on the event at the bottom of this page. Just ask us to put you on our mailing list and we'll keep you updated!

We would love it if you could come along and support us. If you are an existing WIRE member please book your place via the WIRE website. However, if you have not yet joined, please contact either Hannah or myself directly so that we can book you in.

If you are a product based business, please feel free to bring a sample of your product line to each meeting. That way, we can get to know you and your products at the same time. If you a service based business, remember to bring along you leaflets so as to give the out to other members.

Our aim for the group is to be a 'ready made salesforce' for our WIRE members, so that when we're not together, we still have each others businesses in mind

Bishop Auckland Food Festival April 16th 2011

2011-02-06T08:54:00.000-08:00

The Bishop Auckland Food Festival in the Durham Dales is the largest food festival in the North East.

Set in the leafy and historic grounds of Auckland Castle, showcasing the finest food products, this free-to-enter festival which has grown into one of the region’s must-visit annual events takes place on April 16th 2001. The one day festival isn’t just about food though, local arts and crafts designers display the best of their creative talent and products including patchwork quilting, jewellery and beading. In addition to the sales stalls there will also be numerous demonstrations and entertainment performances making the day a great event for all the family. Free park and ride transport will also be available.

Auckland Castle home to the Bishop of Durham for over 800 years also houses the priceless Zurbarán Paintings, painted between 1640 and 1645 and aquired in 1756 by Bishop Trevor for £124.00. The thirteen Zurbarán Paintings hang in the Long Dining Room, each painting standing eight feet tall.

Phoenix Trading Artists

2010-11-27T06:48:00.000-08:00

Phoenix Trading - Charity Fundraising

2010-08-24T08:04:00.000-07:00

MUMSBUSINESS CLUB COUNTY DURHAM

2010-08-05T14:40:00.001-07:00

MUMSBUSINESS CLUB COUNTY DURHAM
Originally uploaded by Education Takeaway

Are you running a business in and around County Durham. Do you want to network and share your experiences with other like minded women. Join Mums Business Club North East, a new networking group, helping women with yourng children to netowrk without having to find childcare. Yes, bring them along with you. Julie and I look forward to welcoming you along to our networking events, planned with mums in mind.

The Mumpreneur Conference

2010-04-12T09:28:00.000-07:00

The Mumpreneur Conference is an event that will recognise the achievements of our nations mumpreneurs and inspire more women into business. The day has been organised as a way for mums to get together and celebrate one another's achievements, no matter how big or small, as well as providing opportunities for these women to move forward in growing their business in a way that will fit around their family commitments.

What makes The Mumpreneur Conference different from other business conferences and events, is that this is organised by mothers for mothers, ensuring their needs are met, with a suitable day and location to allow business mums from around the country to attend, and with the days itinerary created to ensure the attendees get the best out of the day on both a personal and professional level.

Bishop Auckland Food Festival

2010-04-09T13:15:00.000-07:00

The event is one the largest Food Festivals in the North East which last year attracted approximately 28,000 visitors.

Set in the grounds of Auckland Castle the officail residence of the Bishop of Durham and home to the thirteen Zurbarán Paintings hang in the Long Dining Room. Painted between 1640 and 1645, they are of patriarchs, Jacob and his twelve sons. The twelfth son, ‘Benjamin', is not in fact the work of de Zurburán, but of Arthur Pond, an artist, copyist and art critic of the 18th century.

Entry to the Food Festival is free with a park and ride service available from both St Johns School and Bishop Auckland College.

Come and visit me at the Phoenix Trading Stand in the marquee.

Get Set Kids

2010-03-19T12:33:00.000-07:00

Get Set Kids is a great new family magazines distributed to 10,000 famillies around County Durham and ran by Allison Mendleson and Emma Ord. Published 3 times a year it is full of information, offers and competitions. Great ideas to keep the children happy over the Easter Holiday and local places to visit from Raby Castle to Planet Kids Toddler group at the new Excel Centre in Newton Aycliffe.

We are running a competition in this issue to win a Jolly Phonics CD & Book, so make sure you get your copy. If you aren't luck enough to get your hands on a copy visit the website where you will find lots going on and the events calendar is packed full of great ideas from Alnwick Gardens to Bishop Auckland food Festival.

Fun Times Tables Flashcards

2010-03-19T11:59:00.000-07:00

Children often find it tricky to learn their times tables. Keeping it simple and fun could be the answer. Our new range of Flashcards from The Green Board Company is ideal to play anywhere. At home for a family games night, in the garden on a nice Spring day or in a restaurant when you want to keep the children entertained. For older children Maths Wrap is also good on car journeys and gets children to learn their Times Tables by winding string round a hand held gadget, great for those reluctant ones that like doing and seeing rather than recitinging parrott fashion.

THE AIMS OF THE NATIONAL CURRICULUM

2010-02-23T07:34:00.000-08:00

The new curriculum becomes statutory in 2011.

The National Curriculum has three broad aims. It should enable all young people to become:

successful learners who enjoy learning, make progress and achieve
confident individuals who are able to live safe, healthy and fulfilling lives
responsible citizens who make a positive contribution to society.

These aims should inform all aspects of teaching and learning and be the starting point for curriculum design.

The curriculum should reflect values in our society that promote personal development, equality of opportunity, economic wellbeing, a healthy and just democracy, and a sustainable future.
These values should relate to:

ourselves, as individuals capable of spiritual, moral, social, intellectual and physical growth and development
our relationships, as fundamental to the development and fulfilment of happy and healthy lives, and to the good of the community
our society, which is shaped by the contributions of a diverse range of people, cultures and heritages
our environment, as the basis of life and a source of wonder and inspiration that needs to be protected.

nebusiness.co.uk - News - Business News - Women doing it for themselves when it comes to networking

2010-01-28T03:31:00.000-08:00

Networking aimed solely at businesswomen in the North East is continuing to thrive despite the huge number of mixed business networking events available. Karen Dent finds out more about one women-only networking group for entrepreneurs in County Durham.
More than 90 women working in and around Durham City are now members of FIND, which provides them with a central hub to access business information, education, support and guidance.
Although it has a central theme of friendship, the group’s main aim remains boosting female entrepreneurship and combating statistics which regularly suggest that women are half as likely to be involved in starting up a business as men.
Members range from women at the pre-start-up stage who are still finalising their business idea to businesswomen whose companies have been established for years and are seeking new clients or new ideas.
In addition to providing a network of contacts and the opportunity to share information, FIND organises regular seminars and workshops which are usually held at the Durham Marriott Hotel.
Ms Williams-Maughan says the group is an important outlet for local female entrepreneurs.
“The majority of members are people like me working from home who don’t have colleagues to bounce ideas off,” she says.
FIND was the first networking group that marketing and PR woman Sarah Weightman tried after starting up her own business.
Durham-based Ms Weightman says: “I was a little bit nervous going for the first time. I found it to be really welcoming and it gave me confidence to go along to other ones.”
She says that making the initial move to attend a session can be intimidating to start with.
But she reckons her main worry was her young age rather than the fact she was female.
“I started my business when I was 25. I was always one of the youngest there,” she said. “That in itself made it a little bit difficult. It’s perhaps more an experience thing.”
But discovering FIND gave her the confidence to learn more about networking and how valuable it can be to fledgling entrepreneurs.
“Since then I’ve gone along to other ones, maybe more traditional networking events,” said Ms Weightman.
“I’ve met some really valuable contacts – people I’ve started to work in partnership with and people where I have become their client, such as chartered accountants. It’s just really valuable and useful.”

More than 90 women working in and around Durham City are now members of FIND, which provides them with a central hub to access business information, education, support and guidance.
Although it has a central theme of friendship, the group’s main aim remains boosting female entrepreneurship and combating statistics which regularly suggest that women are half as likely to be involved in starting up a business as men.
Members range from women at the pre-start-up stage who are still finalising their business idea to businesswomen whose companies have been established for years and are seeking new clients or new ideas.
In addition to providing a network of contacts and the opportunity to share information, FIND organises regular seminars and workshops which are usually held at the Durham Marriott Hotel.
Ms Williams-Maughan says the group is an important outlet for local female entrepreneurs.
“The majority of members are people like me working from home who don’t have colleagues to bounce ideas off,” she says.
FIND was the first networking group that marketing and PR woman Sarah Weightman tried after starting up her own business.
Durham-based Ms Weightman says: “I was a little bit nervous going for the first time. I found it to be really welcoming and it gave me confidence to go along to other ones.”
She says that making the initial move to attend a session can be intimidating to start with.
But she reckons her main worry was her young age rather than the fact she was female.
“I started my business when I was 25. I was always one of the youngest there,” she said. “That in itself made it a little bit difficult. It’s perhaps more an experience thing.”
But discovering FIND gave her the confidence to learn more about networking and how valuable it can be to fledgling entrepreneurs.
“Since then I’ve gone along to other ones, maybe more traditional networking events,” said Ms Weightman.
“I’ve met some really valuable contacts – people I’ve started to work in partnership with and people where I have become their client, such as chartered accountants. It’s just really valuable and useful.”

Phoenix Trading UK Page for Ann Williams-Maughan

2010-01-21T14:38:00.000-08:00

Phoenix Trading UK Page for Ann Williams-Maughan: "Phoenix Trading UK Page for Ann Williams-Maughan"

Teacher cutbacks 'short-sighted'

2009-12-28T03:58:00.000-08:00

Scotland's largest teaching union has attacked "short-sighted" cuts in teacher training numbers.
The EIS predicted a third of Scotland's teachers were set to retire in the next few years.
It added that cutting back on training new teachers could create "a massive problem" in the future.
A Scottish government spokesman said it was working towards getting the right number of teachers for future generations of pupils.
Four out of five teachers who qualified this summer have not found full-time jobs.
The government has said it had cut the number of training places in response to that, falling school rolls and education authorities cutting the number of posts in schools by almost 2,500.
Reducing student numbers will create more jobs for those teachers already qualified
Scottish government spokesman
But it said there was no point in educating teachers for the dole queue and it planned to build up student numbers in future.
The union said schools may struggle to fill vacancies and training institutions may struggle to produce more new teachers because of job losses among those who teach the teachers.
EIS general secretary Ronnie Smith said cuts in the number of new teachers being trained was bad news for Scottish education, both at school and university level.
"These cuts are hitting the budgets of teacher education departments in universities, and forcing them to reduce their numbers of lecturing staff," he said.
"Cutting back on the number of trainee teachers and the number of university education lecturers is remarkably short-sighted, and runs the risk of creating a massive problem in a few years' time.
'Stimulating demand'
"The Scottish Government has adopted the easy answer to the problem of lack of job opportunities for new teachers by slashing the future student intakes.
"But their focus should be on stimulating demand for new teachers, not cutting the supply."
A Scottish government spokesman said: "We took the difficult decision to reduce student teacher intakes to deal with teacher unemployment.
"Reducing student numbers will create more jobs for those teachers already qualified.
"Furthermore, ministers have also asked Graham Donaldson to conduct a thorough review of teacher education in Scotland, from initial teacher education through induction and continuous professional development."

Young people's writing: Attitudes, behaviour and the role of technology

2009-12-17T09:32:00.000-08:00

Writing is an important issue in the UK today. While children’s and young people’s writing standards steadily improved until 2006, levels have not increased in recent years. Writing is much more than just an educational issue – it is an essential skill that allows people to participate fully in today’s society and to contribute to the economy.
Relatively little is known about young people’s views about writing in the UK. The key objectives of this survey were therefore: to explore how much young people enjoy writing, what type of writing they engage in, how good at writing they think they are, what they think about writing and what the role of technology is in young people's writing.This report outlines the findings from 3001 pupils aged 8-16 from England and Scotland, who completed an online survey in May 2009. It explores gender and age differences, and examines the link between socio-economic background (in terms of free school meals) and writing. Furthermore, it explores young people's writing with respect to mobile phone ownership, having a blog and having a profile on a social networking site. It concludes with practical and policy implications.

Bananagrams come to Facebook

2009-11-17T09:32:00.000-08:00

The latest news is that Bananagrams has joined forces with one of the largest international gaming software companies – Majesco Entertainment – and is in development for use on various electronic platforms, initially launching on FACEBOOK in early October. Facebookers will be able to compete against friends in one of two multiplayer modes - the Classic Multiplayer Game, or the Banana Café, where they can race against the clock (posting their best times on a leader board) and play in real time against each other, having the ability to chat online the entire time! There will also be a Solitaire version for those who want to hone their speed and word making skills! Development for the iPhone, DS and Wii follow shortly! The entry into the electronic world is a wonderful compliment to the original games continued success, just making it easier for Bananagrams fans to play with family and friends around the globe!

Friendship in Networking Durham

2009-11-08T02:27:00.000-08:00

Friendship In Networking Durham is a local networking group set up to help Women in Business in and around County Durham - providing a central hub to access business information, education, support and guidance.
Focused on developing relationships, friendships, growing businesses and participating in networking events – FIND is here to help local women reach their full business potential.
Our aims are to:
Provide a valuable network of contacts and to encourage trade, information sharing and support between Members
Provide access to seminars and workshops for professional and personal development
Inspire and encourage women to develop professionally and drive them forward for success in business
Encourage and support new enterprise by providing support to those women looking to set up their own business
Provide a central hub for like-minded individuals to share information, ideas and knowledge and develop friendships and team spirit
Raise the awareness of local women and the talents and resources they have to offer to County Durham
FIND is fast establishing itself as leading resource for North East women in business.

Phonics Flashcards

2009-11-07T10:45:00.000-08:00

Phonics Flashcards from Oxford Reading Tree are a fun way for children to learn the initial sounds and letters of the alphabet. Playing the alphabet games will help children to : develop memory and concentration skills, learn to recognise individual letter shapes and sounds, read simple words, spell simple words.

Maths Wrap

2009-06-30T07:04:00.000-07:00

For children, learning their times tables can be repetitive and boring – now thanks to the Maths Wrap, counting numbers is a whole lot of fun. The kinesthetic element aids memory and could be used at home or as a great mental warm up to a numeracy lesson.

Maths Wrap looks like an ipod and feels like a game, yet is a powerful tool for building confidence and helping children to understand the process of multiplication. The ipod-sized device has numbers notched down one side, and a cord attached. It comes with 12 cards to test different tables.

Many children learn best when they are physically engaged and doing something with their hands as it helps them to process information. The ‘doing-and-seeing’ method also helps children recognise patterns of numbers in the tables they are learning. Chilren, who are confident with multiplication, may find it easier to master complex problems such as division and algebra.

End of National Straegies

2009-06-26T10:28:00.000-07:00

The government is to abandon the most significant education reform of the New Labour era in order to end the centralised control of schools and grant headteachers more powers, the Guardian has learned.
In a totemic break from the Blair years, next week's education white paper will signal the end of Labour's national strategies for schools, which includes oversight of the literacy and numeracy hours in primaries. The changes will strip away centralised prescription of teaching methods and dramatically cut the use of private consultants currently employed to improve schools.
They will give schools more freedom and establish new networks of school-to-school support to help drive up standards in what will be described as a "new era of localism".

Flashcards

2009-05-12T15:45:00.000-07:00

Flashcards or Flash Cards. Either way they can be a great way to encourage children to learn and lots of fun for children and adults to play together. The Oxford Reading Tree Read at Home Flashcards are a fun way for children to learn common words used in English. Playing the word games will help children to:

develop memory and concentration skills
match letter and word shapes
recognise many common words by sight
build sentences

FIRST SKILLS FLASH CARDS introduce young children to letters of the alphabet, common colours and shapes, numbers 1 - 20 and maths symbols, important concepts which are the foundation of their future learning.

SAY AND SPELL FLASHCARDS are a fun way for children to develop their early reading skills.

Using the cards will help children to:

Match letters to picture
Match letter sounds to letter shapes
Sounds out letters in words
Blend letters to make words

All school Sats tests 'might go'

2009-05-09T10:31:00.000-07:00

Experts looking at testing in England's schools have said formal Sats tests might eventually be replaced by teachers' assessments of their pupils.

As taken from the BBC website

Wear Valley Food Festival

2009-04-17T11:24:00.000-07:00

The Wear Valley Food Festival is the largest food festival in the North East, attracting in excess of 20,000 visitors last year. This award winning event is held at the historic Auckland Castle, the ancestral home of the Prince Bishops since the 12thC.
Enter the grounds through the Clock Tower Gate and you will find an avenue lined with a wide selection of stalls. As you wander further into the grounds, there are more stalls waiting to be discovered, selling quality local and regional food and drink. In the Kitchen Marquee you will see numerous cookery demonstrations. The Northern Rail Marquee is full of all kinds of Arts & Crafts. Inside the Castle itself, take a moment to visit St Peters Chapel, one of the largest private chapels in Europe, before entering The Gentleman's Hallway, lined with more stalls.
Meander up the staircase and into The Throne Room that has been transformed into a magnificent Tea Shop serving a wide range of refreshments to tempt the palate, before finally reaching The Long Dining Room, lined with even more stalls and of course the home of the world famous Francisco de Zurbaran paintings.

Come and visit me in the marquee, where I will be exhibiting with Phoenix Cards and lots of educational resources from Education Takeaway. Ann Clement from Bush Essentials, a traditional skincare range developed using the age-old recipes of generations of pioneering Australian women, will be exhibiting in the castle so why not stop by and say hello to both of us.

Shortlisted for The North East Digital Awards

2009-03-14T02:53:00.000-07:00

Imagine my surprise when I opened an email on Monday evening entitled Did You Make it? I nervously opened the attachment and scrolled down the page to the catergory I had entered. I had been shorlised, along with another two, in the catergory Best e-commerce Website. The others shortlisted in the same category are The Card and Gift Company and FiFieFoFum.
So on Wednesday 25th March I'm off to Newcastle for the Awards ceremony. Not being a native Gordie and wanting to kill two birds with one stone so I'm doing some networking over lunchtime, followed by shopping and then off to the awards a 6.00. So all in all a fun packed day, wish me luck.

Who's the most important person to love today?

2009-02-14T03:44:00.000-08:00

Who's the most important person to love today?

Jolly Phonics for the Whiteboard

2009-02-07T05:46:00.000-08:00

JOLLY PHONICS FOR THE WHITEBOARD

The software provides a full and extensive year's programme for teaching Jolly Phonics throughly on an interactive whiteboard. It enables teachers to deliver lessons in a fun and engaging way to children, using a wide variety of activities for the wholde class and individual use. With all the resources a reacher requirew at the touch of a button, the programme is fun and easy to use.

Suitable for use on Promethean, Smart and all other whiteboards.

Structured daily sessions for teaching the five skills for reading and writing.

Handy step-by-step teacher's notes for every session are available on screen or for printing.

Interactive lessons with lots of blending spelling and writing practice, ideal for whole class or independent use.

Audio option for hearing the letter sounds. Jolly Jingles and Jolly songs.

Lots of printable worksheets, templates and games that can be used in class to reinforce teaching. These can also be given as homework.

"How to Find the Best Method for Teaching Your Child to Learn to Read"

2009-02-06T11:49:00.000-08:00

How to Find the Best Method for Teaching Your Child to Learn to Read
According to some reading experts there are four methods proven effective in teaching reading. These methods are phonics, look and say, the language experience approach, and the context support method. However, a newer method, syllabics, might be gaining ground as a viable, even preferred, method for teaching children to learn to read. Each method warrants a closer look.
Teaching Reading with Phonics
The use of phonics to teach reading is perhaps the most widely used and most easily recognized method in play today. Teaching children to read using the phonics method begins with teaching the alphabet and the sound associated with each letter. Reading begins with short, two-letter, words and blends which are easy for the child to "sound out". After mastering two-letter words, children move on to three-letter words, then four-letter words, and more.
The main criticism of teaching reading using phonics is that the method gives children the introduction they need to letter sounds so that they can manage words that can be read phonetically, but does little to prepare them for words that are not phonetically regular (such as vowels). This method also requires that children be provided with sufficient phonetic reading material. Creative teaching formats also have to be used to keep children from getting bored with the method.
Look and Say Reading
The look and say reading method is also known as look-see or the whole-language approach. With look and say reading, a child learns the whole word at once rather than as a series of letters or sounds. To teach whole words, the teacher often uses flashcards and/or pictures to represent the word. The teacher might sound out the word for the child and ask the child to repeat the word rather than sound it out for himself/herself.
Look and say reading has been criticized as not giving children the tools they need to sound out words for themselves. In essence, the child is required to memorize words as opposed to really learning how the letters and sounds work together to form words. Some educators believe, however, that combining phonics with look and say reading can help children tackle more difficult words, compared to the first two methods.
The Language Experience Approach to Reading
The language experience approach to reading uses the child's own life experiences to teach words and reading. For instance, if a child draws a picture of his or her family, a teacher might ask the child who each person is in the drawing. As the child says such words as "mom", "dad", "my brother Rob", the teacher writes those words under each person in the picture. If a child draws a picture of a cat in a tree, the teacher writes the words "a cat in a tree" under the drawing.
As the child gains a better understanding of words, teachers can talk about and write more complicated sentences such as "This is my family. I have a mother, a father, and a brother named Rob".
Some educators like to make a sort of book out of the child's drawings. This personalized book would then obviously be filled with pages that the child can automatically "read" since that child is the author of the book. Teachers can also encourage students to trace over the words they've written to begin early writing experiences.
Many educators use this method as a way to introduce children to reading even before they begin teaching reading using phonics, the look and say, or any other reading method. It's a great way to help children understand the connection between the pictures and words that appear on the pages of a book and to help them begin simple word recognition. Unfortunately, the method seems to be limited to teaching children only how to read concrete nouns—those that represent physical objects that can be drawn or photographed. Verbs, adjectives, adverbs, articles, prepositions and nouns that have no common physical representation can't be accommodated by the language experience approach for learning to read.
The Context Support Method
Much like the language experience approach to reading, the context support method uses the connection between pictures and words to attract and hold the attention of the reader. Some educators believe that holding a child's attention might be the single most important factor in learning to read. This makes sense because a disinterested child is less likely to pay attention long enough to learn the material. Obviously, an interested child is likely to be more interested in learning.
Many parents complain that, especially once their male children move past the early reading stage, there is little material available for them to read. Toddler boys and girls are often presented with reading material geared toward their particular interests, such as boats and balls for boys and dolls for girls. However, some educators insist that the relative disinterest that boys eventually develop in reading might be due to the lack of sufficient reading material that interests them. Therefore, after the initial boost that boys get in the early reading stages, there might not be nearly enough context support for them to continue to read for pleasure.
Using Syllabics to Teach Vowel Sounds
One of the major criticisms of using phonetics to teach reading is that the method addresses consonant sounds far better than it does vowel sounds. For instance, the letter "b" makes the same sound regardless of whether the word it is used in is "bite" or "bit". However, using those same two words, the letter "i" can be either "long" or "short". This discrepancy in sound "rules" can make it difficult for early readers to understand how vowels are to be addressed.
Syllabics teaches both consonant sounds and vowel sounds so that children can master them both properly. Syllabics teaches children the consonant sounds and the main consonant blends, and then teaches children how to tackle the sounds made by vowels. Syllabics uses what it calls "letter codes" to teach children how to read just about any word except those that do not follow general word pronunciation rules and foreign words.
The bottom line on reading methods is that, in general, no one method is yet viewed as being the cure-all, end-all for teaching reading to all children. Most educators currently use a combination of methods geared toward the specific needs of the child. Choosing the program that is best for each child requires an understanding of the strength and weaknesses of the methods available as well as an appreciation of what works best for the child.
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Michael Levy has published more than 250 articles and books on learning and memory. Recently, he developed Reading Buddy 2.0 to teach children to learn to read English using a remarkably easy and effective syllabics method. Would you like a free copy of this innovative computer program to teach your child to read using this modern method? Claim your free copy of Reading Buddy 2.0==>http://www.we-teach-reading.com/
Source: http://www.submityourarticle.com/
Permalink: http://www.submityourarticle.com/a.php?a=49991

Parents teaching children at home rather than send them to failing schools

2009-01-31T06:09:00.000-08:00

Parents are being forced to educate their children at home after being told to send them to a failing school.

Featured on Stallfinder

2009-01-10T15:45:00.000-08:00

Education Takeaway have been asked to feature on Stallfinder. It is with great pleasure we have offered.

Stallfinder.com is the UK's first one-stop shop for information on stallholders, events, fundraising and direct selling or party plan businesses. If you're one of the million plus people selling independently in the UK, an event organiser or fundraiser looking for new and interesting stallholders or you're promoting an event.

The benefit of a bedtime story

2008-12-23T10:59:00.000-08:00

Study finds that being read to and taught the alphabet means a promising start for children.

From the Guardian

Children who are read to daily are likely to do better when they start school and be better behaved, according to a government study.
Researchers at the Institute of Education found a correlation between mothers who believe it is important to teach their toddler the alphabet and to count and read to them regularly and the child's achievement at the age of five.
The government-commissioned study looked at the foundation stage profile - teachers' assessment of a child's achievement after one year at school - and evaluated the cognitive abilities of just over 8,000 five-year-olds.
They also assessed each child's behaviour using a questionnaire.
The study focused on which factors are associated with achievement at the age of five, and took into account parental variables such as how much time is spent with the child reading, teaching the alphabet and counting.
It concluded: "Reading to the child every day and having a mother who thinks it is important to stimulate young children are positively associated with all cognitive outcomes and negatively with problem behaviour."
Children who were read to daily did better in the naming vocabulary cognitive test, which involved the children being shown a picture and asked to identify the object.
They also performed better in the foundation stage profiles and had higher behaviour scores.
Youngsters whose mothers thought it was important to talk to them and teach them the alphabet also did better than their peers in tests where children were shown a picture of an object and asked to identify a similar object among a number of other pictures, and when asked to reproduce patterns using coloured blocks.
These children also had better foundation stage profiles, whereas children who watch three or more hours of TV a day, on average, achieved lower scores on the tests.
The findings echo the results of research by the universities of Bristol and Columbia, in the US, that found poor parenting meant children were ill-prepared for school.
Analysis by Prof Jane Waldfogel at Columbia and Bristol's Dr Elizabeth Washbrook of British and American children's ability test scores showed that the poorer their families, the less well prepared they were for school. In the US, half the differences were because of poor parenting and home environment, the study found.
It suggested that early years programmes such as Head Start in the US, which Sure Start in the UK is based upon, could help close the ability gap.

North East Digital Awards

2008-12-05T09:03:00.000-08:00

The Digital Awards celebrate the achievements of businesses and organisations across the North East of England that have recognised, developed and practiced digital techniques to best effect.
This region clearly has some very innovative businesses with strong digital elements. Last year we recognised the fantastic achievements of 44 regional businesses, chosen from over 250 award entries. This year the profile of the Awards and the level of participation from the region's businesses will be even greater and more prestigious.

Education Takeaway have once again entered the awards and needs your help. Please vote for us.

Jolly Phonics Whiteboard Software

2008-10-17T09:09:00.000-07:00

EVERTHING YOU NEED TO TEACH JOLLY PHONICS ON THE WHITEBOARD

The software provides a full and extensive year's programme for teaching Jolly Phonics thoroughly on an interactive whiteboard. It enables teachers to deliver lessons in a fun and engaging way to children using a wide variety of activities for whole class and individual use. With all the resources a teacher requires at a touch of a button, the programme is fun and easy to use.

Structured daily sessions for teaching each of the letter sounds, letter formation, blending, identifying sounds in words, tricky words and alternative spellings of vowels.

Handy step by step teacher's notes are available for every session. These can either be viewed on screen or printed off if required.

Interactive lessons with lots of blending, spelling and writing practice, ideal for whole class or independent use. Audio option for hearing the letter sounds, Jolly Jingles and Jolly Songs. Lots of printable worksheets, templates and games that can be used in class to reinforce the teaching. These can also be given as homework for the child.

Tests scrapped for 14-year-olds

2008-10-15T14:47:00.000-07:00

There will be no Sats tests for 14-year-olds next year, announces Ed Balls
National tests for 14-year-old school pupils in England are to be scrapped, following this summer's Sats marking "shambles".
Children's Secretary Ed Balls said an expert group would develop a system of assessment by teachers.
But the tests taken by 11-year-olds, and used for the primary school "league tables", will remain.
A new system of report cards showing schools' academic attainment and pupil well-being is also to be introduced.
Mr Balls said that the decision to stop Sats tests for 14-year-olds was "not a u-turn" - and that the wider principle of the need for testing and accountability remained.
"But if you ask 'are we abolishing half of the national tests?', the answer is 'yes'," said Mr Balls.

Social Bookmarking

2008-09-20T14:33:00.000-07:00

In an attempt to get our site ranked higher in Google we have gone down the line of Social Bookmarking. So follow me on my adventure of Social Bookmarking and if you have any suggestions I am more than happy to listen to them. Visit our Squidoo lens with info on Jolly Phonics. Add yourself as a fan of our Facebook page, Stumble us or Digg our site. We will be watching over the next few months to see what kind of resluts we are getting. We look forward to getting to know our customers and learning all about Social Bookmarking.

Sats Test

2008-09-07T13:33:00.000-07:00

From BBC Website

The Sats tests could end next year, Schools Secretary Ed Balls has hinted.
They may be replaced by assessments tailored to the ability of each child, he told the BBC's Andrew Marr Show.
The national tests are taken by about one million children aged seven, 11 and 14 across England each May, but this year's marking was a "fiasco", he said.
A five-year contract with ETS Europe was scrapped after it failed to get papers marked in time, and the next contract will be for one year only.
"The current system is not set in stone," said Mr Balls.
"We are looking currently at a way in which we could assess progress child by child with individual level tests where the tests would be chosen in a way which was right for the child, rather than everybody doing the same test on the same day.
"For 2009, we are going to do the same kind of tests as in previous years before the problems with ETS, but for the long term I am really keen to get this right, to listen."

New pupils have to stay until 17

2008-09-03T15:11:00.000-07:00

From the BBC Website

Children starting secondary schools in England this week will be the first to be legally required to stay in education until they are 17.
The rise in the age at which pupils can end their studies is just one of several changes taking effect in English schools this term.
New diplomas for subjects such as engineering and construction are also being phased in.
Head teachers say too many initiatives are being introduced at once.
The increase in the education leaving age is the first such change since 1972, when it was raised from 15 to 16.
There are also major changes to the curriculum for 11 to 14-year-olds and to GCSEs and A-levels. The latter will have a new A* grade to help distinguish the very best exam candidates.
But the head of the Association of School and College Leaders, has warned that too much change is happening all at once.
The rise in the leaving age is part of a previously announced government policy to have pupils continue in some form of education or training education to the age of 18. This will take effect for school leavers from 2015.

Do you Know your child's Learning Style

2008-08-17T02:29:00.000-07:00

What do we mean by learning styles? It is the way a child concentrates on, absorbs, processes and retains what they are learning. We all have a preferred way of, learning not just children. For example, do you prefer to read instructions or would you just get on with something and figure it out as you go along.

Learning Styles fall in three primary categories.

Auditory
Kinesthetic
Visual

Auditory - children can often follow directions very precisely after being told only once or twice what to do. Some auditory learners concentrate better when they have music in the background, enjoy talking and something may even talk to themselves, they may prefer listening to a story rather than reading one.

Kinesthetic - children usually like to play games and are very active. When learning anything new they will want to get on with it rather than read instruction or listen. Hence they may also fidget and won't be able to sit still for long periods.

Visual - children will prefer to see pictures, colours, maps and drawings. They will enjoy watching a demonstration rather than listening to a story or even just talking about something. They will enjoy drawing and especially doodling.

Knowing your child's learning style can help you, not only when they start school but at home when you are looking for things to do to keep them occupied. Sitting them down to watch the TV when playing a board games would be more appropriate, or going to the cinema when they would prefer to play in the park, can make parents life a little easier.

Sats Results

2008-07-19T15:25:00.000-07:00

From the BBC Website

The company behind the late delivery of England's school test results faces penalties that could cost it "tens of millions", the exams watchdog has said.
Giving evidence to MPs, Ken Boston of the QCA, revealed that at one point there were 10,000 e-mail enquiries from markers unanswered by ETS Europe.
Some 70 staff from the National Assessment Agency (NAA) went in to help and a second call centre was set up.
ETS has apologised already and says the situation will not be repeated.
Dr Boston told the children, schools and families select committee that there had been weekly meetings involving the NAA and ETS since last September and daily meetings since the beginning of May.
But ETS repeatedly assured the regulator that it would deliver the results by the 8 July deadline, despite the widespread anecdotal evidence that all was not well.
It was not until 26 June that it had formally notified him that it would not do so, he said.
Onscreen marking
A concern now was next year's test series.
"And the clock is ticking - it's a two-and-a-half year development cycle," he said.
He suggested the answer was on-screen marking, now used for more than half of GCSE examinations and many of the A-levels - but not these "key stage" tests.
"We need to move as quickly as possible to on-screen marking for key stage tests: fast, reliable, secure."
This was the one aspect of what he famously described on his appointment as the "cottage industry" of England's exam system that had not changed in recent years.
But it would not be possible to implement this for 2009.
He stressed that ETS had been responsible for the logistics of the operation.
The people doing the marking were essentially the same as in previous years and there was no reason at the moment to believe the quality of the marking was in doubt "despite the stories and fears that are abroad".
Bidders
The watchdog was asked whether it was true that the reason many of the big exam boards had not bid for the test contract was that they regarded it as having been badly drawn up - and had written to tell him so.
He said he would have to look back over his correspondence from 2006.
But there had been five "very solid" bidders, shortlisted to three from which ETS had been selected after a highly thorough procurement process.
Dr Boston chose his words carefully but said there were "very significant penalty clauses" in the contract and the QCA would be seeking commercial and legal remedies from ETS.
He said there was "reputational damage" in relation to "a failure at this level" that would concern any large company.
"That probably is as significant as the financial penalties which could run into the tens of millions," he said.
Ultimately ETS could lose the three-year contract, he said, but the QCA's approach at present was to work with it to solve the problems.
The committee also asked Dr Boston to send it his own contract of employment.
Blame
He was asked by the committee chair, Barry Sheerman, whether he was saying the blame for what had happened lay with the private sector company's shortcomings.
Dr Boston said there were three parties involved:
The government, which in 2006 had determined what it wanted from the tests
The QCA may well have made mistakes too which might have caused problems
ETS may also have made some very significant mistakes
He said his staff had been "very hands on" in dealing with problems as they had unearthed them.
All these matters would be investigated by the inquiry into the failure, to be led by former Ofsted chief Lord Sutherland.
The marking of the Key Stage 2 tests (taken by 11-year-olds) was complete, he said, and almost all results would be published on Tuesday.
The Key Stage 3 results (14-year-olds) were substantially complete in maths and science but English took longer to mark and it could be into the school summer holidays before all are available.

Reception Year Words

2008-06-09T15:39:00.000-07:00

Sometimes called High Frequency Years Words. Numeracy and Literacy are vial skills which every child needs to learn properly. The National Literacy and Numeracy Strategy is at the heart of the drive to raise standards in schools. If your child is coming to the end of their first year in school, they should be albe to recognise the 45 High Frequency Words. Avialable in 2 sizes, standard or large from our website or as a free download that will be emialed to you. Knowing these word will help your child as they progress into their next year at school.

SATs, Revision and homework help

2008-05-21T16:04:00.000-07:00

My daughter has recently done her year 6 Sat's. As parents we were keen to give her as much help and encouragement as we could. Her school provided us with some workbooks that she completed as part of her homework. We found them very helpful and have contacted the company to see if they would supply us with their range. We are now in the process of stocking this range. The range is very large and I am keen to find out what help other parents feel they need to help their children. Here is a link to the site of workbooks we will be stocking very soon. Please let us know what you would find helpful, what you are more interested in and just your general thought on this range of workbooks. In the meantime we do have in stock Jolly Phonics Workbooks and also The At Home range from Oxford Reading Tree

Awards Update

2008-05-05T15:37:00.000-07:00

Well we didn't make it through to the next round of The North East Digital Awards. But we had lots of support from all our customers. So I would just like to say a big thank you to everyone that voted for us. It did help with getting our name know and we did get hits to the website, which is good news. So it just leaves me one thing to say, I'll be doing it all again next year so watch out!!

Starting School

2008-04-05T11:08:00.001-07:00

Is your child starting school in September. Are you getting a little anxious, does the thought fill you with dread? Remember these fellings are normal and you won't be on your own. Most of the other parents at the school gate will be having the same worries. We have put together a list of things you can do to help your child settle into school as pain free as possible and also help you with the transition.

Plan Ahead - Get organised with uniform, don't leave it till the last week in August, sizes will be getting short and the shops will be crowded with other parents doing the same thing.
Find out the school terms for the year ahead, you don't want to find out that you have booked a holiday when your child should be starting school.
Talk to your child about starting school. Tell them what they will be doing, making new friends, playing with exciting new toys and learning lots of new things.
Most schools offer a transition day, make the most of this. Show your child where to hang their coat, which will be their classroom and where the toilets and playground are.
Encourage your child to get into a good routine by setting a bedtime. The first few weeks they may be very tired.
Get organised with everything they will need the night before they start. Lay out their clothes, encourage them to help with this.

These are only a few things you can do to help your child in the first few days of their school life. There is lots more information on the internet. We have listed a few sites for you.

Parentscentre - helping you to help your child
Raisingkids - if it's about raising kids it here
Directgov - public service all in one place

Enjoy your childs first years at school, it goes by so quickly.

Fun Cubes From Zoobookoo

2008-04-05T10:52:00.000-07:00

Fun Activities with a difference

We have now uploaded our new stock from Zoobookoo. Is it a book or is it a cube? You decide. Available in Time Tables, Human Body, Word Forming, Addition & Subtraction, Numbers & Alphabet. They make a great gift and keep children entertained, ideal for car journeys and getting them away from the television.

Jolly Phonics Hand Puppets & Jolly Stories

2008-04-05T10:29:00.000-07:00

Jolly Phonics Hand Puppets

Jolly Phonics Puppets are plush, soft, full-size, hand-puppets of the main characters in Jolly Phonics, to bring life to the teaching. Inky who teaches her friends how to read and write. Snake who is quick to learn and always hungry and Bee who finds reading very hard but keeps on trying.

Jolly Phonics Jolly Stories

Join the adventures of Inky Mouse and her friends. Follow them through seven stories as they learn the 42 letter sounds. This beautifully illustrated board book has 40 spreads, each covering one or two letter sounds. A large letter is embossed on each spread, so that formation can be felt by little fingers. Each spread has a number of words for reading and for spelling, along with the Jolly Phonics action.

North East Digiatal Awards

2008-03-22T09:52:00.000-07:00

The North East Digital Awards celebrate high-quality innovation, media professionalism and technical excellence in the digital world. We have entered our site for this award and hope you will vote for us. Visit our entry now and please cast your vote.
http://www.northeastdigitalawards.co.uk/account/

About Key Stage

2008-03-12T17:22:00.000-07:00

A Key Stage is a stage of the state education system in the uk setting the educational knowledge expected of students at various ages.

Key Stage 1 Age 5-7 (Years 1 & 2)
Key Stage 2 Age 7 - 11 (Years 3 to 6)
Key Stage 3 Age 11 - 14 (Years 7 to 9)

The Key Stages were first defined in The Key Stages were first defined in 1988 Education Reform Act to accompany the first introduction of the National Curriculum. The precise definition of each of the main 4 Key Stages is age-related, incorporating all pupils of a particular age at the beginning of each academic year. The Key Stages were designed to fit with the most prevalent structures which had already grown up in the education system over the previous 100 years of development.to accompany the first introduction of the National Curriculum. The precise definition of each of the main 4 Key Stages is age-related, incorporating all pupils of a particular age at the beginning of each academic year. The Key Stages were designed to fit with the most prevalent structures which had already grown up in the education system over the previous 100 years of development.

The National Curriculum was introduced as a nationwide curriculum for primary and secondary state schools. The purpose of the National Curriculum was to ensure that certain basic material was covered by all pupils. In subsequent years the curriculum grew to fill the entire teaching time of most state schools.

Coming Soon Bananagrams and cubes from Zoobookoo

2008-02-07T15:36:00.000-08:00

I have been busy visiting the Spring Fair at Birmingham looking for new and exciting items for you all. We will shorly be taking stock of Bananagrams and some great products from Zoobookoo We still have a few items left in our sale so hurry along and grab yourself a bargain.
Our first newsletter went out last week, to receive updates just register on our site and opt in to receive newsletter.

Parents urged to read to children

2008-01-02T15:20:00.000-08:00

Children in England are not reading enough outside of schoolParents are being urged to make a New Year's resolution to spend more time reading to their children.
Schools Secretary Ed Balls is spearheading the initiative ahead of the National Year of Reading 2008, which officially starts in April.
Mr Balls said reading a child a bedtime story every night could have a huge impact on their development.
"Reading can bring fun to their lives, feed their imagination, and develop their curiosity about the world."
Too many children today are not reading for pleasure - and this is harming not just our children's reading skills, but also their imagination and general knowledge
Ed Balls, Children, Schools and Families Secretary
"As parents we need to make reading a part of everyday life for our children - whether that is reading stories to younger children or talking about books and magazines with older kids," he said.
A recent survey found the reading performance of children in England had fallen from third to 19th in the world.
The Progress in International Reading Literacy Study, published in November, highlighted significant increases in the proportion of English 10-year-olds with the "least positive" attitudes to reading and who said they very seldom read stories or novels outside school.
Mr Balls said it could make "all the difference" if parents set aside 10 minutes a day before bedtime to read with their children.

Reading tips

"Too many children today are not reading for pleasure - and this is harming not just our children's reading skills, but also their imagination and general knowledge," he said.
The National Year of Reading is being run by the National Literacy Trust, which has some ideas to encourage reading in different age groups.
These include:
For babies to 3-year-olds - make a scrapbook about your child full of pictures and words. Read the words with your child and get them to say what else should be in their story.
For three to five-year-olds - cut out pictures from catalogues or magazines of objects that all begin with the same letter, plus a few that do not. Write down the names of the objects and get your child to match the picture to the name.
For five to eight-year-olds. - find your family's top five reads. Ask everyone in your family to name their favourite reads - it could be a book, magazine, comic or newspaper. Involve grandparents, cousins etc. And see if the neighbours agree.

Source http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/education/7163172.stm

Letter Lasso

2007-12-28T04:12:00.000-08:00

Letter Lasso

Locate all the words in the puzzle, in the shortest possible time.

Play this free game now!!

Educational Games

2007-12-20T14:24:00.000-08:00

Playing games at home with your children will not only help them with all essential numeracy and literacy but will also encourage them to share, communicate and will have a great impact on their understanding of family life. We are all busy people alway rushing about, never taking time to sit down and spend quality time with our children. Encouraging family time together will not only be beneficial for you now but your children when they become parents.

Simple card games, board games and even traditional party games will give children quality time to bond with you. It's all too easy to say "Oh later, I'm too busy now, come back later" but we all know later sometimes never. Make a point of setting aside time to play a game, it won't take long and you will find qualities in your child you may not have seen for a long time.

Some of my favourite are simple games like "I Spy", Card Games and board games like Shopping List and Pass the Word. Even games like Ludo and Snap will encourage children to share and count.

National Year of Reading 2008

2007-12-14T13:44:00.000-08:00

The 2008 National Year of Reading will create a powerful focus of opportunities and activities so that children, families and adult learners understand the benefits that reading for pleasure and purpose can bring to change their lives."
The National Literacy Trust and The Reading Agency are leading a consortium of organisations committed to promoting reading to manage the National Year of Reading 2008 (NYR) on behalf of the DCSF. For more information read the press release.The NYR will run from January to December 2008. From January to March organisations and authorities will be asked to take the Reading Challenge, to pledge and plan their support. Delivery of the NYR will be launched in April 2008.

Bedlam Cube

2007-12-11T02:40:00.001-08:00

The Bedlam Cube has 19,186 different solutions!
Everytime it is attempted it is different and becomes addictive
Playing the Bedlam cube is educational and improves spatial awareness & hand eye co-ordination.
The Bedlam Cube is a British Invention
Unlike other Puzzle Cubes it has NO additional needless packaging!
The Bedlam Cube consists of 13 unique geometric shapes
The Bedlam Cube is a personal challenge

World Class Education

2007-12-11T02:33:00.000-08:00

The Government is set to unveil its ten-year plan aimed at giving every child in England a 'world class' education.
Schools Secretary Ed Balls will outline the sweeping reforms as part of the new Children's Plan which heralds a major shift in the Government's approach to dealing with youngsters.
He said he wants Britain to be 'the best place in the world for children to grow up' and the document will cover every aspect of children's lives from how they spend their free time to the role their parents play in their education.
The plan includes foreign languages to be taught in primary schools and changes to national Sats tests.
It will also attempt to revive the key role parents play in their children's education and that every child will have a personal tutor who knows them 'in the round' and will act as the main point of contact for parents.
Additionally, parents' complaints will be handled more clearly and openly, and they will be given 'regular, up-to-date information' on their child's attendance, behaviour in class and educational progress.
The plan's publication comes a month after an academic report said the Government had spent £500 million in a failed attempt to boost reading standards in primary schools in the seven years to 2005.
And it follows a Government survey published last month on the well-being of children which found more needed to be done to close the gap in achievement for children from deprived backgrounds.
As part of the plan, former director of schools inspectorate Ofsted, Jim Roseor, will conduct a 'root and branch' review of primary education, the first in more than a decade.
Mr Balls said at the weekend: 'He will look at the primary curriculum and see how we can take out some of the clutter, reduce the number of set subjects so that we have more space for maths and have more space for reading.'
He said pupils could be tested when they are ready, rather than all at the same time, if a pilot programme currently under way in 500 schools proves successful.
However, Sats will not be abolished, despite pressure from teaching unions and education academics who say they put unneeded pressure on pupils, parents, schools and teachers.
Mr Balls added: 'I think parents want to know the information, not only about their child but how their school is doing.'

Story Sack

2007-09-26T13:00:00.000-07:00

A story sack is a large cloth bag containing a children's book with supporting materials to stimulate reading activities and make shared reading a memorable and enjoyable experience. The sack contains soft toys of the book's main characters, and props and scenery that parents and other adults can use with children to bring a book to life, even if the adult's reading skills are limited. The sack might include a non-fiction book on the same theme, an audio-tape of the story, a language-based game and a short guide containing questions to ask, words to consider and other ways to extend the reading activity.

Story Sacks were developed by Neil Griffiths, formally a head teacher in Swindon, who now directs the National Support Project for Storystacks on behalf of the Basic Skills Agency. The initiative has now spread to schools, pre-schools and libraries throughout the country. They are designed to help adults share books with children in a way that is positive, theatrical, special, interactive and fun. Available to buy online at Storysacks

45 High Frequecy Year Words

2007-09-02T09:29:00.000-07:00

Numeracy and Literacy are vial skills which every child need to learn properly. The National Literacy and Numeracy Strategy is at the heart of the drive to raise stadatds in schools.

Visit us online at http://www.educationtakeaway.com/ to receive you free download of the 45 high Frequency Year Words which every child is expected to recognise by the end of the their Reception school year.

Jolly Phonics

2007-08-21T09:24:00.000-07:00

In Jolly Phonics the 42 main sounds of English are taught, not just the alphabet. You can listen to the letter sounds HERE
Parental support is important to all children as they benefit from plenty of praise and encouragement whilst learning. Not all children find it easy to learn and blend sounds. Children should learn each letter by its sound, not its name. So learning 'a' is for applpe, 'b' is for ball, 'c' is for cat ranther than learning the ABC.

Spend a little time with your children

2007-08-17T16:21:00.000-07:00

We all want to do the best for our children, encourage them, praise them and we want them to do well at school. Spending quality time with your children will help them to learn the fundemental qualities of life. So reading, playing games, talking to each other will help them develope essential skills.