Hello there!

I am currently completing my masters dissertation on the National Literacy Strategy (NLS) and the impact this has had on educational publishing, and i am short of some annectotal material.
If anybody has any thought or opinions - informed or otherwise -
1) on literacy in this country
2) Whether the NLS has helped your children (primary level)
3) Quality of teaching in primary schools (if anyone is a teacher that would be great!)
4) Educational publishers responsibility to literacy

I know it's a long shot - but really, any thought or opinions that you have would be greatly appreciated...

Cheers,
Alex x

Hi Alex,
Can't help you out at all, but thought I'd at least send best wishes for you in your quest :) :) :)
You can always check if my OU password access still works and try searching the databases online there :D :D :D
good luck, my fingers are crossed
toodles

Thanks Sara,
I have a little over 2 weeks to write the whole lot - not leaving it late at all am i! Unfortunately i always seem to work like this!
Amazingly your codes still work and i got a fair amount of supplimentary secondary info - i still need priary sources though - and annacdotal thought: just general what people really think of the scheme, etc etc
If anyone can help me please please do!!!

Hi Cleo, Another woman after my own heart last min essays and up all night the night before exam..it must be the drenilin..

Sorry can't offer much help I am a Law/ Strategic Management person.

Sometime the local authorites education sections have a wealth of information.

The OU stuff is generally better than most, fantastic course books etc.

One of my freinds did their degree OU as I was doing it at Uni , I stole nearly every one of his books.

Good luck anyway..

Pam

Pamela,
Small world --- you know another person who attended University of Oklahoma (OU) Great news!!! :d :D
Ooooh, thought just flashed through my tired head -- I betcha meant Oxford or somewhere local in the UK. Blasted Acronyms!!! ;)
toodles

OU = Open University. A place where students study for their degrees via correspondance getting together for study seminars or residential learning where applicable.

Fiona
x x x

Aha! same as "Distance Learning" in American-speak ;) :D :D
"Open University" for US usually means an open campus where anyone can register for coursework and not required to be enrolled in any degree program. Enrichment Studies is another term ;)

Open University is also getting some other meanings.. but won't go into all the ins and outs of modern educational euphemisms. :rolleyes:

I'm afraid I thought so little of the teaching at our two local primary schools that I withdrew Jonathon and I'm teaching him at home. Eloise is starting in a couple of weeks and I'm hoping that it'll work out ok for her, if not I'll take her out and have her at home as well.

I'd rather not discuss in detail on a public board my problems with the schools but if you'd like to know more please email me.

Good luck in your dissertation,

Fiona
x x x

Hell'o There Cleopatra,
I fort that 'Dissertation' was when you twisted yaw harm or leg out of its socket.

I fink that litteratsee in this country as improoved over the last ten years. I can still rememmber the tyme when I couldent spell or rite a propper letter.

But fanks to the open Universcity, I got a 'Z+' for english gramma, and this as inhabled me to go on too becum a Member of Parlliment.
(Minned you I dident do as well in maffs) So mi chances of becuming Chanselor of the Excheeker is pritty remotte.

Wivout the good old British Edukation I would nevver have got wheer I am today.

"Ain't our teachers wunderfull"

Good luck wiv your 'National Literacy Strategy' thingie.

Harry C. (Starr pupill)

roflol :D :D :0
allo arri - twust ewe too ave too putt sommat ere
Sawwar xx

Alex - sorry can't help but hope you get the answers you need :D

Alex

I will try and see if anybody here may help you out. I work for Heinemann Publishers now known as Harcourt Education Ltd. We do Primary and Secondry Publishing.

Will let you know if I get any interest.

Lucy

Hi LS,

That would be really helpful for me, thank you so much!

Alex

Sorry Alex but no takers to help you I am afraid . What a miserable bunch of people I work with!

My opinions on this are in relation to Florence my ten year old book worm.

She has always loved books and at any chance will have her head buried in a book. The only concerns I have are with that that the teachers must be more aware of the differing abilities of children and try and aim books at the particular level of the child. I have been amazed at some of the books that Florence has brought home to read. They are far below what she is capable of reading and in our opinion are not at all furthering her development.I can say the same for a lot of other subjects she does but perhaps it is the teaching methods at her school we should be questioning. The development in her reading I feel is alot to do with what we have done by encourgement and also making sure we regularily buy books for her.Getting her to go to the Library aswell has definately helped!

Hope this is of use

Lucy

Have you thought about contacting your local primary school
to see if one of the teachers or headteacher can help you?
Or your local education authority may be able to point you
in the right direction.
Hope you manage to finish your dissertation in time
Kind Regards
Kirstine

Hi,

The only prolem about contacting teachers cold is that they are currently so busy preparing for the new term on top of every thing else that they are reluctant to spare the time to talkk to me, though i have one contact who is a primary head mistress. I am really looking for parents opinions of their own childrens literacy skills - and whether they think that literacy taeching has mage any impact on their children in the last 4 years. What would be perfect is someone who has a young child (4/5) and an older (10+) who would be able to compare their literacy acheivements at similiar times in their lives.
Cheers anyway,

Alex

I have a 9 year old and a 12 year old as well as much older ones. As my 12 year old taught herself to read at age 4 I dont think my opinions will be of much use to you.

Except ....I have always believed that parents who read and are seen reading by their children nearly always seem to have children with less reading problems , no matter what is taught at school. (notice ...not ALWAYS ...nealy always)

We always said the names of letters to our 2 younger ones...from when they were very small , it was a game before they went to bed ...*can you find the Ah for apple* etc etc ...we always read to the before bed too.

Melody

Melody could not agree more about the reading stuff..

I have made my daughter read things and she now loves it..I am a book addict.

Pam :-)

Cleopatra
Well done getting this far :)
I hope this may be of use.
When my eldest (now 13) was about to go to school full time I had a choice of 4 schools in our catchment area. I went to visit 3 of them the fourth I left out as my impression of it wasn't good. On visiting the other 3 I decided against the Catholic school as the headmaster seemed to be very abrupt with the children and only spent 10 minutes showing me around the school ( from reception to yr 6!) Of the other 2 i chose the school with the better pupil/teacher ratio thinking my son would get the best attention at this school. How wrong I was! By October half term of yr 3 I moved him as he couldn't read or write properly. The headmaster used the excuse of the problems he was experiencing at home (his dad had left but was being abusive on visits), but I had gone to the school on different occassions over an 18 month period expressing my concerns, asking if the probs at home were affecting him and was assured that everything was ok and that daniel was at the expected level. I moved him to the fourth school , the one i didn't even go t o see. By the time he left in year 6 He was up to standard. He got all level 4's (if that's the expected level) in his SATS and though now just gone into yr 9 and trying hard to be a naughty boy and not work he's been estimated at getting an A* in maths. In primary school (school 2) with his hard work and the hard work and encouragement of his teachers he succeeded. When he moved to high school we had already 12 months earlier movedout of area (only about 2 mile) but different schools in catchment area and I reluctantly decided to move the 2 little ones (now 8 and 9) to a new school, but I am now glad as they are receiving the same level of support and doing really well. Our teachers are always happy to help with any problems and will listen to our concerns at any time. (Mind you it does help having a hubby who is a school governor!)
Hope this is useful, use my story if need to (may not be interesting enough or suitable) and best of luck.
Fi xxxx (mum of Floss dog and Doodle dog)
PS. I received my city and Guilds Adult and Further Edeucation Teacher Trainingg Stage 2 Certificate today so that confirms i passed. Yippppppeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee (just had to boast0

I've got a bit for the 'quality' part- not sure if it will help or not but you might be able to fit it in somewhere? When Shannon was in the second year infants (5/6 yo) her techer changed 4 times! 4 different teachers from Sept to Jul:o Shannon went from starting the year as one of the top pupils to below average she found it all so unsettling:( Over that summer Sean and I toyed with the idea of a private tutor but she seemed to be making progress with me so I basically taught her- unfortunately the summer when children are off out etc Shannon and I were reading etc:( I felt it had to be done due to how far she had dropped- Shannon is and has always been an extremely bright child. I sent a typed out letter (3 pages long) to the Headmistress and cc to the LEA (Local Education Authority)- since they all claimed to be too busy to see me in person. The teacher that had originally started off the year was a 'stand in' but yet she's been standing in for over 18 months? She did apply for the perm position but she was told she wasn't good enough! If she wasn't good enough why had they allowed her to teach for the past 18 months- more importantly to me why had they allowed her to teach my Daughter. In a roundabout sort of way they had basically said that the children who'd had that teacher had a crap teacher, or at least one that wasn't good enough. That particular year was completely wasted for Shannon- learning wise! Sean and I have toyed with the idea of a private school or tutor and still are- our only problem is Kane is not one of those children who mixes easy- we are still weighing up the pro's and con's! I am also going into be one of the parents govenors next time if they stay at this school. If you can use it or want more details please email me:)

P.S; Flodog congratulations:D
Stacey x x x

Well done Fiona :-)

aw thanks :)
I am hoping that by me studying and succeeding (?) will encourage the kids (she says!!!!)
Fi xx

Hi Alex

Just got to reading this and am probably too late but I have a coming up to 9 year old and a 6 year old and would happily give you my thoughts on our experience if you would like, and think it would help, just let me know.

Good luck:)

IH Reefer, And those others who have replied,

Sorry i haven't, but i've only been having quick looks at the board and hadn't noticed all of you...

Any experiences that you have had are still useful to me - i have exactly 7 days until this thing has to be in!!!

Thanks,
Alex

I have a 11 year old just started comp and a 14 year old just started her GCSE courses
I work part time as a teachers helper on a voluntary basis at my local primary school.I have done this since my own children attended the school and loved it so much I stayed.I work with year 1 pupils(5+6) If you need any info I'll help as much as I can
Good luck
Lorraine

HI Kia mummy(!)

I would like to know about any personal experience that you have had with the introduction of the National Literacy Strategy over the past 3 years? HAs it improved literacy? Or just been a burden on teachers time without showing much progress? HOw dod you think children level of literacy haas changed over the past 8 years os so? Provisions of books in your school - do you have enough, are they the right kind, do they last (material wise) for more than a yera or need updating regularly? What do you think of the books that are made available to year 1 children?

I know - lots of questions, sorry! If you could answer any of these i would be really very grateful...

Alex