
Promoting reading in the digital age
This course focusses on ways to encourage reluctant readers, build reading stamina and make reading ‘cool’ by using exciting online resources and apps to create a buzz around books in your school. All resources shown are provided in a handout to keep, with great video content, fantastic display suggestions and motivating electronic ideas you can use to really get your pupils switched on to reading for pleasure. Advice on how to use ebooks, QR codes and take part in live author events included.
“Excellent communicator, great, informal, collaborative style to running workshop.”
Picture books for all (primary/secondary)
Picture books are not just attractive for younger children, there are so many fantastic beautifully illustrated books published each year that are suitable for use with kids of all ages and for all topics. Looking for a way to discuss gender identity with your pupils? There are picture books for that. Working on inclusion or empathy - there are picture books for that! It’s not just classic picture books that can fit in with your curriculum aims either , graphic novels and comics have their place too and can be both engaging and informative. A book list will be provided and digital picture books will be covered as well as paper books. Suggestions for classroom use will be given for a toolkit of titles.
Reading promotion toolkit with Accelerated Reader
Looking for a way to get your reluctant readers avidly devouring books? It can be hard to tear children/young people away from their screens so that they can discover for themselves the flights of imagination to be found in books. This course is designed to help you with this task by using the almost addictive online media that they are already using and making best use of Accelerated Reader if you have it. Session one will be based around utilising your AR software with great tips for non AR users for free resources you can use. Examples of new titles for possible addition to your stock will be showcased with an emphasis on exciting motivating books for all abilities and interests in session two and session three will introduce ideas for using websites and online resources in school.
iLiteracy with iPads
Using iPads can be a way of interesting reluctant readers, and they can be very powerful when used for teaching and learning but finding effective apps in the maze of the App Store can be problematic and very time consuming. Some apps can be fairly expensive and it’s hard to judge which are worth spending your budget on. This course will help you to feel confident that you know how best to utilise the features of the device to suit your needs, working from basic functions to expert knowledge. Literacy apps will be showcased, interactive book apps and apps that allow you to encourage students to write creatively especially. Practicalities will also be addressed such as how to lock your students in to one app to make sure they are concentrating and how to buy apps safely.
Android apps can also be covered but the main emphasis will be on idevices.
"The feedback was wonderful. You received 5's (the top rating!) for each session. I enjoyed the whole course, so many thanks, once again."
Smashing Apps
So you’ve mastered the basics of using your ipad and you are comfortable with it - are you ready to move on to a new challenge? App smashing is the term given to creating content in several different apps and then merging them together to give you an impressive end product. For example you could be taking photos or video in one app, editing them in another and then using them in Animoto to create a book trailer. Using app smashing gives maximum creative reign to your students imaginations and gives them the chance to demonstrate their learning without barriers in an exciting way. This course is a workshop day with hands on sessions and tutorials. We will use several apps to create content and at the end of the day you will have a finished product to take away and use in your school or library. A choice of apps to use will be demonstrated and different projects suggested to make the end product useful for each delegate.
Delegates will need to bring an iPad with them and have access to the iTunes password to enable them to purchase and download apps.
(Course providers - for this course wifi access is essential along with a projector & screen)
Around the digital campfire
New technologies such as social networking, web 2.0 sites and tablets make storytelling easy and engaging for young people. Tapping into their enthusiasm for anything new,shiny and on a screen can help enthuse children about creative writing and there are a great many collaborative sites and fantastic apps that can be used for this purpose. This course will give you a bank of ideas and resources you can use to encourage your students to write, not just to enhance their literacy skills, but for the sheer joy of it.
“Bev is most definitely an expert in her field, with an approachable & friendly manner.”
Social networking – promotion, forming links and free stuff!
The internet has had the effect of shrinking our world and no one need feel alone or isolated with thousands of virtual friends online at any one time, but how do you make those initial contacts? Twitter is a very powerful tool but one does need to learn how to use it to best effect. There is a vast global community of people that will share your interests but tweeting for the first time can be daunting , it appears to be complicated and really is it worth your while making the effort?! The answer to this is a resounding ‘yes’ . There is so much value in being able to interact with inspiring people and be kept up to date with developments from authors, organisations and companies. This course will tell you all you need to know about using social networking to your school’s best advantage, and inform you about new applications and their use, for example Pinterest and Instagram.
"Your course/training was the most informative and enjoyable library session I have attended in a long time. You were so engaging and knowledgeable. I have come away knowing far more about e-readers and useful apps/platforms and have lots of ideas I can use in the library."
Any of the above training courses can be adjusted, adapted or combined to suit your training needs.
This course focusses on ways to encourage reluctant readers, build reading stamina and make reading ‘cool’ by using exciting online resources and apps to create a buzz around books in your school. All resources shown are provided in a handout to keep, with great video content, fantastic display suggestions and motivating electronic ideas you can use to really get your pupils switched on to reading for pleasure. Advice on how to use ebooks, QR codes and take part in live author events included.
“Excellent communicator, great, informal, collaborative style to running workshop.”
Picture books for all (primary/secondary)
Picture books are not just attractive for younger children, there are so many fantastic beautifully illustrated books published each year that are suitable for use with kids of all ages and for all topics. Looking for a way to discuss gender identity with your pupils? There are picture books for that. Working on inclusion or empathy - there are picture books for that! It’s not just classic picture books that can fit in with your curriculum aims either , graphic novels and comics have their place too and can be both engaging and informative. A book list will be provided and digital picture books will be covered as well as paper books. Suggestions for classroom use will be given for a toolkit of titles.
Reading promotion toolkit with Accelerated Reader
Looking for a way to get your reluctant readers avidly devouring books? It can be hard to tear children/young people away from their screens so that they can discover for themselves the flights of imagination to be found in books. This course is designed to help you with this task by using the almost addictive online media that they are already using and making best use of Accelerated Reader if you have it. Session one will be based around utilising your AR software with great tips for non AR users for free resources you can use. Examples of new titles for possible addition to your stock will be showcased with an emphasis on exciting motivating books for all abilities and interests in session two and session three will introduce ideas for using websites and online resources in school.
iLiteracy with iPads
Using iPads can be a way of interesting reluctant readers, and they can be very powerful when used for teaching and learning but finding effective apps in the maze of the App Store can be problematic and very time consuming. Some apps can be fairly expensive and it’s hard to judge which are worth spending your budget on. This course will help you to feel confident that you know how best to utilise the features of the device to suit your needs, working from basic functions to expert knowledge. Literacy apps will be showcased, interactive book apps and apps that allow you to encourage students to write creatively especially. Practicalities will also be addressed such as how to lock your students in to one app to make sure they are concentrating and how to buy apps safely.
Android apps can also be covered but the main emphasis will be on idevices.
"The feedback was wonderful. You received 5's (the top rating!) for each session. I enjoyed the whole course, so many thanks, once again."
Smashing Apps
So you’ve mastered the basics of using your ipad and you are comfortable with it - are you ready to move on to a new challenge? App smashing is the term given to creating content in several different apps and then merging them together to give you an impressive end product. For example you could be taking photos or video in one app, editing them in another and then using them in Animoto to create a book trailer. Using app smashing gives maximum creative reign to your students imaginations and gives them the chance to demonstrate their learning without barriers in an exciting way. This course is a workshop day with hands on sessions and tutorials. We will use several apps to create content and at the end of the day you will have a finished product to take away and use in your school or library. A choice of apps to use will be demonstrated and different projects suggested to make the end product useful for each delegate.
Delegates will need to bring an iPad with them and have access to the iTunes password to enable them to purchase and download apps.
(Course providers - for this course wifi access is essential along with a projector & screen)
Around the digital campfire
New technologies such as social networking, web 2.0 sites and tablets make storytelling easy and engaging for young people. Tapping into their enthusiasm for anything new,shiny and on a screen can help enthuse children about creative writing and there are a great many collaborative sites and fantastic apps that can be used for this purpose. This course will give you a bank of ideas and resources you can use to encourage your students to write, not just to enhance their literacy skills, but for the sheer joy of it.
“Bev is most definitely an expert in her field, with an approachable & friendly manner.”
Social networking – promotion, forming links and free stuff!
The internet has had the effect of shrinking our world and no one need feel alone or isolated with thousands of virtual friends online at any one time, but how do you make those initial contacts? Twitter is a very powerful tool but one does need to learn how to use it to best effect. There is a vast global community of people that will share your interests but tweeting for the first time can be daunting , it appears to be complicated and really is it worth your while making the effort?! The answer to this is a resounding ‘yes’ . There is so much value in being able to interact with inspiring people and be kept up to date with developments from authors, organisations and companies. This course will tell you all you need to know about using social networking to your school’s best advantage, and inform you about new applications and their use, for example Pinterest and Instagram.
"Your course/training was the most informative and enjoyable library session I have attended in a long time. You were so engaging and knowledgeable. I have come away knowing far more about e-readers and useful apps/platforms and have lots of ideas I can use in the library."
Any of the above training courses can be adjusted, adapted or combined to suit your training needs.