The Enchanted Forest

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The Enchanted Forest
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Project Aim

• To use a Storyline approach to study the effects
  on early literacy

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Enchanted Forest

• Project ran for 10 weeks
• October to December 2005
• Primary 1 class
• Children had been in school for 8 weeks
• Average age in October 5 years 1 month

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Success Criteria

• Original pupil learning outcomes stated in
  forward plans for language, based on 5-14
  guidelines
• For reflective purposes, looked to the four
  purposes set out in the Curriculum for Excellence

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Purposes of the curriculum 3 - 18
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Bramble Berry
Bramble Berry was the puppet character who gave
the children various tasks as the story
progressed.
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Episode 1- Making Fairies

• The children were asked to make fairy collages.
  This led to the following findings
• Talking with one another increased.
• Individuals ideas were valued.
• Boys gained confidence by sitting together and
  looking at each others creations.

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Fairy Collages
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Fairy Collages
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Findings Reporting Back

• The children were asked to report back to their
  peers about their work. This served as an initial
  assessment for listening and talking. This
  assessment was used as a baseline to measure
  later evidence against.

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Episode 2 - Creating and Designing
The children re-created their own enchanted
forest for classroom display after a visit to a
real forest.
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Findings Recreating Forest

• All art work by children.
• Children discussed and decided where plants and
  animals should go.
• Children helped with labelling.
• Labels encouraged sight vocabulary.
• Independent writing supported.
• Reading was a useful skill in the forest.

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Bramble Berry and Primrose
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Episode 3 - The Storm

• There was a storm in the woods and the children
  wanted to help the animals in trouble
• Owl babies have lost their home
• Hedgehogs separated from parents
• Badger family washed downstream
• Children familiar with characters want to help

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Findings Storm Q A

• The children were asked to build bridges and
  rafts to help the animals. This Q A session on
  problem solving elicited
• Confidence - We can do anything in here
• Total engagement
• Use of prior knowledge
• Learning from one another talking and listening

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Findings Problem Solving

• As a result of these activities the children
  showed that they were
• independent learners
• enthusiastic
• enterprising
• open to new ideas

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Findings Reporting

• The children were asked to talk about their
  bridges and rafts. The video evidence shows
• pride
• progress in talking. Childrens responses are
  now several sentences
• real purpose to tasks

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Stories
Then children were asked at the end of the
storyline (which took 10 weeks) to create an
illustrated storybook of their stories.
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A storybook by a member of the class
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Parents were invited to the school to read the
stories with their children.
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The primary 1 children were also able to share
their stories with primary 7 buddies.
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The primary 7 children recorded the childrens
stories and the primary 1 children were then able
to hear their stories.
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(No Transcript)
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Buddy Comments

• One of the comments from a primary 7 buddy
• I thought Rebeccas story was really good, it
  had wonderful description. Even though it had
  drawings I got a clear picture in my head. I
  think her writing is very good for Primary 1.
• This made Rebecca feel happy, a lot happy.

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Findings Stories

• Some of the findings on the stories
• Child centred
• Children engaged
• High standard of achievement
• Enthusiastic to share stories
• Real pride

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What went well? Why?

• Overall very successful
• Child centred, engaged throughout
• Use of puppets very powerful
• Teaching of language successful in context
• Partnerships with buddies

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What didnt go well ? Why ?

• Writing frames were boring. Viewed as filling
  in spaces for teacher
• Role play for boys limited by dressing up clothes
• Independent research from books very difficult

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What did I learn from project?

• Children are so self reliant
• Very young children can be so in control of their
  own learning
• As a teacher have the confidence to let go

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Advice for others.

• Keep it simple
• Children bring so much to it

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What difference has the project made ?

• Learning is fun
• Confidence is high
• Expectation of high standards
• Independent learners
• Self respect

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How do you know project made a difference ?

• Children talk about it all the time
• Progress in all areas of language evidence
  gathered before and after project
• Evaluations by all those involved

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Is the Project Sustainable ?

• 5-14 learning outcomes some children attaining
  Level B in talking and listening
• Look to the Curriculum for Excellence
• Principles for Curriculum Design

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Principles for Curriculum Design

• Challenge and enjoyment
• Breadth
• Progression
• Depth
• Personalisation and choice
• Coherence
• Relevance