Active learning in the early years
In conversation with Gill Robinson, Kenneth Muir and Liz Greig
On Saturday 19 May over 200 early years educators from across Scotland attended the fourth in a series of national seminars. You can read a brief report of the seminar below and download keynote presentations. In due course we hope to offer video footage of the seminar.
The day began with a welcome by Eileen Carmichael, who explained that there had had to be a change to the advertised programme. Due to family illness, Professor Iram Siraj-Blatchford was unable to attend the Seminar and Liz Greig would therefore speak about a publication she is developing for LTS which will support active learning in the early years.
Keynote presentations
Delegates then heard keynote presentations from Dr Gill Robinson, HMCI Kenneth Muir and Liz Greig. The three thought-provoking presentations stimulated debate and discussion between the audience and speakers.
Gill Robinson
Dr Gill Robinson spoke about the development of Curriculum for Excellence and the proposed change in approaches to learning and teaching for children in the early years of primary schooling.
Kenneth Muir
HMCI Kenneth Muir spoke about HMIE’s expectations in terms of the practices they would wish to see as part of active learning through play.
PowerPoint file: Kenneth Muir's presentation: Curriculum for Excellence in the Early Years - HMIE Expectations (736 KB)
Word file: Kenneth Muir's speech: Curriculum for Excellence in the Early Years: HMIE Expectations (127 KB)
Liz Greig
Liz Greig has been commissioned by Learning and Teaching Scotland to write a practical document to support practitioners developing active learning in the early years. Following Liz’s presentation (in which she shared the thinking about the content of the document) LTS took the opportunity of the seminar to gather feedback about the proposed content. LTS hopes to publish the document in the autumn.
PowerPoint file: Liz Greig's presentation: Let's talk about active learning (172 KB)
Word file: Liz Greig's speech - Let's talk about active learning (52 KB)Did you receive a Scottish Museum Council 'Hands On Guide'?
At this seminar 50 copies of 'Hands On Guides' produced by the Scottish Museum Council were available. The Council would like feedback from users so if you picked up a Guide at the seminar please send your contact details to:
Katherine Dunn
Scottish Museums Council
The Stack
Papermill Wynd
McDonald Road
Edinburgh
EH7 4QL
Tel: 0131 550 4100
Fax: 0131 550 4139
Email: katherined@scottishmuseums.org.uk.
If you did not receive a Hands On Guide and would like a copy, please contact Katherine Dunn (as above).
Building the Curriculum
Active learning examples
Examples of active learning in the early years.