A blog for students on the FDLT and BALT courses at the University of Northampton

at Leicester and UN

September 18, 2020
by Jean
0 comments

New resources from the National Literacy Trust.

This week the National Literacy trust launched two new online resources to support families and educators. The first is called Virtual School Library. You can access it here.  Each week the Virtual School Library will introduce a children’s author or … Continue reading

children's cook covers

June 3, 2020
by Jean
0 comments

How can we work for a better world?

As you keep up to date with the news you will no doubt be considering how we in education can work for a more fair and equal society. In classrooms using children’s literature as the basis for conversations is a … Continue reading

May 18, 2020
by Jean
1 Comment

Make your own miniature books with the British Library.

There are lots of fantastic resources to support learning at home available on the British Library website.  In the one outlined here we are shown the collection of miniature books called The Infant’s Library which were created in the nineteenth … Continue reading

September 23, 2019
by Jean
2 Comments

National Poetry Day coming soon.

On Thursday 3rd October it is National Poetry Day in the UK. There are lots of resources here to support you in doing something at school. You can see them here.               There are … Continue reading

April 4, 2019
by Jean
1 Comment

Animating science!

This week in the FDLT Year 1 groups we have been using the stop motion animation app iMotion and the video editing app iMovie. The students devised, scripted and designed short animations to explain an idea or process. After they … Continue reading

December 17, 2018
by Jean
0 comments

Using digital apps and tools to support spoken language

Last week the FDLT Y1 students in the Leicester and Northampton groups explored a variety of apps and tools to support and inspire spoken language in the classroom. Using ChatterPix Making vocabulary interactive    

December 3, 2018
by Jean
0 comments

Christmas writing fun!

Pobble have shared ten fun ideas to inspire writing with a Christmas theme here. Christmas poems Jesse’s frosty festive poem evokes all the senses. She’d love you to have a read. Christmas in China What is your Christmas fortune? Dexter … Continue reading

October 1, 2018
by Jean
0 comments

National Poetry Day

It is National Poetry Day on Friday 4th October and this year the theme is Poetry for a Change. There are free resources available for use with children here. These include the opportunity to take part in a BBC live … Continue reading

June 13, 2018
by Jean
0 comments

FDLT year 1 field trips

Last week the FDLT year 1 students went on field trips to explore different ways of supporting learning outdoors. Led by Ken Bland and Georgina Hand, they explored fieldwork around a river including mapping the meander, measuring depth; testing speed … Continue reading

January 12, 2018
by Jean
1 Comment

500 words – live lesson!

On Monday 15th January at 2pm there’s a live lesson available to watch to inspire your participation in the BBC Radio 2 500 words writing competition. You can see information about the live lesson here. Calling all story writers! Now … Continue reading