The Enchanted Forest

Project Aim

• To use a Storyline approach to study the

effects on early literacy

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

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

Purposes of the curriculum 3 - 18

Successful Learners with

• Enthusiasm and motivation for learning

• Determination to reach high standards of achievement

• Openness to new thinking and ideas

Confident Individuals with

• Self respect

• A sense of physical, mental and emotional wellbeing

• Secure values and beliefs

• Ambition

Responsible Citizens with

• Respect for others

• Commitment to participate responsibly in political, economic, social and cultural life

Effective Contributors with

• An enterprising attitude

• Resilience

• Self-reliance

Bramble Berry

Bramble Berry was the puppet character who gave the childrenvarious tasks as the story progressed.

Episode 1- Making Fairies

The children were asked to make fairy collages. This led

to the following findings:

• Talking with one another increased.

• Individual’s ideas were valued.

• Boys gained confidence by sitting together and looking at

each others creations.

Fairy Collages

Fairy Collages

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.

Episode 2 - Creating and Designing

The children re-created their own enchanted forest for classroom display after a visit to a real forest.

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.

Bramble Berry and Primrose

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

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

Findings : Problem Solving

As a result of these activities the children showed that

they were:

• independent learners

• enthusiastic

• enterprising

• open to new ideas

Findings : Reporting

The children were asked to talk about their

bridges and rafts. The video evidence shows:

• pride

• progress in talking. Children’s responses are

now several sentences

• real purpose to tasks

Stories

Then children were askedat the end of the storyline (which took 10 weeks) tocreate an illustrated storybook of their stories.

A storybook bya member of the class

Parents were invited to theschool to read the storieswith their children.

The primary 1 children were alsoable to share theirstories with primary7 ‘buddies’.

The primary 7 children recordedthe children’s storiesand the primary 1children were thenable to hear theirstories.

Buddy Comments

One of the comments from a primary 7 buddy:

• “I thought Rebecca’s 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.”

Findings : Stories

Some of the findings on the stories:

• Child centred

• Children engaged

• High standard of achievement

• Enthusiastic to share stories

• Real pride

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

What didn’t 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

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”

Advice for others.

• Keep it simple

• Children bring so much to it

What difference has the project made ?

• Learning is fun

• Confidence is high

• Expectation of high standards

• Independent learners

• Self respect

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

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

Principles for Curriculum Design

• Challenge and enjoyment

• Breadth

• Progression

• Depth

• Personalisation and choice

• Coherence

• Relevance