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Institute of Education Postgraduate Open Day- 21^st November

Arrival	12.00 – 12:30	Building L24, G06	London Road Campus
Campus Tour	12:30 – 12:55	Building L24, G06	London Road Campus
Opportunities to meet tutors and admission staff for your programme of interest	12:30 – 16:00	Building L24, G06	London Road Campus
Talk:  Early Years Professional StatusSpeaker:  Joanne Elsey – Head of Early Years/Director of Early Years Professional Programmes j.h.elsey@reading.ac.uk	13:00 – 13:20	Building L22, G01Lecture Theatre	London Road Campus
Talk: School DirectSpeaker: Jonathan Allen – Director of School Direct/ Head of ITT j.r.allen@reading.ac.uk	13:20 – 13:40	Building L22, G01Lecture Theatre	London Road Campus
Talk: PGCE SecondarySpeaker: Melanie Jay – PGCE Programme Director/PGCE Course Leader Art & Design/PGCE Professional Studies Co-ordinator m.b.jay@reading.ac.uk	13:40 – 14:00	Building L22, G01Lecture Theatre	London Road Campus
Talk: SKE Speaker: Janet Thomson – Programme Director of SKE and Lecturer in PGCE Secondary Science j.thomson@reading.ac.uk	14:00 – 14:20	Building L22, G01Lecture Theatre	London Road Campus
Talk: PGCE PrimarySpeaker: Helen Heydon – PGCE Primary and BA Ed Lecturer h.heydon@reading.ac.uk	14:20 – 14:40	Building L22, G01Lecture Theatre	London Road Campus

 

The Institute of Educations Theatre Arts, Education and Deaf Studies (TAEDS) Visiting Lecturer, Ilan Dwek, is involved in an innovative project to standardise BSL signs, which could impact significantly on deaf and integrated theatre.

The Technical Theatre Project was set up in Summer 2012 by Ali Pottinger (a Stage Manager and interpreter), as it was noted over the years that there have been conflicting signs for theatre terms, often leading to confusion. After success in securing funding, this group met in Bath for a week in October 2012, with a team of ten deaf and hearing theatre practitioners   They did a rough filming of translations for some fifty signs relevant to lighting, sound and stage management and there are still more that they ran out of time to film. The next aim is to complete the film and release it online for viewing and feedback;  details to follow…

Profoundly deaf TAEDS alumni, Tom Kent, completes a GTP in mainstream secondary before returning to teach at Hamilton Lodge school and college for deaf students in Brighton, where he was once a pupil.  He graduated from the University of Reading in 2004 and current TAEDS students regularly visit Hamilton Lodge to deliver accessible drama workshops to his deaf students.

The fact that he is returning to Hamilton Lodge is disappointing news for Vicky Scales, Tom’s mentor at Angmering. “I’d give him a job in a heart-beat,” she says ” … he is an outstanding teacher and our pupils would benefit hugely from having him around.”

http://m.guardian.co.uk/education/2012/nov/12/disabled-not-encouraged-teacher-training-costs?cat=education&type=article

 

Sign to Music workshop for TAEDS students Thur 1^st November

This taster session, organised by Decibels in conjunction with a member of Handprint and funded by the BBC Children in Need, gives students a chance to practise BSL & performance skills to classic pop songs, chart hits and musical show tunes.  It’s focused on visual translations and theatrical creative elements along with music and promises to be fun!

www.decibels.org.uk

Handprint Theatre at TAEDS on Thur 13^th December

Formed of talented TAEDS alumni, Handprint Theatre create theatre and education projects which are accessible to Deaf and Hearing integrated audiences; using puppetry, physical theatre, British Sign Language and a combination of anything they can get their hands on, the company strive to make a new style of theatre creating visual literacy and understanding.

TAEDS are delighted to welcome back Handprint to perform The Person Behind the Profile, their secondary workshop on social media safety, with current Year 2 & 3 Theatre in Education students.  This modelling supports students devising global citizenship workshops for secondary mainstream and deaf schools, such as Mary Hare and Hamilton Lodge in Brighton.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MM8sG6unxrA

www.handprinttheatre.co.uk
If you would like to attend this event, please get in touch with Cathy Wardale on c.j.wardale@reading.ac.uk

 

Free CPD for teachers: physics, maths and Spanish

We launched our Post-ITT Subject Knowledge Enhancement  (PITTSKE) courses in physics , maths and Spanish last weekend.  These are designed for  teachers who wish to upgrade their subject and/or pedagogical knowledge and are not specialists in these subjects.  All fees are paid by the TA, and there is funding for supply cover to cover three days out of school.

We have teachers on these courses with a wide range of prior experience.

For physics:

• Biology/ chemistry specialists who are already teaching physics (and may have been doing so for some years), but are feeling in need of extra support to do this effectively
• Relatively inexperienced science teachers who are aware that their subject knowledge in physics is lacking

For  maths:

• Primary maths specialists who are moving up to teaching at KS3
• Physicists, or other specialists, who are teaching maths (or who would like to)
• Non-specialists teaching at KS3 wanting to move up to KS4 teaching.

For Spanish:

• MFL teachers who have no prior knowledge of Spanish
• Other teachers who have language skills and would like to teach Spanish

We are able to accept applications up until the first twilight session, which starts on Tuesday, 6^th November.   If you have any questions, please email or phone me.  Alternatively contact our SKE administrator, Lynn Beecroft ske@reading.ac.uk  (telephone 0118 378 2622) http://www.reading.ac.uk/education/pg-taught/ioe-SKEprogramme.aspx

What is a ‘rat-brain robot’?
Can robots have emotions?
Do we Really have Free Will?
Can a Robot ever be essentially human?

The Big Questions – for Teenagers!

On Tuesday September 25th 2012 … 300 teenagers and teachers came to the University of Reading to discover just how like themselves robots can be: Humanoid? Human-like? Or even … Human.

For more information please visit: www.faradayschools.com

Thinking of applying to Reading? This will give you the opportunity to look around the University and its facilities as well as finding out about the courses you are interested in.

Between 9.30am and 3.00pm, academic staff and students will be on hand to talk to. Some departments will be running their own departmental activities.

Activities for this open day will take place on our Whiteknights Campus and London Road Campus. See the programmes below for where your departmental activity is taking place.

In addition there will be a series of general information talks on accommodation, careers, student finance, student life, students’ union, study abroad, sport and music at Reading and support services. Please see the programme of events below to see what activties are taking place both centrally and in your department of interest:

Undergraduate Open Day October Central Talks Programme
Undergraduate Open Day October Departmental programme

NB: All of the undergraduate courses for Henley Business School are based at Whiteknights campus.

Check out what we teach at undergraduate level:
List of Undergraduate Courses

 

In order to gauge the number of visitors coming along to the Open Day we ask that you register your interest.
Please click here to register
 

Visitors to our Open Days are surprised at how much there is to see and do. We are conscious that you might like to take some time to plan your day so we have put together a guide so that you can make plans before you arrive.

Please click here for your guide on How to make the most of October Open Day

For more information please contact the Student Recruitment and Outreach Office:
email: opendays@reading.ac.uk
tel: 0118 3786586

If you are interested in viewing our student accommodation, please ask a yellow t-shirt student guide to take you there. Alternatively make your own way to the hall by following the coloured signage to pick up a guided tour of a halls of residence. We show a variety of halls ranging to self-catered, en suite to fully catered and shared facilities.
Please note that there will also be staff available to answer all queries about life in halls in room G02, Palmer Building.

For more information on Accommodation at Reading please see our Halls Brochure

Source: http://www.reading.ac.uk/life/life-opendays.aspx

This one-day event will provide primary and secondary teachers and trainee-teachers opportunities to explore fundamental concepts of Computer Science. The overall theme of the conference is physicalising computational thinking so that computing can be approached in creative and inclusive ways. It will include practical workshops using programmable robots, computer programming and off-screen activities.

Advance registration is required, please register online.

Location: University of Reading, Institute of Education, London Road Campus, Reading, RG1 5EX
Date and time: 9 November, 9.00-17.00

Further information

Google map link to:RG1 5EX
Email:y.dimitriadi@reading.ac.uk
Telephone: 07961 342305 or 0118 378 2688
Website:University of Reading and Eventbrite
Organised by: Dr Yota Dimitriadi, University of Reading Institute of Education and the School of Systems Engineering

The University of Reading struck gold twice at the 2012 Olympic Rowing Regatta.

University of Reading PhD student Anna Watkins and her partner Katherine Grainger, put in a tremendous performance to win the Women’s Double Sculls, beating the Australian pair by over a length. The result means Anna, who is studying for a PhD in maths, now has two Olympic medals after her bronze in Beijing.

On the final day of the Regatta Reading graduate Alex Gregory raced in the Men’s Four and despite pressure from the experienced Australian crew, the oarsome foursome lead their final from the start to become Olympic Champions.

Their stunning victories followed Zoology graduate Ric Egington and current Henley Business School MBA Alex Partridge’s fine performance earlier in the week. The duo formed part of the Men’s Eight crew who won a bronze medal in one of the rowing races of the Games. The Eight bravely went all out for the gold medal and were leading three-quarters of the way through the race but just faded in the last 250 metres.

Anna, Alex Gregory, Ric and Alex Partridge are four of the ten University of Reading alumni/students that made the GB rowing squad, the highest number from any UK university. All the rowers say they have benefitted from the University of Reading’s strong support and world-class facilities.

Gold medal winner Anna Watkins said: “Reading had a really good reputation and I knew it was the right choice for me to as it has the right combination of academic excellence and passion for rowing. I’ve been able to take time out of my PhD to focus on the Olympics and the University has been positive and helpful throughout my time there.”

Alex Gregory, who graduated in 2006 with a BSc in geography added: “The University was unbelievably good in supporting me. I joined the senior GB rowing team while at University so I was away a lot at training camps, sometimes weeks at a time. I had great support in my training from both the University and fellow RUBC mates.”

The University of Reading Boat Club (RUBC) is steeped in Olympic success. Four years ago in Beijing, Reading students and alumni added three medals to the team’s impressive tally and in the 2004 Athens Games Reading rowers brought home one gold and two silver medals.

Iain Akhurst, Director of Sports and Recreation at the University of Reading, said: “Many congratulations to all our rowers who represented the GB team. The University is proud of the support it offers student athletes and of the facilities we have that helps them achieve their goals. But of course it takes commitment as well as talent to reach Olympic standard and we are delighted their hard work has paid off.

“It’s also great to see Jonty Clarke, another Reading graduate, in the GB Men’s hockey squad. The team have begun well and we wish Jonty and the rest of the squad the best of luck for the latter stages of the competition.”

Past Olympic legends James Cracknell OBE (BSc Geography, 1993), Garry Herbert MBE (BA History, 1993), and honorary graduate Sir Steven Redgrave CBE DL (DLitt, 2001), who also brought the Olympic flame to the opening ceremony and passed it on to the future talents in sport, have been providing commentary for the UK’s Olympic coverage.

Another University of Reading graduate who will be watching all the medal ceremonies with pride will be Professor David Watkins. David is a leading British artist and sculptor in metal who graduated with a BA in Fine Art in 1963 and designed the 2012 Olympic medals.

“I was of course absolutely delighted, and surprised too, because I don’t normally do this kind of work,” said Professor Watkins when he was chosen as the official designer of the medals. “We decided quickly on the main focus. My ideas developed a little and I did a lot of work tweaking dimensions through computer modelling. Never once was a sketch produced – the medal design was developed using computer software. This way I could see what I was doing from every dimension, and ensure that I was not exceeding the manufacturer stipulations.

“At the University of Reading a lot of what I learnt was to do with seeing things from the perspective of other people, studying different disciplines, whether that was philosophy, languages or maths. I made some dear friends at Reading and of course I have the University to thank for another huge influence, my wife, who I met at Reading!”

For more information about rowing at Reading call Director of Rowing Will Rand on 07989 972 594 or visit the RUBC website

Members of the University of Reading in the Great Britain Olympic Squad

Jonty Clarke (BSC, Economics, 2002)

2012 GB Men’s Hockey Squad

Past achievements: Team GB in Beijing Olympics, gold at the European Hockey Championships, 2009

Anna Watkins (Current student, studying for a PhD in Maths)

2012 Olympic crew: Women’s Double Scull

Past achievements: Olympic bronze medallist 2008, 2011 and 2010 World Champion; 2009 World silver medallist – women’s double scull.

Bill Lucas (BA Politics and International Relations 2009)

2012 Olympic crew: Men’s Double Scull (with Sam Townsend)

Past achievements: 2010 World finalist – men’s quadruple scull; World U23 champion 2008 – men’s double scull.

Charles Cousins (BSc Psychology 2010)

2012 Olympic crew: Men’s Quadruple Scull

Past achievements: 2010 World finalist – men’s quadruple scull; World U23 Champion 2008 – men’s double scull.

Natasha Page (BA Art 2007)

2012 Olympic crew: Women’s Eight

Past achievements: World Bronze medalist 2011; Olympic finalist 2008 (She was selected for the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games in the women’s eight and finished 5th) World finalist 2010 – women’s eight.

Ric Egington (BSc Zoology 2001)

2012 Olympics: Men’s Eight

Past achievements: World Champion, 2011 – men’s four; Olympic silver medallist 2008 – men’s eight; 2009 World Champion – men’s four.

Sam Townsend (BSc Rural Environmental Sciences 2010)

2012 Olympic crew: Men’s Double Scull

Past achievements: 2010 World finalist – men’s quadruple scull.

Debbie Flood (BSc Physiology and Biochemistry 2005)

Past achievements: Gold 2010 World Championships, Olympic Silver medallist 2004, 2008,

2012 Olympic crew: Women’s Quadruple Scull

Alex Gregory (BSc Geography 2006)

2012 Olympic crew: Men’s Fours

Past achievements: Gold medallist 2009, 2011 World Championship

Alex Partridge (Current student on Henley Business School MBA programme)

2012 Olympic crew: Men’s Eight

Past achievements: Olympic silver medallist 2008 – men’s eight; three times World Champion 2009, 2006 and 2005 – men’s four; World Silver Medallist 2011 – men’s eight

Adam Freeman-Pask (current student studying for a PhD in Biological Sciences)

2012 Olympic crew: lightweight reserve

Past achievements: gold in three 2012 World Cup races, 6th in the 2010 World Rowing Championships.

Source: https://www.reading.ac.uk/news-and-events/releases/PR456710.aspx