Don’t miss closing date 18 April! Sharpen your quills for the 2017/18 Raymond Wilson Poetry Prize

UoR students are invited to explore their creativity by entering the Raymond Wilson Poetry Competition. Held in memory of the late Emeritus Professor of Education at Reading, the prize awards £200 for the winning poem.

Competition organiser, Stephanie Sharp of the Institute of Education, said:

“The competition will be judged by children in a local school and their vote carries equal weighting with that of a published children’s poet and with mine as an academic. This brings the perspectives of teacher, writer and young reader to bear on the judging.”

The children on the panel responded happily to last year’s winning poem by Judy Riddel, with its lively play on rhyming fun to support number learning, saying:

“It flows and has rhythm”                    

“We liked the inspirational message – be positive and counting and relying on others”

“It was happy and exciting”

“It helps younger children to learn their numbers by remembering the rhyme”

Raymond Wilson was an exceptional educationalist, as well as an inspired educational editor who introduced new editions of Samuel Taylor Coleridge’s poetry and Jane Austen’s novels. Wilson was also well-known as an intuitive, sensitive critic and a prolific anthologist.

This year, the closing date for entries will be 19 April 2018, with the winner being announced on 14 May 2018.

Conditions of entry are as follows:

 

  • Poems should be written for children.
  • You may submit up to 3 poems with a maximum length of 40 lines for each poem.
  • Poems must be the original work of the entrant.
  • Poems should be word processed.
  • Poems are regarded as copies and cannot be returned.
  • Your name should not be included with your poem(s). The poem(s) should be submitted in an envelope accompanied by a separate sealed envelope giving your name, connection with the University, contact address and either the title or first line of your poem(s).

 

Entries to the Raymond Wilson Poetry Prize, may be sent to the competition administrator: Chris Tibbenham, Institute of Education, University of Reading, London Road Campus, RG1 5EX.

Queries about any aspect of the competition can be addressed to Stephanie Sharp: s.sharp@reading.ac.uk

 

IoE partner schools can now advertise their NQT vacancies directly to our trainees

We are aware that effective recruitment is an area of importance for all schools working in Partnership with us at the Institute of Education. Our Careers Centre here at the University has been working hard to develop a more streamlined and coordinated system for processing the vacancies that come to us here at the IoE. These vacancies will now be uploaded onto the Careers Portal ‘My Jobs Online’ and thus be visible to all our trainees on Primary ITT programmes. Partner schools may access My Jobs Online directly to advertise their vacancies.  

This free online advertising service encompasses a variety of vacancies, including:

  • Immediate and future vacancies for graduates
  • Part-time work for students during term time
  • Undergraduate placements
  • Vacation work
  • Volunteer opportunities

To use the new system, you just need to register for our jobs board, My Jobs Online, and upload your vacancies using a simple online form. This is available via www.reading.ac.uk/careers/employer/submit.asp, along with our terms and conditions and other useful information. Once registered, a password will be sent to you via email and you will not need to provide your details again.

Please post a summary of your vacancy, ideally with a link to your website (where possible) so that candidates can view further details such as the job description and person specification. 

Before submitting a vacancy, please ensure that you have read and are happy to accept our terms and conditions – www.reading.ac.uk/careers/employer/vacterms.asp

Once approved by a member of the Careers team, the vacancy will appear live on the website free of charge.  Any student or graduate who has registered an interest in that sector will also receive an automatic email alerting them to the vacancy.

Please do not hesitate to contact the Careers Centre on 0118 378 8359 or email careers@reading.ac.uk if you require further assistance.

Researchers at the Institute of Education are proud to be part of two large collaborative projects that will promote the importance of Modern Foreign Languages

Professor Suzanne Graham, IoE Director of Research

In a new series of monthly blogs highlighting key research areas of activity at the IoE, Professor Suzanne Graham, Director of Research for the Institution, looks at two large collaborative projects that will promote the importance of Modern Foreign Languages as well as researching learners’ development and motivation in language learning.

The first, The Language Magician, is an EU-funded project led by the Goethe Institute in which Dr Louise Courtney and Suzanne Graham are building on their earlier research into primary modern languages.

Dr Louise Courtney

Their expertise is contributing to the creation of a computer game to assess language learning for young learners, which will be rolled out across several countries in 2018.  They are also exploring the development of learners’ motivation for language learning. Louise and Suzanne have just returned from Leipzig where they worked with project partners on the game. Louise also presented at the mid-project conference on January 27, giving two papers on the value of the game for primary school teachers across Europe and beyond and what piloting of the game reveals about learners’ motivation in different European countries.

Suzanne is Strand Lead for the second project, Linguistic Creativity in Language Learning, which is part of a large AHRC funded project led by Katrin Kohl at the University of Oxford, Creative Multilingualism. The strand is exploring the impact of literary and non-literary texts on the linguistic and motivational development of learners of French and German at secondary school.  Suzanne was part of the project’s launch event, Linguamania, at the Ashmolean Museum on January 27, and gave a presentation at the launch conference.

Artist-In- Residencies Spring Exhibition 2017

This contemporary exhibition not only provides an insight into the eclectic and dynamic art produced by the artists themselves but will also include a variety of work produced by undergraduate BA Ed Art students, Fine Art students, tutors and visiting children from local schools, all of whom have been introduced to practices by the artists during workshops over the academic year.

The event, which will be based at the University of Reading’s London Road Campus’ Art Studios at the Institute of Education, will display an inspiring spring exhibition of the exciting and innovative work of our current artists-in-residencies;

Artwork by Emily Gillmor, Printer-in-resident

Emily Gillmor, Printer-in-resident

Mei Ting Sze, Ceramicist-in-resident

Andrew Hood, Sculptor-in-resident

David Fairservice, Painter-in-resident

 

Location: University of Reading, London Road Campus, 4 Redlands Road, Reading, RG1 5EX.

London Road Art Studios, L04, Institute of Education

Dates: Tuesday 14th March – Friday 23rd March 2017

Times: Open from 9 – 5 every day (excluding the weekend)

Launch of exhibition: Thursday 16th March 2017, 3.30 – 4.30pm

Contact: Suzy Tutchell 

Important Update: amend to entry requirement for Foundation Degree in Children’s Development and Learning

Teresa Wilson, Programme Director

Our Early Years team has confirmed that any candidate who does not fully meet the entry criteria (eg who does not have Maths GCSE or the specified amount of full-time work experience, but may have part-time and/or volunteering experience) is invited to submit their application, which will be considered on a case by case basis.

Further enquiries: Ms Teresa Wilson, Programme Director, Foundation Degree in CDL. +44 (0)118 378 2641 

Visit the Museum of English Rural Life book sale

The Museum of English Rural Life (MERL) is a little gem located right next door to our London Road campus. A fascinating place to visit, it has often caught the imagination of the world at large, as with the infamous mousetrap story.mousetrap small

Now the MERL shop has kicked off 2017 with its traditional January Sale. This is a chance to pick up some fantastic bargains, especially among MERL’s wide range of unusual and lovely books.

None of us know what the internet sensation of 2017 will be. But there is no doubt that the sensation of 2016 was the mousetrap story! Want to know the stories behind these deadly little devices? Dip into David Drummond’s “British mouse traps and their makers” (£1.50).

For anyone who has seen our new Evacuee interactive, we recommend two books by Martin Parsons – “War child” and “I’ll take that one”. Through his research work, Martin was responsible for building up the Museum’s incredible collection of evacuee memoirs. He is a leading expert on the experiences of children in wartime and his books help to dispel many of the myths about this fascinating period. We have copies of both titles signed by the author (£6.00 and £5.00 respectively).

First encounters with the countryside are also dealt with by “In at the deep end” (£1.50). Agriculture lecturer Paul Harris gathered accounts from 41 students who – despite not growing up on a farm – took the brave decision to study agriculture and found themselves getting a year’s work experience. Completed only weeks before Dr Harris’s death in 2013, these are compelling and fascinating stories, where the warmth of the welcome given by the farmers and farmworkers stands in contrast with the cold of the winter mornings!

If you enjoyed our apple-themed activities at the Grand Re-opening Festival, then Michael Clark’s “Apples, a field guide” (£5.00) may well be the book for you. It can help you to identify that unknown apple growing in your garden or in the park. Or if you are feeling ambitious, you can use it to help you choose which variety to plant! Of course, if you want to go even further and take the path to self-sufficiency, then what better than Sonia Kurta’s “No dear, that’s a pheasant, we’re peasants” (£2.50), full of the pitfalls of having a smallholding and tips for those brave enough to try living “the good life”.

Whatever your interests – from folk art to traction engines and from literature to local history – there are plenty more bargains to be picked up this month. The MERL Shop Sale runs until 5 February.

Museum of English Rural Life
University of Reading
6 Redlands Road
Reading
RG1 5EX
T: 0118 378 8660 Facebook 

www.reading.ac.uk/TheMERL

 

Head of the IoE awarded significant academic honour; colleagues given distinguished awards

In recognition of Dr Catherine Tissot’s outstanding contribution to the field, the Higher Education

Dr Catherine Tissot, Head of Institute of Education
Dr Catherine Tissot, Head of Institute of Education

Academy (HEA) has just appointed her as a Senior Fellow. Institute of Education (IoE) colleagues, Dr Alison Silbey and Ilan Dwek were awarded with Fellowships of the HEA.

 

Being promoted to Senior Fellow is a significant honour: very few Senior Fellowships are awarded each year and the distinction carries international recognition. Senior Fellowship indicates a high level of esteem for Catherine’s cont

ribution to higher education management and leadership.

The HEA Fellowship award recognises Alison and Ilan’s commitment to professionalism in teaching and learning in the field. It provides a valuable measure of their academic success.

Catherine commented: “The process of becoming a Senior Fellow gave me a fresh insight into what I do and how our work affects those with whom we collaborate. Reflecting on my own professional practice was fulfilling and the application process itself was a stimulating intellectual challenge.

“I am particularly proud that my colleagues Alison and Ilan have achieved Fellowship. This award recognises their valuable contribution both to our field and to our work at the IoE”

Catherine, Alison and Ilan’s route to their awards lay with the University of Reading’s FLAIR CPD scheme; an internal accreditation process that enables experienced staff to gain professional recognition for the work they do in teaching or supporting learning.

An independent, charitable organisation, the HEA is the UK’s national body that champions teaching excellence around the globe. It works with governments, universities and academics to nurture teaching excellence in higher education.

See more:           

Higher Education Academy (HEA)

University of Reading’s FLAIR scheme

Important news about PhD studentship opportunities at the IoE

The Institute of Education is inviting applicants for PhD studentships to work on topics within its two research groups, Language and Literacy in Education  and Improving Equity and Inclusion through Education. Both groups sit within the Education, Language and Learning Research division. We are looking for students interested in pursuing PhD projects along these broad themes.

There are opportunities for several PhD studentships.

The University of Reading is part of the ESRC funded South East Network for Social Sciences (SeNSS) Doctoral Training Partnership, which will be awarding up to 35 studentships across the network for the 2017/18 academic year.  These studentships are open to UK and EU residents on a fees plus yearly stipend basis (for UK residents) or a fees only basis (for EU residents). SeNSS is a consortium of 10 leading UK universities, all engaged in cutting-edge social science research and training.

The University of Reading is also currently offering the University International Research Studentships.  There are seven studentships on offer across the university, one of which covers international fees plus stipend and a further six to cover fees only.

This year, the University of Reading is also offering 10 Anniversary PhD Scholarships that will cover fees and a yearly stipend for UK and EU residents. International students are again welcome to apply, but must cover the difference between UK/EU and international fees.

The University is also currently offering Regional PhD bursaries, to students living in the Reading area, which cover full UK/EU fees and are available for full or part-time study.

Interested applicants should contact Ioe-pgr@reading.ac.uk to signal their intent to apply, and to gain further information regarding the application procedure and specific deadline for each award (which will all generally be in January/February 2017. 

IoE launches new BA programme with strong focus on inclusion and social justice.

 

Teresa Wilson, Programme Director of the new BA Education Studies
Teresa Wilson, Programme Director of the new BA Education Studies

The Institute of Education announces the launch of a BA Education Studies programme offering a strong focus on inclusion and social justice.

This exciting development is part of the Institute’s drive to deliver high-quality degree programmes that appeal to a broad range of audiences, both national and international. The new BA Education Studies will be a distinctive and innovative course for students who want to study education and learning in its broadest sense. The breadth and flexibility of this degree will ensure a wide range of career options upon graduation.

Teresa Wilson, who is leading the programme at the Institute of Education’s beautiful London Road campus said:

“This course can act as a stepping stone to a wide range of careers, working in a number of educational environments that include but aren’t limited to traditional school environments. Some students will be interested in working with adults and may become trainers or work in human resources, whilst others might pursue a career in mentoring, disability support or working as an Education Officer in museums, theatres or charities.

“The module options mean that students can tailor the degree to their own academic and professional interests and develop creative strategies to support all learners. The four week work placement and the opportunity to study abroad will enhance students’ reflective and transferrable skills; assets highly valued by employers and important to students’ learning.”BA Ed Stud image for home page banner

Dr. Cathy Tissot, Head of the Institute of Education said:

“We are delighted to be extending our existing strong educational offering and are excited about delivering a programme that will include such a broad audience. This will be a great opportunity for a wide range of people and we look forward to delivering it.”

For full details, please contact:

Teresa Wilson

educationstudies@reading.ac.uk

Telephone: +44 (0) 118 378 2641

Student-run book sale raises funds for bereaved children

Students from the Institute of Education (IoE) organised a book sale recently in aid of local charity Daisy’s Dream, which supports children and young people going through bereavement.

The students, all on the IoE’s BA (Hons)Children’s Development and Learning (BA CDL) programme, raised £143 to aid the charity’s work in responding to the needs of children and families affected by life threatening illness or bereavement.

BA CDL Student Representatives Victoria Savage and Sam Boseley presented Yvonne Haines from Daisy’s Dream with the money they had raised. Yvonne then offered a moving insight into the work of Daisy’s Dream in supporting bereaved and distressed children in Berkshire and the surrounding areas.

Jo Elsey, Director of Early Years Initial Teacher Training Programmes at the IoE said:

“We are delighted and proud that our students took the initiative to support such a good cause and one that is close to our hearts. Well done to the students and staff who worked hard to achieve this result.”

See more:

BA Children’s Development and Learning

Daisy’s Dream