CURRICULUM FOR EXCELLENCE: GOOD PRACTICE CONFERENCES
THE POWER OF WORDS: LANGUAGE, LITERACY AND COMMUNICATION IN
RELIGIOUS AND MORAL EDUCATION
Apex City Quay Hotel, Dundee
12th November 2009
Workshop 1
Active learning in religious and moral education
Cath Sinclair, Glasgow City Council
An analysis of the forms of active learning and their particular effectiveness for
learning in religious and moral education. Participants will have the opportunity of a
hands on experience of active learning strategies and consider how such
approaches can increase independent learning, communication and thinking skills
through a religious and moral education context. There will be a chance to discuss
and develop active learning skills through a specific challenge.
Workshop 2
Learning for Life – from inspiration to aspiration
David Lorimer, Character Education Scotland
Adelle Fleming, City of Edinburgh Council
Carol Gollop, Aberdeenshire Council
This workshop will focus on the highly successful values project, which has been run
in Scottish schools since 2006. Two teachers will share their experience of using the
project with young people in S1 – 3. When used creatively this project offers young
people a unique opportunity to increase their understanding of values and develop
the four capacities of Curriculum for Excellence. Key skills include effective use of
information and communications technology, analysis of sources, extended writing
and personal reflection. The project also contributes to young people’s wider
achievements through participation in the poster awards at school and national level.
Workshop 3
A philosophical approach to religious literacy
Graeme Nixon, University of Aberdeen
This seminar will explore possible meanings and approaches towards religious
literacy in religious and moral education. The structure will allow for some initial
thinking about religious literacy as a term. This will be followed by a short
participative exercise in Philosophy for Children. This will aim to exemplify an
approach to religious and moral education which contributes to Curriculum for
Excellence outcomes and experiences in literacy and health and well-being, as well
as those of religious and moral education.
Workshop 4
Developing spiritual literacy
Marj Adams, The Moray Council
The aim of this workshop is to discuss how spiritual literacy can be developed
through exploring the wealth of symbolism and spiritual history which are part of our
Scottish heritage. A recently developed unit of work which seeks to explore the
sacred in the natural world by special reference to the 5000 year old standing stones
of Calanais will provide a stimulus for further discussion. Pupils are enabled to
recognise the spiritual dimension in the lives of their ancient ancestors in Scotland as
they investigate the significance of standing stone circles. Similarly, participants will
have an opportunity to discuss how to explore spirituality with pupils in their own
locality.
“...To see a world in a grain of sand
And a heaven in a wild flower...”
Workshop 5
The Bible and beyond......
Pat MacCowan, Stirling Council
How Killearn Primary School looked at our programme and tried to bring it into the
21st Century. We need to do more than just tell Bible stories, we need to look at the
lives our children are living in a world of many faiths and with people of no faith. Can
we bring active learning approaches, collaborative learning experiences and
relevance to how we lead our children to respect shared values and make informed
decisions about religious and moral issues?
Workshop 6
‘It’s good to talk: teaching approaches to promote dialogue in religious and
moral education”
Professor Vivienne Baumfield, University of Glasgow
The workshop will look at examples of current practice in promoting dialogue in
religious and moral education. The contribution of religious and moral education to
community cohesion though dialogue will be examined through a review of the
impact of these approaches on learners.
Workshop 7
Using the Storyline approach in teaching religious and moral education
Janis Miller, North Lanarkshire Council
A presentation on the Storyline approach and how Pentland School (for primary
children with social, emotional and behavioural difficulties) used this approach to
improve learning within religious and moral education. Topics included ‘Joseph’
from Judaism and ‘The Ramayana’ from Hinduism. Links with art, music and drama
provided our children with deeper, more enjoyable and active learning experiences.
There will also be a short exploration of how this approach could be used to teach
the Christmas story.
Workshop 8
Glowing somewhere exciting
Mark Rushton, Stirling Council
A simple overview of the use of Glow with a senior class following a course in
religious, moral and philosophical studies. Through practical demonstration I will
focus on the use of discussion groups and document stores to improve dialogue and
revision. We’ll briefly look at the use of Glow Meet for video conferencing and Glow
Learn for delivering courses, setting assignments, assessing and marking. This will
be followed by a general discussion of potential uses of online tools to enhance
learning in religious and moral education. Participants will see for themselves how
the use of the national RME Glow Group can enable teachers to share good practice
and support each other in taking forward Curriculum for Excellence.