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
Confident Individuals with
• Enthusiasm and motivation for
learning
• Determination to reach high
standards of achievement
• Openness to new thinking and ideas
• Self respect
• A sense of physical, mental and
emotional wellbeing
• Secure values and beliefs
• Ambition
Responsible Citizens with Effective Contributors with
• Respect for others
• Commitment to participate
responsibly in political, economic,
social and cultural life
• An enterprising attitude
• Resilience
• Self-reliance
Bramble Berry
Bramble Berry was the puppet
character who gave the children
various 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 asked
at the end of the storyline
(which took 10 weeks) to
create an illustrated
storybook of their stories.
A storybook by
a member
of the class
Parents were invited to the
school to read the stories
with their children.
The primary 1
children were also
able to share their
stories with primary
7 ‘buddies’.
The primary 7
children recorded
the children’s stories
and the primary 1
children were then
able to hear their
stories.
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
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Challenge and enjoyment
Breadth
Progression
Depth
Personalisation and choice
Coherence
Relevance