As the work of Carol Dweck has proved, no matter how able, a child’s perception of themselves as a learner will determine their academic career. If it is poor, it will:

• Undermine their resilience, so that they give up at the slightest obstacle
• Make them defensive learners, unwilling to challenge themselves
• Make them over-reliant on teachers and on received opinion
• Write-off successes as ‘flukes’
• Under-perform in exams and tests
• Have low aspirations and under-achieve in life

The acclaimed self-perception test Myself As a Learner Scale 8-16+, by Robert Burden, gives teachers, psychologists and researchers a proven technique to gain access to this important aspect of learning development. In fact, the test is the only one that measures a child’s perception of themselves, specifically as learners.

Using it will enable you to:

• Uncover, beneath external shows of confidence, which children have poor views of themselves as learners and therefore will be liable to under-perform
• Pinpoint exactly where their problems are
• Measure progress in developing ‘open-mindsets’ in children

Myself as a Learner Scale 8-16+ is easy to administer, score and interpret. It can be used for gaining information on large cohorts of students or for more clinical purposes with individuals.

It is a valid and reliable scale that can provide a valuable addition to any school’s assessment programme or educational psychologist’s repertoire of assessment techniques.

This is why MALS has gone around the world as the key test to use to measure a child’s image of themselves as learners and thinkers.

You can find out more about the test and order your copy at our bookshop.

Or if you have any questions, or would like to order directly with me, you can email me at james@imaginativeminds.co.uk. Or call me on my direct number: 01211 2247584.

I look forward to hearing from you.

James Mason
Marketing
Teaching Times

Tel: 0121 224 7584 | Fax: 0121 224 7589
james@imaginativeminds.co.uk | TeachingTimes.com

PS: If you would like to order by invoice, you can order your copy of MALS on the bookshop and select ‘Invoice Payment’ at check out.

A Kent environmental education centre that works with schools across the UK and Europe has been praised for improving children’s self-esteem, confidence, and social skills through its residential trips.

According to a new report assessing the effectiveness of outdoor learning at Rippledown, in Ringwould near Deal, the centre’s residential programmes allow children to “gain a sense of their own individual interests, strengths and abilities” as well as “nature connection, hope and dietary awareness”.

The report follows a study by Canterbury Christ Church University (CCCU) and leading environmental education charity The Bay Trust, which runs Rippledown, on the impact and influence of the centre’s programme on children’s learning and wellbeing.

Three primary schools took part in the study, one from a rural part of Kent and two from an urban and suburban area of London. Some 50 children aged between 9 and 10 participated in team activities such as shelter building, using navigational tools such as map and compass, a walk to the beach, treasure hunting, and mini beast hunting.

Data gathered from an anonymous questionnaire, which was completed a week before, a week after, and a month after the children’s residential stay, suggests that their experience enabled them to gain a greater sense of their own competence, connection to nature, hope, and resilience, as well as developing a healthier dietary awareness.

Using hand-written journals created with natural objects, youngsters were also encouraged to give their opinions of Rippledown and describe their feelings inspired by photographs set in a natural environment.

The findings highlight how children view and interact with the outdoors, with responses including “being outdoors makes me happy” and “my actions will make the natural world different”. They also demonstrate the children’s positive coping skills while away from home.

If you are looking for LOtC ideas, please take a look at our Facebook & Twitter pages. But if you want to take a look at who we are and what we do before you call, you’ll find more information about leasing at www.minibusleasing.co.uk.

Email: minibus@benchmarkleasing.co.uk
Tel: 01753 859944

Benchmark Leasing Ltd
11 High Street
Eton
Berkshire
SL4 6AS

www.minibusleasing.co.uk/school-minibus.php

minibus@benchmarkleasing.co.uk

Tel: 01753 859944

FREE Limited Offer!

 Autumn’s round the corner – yikes! So, to help you out, we have a limited number of easy-sing Harvest Song Packs to give away FREE (normally £9.95) – perfect for your harvest festival! But they won’t be around for long, so get yours by 15 July 2016

Surprise your children with these fantastic, contemporary sounding Harvest songs – they’ll love singing them and you’ll love how easy they are to teach (even if you’re not musical!)

You’ll receive your songs as an instant download. You’ll even get a free performance licence, so you can use them in your harvest festival – yippee!

For, and on behalf of, Popcorn School Ltd. Registered address: 9 Yelverton Close, Walsall, WS3 3XE. Company number: 08534985.