Are the Smart Skills Builder books meant to be used as a whole scheme across a year?
Solution:
It is entirely up to you. Detailed lesson plans provide fully developed lessons around the texts, so you can use them ‘off the shelf’. Alternatively, the books can be used to ‘pick and mix’ activities and texts to fit in with your existing schemes of work, or you could choose to design your own bespoke lessons around the texts in the Student’s Books.
Problem:
Why are there no activities provided in the Student's Books?
Solution:
The books have been specifically developed so that all activities are included in the Teacher’s Books, giving you total flexibility in how you use the resources in the Student’s Books. Students can also use the photocopiable worksheets to do much of their written work, meaning that the Student’s Books can be reused year-on-year.
Problem:
Do I have to buy the Teacher’s Books to go with the Student’s Books?
Solution:
No. If you prefer, you can just buy the Student’s Books and design your own activities and lessons around the texts. The Teacher’s Books have, however, been specially designed to be used in conjunction with the Student’s Books and most lessons rely on texts provided in the Student’s Books.
Problem:
What are Editable Teacher's Books?
Solution:
For teachers that prefer to work with electronic lesson plans, we can offer the contents of the Teacher's Book in a Word format – ideal for sharing in larger departments. This also offers the flexibility to edit and adapt the lesson plans to meet the needs of your students. Customers that purchase an Editable Teacher's Book will receive a letter that includes instructions on how to download the Editable Teacher's Book from our website (including a username and password).
Problem:
How are the Student worksheets supplied?
Solution:
The Student worksheets are supplied on a CD-ROM in the back of the Teacher's Book – and are provided ina PDF format. These can be printed out and copied, or displayed on the whiteboard or OHP (to save on paper)!
Problem:
Can I scan the Student's Book texts to display them on my whiteboard?
Solution:
No. Due to copyright restrictions, no part of the Student's Book can be reproduced without prior permission from Smart Learning Limited.
Problem:
Can the books be used with different year groups?
Solution:
Most of the texts and activities in the Skills Builder series would be suitable to use across Key Stage 3, depending on the ability of your students. The texts in the Student’s Books are at a mixture of reading levels, which means they are flexible enough to use with different ages and abilities. However, lesson plans in the Teacher’s Books specifically address the Framework Objectives for the given year group, so lessons may need to be reworked to a certain extent to address the relevant objectives for other year groups.
Problem:
Do the resources support the renewed Framework for teaching English?
Solution:
Yes. Mapping to the Framework is included with every lesson plan in the Teacher's Books – including links to the Key concepts, Key processes, Range and content covered, plus the substrands covered (at different levels) and APP links for that lesson.
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