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What are the value of expressive arts activities in primary education?

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‘’The expressive arts combine the visual arts, movement, drama, music, writing and other creative processes to foster deep personal growth and community development’’ (Bergin Learning Arts, 2019). Within schools ‘’themes are chosen specifically to allow opportunities to develop pupils’ skills in music, media, art, dance and drama.  For example, in drama, strategies such as ‘Observe, Wonder, Infer’, ‘Thought Tunnels’, ‘Mantle of the Expert’ and ‘Tableaux’ have enabled pupils to become increasingly confident, as well as helping them to develop critical and creative thinking skills.  This purposeful multidisciplinary approach is stimulating and exciting for pupils and teachers alike’’ (Estyn, 2017). According to St John’s Primary & Nursery (no date) ‘’Learning in, through and about the expressive arts enables children and young people to: • be creative and express themselves in different ways • experience enjoyment and contribute to other people’s enjoyment through creative and

How can collaboration skills be developed in primary education?

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Collaboration skills are essential in order to succeed in life, not just as a child but later on in the world of work. In school collaboration skills are essential as research has found that ‘’children’s interaction and relationships with teachers and classmates have an effect on their engagement, learning and achievement in classrooms’’ (Ryan and Ladd, 2012). Nuiteq (2017) note some reasons why collaborative learning is important: 1.        ‘’Developing social skills - Collaborative learning makes students with different backgrounds, race, or up bringing, to work together. They come together in a setting that maybe would not be possible if it were not for collaborative learning. In order to solve a project’s given problem, children need to communicate. They are able to hear different opinions and learn more about different cultures. The collaborative learning methodology is ideal for children that have difficulties in a social setting. 2.        Learn from peers - Generally, peop

Sut y gellir gwneud gweithgareddau gwyddoniaeth a thechnoleg yn ddeniadol ac yn berthnasol mewn addysg gynradd?

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Pan oeddwn i yn ysgol gynradd roedd technoleg yn un fy hoff pynciau, ond rydw i’n cydnabod fod hyn ddim yn yr un sefyllfa i pawb. Er nad yw bawb yn mwynhau’r pynciau gwyddoniaeth a thechnoleg maent yn bwysig i blant ddysgu amdano nhw. Wnaeth Gov.uk (2013) nodi’r rhesymau dros ddysgu Gwyddoniaeth yn ysgol: ‘‘A high-quality science education provides the foundations for understanding the world through the specific disciplines of biology, chemistry and physics. Science has changed our lives and is vital to the world’s future prosperity, and all pupils should be taught essential aspects of the knowledge, methods, processes and uses of science. Through building up a body of key foundational knowledge and concepts, pupils should be encouraged to recognise the power of rational explanation and develop a sense of excitement and curiosity about natural phenomena. They should be encouraged to understand how science can be used to explain what is occurring, predict how things will behave, and an

Beth yw gwerth yr iaith Gymraeg mewn addysg gynradd?

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Ar hyn o bryd mae yna 389 o ysgolion Gymraeg yng Nghymru a 107 ysgol sydd yn ddefnyddio Gymraeg i rhyw raddau (Llywodraeth Cymru, 2017-2018). Wnes i mynychu ysgol gynradd Gymraeg ac yn fy marn i roedd hyn yn mantais fawr i fi. Trwy siarad dau iaith, roeddwn yn gael mantais enfawr wrth i mi ymgeisio i brifysgol ac yn y dyfodol swyddi. Roeddwn yn gallu rhoi lawr ar fy CV a ymgais brifysgol fy mod yn ddwyieithog, wnaeth hyn rhoi mantais i fi dros pobl ni all siarad Gymraeg ac roedd yn helpu mi ddiogelu lle yn Brifysgol Cardiff Metropolitan. Roedd siarad Gymraeg hefyd wedi helpu mi gael fy swydd cyntaf yn Tesco, wnaeth y cwmni ddweud fod y ffaith fy mod yn gallu siarad Gymraeg wedi rhoi’r rôl i mi oherwydd gallaf siarad i’r cwsmeriaid henach sydd yn hoffi siarad yn y Gymraeg. Mae CareersWales (2019) yn nodi ‘’Over a three month period, 56% of 40 job advertisements analysed included language requirements, 21 (52.5%) stated that Welsh was desirable and 19 (47.5%) that Welsh was essent

Sut mae creadigrwydd yn berthnasol i ddyfodol llwyddiannus yng nghwricwlwm Gymru?

Bydd rhai bobl yn ddweud fod creadigrwydd ddim yn berthnasol neu yn bwysig i addysg blant o gwbl, roedd llawer o athrawon a rhieni yn ansicr amadano creadigrwydd yn gael ei hybu yn ysgol oherwydd ei fod yn credu ei fydd yn annog ‘’unruly, disobedient, careless, imprecise, or just plain naughty behavior’’ (Cropley, 2012). Ond mae yna llawer o tystiolaeth i ddweud ei fod yn hanfodol yn ysgol, yn ôl Edsys (2017)   ‘’ The right mix of creativity along with curriculum helps students to be innovative and also encourages them to learn new things. Students can grow up as good communicators in addition to improving their emotional and social skills’’. Mae’r ffaith fod Donaldson (2015) wedi gynnwys creadigrwydd yn ei 12 egwyddor yn ddangos ei fod yn bwysig, yn yr 12 egwyddor maen ddweud ‘’promote problem solving, creative and critical thinking’’, mae hyn yn hyrwyddo ysgolion i annog meddwl yn greadigol. Mae creadigrwydd hefyd i’w gael ei weld yn egwyddor arall o Donalson (2015) s