Virtual Author Visit – Kilsyth Academy

Category: Blog, Branches and Groups, SLG Scotland

We regularly showcase an activity or project that furthers one of the strategic aims of Vibrant Libraries, Thriving Schools (VLTS): A National Strategy for School Libraries 2018 – 2023. Here, Library & Resource Centre Manager Lindsey Smith tells us more about how she organised a virtual author visit for S1 pupils. 

 Librarian 

 Lindsey Smith 

 School 

 Kilsyth Academy, North Lanarkshire 

 Title 

 Virtual Author Visit: Danny Weston 

 Furthering Strategic Aim: 

2: Information, Digital Literacy and Digital Creativity

3: Literacy, Numeracy and Family Learning 

4: Health and Wellbeing 

 Relevant HGIOSL Quality Indicators: 

 2.3 Learning, Teaching and Assessment 

3.1 Improving Wellbeing, Equality and Inclusion 

3.2 Raising Attainment and Achievement 

The Project 

 I was keen to promote reading for pleasure to our S1 cohort, because they missed out on many of the usual experiences of 1st year at High School. I wanted to give them something positive to finish the year on. The project was funded by First Minister’s Reading Challenge, and I was able to distribute 30 copies of Danny’s book The Witching Stone to the pupils who wanted to read it in advance of the visit.  These were eagerly snapped up by readers of all abilities.  We had the visit streamed into three classrooms while a select group of pupils who had read the book were chosen to come and watch it in the library as well.  We intend to make book trailers of Danny’s book as a final activity before the end of term, encouraging pupils to develop their digital creativity skills. 

 Evaluation 

Pupils were able to ask Danny questions directly and were enthused by the experience. A third of our S1 pupils were able to read his book for no other reason than enjoyment – they weren’t being asked to write an essay or do other written work on it. Pupils came to the library after to take out his other books. The book trailers will give the pupils experience in digital creativity and the opportunity to discuss their own ideas about the book among themselves. 

 Our pupils’ feedback was very positive:   

• “I loved it! It was really interesting, thank you!” (Elizabeth) 
• “It was a nice break from usual work.” (Rose) 
• “He answered all our questions and was really nice.” (Amy)