Tag: Education

Textbook Stuff by BrightRED Publishing- English with Dr Chris Nicol

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Textbook Stuff by BrightRED Publishing image

This month we launched something new for BrightRED, our new podcast Textbook Stuff. It will shine a light on our Study Guides and offer the inside story on our books.  We have interviewed our expert teacher authors who have spent many months (and sometimes years) writing our Course Books and Study Guides.

Below you will find snippets from the discussion we had with our English author, Dr Chris Nicol. We discussed his frustrations at school and university, his journey to becoming an English teacher, advice for the English course and its exam and finally his career advice that has carried him through his impressive career.

You can find the full transcript here.

Could you tell us a little bit about yourself?

Well, I went to a very good Scottish high school up in Arbroath many many years ago. I enjoyed school but I often got very frustrated by my teachers who were very intelligent men and women. But I often got exasperated by the fact that so many of their nuggets of wisdom were clouded in language that was very opaque which was difficult to get through for a 12- or 13-year-old, so my little hand was always going up in class and there was a lot of sighing from my friends, and the teachers, by asking questions like, ‘Oh what do you mean there? What are you saying?’ It was quite an exasperating process. This frustrating process went on all the way through my education.

Can you tell us about how you transitioned into a teaching career?

I had this idea that teaching might be of interest to me, but I wasn’t going to be a teacher like the ones I’d had at school. So, I took myself off and did a teacher training course and found myself a job in a girl’s public school. I immediately put to work what I learned at my own school that I wasn’t going to be that kind of teacher. I made my lessons directly constructed to talk to the students rather than talk at them and I really enjoyed the process very much.

What is the process of going back and editing your work like?

I think it’s a very very useful device to have someone whose judgement you trust listen to yourself reading it. And be prepared for much more critical comment than you would get if you just handed them a text and asked for their opinion.

How would you suggest students could improve their portfolio writing?

I think also you’ve been picking up a lot of writing skills without knowing it by your work for reading, for understanding, analysis and evaluation. All these techniques you’re pinpointing for the examiners, minor sentences, inversion, figurative language, word choice, parallel structures. You’re ready to talk about them in an exam, so why not make them work for you in your own writing? A lot of students just completely overlooked that they have wonderful techniques in their grasp which they could use to great effect for in their own writing.

And for school leavers what advice do you have if they are unsure what career path they want to take?

I think career wise nothing is set in stone and my own career such as it is, has been a path of serendipity. Really, I’ve always been in the right place at the right time. I have picked up knowledge from all kinds of areas. I haven’t been frightened to change career path when I felt I was getting bored or exhausted by a process. I think the world has many, many opportunities for young people and every job has something to teach you.

If you enjoyed these snippets of our conversation with Dr Chris Nicol you can read the whole transcript here or listen to the podcast here!

Thank you to Chris for taking the time to speak to us and we hope you are looking forward to our podcast guest for next month!

Links mentioned:

New Edition Higher English Study Guide: https://www.brightredpublishing.co.uk/shop/cfe-higher-english

Other Books in the BrightRED English range:

BGE Level 3 English Course book (Publishing March 2023): https://www.brightredpublishing.co.uk/shop/bge-level-3-english

National 4 English Study Guide: https://www.brightredpublishing.co.uk/shop/n4-english

National 5 English Course Book: https://www.brightredpublishing.co.uk/shop/national-5-english-course-book

National 5 English Study Guide: https://www.brightredpublishing.co.uk/shop/n5-english

Advanced Higher English Study Guide: https://www.brightredpublishing.co.uk/shop/cfe-advanced-higher-english

The pandemic and publishing

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We were really thrilled to be a sponsor of the SYP Scotland Conference this year and had the opportunity to write a post about how the pandemic has affected our publishing and how we are refreshing our plans and looking ahead to the future. We thought we’d share this post here too so you can find out more about what’s been happening behind-the-scenes over the last year.

Control?

Since the outbreak of the pandemic, the first thing that seemed to disappear for most people was control.  There have been titanic changes to social interactions, approaches to working and how businesses operate.  The publishing industry has not been untouched by this – the effects of COVID-19 have ricocheted throughout our sector, affecting both SME and conglomerate businesses nationwide with disruption permeating everything.  Businesses have been forced to adapt, to reflect on why things have been run in a certain way and question whether they could be run differently in order to survive and flourish.  All in an attempt to take control of what had suddenly become a very uncertain present and challenging future.

Alternate

Small publishers are perfectly placed to change what they do and innovate quickly.  They are also often built on the idea of doing things a little differently.  An ability to alter business models has been crucial for the survival of all publishers during the pandemic. With schools shut, exams cancelled and all learning moved online, Bright Red transitioned to home working and a more digital approach in order to meet the new learning demands. Fast-tracking our digital mindset has been pivotal to navigating through the many, ongoing challenges the pandemic has created. With trade establishments feeling the full force of national lockdowns, having our own online shop and independent warehouse in Fife meant we could continue supplying learning materials to the thousands of students in need of our resources. We approached social media with renewed gusto, highlighting our award-winning (and free) online learning platform that in turn saw an uplift in print sales, which are so crucial for a small, independent, business.

For Scottish publishers, there’s been a definite shift towards becoming digital content creators and experience providers. In educational publishing, there has been an increased demand nationwide for learning material and entertainment for children/young adults and therefore, a call to meet those needs. Posting daily challenges, creating playlists of video content on our YouTube channel and updating our Digital Zone saw a surge of website traffic and sales, and also a wave of appreciation for providing resources that could help students remain on track. With our loyal customer base and support, we reshuffled our publishing plans, focussing on getting our backlist fully updated before we pushed forward with new titles (and exciting new product launches).  

Refresh!

Although schools and shops remain closed (and exams have also been cancelled this year), we are looking forward to the months ahead with renewed hope and continuing with what we do best – publishing high-quality, bespoke books for the Scottish curriculum that fulfil a pressing need. As a small publisher, we are able to publish into niche subjects or subjects that have historically had smaller cohorts, making us stand out from our competitors. Our books are unique in their features and presentation – they put the student at the very heart of the content and we feel that shines from the pages of our books. We are thrilled to be in the process of producing sets of revision cards for National 5 subjects – something new for Scotland and a direct response from teacher feedback.

As Scotland navigates its way out of the pandemic, it is companies that have been able to adapt, to change their outlook and move with the times, utilising the benefits of a digital community, that will be most likely to survive and, ultimately, thrive.

Image of our Revision Cards (the jacket covers which are red for Biology, orange for Chemistry, yellow for Physics and purple for Mathematics and all have jumping outlines of students on them).
Girl sitting on the bed with an open book and revision tools

How to revise for the SQA exams

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Exams coming up? Not sure where to begin with revision? At Bright Red, we understand that the exam period can be a tad daunting. We’ve all been through exams so can fully relate to how you might be feeling and can help give you a gentle nudge in the right direction to help you tackle those exam nerves and help you walk into your exam with confidence.

Here are our top tips to help you revise for your SQA exams:

Start your revision early

The earlier you start revision, the more time you will have to get fully prepared for your examinations. It can be tempting to put off doing revision but starting months in advance and doing a little bit of work each day will allow you to avoid any last-minute, panicked cramming sessions.

Two friends standing next to each other. One friend gesturing and saying 'Always Be Prepared'.
Always be prepared – start your revision early

Plan, plan, plan!

Making a revision timetable can help you visually map out how long you have until your examinations. It can help you plan your time effectively and ensure that you’re allowing yourself revision breaks and some social time too.  You can create a revision timetable in a notebook or by using Word or by using templates online (Get Revising offer a brilliant, free Study Planner template – check it out here).

Boy rolling out plan of action
Create a solid revision plan

Find your study space

Finding a distraction-free space really helps when it comes to getting focused with revision. If you can, choose somewhere that has natural light and where you have plenty of space to spread your notes out and get in the zone. This may be in your bedroom, in the kitchen, at school or in a library. Keeping things nice and tidy around you can help you stay focused and on track with your revision.

Man rubbing his hands together and getting ready to type
Find your space and get in the zone

Use Study Guides

Study Guides are a brilliant way of filling in any gaps in knowledge and consolidating what you’ve learnt in class. We have 65+ Study Guides from N4 – AH level across a huge range of subjects so definitely check out our website here and pick up any Study Guides in subjects that you feel like you need a little extra support in.

Boy with pencil behind his ear, looking over worksheets
Use Bright Red Study Guides and Course Books

Jazz up your notes and use mnemonics!

Add colour and illustrations to your notes – this will make them more visually appealing and will help all that studying stick. Using mnemonics is a good way of shortening your notes and making concepts and facts easier to remember.

Man playing a musical instrument enthusiastically
Jazz up your revision and class notes

Test yourself!

Practice makes perfect – register for our Bright Red Digital Zone which has tonnes of activities (Things to do and think about questions) and tests so you can identify both your strengths and any gaps in knowledge. Past Papers are also a super way of testing yourself and assessing what you do and don’t yet know. Check out the SQA website here.

Girl writing on blackboard
Practice makes perfect with Bright Red

Take breaks

It’s important to take plenty of breaks in order to revise effectively and avoid burning yourself out. It’ll also help you to stay motivated and allow yourself to relax! Try going for a run, watching an episode of your favourite show or simply treating yourself to a cup of tea and a piece of cake.

Hedgehog floating around a bath tub
Take time to relax

Look after yourself

Make sure you’re getting enough sleep each night so you can recharge properly and wake up feeling fresh and alert. Drink lots of water, avoid all-nighters and try and eat as healthily as you can to keep your energy levels up!

Sleepy duck drifting off over class notes
Get enough sleep and look after yourself

Best of luck.

For more top tips and advice on different study techniques, check out our Learn to Learn Study Support Guide. It’s also worth checking out our Twitter and Instagram pages for additional revision tips!

Printing press background with the words New (books) on the block as the title

New (books) on the block

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One of the biggest benefits of being a wee publisher is that we can take on teacher feedback and publish into smaller subject areas that may have limited or no resources available. This was the case for our two latest publications – over the years we have been approached numerous times for Media Study Guides at National 5 and Higher level. After eighteen months of hard work and development, we are delighted to have published both a National 5 and a Higher Media Study Guide. It’s one of the most rewarding aspects of publishing, to fill the need for resources and publish books that will make a real difference to teachers and learners. As with all our books, we work with the very best teachers and subject experts, to turn a book proposal into the tangible book that you see on a shelf. Helping students to achieve their potential is really at the heart of what we aim to do at Bright Red and we are so pleased to have been able to produce books for these two Media courses. By filling this market need, we hope not only to help those currently taking these courses but to encourage more learners to consider Media as one of their qualifications, now that there are resources to support them in their studies.

National 5 and Higher Media Study Guides being held up again a wall in a woman's hand.
Our National 5 and Higher Media Study Guides

Our National 5 Media Study Guide provides thorough coverage of this creative, communicative course. We’ve worked closely with experienced teacher Alexandra Mattinson to create a book that is packed with brilliant content and activities to complement what learners cover in the classroom. Each page has been thoughtfully designed to embed the seven key aspects of the course content and fundamentally appeal to students. The illustrations are eye-catching and the content is presented in a clear and aesthetically pleasing way that it’s easy for learners to pick out the key points and consolidate their knowledge.

student holding pen over open book at a table
Student in classroom setting

The content of the book mirrors the structure of the course and will help learners prepare for the Question paper (exam) and the Assignment. The book covers the content-based key aspects (categories, language, narrative and representation) as well as the context-based key aspects (institution, society and audience). Its methodical approach will help guide learners through the course with confidence, aided by our bespoke features which will help cement and stretch students understanding. Additional support is available on our Bright Red Digital Zone – our free, online learning platform that is bursting with extra content, video links, activities (with the answers provided) and online tests.

Our Higher Media Study Guide similarly provides extensive coverage of the course content and is written by subject experts, Wendy Elrick and Keith Hay. We’ve had the pleasure of working closely with both authors to create a resource that meticulously follows the Higher Media course and will help learners in a number of ways. By using this book, learners will be able to analyse and create media content, build their understanding of the key aspects of media literacy, develop their knowledge of the role of media within society, advance their research skills and master their ability to self-evaluate. Revision can be incredibly daunting for students but this book will offer them an excellent starting point and expertly guide them through the challenges of the course up to the examination day. Like our National 5 Media Study Guide, there are bespoke Bright Red features on every page that are designed to reiterate key points and offer direction for further reading on our Bright Red Digital Zone.

Screenshot of the Bright Red Digital Zone Home Page
Our Bright Red Digital Zone

Creating new content for the market can be hugely challenging but the end result makes the whole process so worthwhile. We are really delighted with both these books and are excited to be publishing into a new subject field, providing guidance and support for students in an area where before now, resources have been limited.

View our National 5 Media Sample Pages here and our Higher Media Sample Pages here.

Bright stationery, including pens, pencils. rulers, highlighters etc

Back-to-School with Bright Red

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It’s hard to believe just how quickly 2019 is whizzing by. While schools have been on holiday, the Bright Red office has been buzzing with activity as we prepare for the new term. This year, we are back with a particularly large bang as we publish New Editions, new Study Guides and launch an entirely new series of Course Books! Continue reading “Back-to-School with Bright Red” →