The BBC’s online learning website, BBC Bitesize, has launched a programme of daily lessons to help parents who are currently trying to educate their children at home.
Yesterday should have been the start of the summer term across the UK, but school gates remain closed in the wake of the coronavirus lockdown for everyone except the children of key workers. With no conformation yet of when they might re-open, parents are facing a lengthy and potentially challenging period of home-schooling.
In an attempt to take some of the pressure off parents, BBC Bitesize will be providing three full lessons a day for students up to GCSE level, covering a wide range of subjects.
A whole host of celebrities will be stepping in to lead the lessons, which will include videos, fun activities, educational games, articles and practice tests. Students can expect to find Manchster City footballer Sergio Aguero teaching them how to count in Spanish, actor Danny Dyer teaching them about Henry VIII, David Attenborough leading Geography lessons and Professor Brian Cox teaching various Science topics. Other famous faces like Doctor Who actress Jodie Whittaker and One Direction member Liam Payne will also be dropping in to read books aimed at both primary and secondary age students
As an example of what a lesson looks like, tomorrow’s Year 5 English lesson asks students to write a newspaper report inspired by the Roald Dahl book George’s Marvellous Medicine. It includes a video explaining the key features of a news article, a clip of Kids’ TV stars Dick and Dom reading the story, and three activities which build up to them writing an article of their own.
All of the lessons for this week are already on the site, allowing parents to plan their child’s learning day accordingly, and new lessons will be added weekly for the at least the next 14 weeks. Maths and English will be covered every day, with other subjects rotating throughout the week.
As well as the online programme, lessons are also available via the Red Button and on iPlayer, where there will be a daily primary school programme at 9am and a show for secondary school students at 10am. Elsewhere, there will be daily education podcasts on the Bitesize website and shows on BBC Four every evening to support GCSE and A-level students.
If you’re currently home-schooling your children and lacking inspiration, this new programme from BBC Bitesize looks genuinely brilliant. The website also has loads of other free resources to help, from timetable templates to advice on supporting children with special educational needs.
Featured image: Facebook.Â
