In terms of professional development, the days of waiting for a course to be offered and teachers booking time out of school have long gone - now we as teachers we can access professional development in multi-modal hybrid formats. Webinars are one such method - but how can we make the best use of them and when are they most effective?

In this episode Ian and Andrew discuss how webinars can be effective and look at the ways we design and deliver these to maximise their value.

At Discovery Education we offer PD in a wide variety of formats to suit different needs and purposes - get in touch with your School Success Advisor to access the PD which works best for you and your colleagues. schoolsupport@discoveryed.com

Please email us with questions, ideas or suggestions at classroomconnect@discoveryed.com

One way of connecting the real world to children's learning across the curriculum is to make links to events, festivals, anniversaries and special days. Our 'Calendar Picks' provide a wealth mini-lessons linked to events throughout the year. Whether you are celebrating Harvest Festival, recognising Eid Ul Fitr, exploring the events of D-Day, participating in Road Safety Week or remembering Holocaust Memorial day there are lots of choices across the whole year, with around 80 events covered - with versions for EYFS, KS1 and KS2 included in Espresso! Find them in your Key Stage Home Page.

Ian and Andrew discuss some of these and the ways these events can impact on children's learning throughout the year.

Please email us with questions, ideas or suggestions at classroomconnect@discoveryed.com

Another Spotlight on Strategies special. Join Ian and Andrew as they discuss the use of the 'Close Encounters' strategy and explore other ideas for enhancing learning with effective strategies linked to digital resources, which are designed to develop children's skills.

Espress users can access all of our SOS resources here

Please email us with questions, ideas or suggestions at classroomconnect@discoveryed.com