Curricula – Octavo Blog

12th September 202212th September 2022

What is Digital Literacy all About?

Teach necessary digital skills with Octavo

For many teachers and parents who were born before the internet, the concept of digital literacy as a subject may sound a little strange. Aren’t digital skills something that people learn naturally as they grow older? This may have been the case up until the Millennial generation who grew up alongside the internet, but as technology develops at a rapid pace, it becomes even more difficult to keep up with new skills.

Just as children can learn new languages much easier than adults, they can also absorb the language of the digital world with greater ease.

This is what digital literacy is all about!

3rd November 20213rd November 2021

Students’ Maltese Stories Published on Octavo!

An original series of works were produced as part of ‘L-Isfida Msella’ organised by San Anton School.

Maltese literature plays an important role in the creative development of young students. It sheds light on their heritage, aids in their understanding of their native language and contributes to their unique identity in a way that international literature cannot. In an innovative approach to improving the teaching of Maltese literature, San Anton School organised a challenge revolving around a set of tasks relating to reading and writing called ‘L-Isfida Msella‘.

27th July 20213rd November 2021

Why are Non-Fiction Books so Important for Children?

Hands-on learning: Explore the digital non-fiction collections available on Octavo.

Great ideas are often sparked from ordinary moments, and creating an environment that stimulates learning among children can lead to wondrous discoveries.

The conversations we have, the media we consume and how we spend our free time can all help to shape how a child approaches learning. For example, by swapping the television time for non-fiction books, or using tablets and mobile devices to read instead of watching videos, children can expand their real-world knowledge and understand how the world works.

But there’s more to non-fiction than that.

13th July 202123rd December 2021

Understanding Levelled Reading Systems with Octavo

With every skill you learn, having a system to follow can help you track your progress and measure your achievements.

And with reading, it’s no different!

Yet, have you ever considered how a levelled reading system can help children learn to read? By following one or more of the reading systems available on Octavo, readers can enhance their learning and easily look up texts through the digital library that are perfectly suited for their current reading level.

So, what are levelled reading systems and who should use them?

Levelled reading systems are guides that provide a clear understanding of the level of difficulty of the content contained within a book. While there are many different levelling systems in use around the world, there isn’t a one-size-fits-all approach to choosing a system.

14th June 202124th January 2022

How to Teach Children to Love Fiction

Discover the Fiction Readers collection on Octavo

Works of fiction have always played an enormously important role for children. No matter their age, background or interests, developing a healthy imagination from our early years has proven to have many benefits, from encouraging children to dream big and aim high, to providing a healthy means of escape from daily stresses and pressures. Moreover, reading fiction has also been linked to boosting brain power, meaning that the more children read, the more stimulated their brains become.

5th May 202128th February 2022

A Beginner’s Guide to Learning Maltese

Learn Maltese for Foreigners with Octavo and Charles Daniel Saliba

Practise reading, listening and speaking with the Maltese for Foreigners collection on Octavo!

Apart from the sunny weather and blue seas, many expats are drawn to living, studying or working in Malta thanks to the widespread use of the English language on the island. Indeed, English is one of the island’s two official languages and, with so many international people moving to Malta, English is often the main language used in workplaces and extracurricular activities.

If you’ve lived in Malta long enough, however, you’ll soon realise that learning the Maltese language is an essential skill to have to blend in with the locals’ way of life. Learning a few phrases here and there will get you far on a welcoming island like Malta, and the history of the language is enough to pique many expats’ interest and encourage them to learn how to speak Maltese!

14th April 20213rd November 2021

Maltese Phonics Made Easy

Learn the sounds of the Maltese alphabet with Sensiela Fanali on Octavo

The early stages of language learning are an incredibly exciting time for children, parents and teachers alike. As a child’s vocabulary expands, so does their experience of the world as they develop a way to express their interests, pronounce the name of their favourite colours and animals, and turn their inner thoughts into words.

This is where phonics come in to play. As the building blocks of a language, a good understanding of alphabetic sounds provides fertile ground for language skills to flourish!

If you’re looking for a way to help children explore the relationship between Maltese letters and sounds, the Sensiela Fanali programme – available on Octavo and in print – is the solution. An essential addition to your teaching toolbox, this collection of books will be with your child every step of the way, establishing a solid basis for the fruitful development of Maltese reading skills!