All Reviews

Clare Catcheside, Ashcott Primary, Somerset

We have used the stories to support work across the curriculum. March’s story of the month – The Story Monster – is great. We’re using it this week across the school as a stimulus for storytelling. All classes from Y4 to Y6 are writing the story that was in the monster’s book. Subscription was certainly money very well spent and we really feel we’re getting our money’s worth.

Thanks Val!

Wendy Budsworth, Primary MFL consultant, Swinton

I really love this website and I know that it will prove a useful resources for teachers with limited knowledge of languages, as well as those who are more competent. Stories are a great way of practising language and compliment the Literacy framework too. I tested out these stories on my daughter and son before using them in the classroom and they were soon joining in with the language. Brilliant!

Elaine Ellis

I really, really like the plastic bag story - what a great idea! Teaches useful vocab/phrases AND a vital environmental message that's relevant to children.

NIELSEN INNOVATION OF THE YEAR 2011

Grow Story Grow was applauded by the judges for its innovative online resource that helps children improve language skills via story telling. They liked the company’s understanding of its audience and sound marketing. “Grow Story Grow makes great use of technology, and intuitively its product works very well.”

THE FRANKFURT BOOK FAIR DIGITAL AWARD 2011

Grow Story Grow received its nomination — its second in this year’s awards — for its storytelling portal that helps children improve language skills. “Grow Story Grow has used technology for what it’s good at, rather than for its own sake,” said the judges. “What it has achieved on limited resources is very impressive.”

BETT AWARD 2011

The judges thought that this product was innovative, very relevant to education and overall, an excellent use of ICT. They liked the ability to see both language scripts side by side. The judges particularly liked the interactive elements of the resource, the fact that it was web-based so could be used at home as well as in class, and that it was cost-effective.

BEST PRACTICE, COMMITMENT TO EXCELLENCE AWARD

It is with great pride that Best Practice awards GrowStoryGrow with the Commitment to Excellence Award! This award is a reflection of GrowStoryGrow’s dedication to learning. By making learning languages fun, GrowStoryGrow is able to open up an entirely new world of learning that will make children laugh, cry, shriek, question and most importantly, think. GrowStoryGrow is a revolutionary story-telling website for learning languages, transforming language learning into something so much more stimulating.

Pupils from Towerbank Primary School, Portobello

It’s improved my confidence in French.
I use it at home sometimes because my little sister really enjoys it too.
It’s a new idea and exciting.
There’s good voices and you can repeat after it and see what it means.
If you don’t know a language you can learn it easily and have fun at the same time.
You learn harder words because it’s telling about the stories and the stories are well-known.

Pupils from St Mary’s Primary School, Leith

It’s just good.
It’s really fun and easy to use and pretty simple.
It’s a new way of learning and better than using jotters.

Anne-Lise Wahab, about the story-writing competition

On behalf of the children of the British School of Paris, I would like to thank you for giving them the opportunity to express their writing and creative skills in a different context.

They had great fun writing their stories although none of them thought they could win! This will certainly motivate and encourage them in the future. We will take part again next year. In the meantime I am looking forward to reading Pablo's story on your website.

Dan Alliott

During the summer term of 2010, Val visited us in the London Borough of Havering to deliver a hands-on workshop to the primary language subject leaders from our 50 key stage two schools. The workshop was packed with practical ideas, demonstrating how to teach stories using mime and storyboards, and drawing attention to the importance of high-frequency words in language learning.

The session provided plenty of food for thought and was well structured throughout the day to enable participants to ask questions, work independently, in groups and pairs, and also to take materials away to use with their classes, which they were keen to do!

Thanks Val for providing us with a useful and enjoyable day and for bringing your enthusiasm and friendly nature to Havering for the day!