09/10    3 February 2010 

The OFT has launched a new version of its Skilled to go consumer education programme designed specifically for Scottish secondary schools.

Skilled to go is a free online resource for teachers containing games, quizzes, listening, video and interactive online activities developed to give pupils the skills and knowledge to deal confidently with everyday consumer issues. These activities use real-life examples - such as choosing a mobile phone or returning a product to a shop - to be engaging and relevant for secondary school age learners.

The Scottish version of Skilled to go has been developed for teachers of Social and Vocational Skills and Home Economics, and to be used to support Enterprise learning and the delivery of Consumer Studies at Intermediate Levels 1 and 2. It also supports development in literacy, numeracy and life skills - key elements of the new Scottish Curriculum for Excellence.

As part of the Skilled to go package, the OFT is offering secondary schools in Scotland:

• Comprehensive downloadable teaching materials specifically targeted at the 16-19 age range, which reflect Scottish law, procedures and the curriculum.
• Colour-coded teachers' notes, and suggestions for differentiation and extension activities.
• Free on-site training workshops for teachers.
• Free materials for teachers willing to train other colleagues

Evaluation of the Skilled to go pilot last year found that learners made significant progress in just six weeks, with 64 per cent of course participants feeling very or quite confident in knowing their consumer rights, compared to 20 per cent at the beginning of the course.

Kyla Brand, OFT Representative in Scotland said:

'Young people today engage in a wide range of consumer transactions and these can sometimes be confusing. Just like the fundamental skills of reading and writing, we believe that being able to handle consumer situations confidently and effectively is an important life skill. We hope the toolkit will become a useful and informative resource for teachers working within the Scottish secondary school system.'

Teachers wishing to register, download materials and to book a free training workshop can visit the Skilled to go section of this website.

NOTES

1. All the Skilled to go materials are editable and fully referenced to the:

• Curriculum for Excellence experiences and outcomes for Health and Wellbeing, Social Studies and Technologies
• Curriculum for Excellence purposes and capacities, and principles for curriculum design
• Standard Grade arrangement documents for Social and Vocational  Skills and Home Economics
• Mapping is also available for the Scottish adult literacy, numeracy, and language (ESOL) curriculum at Intermediate 1 and 2 and Access 2-3.

2. Over 5000 teachers have registered to use Skilled to go in the first eighteen months of its launch (June 2008 - December 2009). Approximately 15 per cent of registrations come from Scotland. Around 200 secondary school teachers in Scotland have already registered to access the adult education version of Skilled to go.

3. Skilled to go logos and images are available on request.