December 2012 archive

Literacy Block

Successful elements of Literacy Block this term:

  • Class novel which links with the focus area
  • Comprehension strategies modelled through the use of the class novel, e.g. visualisation, think aloud, questions, predictions, etc.
  • Finding examples of the focus in students individual texts e.g. dialogue – explore the punctuation patterns, similes, metaphors
  • Students practising the comprehension strategies during independent reading – showing proof via post it notes, records, blog entries, goal setting and review.
  • Applying author’s craft to their own work – using dialogue – characters from the class novel (Shadow Puppets), then applying this technique to their own story writing
  • Using multi-media elements to communicate their story
  • Reading the great student written stories aloud to the class

Expand next year by including:

  • Guided Reading – as per last term, but limit to three in each group to ensure engagement.
  • Regular partner reading sessions, focusing on the reading comprehension strategies
  • Build in CAFE approach by involving students in regular goal setting – Comprehension, Accuracy, Fluency, Expand Vocabulary
  • Develop fluency further by adding recording of students reading aloud on their blog – Audioboo, Audacity, Educreations, Show Me

Twitter PLN

It has been great to connect with different people through Twitter, especially via Sunday evening chats #teacherwellbeing. During the last session two collaborators referred to holiday reading they were planning to do. As a result we have decided to start a summer book club! The idea is to read, blog and then Twitter chat about thoughts relating to these. It sounds interesting.
Mary will be reading ‘Visible Thinking’. Corisel has ‘Daily Five’ and ‘Visible Learning’ and I have ordered and am awaiting ‘Instructional Rounds’. I have also ordered Flattened Classroom in preparation for another Global Book Chat.

We are aiming for the first week of January.

Here is a link to Corinne’s blog:
https://aboutteaching.wordpress.com/2012/12/09/summer-book-club/#comment-668

Feedback

http://api.ning.com/files/aCFMTTNs7ONShA0o9DzFVubE6hPymJGrw51VYDm54q7idEYZxG53dCu*VIJfU2paG6oBzzDc7-J8G33U-D34m4VkCrXBm6xh/aguidetocreatinglearningconversationstheaskdescribeaskformula1.pdf
http://api.ning.com/files/41bYyZQJb1Cga2DaaX*aBBWhQL9E964YzeKCsGy9sHx-u4Bh3UYwCSmDjRl5SXfR4UdzZ7gkTFh29hDLr7e1PVzYJ66KOBfD/20110520LessonObsTool2.pdf
http://api.ning.com/files/6wfzpJ-RuZgMsVQUWQsETQ1TTsk4ZV6ZyWP7Hwk*kSavz049R1QY4L1rph8wJvwYRkjyx9UrocsVH*4hWEHV57*BC4wREqIL/ObservationasProfessionalLearningConsiderations.pdf

Evaluating Site Improvements

http://www.decd.sa.gov.au/quality/files/links/EFFECTIVE_IMPROVEMENT_PLAN.pdf
http://www.decd.sa.gov.au/quality/files/links/Effective_Improvement_Pla_1.pdf
How to construct Targets
http://www.decd.sa.gov.au/quality/files/links/A_Guide_to_constructing_T_1.pdf
How to write strategies
http://www.decd.sa.gov.au/quality/files/links/A_Guide_to_writing_Strate_1.pdf
Effect Size – Things to be Wary of
http://www.decd.sa.gov.au/quality/files/links/WhatIsEffectSize.pdf
Examples of different sets of data that can be used
http://www.decd.sa.gov.au/quality/files/links/MultipleMeasuresData.pdf
http://www.decd.sa.gov.au/quality/files/links/NAPLAN_Analysis_Resource_2.pdf
How to copy from a Pdf document
http://www.decd.sa.gov.au/docs/documents/1/CopyingfromaPdfDocument.pdf