Hanga- Create Workshop 2024

 "Digital Technologies Empower Creativity"

On Friday, May 31st we had our cluster Teacher Only Day at Panmure Bridge School. The keynote was from Dr. Craig Hansen.
I must say how absolutely stellar your presentation on AI was! Your insights were not only profound but also incredibly engaging. The way you broke down complex concepts and made them accessible to everyone was truly impressive. Thanks for inspiring us! 

During our Kahui Ako workshops, teachers from the Community of Learning (COL) took the initiative to share their technology skills to incorporate "create" activities in their classrooms.

I presented with my colleague Anjila and I absolutely enjoyed it. Our presentation was about how to use "Kleki" and "Polyline" on Google drawing.

 

 

Research Literature - Three pieces of Professional Reading to support my Hypothesis.

Three pieces of Professional Reading to support my Hypothesis.

1. Peer-Assisted Learning/Literacy Strategy

PEER ASSISTED LEARNING/LITERACY STRATEGIES (PALS) is a peer tutoring strategy that can be incorporated into a literacy curriculum to improve fluency, decoding, and comprehension. In PALS, students are divided into pairs and alternate between the roles of the tutor and tutee. Each student takes a turn reading aloud, listening to his/her partner read, and providing systematic feedback to each other. Students are trained to use partner reading, paragraph shrinking, and predication relay during PALS.

2. Inference - Making 

Inference-making at the primary level in reading offers a wealth of benefits for young learners. Here are some key advantages: Boosts Comprehension: By actively making inferences, children go beyond the literal meaning of the text. They use clues and their background knowledge to "read between the lines" and understand the deeper meaning of the story. This leads to a richer and more complete understanding of what they are reading. Strengthens Critical Thinking: Inference-making requires critical thinking skills. Children analyse information, make connections, and draw conclusions based on the text and their own experiences. This strengthens their ability to think critically and solve problems in other areas of learning. Enhances Vocabulary Development: As children encounter unfamiliar words or phrases while making inferences, they are more likely to ask questions and seek clarification. This exposure to new vocabulary helps them expand their word knowledge and improve their overall reading fluency. Improves Engagement: When children actively participate in figuring things out while reading, they become more engaged with the text. Inferencing turns reading from a passive activity into a detective game, making it more enjoyable and motivating. Builds a Foundation for Future Learning: Inference-making is a crucial skill not just for reading, but for all subjects. By developing strong inferencing skills early on, children are better prepared for success in future learning endeavors across various disciplines. In short, inference making at the primary level is a powerful tool that sets children up for success in reading and beyond.

3. Reading Rocket

Here's why reading stamina is important:

Deeper Comprehension: When you can read for longer stretches without getting worn out, you can delve deeper into the text. You have more time to absorb information, make connections, and understand the overall meaning.

Improved Retention: The longer you focus on reading, the better you remember what you've read. This is crucial for learning and academic success.

Greater Enjoyment: Reading stamina allows you to truly get lost in a good book and appreciate the story or information being presented. It can turn reading from a chore into a pleasurable activity.

Academic Advantage:  In school, students with strong reading stamina can tackle longer texts, assignments, and exams with more confidence and ease.

Reading stamina is a child’s ability to focus and read independently for long-ish periods of time without being distracted or without distracting others. Building reading stamina is beneficial for everyone, from children just starting out to adults who want to improve their reading habits. There are many strategies to help you develop this skill, like setting realistic reading goals, choosing engaging materials, and creating a comfortable reading environment.

Hypothesise and Research

Formulating a hypothesis is a crucial step in the teaching inquiry process. It provides direction and clarity, helping me focus my investigation and ultimately improve my teaching practices. By following the steps outlined below, I can create a strong, testable hypothesis that will guide my inquiry and lead to meaningful insights into your educational practice.
Remember, the goal of a hypothesis is not just to find answers, but to foster a deeper understanding of my teaching methods and their impact on my students. 

The steps that I followed to formulate my hypothesis were as follows:

1. Identify the Problem or Question in my teaching practice for Reading.

2. Conduct Preliminary Research by gathering information related to my question. 

3. Defining my Variables by identifying the independent and dependent variable. The independent variable is what I will change, while the dependent variable is what I will measure or observe.

4. Formulate my Hypothesis

As such I came up with three hunches that I have learnt so far about my students and the learning environment.

Given the observed challenges with inference questions and completion of tasks, there may be a need for more focused instruction or practice sessions targeting inference skills to enhance comprehension.

Based  on my observation I came up with this Hunch:

1. If I provide more focused instruction and practice inference skills, then they will be motivated to read more.

Secondly, the observed shyness in some students when reading aloud or sharing ideas could indicate a lack of confidence in their reading abilities. Implementing strategies to build confidence, such as peer support or small group activities, may help alleviate this issue.

Based  on my observation I came up with this Hunch:

2. If I implement strategies such as peer support or small group activities, then there will be more student engagement and participation during reading sessions, as well as a boost in confidence among students who are not so confident to read aloud or share their ideas.

Thirdly, the tendency of some students to guess answers during assessments rather than reading the entire text suggests a possible struggle with sustained attention or reading stamina. Incorporating activities or strategies to improve reading fluency and stamina, such as timed reading exercises or a gradual increase in reading durations, may be beneficial.

Based  on my observation I came up with this Hunch:

3. An emphasis on timed reading exercises and a gradual increase in reading durations will enhance my students' reading stamina.

Here is my SLT Voice:

The most important and catalytic issue of learning for my focus group of learners this year.

 My Focus Group Selection

Selecting my target group in Room 10 has undergone some refinement over recent weeks in Term 1. Initially, I planned to focus on students from two different reading groups. However, following recent assessments, a few students transitioned to the Level 3 curriculum. Consequently, I've decided to focus on eight students from the Level 1 and Level 2 curriculum levels.

2023/2024 PAT and e-asTTle Data

To arrive at this decision, I analysed data from 2023, examining end-of-year running record age and level, as well as end-of-year PAT and e-asTTle data to assess their current academic standing. With the completion of the 2024 PAT testing, I've conducted a comprehensive review of the data across my team and class. 

Priority students Baseline Data 2024

Observations

Observations conducted during reading lessons have provided significant insights. Students frequently lose interest when engaging with journal readings and encounter challenges with inference questions, resulting in unfinished tasks. Moreover, certain students demonstrate reluctance to read aloud or contribute ideas, displaying shyness. Furthermore, it's been observed that during assessments, reluctance to read the entire text leads to guesswork when answering questions.

                                                          Student Survey

Recognising these challenges, I've conducted a student survey to gain further insights into their learning preferences and attitudes. Combining these data sources and discussions with senior leaders and colleagues, I've identified this group of students as my target learners for the year, aiming to address their specific needs and enhance their reading comprehension skills.

Reader Profile Survey Reflection: Knowing My Learners

The survey on reading provided me with valuable insights into the characteristics and preferences of my students, offering a deeper understanding of their learning needs.

 

After conducting a student survey, I've uncovered fascinating insights about my students, which I've incorporated into this blog post to share with you.

The results indicate that a significant portion of the students surveyed have a positive attitude towards reading. About a third really love reading, another third like it sometimes, and another third only read when they have to. None of the students said they don't like reading at all. So, it looks like most students have at least some interest in reading, which is good news! Overall, these findings suggest that while a considerable number of students have a positive attitude towards reading, there is still a portion of students who may benefit from additional support or encouragement to foster greater enjoyment of reading.

Another interesting result was this one as well. The majority of the respondents, 57.9%, indicated that they generally like the way reading activities are organised each week. On the other hand, 42.1% mentioned that they sometimes like it. This suggests that there is a generally positive sentiment towards the way reading activities are structured, with a larger portion of students expressing consistent satisfaction compared to those who occasionally find the activities agreeable. Overall, it seems that the majority of students are content with the setup of reading activities.

Last year my students enjoyed extended discussion so this suggests that my year 6's are looking forward to having extended discussion during the reading class. 

Inquiry 2024 - Planning for an Effective Teacher Inquiry with my Senior Leadership Team (SLT).

Reconnaissance -  student inquiry foci 

Collaborate with your school’s leadership team and colleagues to identify areas where your inquiry will make a powerful contribution to wider school and cluster goals.

From what you know already about your classes and your school’s profile and leadership goals for the year, share a possible inquiry focus.

Frame your focus as a desired change in student learning NOT a change in teaching (as yet!)

I have chosen  The Achievement Challenge 3 as an area of focus.  -Lift the achievement in Reading for all students, with a particular focus on boys and Māori students (both genders) in years 1-13

I’m also considering my Inquiry focus question to be around:  Will a focus on reading stamina and increased reading mileage, lead to improved performance/outcomes in e-asTTle reading comprehension/PAT assessments?

Planning an effective teacher inquiry around reading for the Year 6 level in my classroom is a rewarding endeavour.  I’m in the process of understanding my student's needs. Term 1 testing has been completed. Currently, I am analysing the marks but at the same time, I have successfully placed them in the groups with their cohorts.

Priority Student Baseline Data 2024 Term 1

I have a variety of effective interventions planned for Term 1 to support my students' reading development and engagement. Here's a breakdown of each intervention that I discussed with my SLT:

Student Survey Form: Conducting a student survey form is an excellent way to gain insights into my learners' interests, preferences, and reading habits. This information will help me tailor my reading instruction to better meet the needs and interests of my students.

Reading Challenge: I had a meeting with the Across CoL Teacher - Christine Tupou. She suggested that I implement a reading challenge that can be a fun and motivating way to encourage students to read more. It promotes a culture of reading within the classroom and fosters a sense of competition or achievement among students.

National Library Week Celebration: I’m planning to have a Library Week celebration at our school. I will discuss with ZP regarding this.

Utilising events like National Library Week to celebrate reading can further emphasise the importance of literacy and the value of libraries. It's a great opportunity to engage students in various reading-related activities and promote a love for reading.

Video Recording Reading Lesson: Recording my reading lessons allows me to observe my teaching practices and student engagement more objectively. It can help me identify areas for improvement and reflect on my instructional strategies.

Collaboration with the Deputy Principal:  ZP has reviewed my reading plan and brainstormed ideas for improvement.  It provided an opportunity for peer feedback and support, fostering a culture of collaboration and professional growth. I have also spoken to my principal (JH) about my inquiry focus. He is very much in support of this inquiry as this will certainly lead to improved performance /outcomes in e-asTTle reading comprehension/PAT assessments.

Tuakana–Teina Relationship:  (I discussed with PW the possibility of organising buddy reading sessions between my students in Room 10 and the Tamariki from Room 3, aiming for a frequency of once per week.

Organising buddy reading sessions between students in different classes (Room 10 and Room 3) is an excellent way to promote peer learning and collaboration. It allows older students to serve as mentors or "tuakana" to younger students ("teina"), fostering positive relationships and supporting literacy development for both groups.

Overall, these interventions demonstrate a proactive approach to promoting reading engagement and literacy development in my classroom. 

2023 CoL Teacher Inquiry: Bursts and Bubbles

I'm delighted to share my amazing journey of CoL with you all. As we arrive at the end of 2023, it's a moment to reflect on the insights gained and anticipate the possibilities ahead!

Here is a short reflection of my Inquiry Focus for 2023 and following that, there's a summary of my 2023 Inquiry in the form of a Google Slides presentation.

My Inquiry question for this year was:

Will a focus on cultural visibility and prior knowledge accelerate student confidence and capability in Reading?

By intentionally integrating cultural visibility and leveraging students' prior knowledge, educators create a more inclusive and engaging learning environment. 

I identified this as my focus when I noticed that certain students were not utilizing their prior knowledge and lacked confidence in reading or sharing their cultural stories.

To build a rich picture of my students’ learning I used the evidence and data from the PAT Reading Comprehension, e-asTTle Reading Comprehension assessments, student voice, and baseline observations. 

During the profiling phase, I noticed my target students prefer to sit silently but all become nervous if asked to read a paragraph. With my inquiry in mind, I stepped back and watched how they interacted with others when working in Reading groups. Actually, they were very quiet, did not want to read loud and there wasn’t much interaction between them.

After taking a mini-lesson with my focus group, profiling my own teaching provided valuable insights. For example:

• I used a number of deliberate acts of teaching.
• At some points, I felt that I could have asked more questions.
• Also, I should have given them enough waiting time to answer the questions.
• I did more talking as well.

The changes I made in my teaching were ….

• I am not going to rush through the lesson. 
• Conduct small group reading instruction to provide targeted support. 
• Establish clear, measurable learning objectives for my reading lessons. 

The literature/expertise that helped me decide what changes to make are summarised in my blog in detail. 

An integral part of my inquiry was an extended discussion whereby my students do predict, summarise, question, and clarify. I got this idea from Vygotsky's theories. 

Overall I would rate the changes in student learning as….positive, with noticeable improvements in engagement, comprehension, and confidence. 

The evidence for my rating is that…. I have observed increased participation during discussions, greater depth in understanding demonstrated by students, and a noticeable boost in their confidence when expressing ideas and sharing their thoughts.

The most important learning that I acquired about reciprocal teaching in my class is the power of collaborative learning and shared responsibility among students.

Remember friends “Teaching with cultural responsiveness means understanding that every student is a story waiting to be heard and valued”.

Response to Manaiakalani Kāhui Ako teacher within-school role

What achievement challenge are you considering as an area of focus in 2024 and why? Include in your WHY both evidence and your own passion/expertise.

I’m considering The Achievement Challenge 3 as an area of focus.  -Lift the achievement in Reading for all students, with a particular focus on boys and Māori students (both genders) in years 1-13

I’m also considering my Inquiry focus question to be around:  Can reading stamina and increased reading mileage, lead to improved performance/outcomes in e-asTTle reading comprehension/PAT assessments?

This year, my primary focus was on implementing culturally responsive teaching, emphasising cultural visibility, and tapping into my students' prior knowledge. I'm convinced that my efforts in this area have greatly benefited my learners.

• The major changes in my teaching practice included:
• Engaging in more extended discussions with my reading groups.
• Dedicating additional time to the careful selection of texts and genres.
• Implementing more explicit planning.
• Setting realistic goals for myself.

However, I encountered other significant challenges. One of these challenges was the observation that my students lacked reading stamina and reading mileage. They struggle to maintain their concentration during extended reading, and when they take e-asTTle reading comprehension assessments, they tend to quickly become disinterested and fatigued. Consequently, they often resort to randomly selecting answers.

I strongly believe that it is imperative to expose our students to a wide range of texts and genres to enhance their vocabulary, broaden their background knowledge, and elevate their overall reading skills.

What learnings from the 2017 - 2023 CoL teacher inquiries have informed or inspired your thinking?

During the year 2022, I actively followed the blog of my school colleague, Zhydah, where I witnessed her seamless handling of her responsibilities as a Community of Learning (CoL) leader. She occasionally shared her CoL journey with us, which served as a powerful source of inspiration, motivating me to step up and take on the role of a CoL leader within our school.

Additionally, my collaboration with another colleague, Rebecca, facilitated open discussions and made it significantly easier for us to delve into our inquiry focus. The highlight of my CoL experience this year was undeniably the "Hanga Meeting." During this event, I had the privilege to work closely with Rebecca Kirby. Together, we shared our expertise in flax weaving with our dedicated team of teachers. This "create" meeting had a profound impact on my confidence level, leaving me with a sense of immense pride and happiness.

How would your work support Manaiakalani pedagogy and kaupapa?

I will mostly use collaborative pedagogy with my learners. It will be learner-centred so that they are empowered to share their thoughts and opinions freely and confidently.

I will also ensure that learning is ubiquitous and visible as well.

My inquiry will follow the learn, create and share model as I dive deeper into reading, create a structured approach to literacy that best meets the needs of my tamariki and share this teaching inquiry with my colleagues at Glen Innes School, and the wider Manaiakalani CoL. 

Which elements of the extensive Manaiakalani research findings inform or challenge you as you think about this?

I explored Edpotential and read the cluster report for Manaiakalani and the school report. Our school reading data suggests that reading is an area of need. 

How would you like to be supported in 2024 as you undertake this inquiry?

I have been using a collaborative approach with my colleagues and I will continue to do so so that my work becomes more manageable. 

I am looking forward to engaging with the Manaiakalani team, and other CoL teachers in professional conversations.

Inviting CoL (AS) teachers to observe my reading class and provide feedback.

How would you plan to support your colleagues in your school with THEIR inquiries and/or teaching in the area you are exploring?

I would love to have the opportunity to share my findings during staff meetings and visit classrooms during my release in order to share my findings. Teachers from junior and senior sides are always welcome to my class and I am always willing to share my practices with them.

Evidence about the CHANGES to the intervention

As you can see my focus group is doing very well except for those highlighted students whose progress is not as expected.

Here is an update on the progress of the reading focus group, which has been underway for a specific period ( 2023 Term 1 to 2023 Term 4). My focus group has been quite successful in improving the reading skills of the majority of participating students. However, there are some students whose progress appears to be stagnant.

1. Overview of the Reading Focus Group:

The reading focus group was initiated with the goal of improving reading skills, focusing on the cultural visibility and prior knowledge that might help them to accelerate their confidence level and the capability of reading. There were altogether 8 students (4 Year 6's and 4 Year 7's). The group has been meeting regularly, and various strategies and resources have been employed to enhance their reading abilities. The strategies used include targeted reading exercises, one-on-one support, and the utilization of appropriate reading materials especially Maori and Pasifika-themed journals and stories were chosen. 

2. Overall Progress:

The majority of students in the focus group have shown significant improvement in their reading skills. Their reading comprehension, vocabulary, and fluency have all seen positive growth. Also, I am using Reciprocal Teaching (Extended Discussion) with my Level 3 group. This has been quite popular in my Reading Class and I believe the students are enjoying it! The group's collective progress demonstrates that the focus group approach is effective in achieving its objectives.

3. Identifying Stagnant Progress:

Regrettably, some students within the focus group have experienced stagnant progress. These students, [highlighted in red], have not displayed the same level of advancement as their peers. Their reading skills have shown limited or no improvement despite my continued efforts.

4. Possible Causes of Stagnation:

To address the issue of stagnant progress among the highlighted students, it is crucial to identify potential causes:

Lack of Engagement: I felt these students were not fully engaged during my guided reading sessions. 

Home Environment: External factors, such as home environment and support, may be affecting their progress.

Attendance and Participation: Also Irregular attendance and participation may have contributed to their lack of progress.

5. Next Steps:

In light of the stagnation observed in some students, I proposed the following steps to address this issue:

Individual Assessment: In Term 4 Week 4, I will do individual assessments for these students.

Customised Learning Plans: Those highlighted students are also going to another teacher on Tuesdays and Fridays from this Term. The teacher is working on the gaps, especially in the comprehension area.

Parental Involvement: Collaborating with parents and guardians to improve the home support system and reinforce the importance of reading outside the classroom.

Regular Progress Monitoring: Implementing a system for frequent progress monitoring to assess the effectiveness of interventions and adapt strategies as needed.

6. Reflection:

I invited AS CoL teacher Christine to observe my class to get more ideas as to how I can improve my teaching strategies.

Here is her feedback:

Here is the student voice:

So I'm already implementing those strategies in my Reading class. Let's see if I can see more positive changes and an accelerated shift in Term 4 assessments.

CoL Teacher Inquiry: Where am I up to?

Restate your inquiry question and your theory of action/chain of events.

My Inquiry Focus:

Will a focus on cultural visibility and prior knowledge accelerate student confidence and capability in Reading?

• To explicitly teach inferencing to help students draw conclusions and make educated guesses based on the information provided in the text and their own background knowledge.
• To give explicit instruction in comprehension strategies to help students understand, predict, summarise, question, visualise and make cultural connections to become strategic readers.
• To provide explicit teaching around extended discussion to develop students’ ability to engage in in-depth conversations about a text, sharing ideas and building upon the opinions of others.  

Describe how you will collect information about the implementation of your changed practices/intervention.

• Providing a clear explanation of what inferencing is by allowing learners to go beyond the literal meaning of the text and find the hidden meaning.

• Incorporating Multimodal learning such as visuals, audio, and hands-on activities.

• Tapping into learners’ cultural capital and selecting texts related to their culture.

• Encouraging students to activate their prior knowledge by using the KWL Chart (Know-Want to Know-Learn) 

• Teacher modelling so students know what an extended discussion looks like.

• Providing more extension activities such as analyzing short stories, poems, or more complex texts where inferencing plays a significant role.

Timepoint 2 data (shared and analysed in this blog post) was captured through:

• Informal teacher observation

• Student voice through Google forms

• Assessment (PAT & e-asTTle)

• Recording my lesson

The PAT and e-asTTle assessments were carried out in mid-term 2. I am really looking forward to seeing an accelerated shift later in Term 3 and Term 4. I believe Term 1 & 2 data collection will help me to make clear comparisons at the end of the year.

Term 3 Check-in with Students

I sent a Google form to my target students to reflect on the extended discussion that is happening in the class. Here are the responses, when they were asked how having the extended discussion chains helped their reading.

I am getting there! Collaborative dialogue taps into social learning theories. Learners can benefit from each other's experiences and insights. Peer support and feedback can be motivating and helpful in overcoming comprehension challenges.