Portfolio Assessment B Connecting with an early years teacher and their teaching program
I contacted a primary school and sought permission to observe the literacy program of a Grade 1/2 composite class. This was made reasonably easy as my sister is the teacher of this class and was only so happy to have another helper in the room.
In referring to ‘Developing Early Literacy’, Hill (Chapters 4 and 5) I will make comparisons from what I witnessed in the classroom to what is suggested in Hill’s textbook in relation to good reading and writing practices.
Reading
During my experience of entering the classroom for 2 hours of literacy, I witnessed what was an excellent example of a teacher moving the students through a process of the ‘teacher providing maximum support’ right through to the ‘child taking full control’, Hill (p. 73)
The class began with the teacher asking all the children to come and sit together down the front of the room. The teacher then chose one of the large children’s books from their class selection. This book may have been ‘beyond what some of the children can read themselves’ Hill (p. 72) but the opportunity to have their teacher read this book to them will ‘provide rich vocabulary and syntax patterns that children may use later’ Hill (p. 72). The teacher read this story aloud, pointing out pictures and asking key questions throughout. Upon completing the story, the teacher then moved into a Shared Reading time. The children had not moved from before and it was still the same book to be read. There was no pressure for the children to participate, but all were encouraged to read with the teacher where possible. It was evident that each child was very excited at this opportunity. During this time of shared reading, the teacher used a pointer to point to the word they were up to. This may have helped the children on two levels; 1. To remind the students which word they are up to, but most importantly 2. To show which word everyone is currently saying. This may sound like an unusual observation, but this book has many repeated phrases throughout e.g. “The big Cat is going to…..” “The little Cat is going to….” So much of what the children read is actually from memory rather than reading. So pointing out where everyone is up to may help the child to actually learn the word. Shared reading is an opportunity to introduce texts that ‘are above the children’s independent reading level’ Hill (p. 73) because there is the support of the group around them.
Once this shared reading time was completed, the children participated in a separate activity apart from reading. This may have been to avoid the children getting bored of reading or just to break up the session as to keep it interesting.
After this activity, it was back into reading with everyone participating in some independent reading time. During this time, some of the children participated in guided reading time with the teacher. This was where 3 students at a time went forward to the teacher and were assisted through some guided reading. After some time, another 3 students went forward and the same occurred a little later. Having asked the teacher about this, she mentioned that these 9 children were behind the other students in the class with their reading, so guided reading for them was essential. After this independent and guided reading time, a couple of students were asked to read in front of the class. The teacher informed me that this out loud reading from the students occurs most days, with different students reading each time. Having witnessed this time, I could see that the children thoroughly enjoyed reading. It was fun, challenging and interesting.
Writing
During this 2 hour literacy session, there was also time spent on writing. Firstly modeled writing, ‘where the teacher writes on a whiteboard or chart showing how a writer uses words, sentences and text types to record ideas’ Hill (p. 87). Then a time of Independent writing where the ‘purpose is to build fluency and motivation…. to express ideas and experiment’ Hill (p. 88). During this session there wasn’t a time of Guided writing, ‘where small groups write a range of text types’ Hill (p. 88) or Shared and Interactive writing although the teacher informs me that during the week there is time set aside to do both of these.
The teacher began this writing time by re-iterating some points she has previously made throughout the year to the students with regards punctuation and spelling. She asked questions to the students about the meaning of full stops, question marks and commas. The teacher also asked the students what are some good ways we can try to spell a word when we don't know how to? One child suggested sounding the word out (which the teacher agreed), another suggested asking the teacher or a friend for help (which the teacher also agreed). Children were often made to feel that they already knew the answers during this session which was quite empowring to them. They weren't just told how to do something, but asked if they already knew.
The teacher then wrote a sentence on the board using correct punctuation and spelling. This is an example of modeled writing. She wrote slowly and described everything she wrote. The sentence on the board said ‘If I had a pet cat that could talk, it would say….’ The teacher then explained that the class now had an opportunity to finish the sentence in which ever way they desired. This was to encourage the expression of ideas and experimenting. The teacher expressed the most important part of this exercise was to try to write correctly. The letters were to all be written correctly on the lines, and you are to try and spell all your words correctly. Each child had to start by writing the sentence from the board and then finish it themselves. The students loved this opportunity and shared with each other at their tables what they thought their pet cat might say. This time was an example of Independent writing.
Apart from the reading and writing described above, there were two other exercises each child participated in during this session. One exercise being a worksheet which was designed around finding words amongst letters. This exercise was done independently (with assistance from teachers and helpers). The other exercise completed was where each student was given 5 little sheets of paper with 5 different sentences from the book read at the beginning of the session about cats. The students were to put these in order of when they occurred in the book. This was testing each child’s memory and whether they had comprehended what had happened during the book. Both exercises were effective and meaningful.
Spending time in this classroom was a wonderful opportunity. It opened my eyes to how much pre-planning goes into each day for a teacher.
Connecting with an early years teacher and their teaching program
I contacted a primary school and sought permission to observe the literacy program of a Grade 1/2 composite class. This was made reasonably easy as my sister is the teacher of this class and was only so happy to have another helper in the room.
In referring to ‘Developing Early Literacy’, Hill (Chapters 4 and 5) I will make comparisons from what I witnessed in the classroom to what is suggested in Hill’s textbook in relation to good reading and writing practices.
Reading
During my experience of entering the classroom for 2 hours of literacy, I witnessed what was an excellent example of a teacher moving the students through a process of the ‘teacher providing maximum support’ right through to the ‘child taking full control’, Hill (p. 73)
The class began with the teacher asking all the children to come and sit together down the front of the room. The teacher then chose one of the large children’s books from their class selection. This book may have been ‘beyond what some of the children can read themselves’ Hill (p. 72) but the opportunity to have their teacher read this book to them will ‘provide rich vocabulary and syntax patterns that children may use later’ Hill (p. 72). The teacher read this story aloud, pointing out pictures and asking key questions throughout. Upon completing the story, the teacher then moved into a Shared Reading time. The children had not moved from before and it was still the same book to be read. There was no pressure for the children to participate, but all were encouraged to read with the teacher where possible. It was evident that each child was very excited at this opportunity. During this time of shared reading, the teacher used a pointer to point to the word they were up to. This may have helped the children on two levels; 1. To remind the students which word they are up to, but most importantly 2. To show which word everyone is currently saying. This may sound like an unusual observation, but this book has many repeated phrases throughout e.g. “The big Cat is going to…..” “The little Cat is going to….” So much of what the children read is actually from memory rather than reading. So pointing out where everyone is up to may help the child to actually learn the word. Shared reading is an opportunity to introduce texts that ‘are above the children’s independent reading level’ Hill (p. 73) because there is the support of the group around them.
Once this shared reading time was completed, the children participated in a separate activity apart from reading. This may have been to avoid the children getting bored of reading or just to break up the session as to keep it interesting.
After this activity, it was back into reading with everyone participating in some independent reading time. During this time, some of the children participated in guided reading time with the teacher. This was where 3 students at a time went forward to the teacher and were assisted through some guided reading. After some time, another 3 students went forward and the same occurred a little later. Having asked the teacher about this, she mentioned that these 9 children were behind the other students in the class with their reading, so guided reading for them was essential. After this independent and guided reading time, a couple of students were asked to read in front of the class. The teacher informed me that this out loud reading from the students occurs most days, with different students reading each time. Having witnessed this time, I could see that the children thoroughly enjoyed reading. It was fun, challenging and interesting.
Writing
During this 2 hour literacy session, there was also time spent on writing. Firstly modeled writing, ‘where the teacher writes on a whiteboard or chart showing how a writer uses words, sentences and text types to record ideas’ Hill (p. 87). Then a time of Independent writing where the ‘purpose is to build fluency and motivation…. to express ideas and experiment’ Hill (p. 88). During this session there wasn’t a time of Guided writing, ‘where small groups write a range of text types’ Hill (p. 88) or Shared and Interactive writing although the teacher informs me that during the week there is time set aside to do both of these.
The teacher began this writing time by re-iterating some points she has previously made throughout the year to the students with regards punctuation and spelling. She asked questions to the students about the meaning of full stops, question marks and commas. The teacher also asked the students what are some good ways we can try to spell a word when we don't know how to? One child suggested sounding the word out (which the teacher agreed), another suggested asking the teacher or a friend for help (which the teacher also agreed). Children were often made to feel that they already knew the answers during this session which was quite empowring to them. They weren't just told how to do something, but asked if they already knew.
The teacher then wrote a sentence on the board using correct punctuation and spelling. This is an example of modeled writing. She wrote slowly and described everything she wrote. The sentence on the board said ‘If I had a pet cat that could talk, it would say….’ The teacher then explained that the class now had an opportunity to finish the sentence in which ever way they desired. This was to encourage the expression of ideas and experimenting. The teacher expressed the most important part of this exercise was to try to write correctly. The letters were to all be written correctly on the lines, and you are to try and spell all your words correctly. Each child had to start by writing the sentence from the board and then finish it themselves. The students loved this opportunity and shared with each other at their tables what they thought their pet cat might say. This time was an example of Independent writing.
Apart from the reading and writing described above, there were two other exercises each child participated in during this session. One exercise being a worksheet which was designed around finding words amongst letters. This exercise was done independently (with assistance from teachers and helpers). The other exercise completed was where each student was given 5 little sheets of paper with 5 different sentences from the book read at the beginning of the session about cats. The students were to put these in order of when they occurred in the book. This was testing each child’s memory and whether they had comprehended what had happened during the book. Both exercises were effective and meaningful.
Spending time in this classroom was a wonderful opportunity. It opened my eyes to how much pre-planning goes into each day for a teacher.