For 2019 our year 3/4 cohort on average, tested lower than previous cohorts. In particular, we have 60+ students working 1.5+ years behind their expected level in literacy.
As a team we are focusing on lifting the achievement of students working 1 - 1.5 years behind in reading.
We test the students in June and November using PM Benchmark - unseen texts.
The results of 23 of my reading class from November 2018 are below. These students are all working 2+ years behind expected.
Target students for 2019 are highlighted
The challenge that I face is how to lift children in an area of schooling that is essential to all other curriculum learning. Without reading, most students fall way behind in other academic and even social areas.
By placing all 28 students in one literacy class, but within a larger MLE - I am able to support the deeper learning needs, but still maintain examples of excellence from higher achieving students within our MLE.
My question I am asking is, In our quest for digital initiative, have we lost sight of traditional pedagogies that work for our more vulnerable learners?
In my 10+ years of being innovative, embracing new technologies and creative approaches, I have seen many of our students thrive across all areas of the curriculum. But how many are missing out?
This year, my literacy group are the ones who have missed out. My job is to adjust and adapt our flexible curriculum to provide an onramp to vocab learning, increased confidence, a sense of achievement and improved test results.
I am reformatting our bank of Explain Everything resources to support older, lower level students. With a focus on high frequency word learning, sentence structures (surface and deep) and basic comprehension.
We are using collaborative engaging technologies to learn to read and spell high frequency words.
We are upping reading mileage - through read to, read with and home reading.
We are harking back to analogue book work with a focus on taking pride in handwriting and book layout. This may seem superficial, but I truly believe that we have lost many fine motor skills that actually support the students to look for detail in text and self correct errors. These skills are pencil grip, letter formation, using a ruler and visual spatial skills such as layout.
As always, I am placing the Key Competencies at the centre of this learning with these students focusing on Self Management and Participation (being successful at school).
As a team we are focusing on lifting the achievement of students working 1 - 1.5 years behind in reading.
We test the students in June and November using PM Benchmark - unseen texts.
The results of 23 of my reading class from November 2018 are below. These students are all working 2+ years behind expected.
Target students for 2019 are highlighted
The challenge that I face is how to lift children in an area of schooling that is essential to all other curriculum learning. Without reading, most students fall way behind in other academic and even social areas.
By placing all 28 students in one literacy class, but within a larger MLE - I am able to support the deeper learning needs, but still maintain examples of excellence from higher achieving students within our MLE.
My question I am asking is, In our quest for digital initiative, have we lost sight of traditional pedagogies that work for our more vulnerable learners?
In my 10+ years of being innovative, embracing new technologies and creative approaches, I have seen many of our students thrive across all areas of the curriculum. But how many are missing out?
This year, my literacy group are the ones who have missed out. My job is to adjust and adapt our flexible curriculum to provide an onramp to vocab learning, increased confidence, a sense of achievement and improved test results.
I am reformatting our bank of Explain Everything resources to support older, lower level students. With a focus on high frequency word learning, sentence structures (surface and deep) and basic comprehension.
We are using collaborative engaging technologies to learn to read and spell high frequency words.
We are upping reading mileage - through read to, read with and home reading.
We are harking back to analogue book work with a focus on taking pride in handwriting and book layout. This may seem superficial, but I truly believe that we have lost many fine motor skills that actually support the students to look for detail in text and self correct errors. These skills are pencil grip, letter formation, using a ruler and visual spatial skills such as layout.
As always, I am placing the Key Competencies at the centre of this learning with these students focusing on Self Management and Participation (being successful at school).
I understand where you are coming from and look forward to seeing your students' successes!
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