Introduction to Education Support

Introduction to Reading & Mathematics

Learning to Read

Children usually begin to ‘read’ familiar sight words before they begin to write.• Reading involves a number of complex tasks:

• Code-breaking• Comprehension• Using text for a purpose

Learning to Read

The five typical phases in reading development are outlined below:• Phase 1: Awareness and Exploration• Phase 2: Experimental Reading and Writing• Phase 3: Early Reading and Writing• Phase 4: Transitional Reading and Writing• Phase 5: Independent and Productive Reading and Writing

Reading and Literacy: Are They the Same?

• Reading is the ability to interpret symbols and text• Literacy includes reading, writing and language (listening and thinking)

Students as Readers• Most reading programs focus on the following reader skills:

• Code-breaker skills • Text-participant skills • Text-user skills • Text-analyst skills

Reading Fluency

Reading Fluency can be developed by:• reading aloud (with adult support) and rereading the same text a number of

times• modelling reading fluency by reading aloud to students on a daily basis• students reading aloud in groups• students reading aloud to a partner• reading aloud a rehearsed text to a group• choral reading – pairs of students read the same text aloud at the same time• reading poetry and performing a dramatic script• listening to audio books, where students track the spoken word with the

written word

Text Comprehension• According to the National Institute for Literacy there are seven key

strategies that can be used to improve text comprehension:

1. Monitoring comprehension

2. Introducing new words

3. Using graphic organisers

4. Answering questions

5. Generating questions

6. Recognising story structure

7. Summarising

What Does This Tell Us About The Reading Process

"Aoccdrnig to a rscheearch at Cmabrigde Uinervtisy, it deosn't mttaer in waht oredr the ltteers in a wrod are, the olny iprmoatnt tihng is taht the frist and lsat ltteers be at the rghit pclae. The rset can be a toatl mses and you can sitll raed it wouthit porbelm. Tihs is bcuseae the huamn mnid deos not raed ervey lteter by istlef, but the wrod as a wlohe."

Supporting Students in the Classroom

Strategies for Modelled Reading

Before• Be aware of the purpose of reading aloud• Select texts that are age/interest appropriate/relevant to the curriculum• Identify new vocabulary or concepts• Always read the text aloud to yourself before reading it to students so that

you can read with fluency• Prepare follow-up activities• Prepare questions that can be asked to stimulate a discussion of the

reading

Supporting Students in the Classroom

During• Include the title, author and illustrator • Describe the type of text and general content• Pause during reading to ask questions or have students make predictions• Think aloud• Vary voice tone to suit the characters and the situation.• Highlight new vocabulary, rhyming words, punctuation and so on• Reinforce concepts/knowledge

After• Ask questions after the reading• Always convey reading as a pleasant experience that can be enjoyed by

everyone

Supporting Students in the Classroom

Guided Reading• Pause, Prompt, Praise: A Guided

Reading Strategy• Independent Reading• Discussion of Text

Supporting Students in the Classroom

Supporting Struggling Readers

Students who struggle with reading will benefit from direct instruction that:• introduces new skills and knowledge in a timely manner by building

on existing skills and knowledge• clearly identifies the level of achievement/mastery required by the

student• provides regular opportunities for systematic revision and practice• provides timely and specific corrective feedback to the student• includes systematic monitoring and documentation of student

progress

Practical Classroom Strategies

The suggestions below provide some examples of the many practical strategies that classroom teachers use to support their students:• provide visual cues for words that challenge some students• Provide markers for students who lose their place while reading• Use a strip of cardboard to cover a word and move the card slowly to the

right

Other practical aids include using:• large print-text, magnifiers, computer-based text• talking books, online books with graphics and sound, CDs and DVDs• interactive whiteboards• technologies such as tablets

Supporting Students in the Classroom

Listening to Students Read

What to look for:

Before reading begins does the student:• Ask questions or make any comments about the text? • Make predictions? • Show a strong positive or negative response to the task?

During reading does the student:• Scan each page before reading?• Make comments about illustrations/photographs/diagrams?• Make comments that show the student is able to draw on prior knowledge?• Use finger or other aid to track words/track with eyes only?

Supporting Students in the Classroom

• Notice and use punctuation correctly by pausing or using voice intonation?• Self-correct?• Reread a sentence or phrase to clarify meaning? • Omit words?• Substitute unknown words for a word with a similar meaning• Guess the word at random by using a visual clue such as the first letter? • Decode by sounding out words? • Read on when difficult words or phrase are encountered?• Slow down or stop when a difficult word is encountered?• Read with appropriate fluency and expression?

Supporting Students in the Classroom

• Read with poor fluency?• Demonstrate comprehension of text by responding appropriately when

asked• Make few/frequent errors?• Read most high frequency words?

After reading does the student:• Demonstrate understanding of the content by describing main characters,

setting, plot, key events or key information?• Offer critical comments? • Assess the student’s own performance? • Make comparisons with other texts?

Assessment of Reading

Assessment of reading will focus on key reading skills, including the following:• Reading comprehension • Language comprehension • Reading accuracy • Phonology assessment• Semantic assessment • Syntactic assessment • Letter knowledge • The alphabetic principle • Awareness of print

Assessment of Reading

Assessment of students’ reading skills and knowledge can include a range of strategies:• Running records/Miscue analysis• Retelling• Cloze assessment tasks• Reading isolated words• Matching a spoken word to a written word

Reading Resourceshttp://www.senteacher.org/print/literacy/

Numeracy and Mathematics: Are They the Same?

As you explore the Mathematics curriculum you will notice that the terms ‘numeracy’ and ‘mathematics’ are often used interchangeably.

• Mathematics refers to specific mathematical knowledge and skills

• Numeracy is the ability to apply mathematical skills and knowledge in a wide range of contexts

Understanding the Development of Basic Mathematical

Knowledge and ConceptsMathematical development is a cognitive process that occurs over time and consists of:

• factual knowledge

• procedural skills

• conceptual understanding

• Symbolic thought– A child can use a spoon as a hammer

• Concept Acquisition– Seriation – blocks in order– Classification – sorting– Conservations – length, width, appearance

• Reasoning– From particular to particular

• Information Processing

Understanding the Development of Basic Mathematical

Knowledge and Concepts

Maths Words

It cannot be assumed that all students will understand mathematical vocabulary, even terms that are used on a daily basis.

Consider, for example, the following interchangeable words related to simple operations:

• addition: add, plus, total, sum of, altogether• subtraction: take away, minus, subtract, less,

difference between• multiplication: multiple, times, groups of, lots of

Strategies for Supporting Numeracy

The following strategies can be used to support numeracy development:

• Modelled Mathematics

• Shared Mathematics

• Guided Mathematics

• Natural Mathematics Model

• Early Years of Numeracy Method

Role of the Teaching AssistantTo support numeracy development Teaching Assistants will usually undertake the following roles:• work alongside the teacher in the regular classroom to support students to

complete mathematical tasks• work with small groups in the regular classroom to support students to

achieve specific mathematical skills as identified by the teacher• under the direction of the teacher, work with individual students who are

having difficulty with mathematics• observe students and talk to them about their work• ask open-ended questions to challenge and clarify thinking• model mathematical language• lead students through a discussion of their mathematical understandings

Role of the Teaching Assistant• assist students to work collaboratively

• assess skills and knowledge as directed by the teacher

• provide in-depth or intensive support to individual students as directed by the teacher

• prepare a range of resources to be used to support mathematical development

Understanding Common Difficulties in Mathematics

The KISS principle is a planning strategy that focuses on adjusting learning goals to individual needs. It involves planning based on:• K: What students need to know and do in

regards to numeracy• I: Interactions to support and scaffold

learning• S: Situations in which the learning will

occur• S: Ways in which to demonstrate success

in learning

Understanding Core Numeracy Concepts

• One-to-One Correspondence• Sorting, Classifying and Matching• Ordering

• Size, Intensity, Colour, Sound• Temporal Ordering• Data Collection and Analysis

• Number Sense• Rote Counting• Recognising Numerals• Simple Number Patterns• Ordinal Numbers• Number Symbols (Numerals) Represent a Fixed Quantity• Understanding Numeracy Symbols• Understanding Symbols > (Greater Than), < (Less Than)

Understanding Core Numeracy Concepts

• Working with Sets and Subsets• Comparing Sets• Using Sets for Addition and Subtraction

Counting to 100 Understanding the Concept of Rounding Whole Numbers Counting On Counting Back

• Understanding Addition and Subtraction• Understanding of the Principle of Commutativity• Understanding Complements to 10• Understanding Fact Families

Understanding Core Numeracy Concepts

• Counting Money

Understanding Money• Understanding and Using Measurement

• Tools Used for Measurement• Understanding Geometry and Spatial Relationships• Understanding Basic Algebra

• Understanding Fractions• Collecting, Analysing and Interpreting Data

• Exploring and Presenting Data• Using Calculators• Higher Order Skills

Documenting Numeracy Development

• Typically evidence of numeracy development will be drawn from a variety of

contexts which allow students to demonstrate their application of

mathematical knowledge and skills in a variety of contexts.

• Evidence will include formative assessment (student’s progress at regular

intervals) and summative assessment.

• Student assessment will reflect the learning outcomes in the Key Learning

Areas. Numeracy is also assessed as part of the NAPLAN program.