Strategies to help students overcome literacy issues and

Strategies to help students overcome literacy issues and

improve engagement

Welcome

2/25/17 Education Special Projects 1

  Primary & Secondary teacher   Part of a group that was the recipient of "The National awards for

Quality Schooling" It is an Australian wide recognition for innovative teachers.

  International & Domestic experience   Alternative & VCAL program experience   VCAL/VET in a Community Learn Local Setting   TAFE experience   Gifted education   CGEA   Ed support teacher


Low Literacy in VCAL

Who am I ? Mieke Alexander

Mieke put the unit planner here And where to find info


 Some basic teaching strategies

 Oracy: what, why, how???? relevant ideas, topics that worked,

 Reading. Using oracy to drive reading, translating assignments, taking

notes,

Comprehension: Is it happening, improving it , retaining the information,

  Writing : Engaging students, planning tools, conventions of language,

spelling tricks, expanding writing, editing 2/25/17 Education Special Projects 4

Low Literacy in VCAL What will we cover today ?


Why don’t your students

learn in literacy?

•  Check pre-knowledge. Is the work too hard/ too easy? Start with assessment then use the

following strategies

Explain expected learning from the outcomes

1.  Relate to tasks to their lives- the reason this is useful learning is…..

2.  Read assignment or part of the assignment

3.  Start with a small whole group tasks – this gives student a sense that they have

started and achieved something ( as demonstrated )

4.  Encourage questions and discussion.

5.  Have expectations and time limits.


 Some basic teaching strategies


Strategy 1. Testing Relevant web sites Who Why

http://www.vcaa.vic.edu.au/documents/auscurric/progressionpoints/ausvels-englishprogressionpoints.pdf

Ausvels progression points reading

Help to break reading and writing into small steps

https://www.nap.edu.au/naplan/writing/minimum-standards

Naplan writing standards

Helps to identify students skills

https://www.nap.edu.au/naplan/reading/minimum-standards

Naplan reading standards

Helps to identify students skills

https://www.education.gov.au/australian-core-skills-framework

Australian Core Skills Framework

Testing tools and ideas for skills levels

url

 Oracy: what, why, how????

Write down as many reasons why you think we need to teach speaking and listening

Now put them under these categories . Why I teach oracy and what worked for me


Oracy

1.  Oracy for self expression

2.  Oracy for knowledge

3.  Oracy for practical purposes

4.  Oracy for exploring issues and problem-solving


Name …………………………………... date ……………

Oracy intermediate Observed activity date

Learning outcome 1 Oracy for self expression a) Share a narrative, recount or anecdote. b) Make use of verbal and non-verbal features of spoken communication including: intonation, eye contact,

gesture, pace and pronunciation. c) Demonstrate an understanding of the role of verbal and non-verbal features by commenting on the

effectiveness of others’ oral presentation. Learning outcome 2 Oracy for knowledge - Use and respond to spoken language in informative talks. a) Give an oral presentation answering questions if appropriate. b) Identify key points and supporting information in an informative talk. c) Comment on the content and effectiveness of an informative talk. d) Make systematic notes from a spoken text in a chosen field of knowledge. Learning outcome 3 Oracy for practical purposes- Use and respond to spoken language in instructions and transactions. a)  Give instructions in several steps. b) Identify the key points in an oral text that offer support, advice or service. c) Comment on the content and effectiveness of oral instructions and transactions. Learning outcome 4 Oracy for exploring issues and problem-solving –U se and respond to spoken language in discussions to explore issues or solve problems. a) Participate in a group discussion on an issue, responding to and contributing alternative ideas. b) Use spoken language to identify and work towards solving problems with at least one other person. c) Comment on the range of ideas presented on an issue in a discussion. d) Demonstrate active listening.

Observation check list

Why/ how are we meeting the criteria? Discuss with those around you. Which criteria are important? Why are they important ? How do you check that they are successfully met?

What impact might poor oracy and/or LISTENING skills have on the students’ reading and writing?

•  Can’t express self when writing •  Can’t get context when reading •  Limited vocabulary •  Poor reasoning skills •  Acts bored •  does not understand/ follow/ respond to instructions

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•  reluctant writer •  Poor general knowledge •  unable to work independently •  Acts up •  Dislikes reading • Talks to much/ too little

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What do they need? Vocabulary = lots of talking and discussion

Oracy strategies

1. Informal works well

2. Peer assessment is important and formalising it helps everyone

3. Topics must be relevant and stimulating 4. Students need to know why they need oracy

skills 5. Oracy can easily relate to PDS, WRS or even

how to solve numeracy problems . It does not need to be a standalone subject

6. Listening should also be assessed formally. 7. Listening and speaking are employability

skills.

Conclusion Oracy skills are important and students need to know why they are. 1.  Teachers need to check for prior knowledge: what can and cant they do ? 2.  Assignment need to be explicitly taught that includes listening. 3.  Lessons/topics need to be highly relevant to the student and well chosen by

both teacher and student. 4.  Skills covered need to be carefully observed to ascertain where the holes are. 5.  It needs to be relaxed, familiar and realistic. 6.  Good feed back is important . 7.  Listening should also be assessed. 8.  Oracy is an employability skill.


Reasons to read?


List all the reasons why people might read

You can’t escape reading



This is reading


And this is reading!


So word and letters alone are not reading.

Why not ???????

So what is reading????


Structure of reading. Reading includes:

Phonology - Sounds of words. The sounds letters make when grouped together

Morphology – the patters of words such as root words, affixes, parts of speech, intonations and stresses, or implied context.

Syntax -the arrangement of words: the way in which words are put together to form phrases, clauses, or sentences

Semantics- the aspects of language dealing with meaning: Semantics is the study of meaning in language. It can be applied to entire texts or to single words. For example, "destination" and "last stop" technically mean the same thing, but students of semantics analyse their subtle shades of meaning.

Looking at the ideas here, where do our students go wrong??????

A quick overview of the structure of reading


Four roles of the reader

To develop as effective readers, students must learn to take on a set of roles, or ways of interacting with a text. These roles (described by Freebody and Luke, 1990) indicate the ways a reader can move beyond decoding print to understanding and using text on several levels for a variety of purposes. Briefly, these roles can be described as: Code-breaker role • How do I crack this text? •What are its patterns and conventions? Text-participant role As a text-participant a reader is concerned with understanding the meaning of the text. Readers use the text-participant role when they ask themselves questions such as: • What is this text trying to say? • What are the possible meanings of this text? • What do I already know about this topic? Text-user role As a text-user a reader is concerned with the way in which the text prompts them to take some action. Readers use the text-user role when they ask themselves questions such as: • What do I do with this text, here and now? • What are my options and alternatives? Text-analyst role As a text-analyst a reader is concerned with the underlying and unstated assumptions in the text and the way the text attempts to position them as readers. Readers use the text-analyst role when they ask themselves questions such as: • What is this text trying to do to me? • Whose interests are being served by this text? • Which voices or points of view are silent?


→  To entertain

→  To educate or inform

→  To remember

→  To explain

→  To record

So why read ?????.


So what was your favourite book?

Why was it a favourite?

Think about the features of it

reading is: • Magazines, C • Comics, • Graphic Novels, • Advertisements .

Written words = reading

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VCAL kids can read BUT ……………………………………..

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  They have a negative attitude to reading

  They don’t read for meaning

  They don't connect ideas

  They don't relate to the material

  They are so task, as opposed to learning, orientated that they

don’t “collect” knowledge.

All work is literacy . There is

no escape

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Strategies for reading better

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1.  Obvious : choose things to read and write about that have meaning for your students

2.  Spend a few minutes with each student to ascertain where, in the areas mentioned above, problems may lie.

2. Reading in a round robyn style. Do not let student correct each other. 3. Starting a story/ sheet having them finish it. 4. Always read and discuss instructions 5. Connect ideas 6. Have the students explain it back to you. 7. Summarise what has been read as a group. 6. Discuss what you are reading!!!

a)  Who has had similar experiences? b)  What does it remind you of? c)  Why do you hate this book? d)  What would you choose? e)  What could happen next? f)  Why was it written? g)  How is this helpful/ useful/ entertaining?

url

Reading outcomes Learning outcome 5

Reading for self expression

Learning outcome 6

Reading for practical purposes

Learning outcome 7

Reading for knowledge

Learning outcome 8

Reading for public debate

Purpose a) Identify the purpose of the text including any inferred purpose

a)  Identify the purpose of the text including any inferred purpose

a) Identify the purpose of the text including any inferred purpose.

a)  Identify the purpose of the text including any inferred purpose.

Comprehension b) Identify main ideas and key words used to express them.

b) Identify the main ideas and key procedures.

b) Identify the main ideas, supporting ideas and any examples.

a)  Identify the means used by the author to achieve the purpose of the text.

c) Identify the means used by the author to achieve the purpose of the text.



a)  Identify the main arguments, ideas or suggestions used in the text.

Application d) Compare or contrast with other texts.

d) Compare or contrast with other texts.

d) Compare or contrast with other texts.

a)  Compare or contrast with other texts.

Critique e) Express an opinion on the effectiveness of text.

e) Express an opinion on the effectiveness of the text.



f) Express own opinion on the subject and give supporting reasons.



Analytical hats Blue Hat Thinking- Process •  what did you need to organise ? •  How will you organise what you have

learned so you remember and can use it?

White Hat Thinking- Facts •  What facts did you learn , what knowledge

did you gain?

Green Hat Thinking – Creativity •  How did this make you think of new ideas or

new connections ?

Yellow Hat Thinking- Benefits •  What was good? •  What skills/ knowledge have you gained

from the project? Black Hat Thinking - Cautions •  What could you have done differently? •  What didn't you like?

Red Hat Thinking - Feelings •  How did you feel about the work

Assessment- Strategy for comprehension

- Comprehension and critique

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Venn diagrams

Allergic and anaphylactic reactions. some what technical required knowledge for all student in the building

Reading for knowledge

Australia Day

serious text with some persuasive language

Reading for public debate

Drug abuse

cartoon only

d) Compare or contrast with other texts. Assessment- Strategy for comprehension

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Assessment strategies for understanding what you read

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Reading for self expression- 1. Retell, as an oracy

2. The Question Matrix Grid, for Auto/biographies – 3. Write a obituary, 4. Complete a time line,

5. Write a review

Reading for practical purpose – 1.  Draw a cartoon, 2.  Make a children's book, 3.  Complete a concept map, 4.  Make or do the thing someone else has written instructions for, 5.  Simplify it into a cartoon, 6.  Flow char

Reading for public debate – 1.  Design a questionnaire, 2.  Create an add promoting the authors point of

view. 3.  PMI 4.  Present as an oracy

Reading for knowledge – 1.  Ten things I learnt form this, 2.  The Question Matrix Grid

Conclusion- reading

Reading skills are important and students need to know why they are. 1.  Reading is a complex task with many layers of skill and knowledge. 2.  Teachers need to check for prior knowledge: what can and can’t they

do ? 3.  Reading for meaning and exploring text needs to be taught 4.  Choose reading material that is both age and SKILL appropriate. 5.  There are more ways to assess reading and understanding then

comprehension and assignments.


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Reasons to write

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Thinks of as many reasons as you can why you write. Write them down

Writing

Writing Learning outcome 1

Writing for self expression

Learning outcome 2

Writing for practical purposes

Learning outcome 3

Writing for knowledge

Learning outcome 4

Writing for public debate

Process a)Use the processes of planning, drafting and editing to produce written texts.

a)  Use the processes of planning, drafting and editing to produce written texts.

a) Use the processes of planning, drafting and editing to produce written texts.

a)Use the processes of planning, drafting and editing to produce written texts.

Purpose b)Use language and tone appropriate to text purpose and audience.

b)Use language and tone appropriate to text purpose and audience.

b) Use language and tone appropriate to text purpose and audience.

b) Use language and tone appropriate to text purpose and audience.

Structure c)Sequence and structure information, ideas and events to suit purpose.

c) Sequence and structure information and/or ideas logically to suit purpose.

c) Sequence and structure information and ideas logically to suit purpose.

c) Sequence and structure ideas and arguments to suit purpose.

Length/complexity

d)Link several separate pieces of information within a text rather than treating them as separate units.

d)Present several separate pieces of information within a text including detailed factual descriptions or data.

d) Relate several separate pieces of factual information within a text rather than treating them as separate units and reach a conclusion.

d)Relate several ideas or pieces of information within a text rather than treating them as separate

e) Provide evidence and argue persuasively for a point of view.

Mechanics e)Spell, punctuate and use grammar with reasonable accuracy.

e)Spell, punctuate and use grammar with reasonable accuracy

e) Spell, punctuate and use grammar with reasonable accuracy.

f) Spell, punctuate and use grammar with reasonable accuracy.



Purposes for Writing The following information comes from Munro, 2005. To Organise and to Clarify What is Known Students use writing as a means for learning more about a topic. They articulate the ways in which writing helps them to organise and to clarify thoughts and to bring together what they know. An example is students adding to a list of what they already knew about a topic after more learning has taken place. To Keep Track of Ideas During Learning Students describe how writing helps them to think in depth about a topic. An example is students writing down three key points as they read a simple text. To Retain What Needs to be Remembered Students describe how writing helps them retain knowledge they want to remember including a sequence of events. An example is students documenting a response to a text viewed or heard. To Elicit Information from Others Students use writing as a means to obtain information from others. An example is students writing questions as part of a simple survey or questionnaire. Students also anticipate questions that readers may ask about their writing and use language to invite questioning

What do they need?


Process planning, drafting and editing to produce written texts.

Purpose Meet audience needs

Structure Put things in a logical order

Length/complexity Link ideas, state your case, provide evidence

Mechanics The rules


. Reflect on the purpose of your writing. • Who is your audience ? •  Why would you write this?

Some tools Hamburger model Simple webs Vocab clouds Story maps Sequence organisers Sub headings

Others ?

Again reflect on the purpose of your writing. • Are you talking to them ?

Some tools Paragraphing under subheadings Presenting both point of views Answering your own questions Computers

Did you meet the needs of your reader?

Some tools The courtesy of correct Language. Capital “I” Partner read. what is your message

-Is it clear? - is it interesting? ` editing check list


.

Planning tools


The end

The beginning

The solutions and where they lead us

The problems


Planning tools •  You all have areas of interest

which can sometimes be a passion about an aspect of life or a whole lot of knowledge about one particular topic. Choose something you know a lot about or are REALLY interested in. Now use the processes of planning, drafting and editing to produce written texts about your chosen topic.

•  Show your planning here.


url


Planning tools

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Task You have been studying our first people and their history. We can all acknowledge that they have been treated poorly however some people believe that we give them too much special treatment and assistance; another group feels we should do much, much more. Decide which point of view you wish to take. Fill in the planner and draft out a cohesive and well thought out argument. Hand in the draft and when corrected complete a good copy.

url


Improving writing

Purpose Have student list who they are writing for and completing a one sentence over view of the aim of their document

Structure Can they retell their work in point form, Planning in point form, Planning on a time line, Reread for sense ( partner reread). Asks questions Read with student and ask for clarification.

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Some strategies to increase Length and complexity Vocabulary , spelling,

1.  Imagination. 2.  Interesting vocabulary especially

adjectives and adverbs because they add to the story.

3.  Skill using full stops and capital letter. 4.  Patience so that you do your best. 5.  Persistence so that you keep going

when it is hard. 6.  Pride in the work you have completed

YOUR TOOL BOX

The drovers

wife

afraid, loyal courageous lonely, hardy

vicious responsible

resilient

WORD BANK


A strategy to increase Length and complexity

Check list for the students

Do you have ? Examples Proof of your ideas Can you go deeper? Have you/can you expanded your ideas?


Length and complexity- strategies to enhance and edit better

Word chart to enhance writing

Reading the Assignment Understand the purpose of your assignment

•  Look for the key verb or verbs in the sentence. Words like analyze, summarize, or compare direct you to think about your topic in a certain way. •  Words such as how, what, when, where, and why; guide you toward specific information. •  What kind of evidence do you need to support your ideas?

url


Strategies for Length and complexity

Lots of people have a hard time putting their feelings into words and identifying what emotions they are feeling. Not any more :) The Feeling Wheel we bring you today will help you narrow down exactly what word best expresses your current emotional state.

https://verbalistseducation.com/2016/01/10/see-the-magical-vocab-wheel-that-will-help-you-find-the-perfect-word-to-express-your-feelings/

url


Mechanics

The language of literacy is important. Teach it/ Revise it verbs , nouns, conjunctions, adverbs, adjectives, pronouns. it helps when explaining.

Expectations. Any one who can write should use a capital letter for the word “I” .

Editing is courtesy towards the reader

Grammar. Read the students work back without punctuation

Humour works -Hang this up and suddenly there is a conversation about apostrophes.

Spelling tricks

url

Conclusion- writing Strategies

1.  Writers need to be able to read 2.  Writing is always purposeful and not accidental 3.  Many writing skills need explicit teaching 4.  Planning is important. 5.  Teachers need to check for prior knowledge: what can and cant

they do ? 6.  Who is the reader? 7.  Choose writing materials that is both age and skill appropriate. 8.  Conventions of language improve the message .



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Strategies to help students overcome literacy issues and