Wahrimba State School

Staff meeting Monday ,14th October, 2013

Addressing literacy issues –Years 3 & 4

Jane Gallie, Koby Marshall and Lauren McConaghy

Our school profile

Background: New school, only open for four years. Catering for kindergarten to year 7.

Resources: Currently our school has 5 computers and 1 interactive whiteboard in the library (Smartboard)

Location: Remote North Queensland

Number of children: 80

Number of children in our class (stage 2 ,years 3 & 4 composite class): 23

Demographic: 90 % aboriginal students , 10 % English speaking background

Explanation of literacy issues• Health issues: poor nutrition because of no breakfast or lunch which affects

children's concentration and resulted in poor behaviour (ref) and otis media• Staffing and community involvement : lack of indigenous teachers and other

indigenous staff influence within the school• Our children speak Aboriginal English at home with their families so when they

come into class they are finding it more difficult to understand and comprehend SAE. This issue develops early – so there is an importance of early intervention in kindergarten and year one.

• Most aboriginal parents tell their children stories orally rather than reading books with them . This is because of lack of resources and it is not part of their culture.

• Low education of parents so reading is not reinforced at home• In comparison the 10 % children from English speaking are exposed to their

parents reading to them before they even start school.• Issues associated with grasping new concepts and terminology across the

curriculum

How are these issues affecting our class?

Issue:• Children are not concentrating.• Difficult to engage and hold their attention. • Linked to poor nutrition.

How are we going to address this?• Encourage regular school attendance. (Sarra,2007).• Must be alert and engaged in the classroom.• Breakfast program.• In the classroom ,programs such as: quizlet or the smartboard .

Quizlet and Smartboard Links to Outcome PHS2.12Discusses the factors influencing personal health choices.• discusses food needs for growth and activity• identifies foods prepared and enjoyed by particular cultural groups

Quizlet can be used to develop quizzes regarding healthy food and unhealthy foods and also focus on good nutrition and why we need to eat breakfast and lunch.Smartboard can be used to generate discussion around healthy foods or the food eaten at home.

http://exchange.smarttech.com/#tab=0

Otis media – Resulting in hearing lossIssue:

• Otis Media is a serious middle ear infection affecting our students and their ability to learn

• Hard to focus and maintain attention• The language of the classroom can be difficult to understand• The development of both listening and speaking skills can be delayed• Long instructions can be difficult to follow• Communication can be difficult

How are we going to address this?

• The use of an amplifying system will help increase the students attention

• Minimisation of noise in the classroom

• Using mainly visual aids to support students learning (IWB, iPads and concrete materials)

FM Systems & sound amplification systemsWhat are they and how do they work?• FM (frequency modulated) systems are commonly used to transmit sound from

one person to another over distance overcoming the effects of noise, reverberation and distance. FM systems may benefit children with permanent hearing losses. Australian Hearing provides students and their teachers with FM systems to help students overcome poor listening conditions in the classroom.

An FM system is made up of:• a microphone and transmitter worn by the speaker• a receiver worn by the student. If the student doesn't wear hearing aids, the FM

receiver can be used with lightweight earphones.Sound Amplification Systems:• Sound-field amplification systems (SFAS) are designed to raise the teacher's voice

by 10–15 dB. They have been used in schools in which the majority of children have a hearing loss of greater than 15 dB. It is particularly important to use the SFAS when explicit teaching to the whole class is in progress. The teacher wears a small microphone and the sound of the teacher’s voice is wirelessly sent over to speakers, usually placed in the ceiling. Thus, the teacher’s voice is amplified above the noise in the classroom.

Further strategies to assist our students with hearing difficulties:

Classroom management strategies include:• modifying the classroom environment to minimise noise;• installing classroom amplification systems to improve the listening environment;• organising class seating arrangements for optimal hearing and listening;• negotiating culturally appropriate classroom listening behaviours;• developing 'buddy' systems to provide peer support for students with hearing loss;• pre-teaching new words and concepts to facilitate subsequent class participation;

and• using routines to enable children with hearing loss to predict what will happen

next.

Lack of aboriginal knowledgeIssue: • We have observed that we do not have the aboriginal background knowledge to help us

understand how they learn.• There are also not many aboriginal influences within school communityHow are we going to address this?• Engaging with the elders within the community which has also worked at Cherbourg

state school. By tapping into their knowledge we may be able to understand the aboriginal culture better.

• Hiring aboriginal staff so they can act as mentors and this provides a sense of belonging within the school community.

• Once we have this knowledge we can apply this through the use of a story telling ICT tool which allows them to express who they are and where they came from.

Links to Outcomes: WS2.9 - Drafts, revises, proofreads and publishes well structured texts that are more demanding in terms of topic, audience and written language features. WS2.11 - Uses knowledge of letter– sound correspondences, common letter patterns and a range of strategies to spell familiar and unfamiliar words.MBC.1 recognises the link between culture and a sense of identityMBC.2 recognises connections between Aboriginal culture, language, land and a sense of identity

Storybird – An online program where the children can write stories after selecting a picture. Students can be encouraged to write about who they are and where they come from. They can also practice free writing or joint/group writing.

http://storybird.com/create/

Students are not completing homework

Issue: • Our students are not completing their homework.• Students poor self concept (Sarra,2007).• Mostly due to parents lack of understanding of the importance of homework and

also their language barrier. • Aboriginal parents have had limited access to education.How are we going to address this?• We have found through research that “involving aboriginal people in your

classroom is perhaps the most valuable strategy as it helps provide aboriginal perspectives to our program” (Harrison,2011).

• Aboriginal parents to come into the classroom.• Teachers can model shared book reading to parents first so they understand. • Text to voice can also be used in the classroom with parents and teachers to

encourage joint learning .

Shared Book Reading• Allows children to learn through the

teacher or parent reading the book numerous times (Rose,2008).

• Similar to aboriginal culture.• Pictures and activities enhance

learning to read.• Parents will benefit if they come into

classroom and observe the teacher.

Text to voice -

Understanding terminologyIssue:• Aboriginal children come to school with a so-called ‘deficit’ in their language skills

(Rose,2008).• They have trouble comprehending terminology in many areas across the

curriculum.How are we going to address this?• Simple ICT Tools that help students learn key terms and facts across all subject

areas.

• An example : Science for Kids is a website that provides facts, games and quizzes • http://www.sciencekids.co.nz/gamesactivities/foodchains.html

Science for Kids

Implementation • To implement these strategies we need new

technology• Ipads ,interactive whiteboard and more

computers

A Multiliterate classroom

Implementation of these strategies will mean:• Embracing diversity so ALL students can learn

(Dooley,2008).• Children develop their critical literacy skills ,asking

questions and seeing different points of view , awareness of different cultures

• Acknowledging the importance of text type multiplicity using a range of ICT Tools

• Adding emphasis on new technology• Children identify different kinds of meaning- visual,

audio, linguistic and gestural.

ReferencesHarrison, N. (2011).Teaching and learning in Aboriginal Education, 2nd edition. South Melbourne :Oxford University Press.

Dooley, K. (2008). Multiliteracies and pedagogies of New Learning for Students of English as an additional language. In Healy, A., Mulitliteracies and Diversity in Education. Oxford : Oxford University press

Sarra, C. (2007). Young Black and Deadly : strategies for improving outcomes for Indigenous students. In, M. Keeffee & S. Carrington (Eds) Schools and Diversity (2nd ed., pp. 74-89) Frenchs Forest, Victoria: Pearson.

Rose, D.(2008). Teaching Reading and Writing to Aboriginal Children. In N. Harrison (2008). Teaching and Learning in Indigenous Education. Sydney : Oxford University Press.

Markose, S., Symes C., & Hellsten, M.(in press) ‘In this country education happen at the home’ : two families in search of the instruments of appropriation for school success Language and Intercultural Communication (11), 3, August 2011, 247-267.

Commonwealth of Australia . (2013).Indigenous engagement officer reading to students (image). Retrieved from http://www.indigenous.gov.au/stronger-futures-for-indigenous-schools-kids-in-the-nt/

Chilcott , T. (2010).Children eating breakfast (image). Retrieved from http://www.couriermail.com.au/news/queensland/radical-learning-program-changing-aboriginal-kids-lives/story-e6freoof-1225872255997

Indigenous Literacy Foundation . (2013) children reading: (image) Retrieved from http://www.indigenousliteracyfoundation.org.au/what-is-indigenous-literacy.html

James , M.(2010).Teacher reading to child (image). Retrieved from http://honeyant.com.au/about/developing-har/

Board of Studies NSW (2007). English K - 6 Syllabus. Retrieved October 10, 2013, from http://k6.boardofstudies.nsw.edu.au/files/english/k6_english_syl.pdf

Board of Studies NSW (2007). Personal Development, Health and Physical Education K-6 syllabus. Retrieved October 10, 2013, from http://k6.boardofstudies.nsw.edu.au/files/pdhpe/k6_pdhpe_syl.pdf

Board of Studies NSW (2003). Aboriginal Languages K - 10 syllabus. Retrieved October 12, 2013, from http://www.boardofstudies.nsw.edu.au/syllabus_sc/pdf_doc/ab_language_k10_syl.pdf

• Department of Human Services (2010). Australian Hearing - Fm Systems. Retrieved October 12, 2013, from http://www.hearing.com.au/fm-systems

• FM Systems. (n.d.). Retrieved October 12, 2013, from http://www.hearinglink.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2012/05/LS-06-FM-System-Pic.jpg

• Lesson 7, Part 2: Sound Field Systems. (n.d.). Retrieved October 12, 2013, from http://online.uncg.edu/courses/csd557/unit2/lesson7_part2.php

• Board of Studies NSW (n.d.). NSW Syllabus :: Stage 2 outcomes. Retrieved October 13, 2013, from http://syllabus.bos.nsw.edu.au/stage-2-outcomes/

• Oddcast inc (2013). Voki - create your character. Retrieved October 12, 2013, from http://www.voki.com/create.php

• Image of Read & Write Gold. (n.d.). Retrieved October 12, 2013, from http://v1.lexdis.org.uk/uploads/image/TexthelpinWord.jpg

• Lesson plans and resources for your SMART Board - SMART Exchange. (n.d.). Retrieved October 10, 2013, from http://exchange.smarttech.com/#tab=0

• Review of educational and other approaches to hearing loss among Indigenous people « Reviews « Ear health (EarInfoNet) « Other health conditions « Australian Indigenous HealthInfoNet. (n.d.). Retrieved October 12, 2013, from http://www.healthinfonet.ecu.edu.au/other-health-conditions/ear/reviews/our-review-education

• Storybird - Create. (n.d.). Retrieved October 10, 2013, from http://storybird.com/create/