Manaiakalani Reading Practice Intensive - Planning a Reading Programme - Day 5

After last session's epiphany about my Guided reading, I kept doing what I was doing as I saw the next session was about planning the reading programme. I didn't want to rush ahead and then have to redo it all as I didn't hit the mark.

This session I have taken away several ideas that I will be working on, in the coming weeks. The biggest delight this week was the writing as reader session. I find writing my weakest pou in my whare of learning. It is hard. This activity is such a great way to add more modelling to my tamariki and improve their writing - all from their reading! 

I sometimes see the odd akonga using wording or phrases they have gained from read out louds (chapter books) in their writing, but it would be great to see more of them doing this. By using a book they enjoy by an author they connect with as the basis of their writing will be stimulating and engaging for them. They can write just like someone they "know" and love! It adds to their vocabulary, has them reading the text carefully and them emulating the text. It really is a big bang for your buck teaching time. I cannot wait to use this.

It really brought to the fore how modelling to akonga is essential. It is a big leap from seeing something and doing it though, but with scaffolded frameworks for students to use it can be tailored to all levels in the classroom.

I will be looking at stepping up my Mahi Tracker the tamariki use too. Most of them enjoy seeing themselves and how far they have come and the more visual spreadsheets provide great feedback to them. 

I also realise my visibility timetabling is a little weak. I have it, and I put it up each day for them on the board, but I need to share it on my site for full visibility and it is in greater details for the tamariki that need it. I recently completed a PLD on using coreboards run by an MOE advisor in Speech and Language Therapy. I have increased my usage of images in the classroom as a result for the few students that need the images to help them navigate their world so I will ensure it is on my digital copy as well as my wall and that the images are the same across the board for easy accessibility. 

Seeing others' timetables was great - I will borrow some of their look and feel that suits my class the best. Manaiakalani and it's philosophy of sharing and not reinventing the wheel is just fantastic. Coming into teaching from outside industry it was a shock to see how much people do NOT share things with others compared to other industries I have worked in (IT, FMCG). It is refreshing that this is encouraged by Manaiakalani.

The apps were interesting too; I use all bar the Learning Planet which I am going to delve into. I have been using them rather loosely though and will return to the more rigorous way I used them in the past (eg setting assignments in Epic! and ReadWorks). This was a great reminder of how much is available that can support and scaffold their learning in particular areas such as inferencing. 

It was interesting that the research showed that talking about inferencing and finding inferences is as good as direct instruction. I do a bit of both, but I will now look at my mahi with a more detailed eye and use the lense of this course to shape my usage of mahi for inferencing.

Another great week of learning. Can't wait for the next one.