Accelerating individual learning
The first two years of schooling are critical to lifelong learning. In this short time, children are expected to learn to read and write. If they learn well, they can meet the demands of the curriculum. If they fall behind, they will struggle with learning, perhaps until the age of 13 or 14.
In 2009, assisted by a Junior Literacy Adviser, selected teachers of Years 1–3 children accelerated their students’ literacy learning. Accent Learning can help you do the same in your classroom.
Accelerating literacy learning in your classroom
Outcomes
Results from 2009 show:
- the speed of children’s learning increased, particularly their learning to read
- oral language was strengthened and enhanced through improved reading and writing
- teachers used a greater number of strategies to support literacy learning
- in one school, every child was at or above expected levels by Year 3. The teacher reported that she had a new problem – substantial numbers of children in her class needed extension in reading.
How did it work?
The Adviser:
- worked with each teacher in the classroom at least once a fortnight throughout the year
- modeled good practice, observed the teacher at work, gave feedback, co-taught when appropriate
- provided each teacher with new tools targeted to their individual teaching practice and particular challenges.
The teacher:
- maintained running records, analysed data, kept individual student workbooks
- observed and discussed the Adviser’s classroom practice; incorporated feedback on their own teaching; co-taught when appropriate
- learned some of the finer points that can move a child towards more independent reading, such as teaching phrasing and fluency, working with different comprehension strategies, and teaching prompts to increase articulation about metacognition
- determined next learning steps for targeted children
- worked on identified goals, one at a time
- visited other classrooms with print-rich environments, observed other teachers at work and discussed their decision making, teaching practice and results
- discussed strategies and progress with the Adviser, and developed their own practice.
The tools
Data
The teacher determined:
- where each child (or group) was on the colour wheel (using running records)
- what their next steps needed to be
- how those steps might be met.
The wedge graph
The teacher used a wedge graph to:
- plot the reading level of each child
- decide which children (or group) to target – ie, those below the expected age-related level
- set appropriate targets for those children to accelerate their reading level, focusing first on raising them to the expected level then, if appropriate, above it
- assess targeted children regularly until they had achieved the target(s) and were no longer of concern or at risk
- decide when to move on to target other children.
Close monitoring
This included:
- running records for each child to provide data for the wedge graph
- more frequent running records for targeted children
- individual anecdotal workbooks for each child, updated during and after each lesson – action, results (observation and data), analysis, next steps, reason why
- group/class reading book, updated during each lesson – action, results, analysis, next steps, reason why.
Accelerating literacy learning in your classroom
- Check out the wedge graph and develop one for your own class. It is a flexible tool that can be used to monitor an individual child, a group, or the whole class.
- Take the Tips on board and add them to your own teaching toolbox – check this page regularly for updates (see Tips at top of page)
- Contact School Support for further assistance and support.