Literacy across the Curriculum

1. Literacy across the Curriculum Rebecca Anderson

2. Overview of this session • Introduce myself • Characteristics of Effective Schools • Discussion • Activities • Hands-on starters for all classes • KLA survey

3. Can you read this? Unisg the icndeblire pweor of the hmuan mnid, aocdcrnig to rseecrah at Cmabrigde Uinervtisy, it dseno't mttaer in waht oderr the lterets in a wrod are, the olny irpoamtnt tihng is taht the frsit and lsat ltteer be in the rhgit pclae. The rset can be a taotl mses and you can sitll raed it whoutit a pboerlm. Tihs is bucseae the huamn mnid deos not raed ervey ltteer by istlef, but the wrod as a wlohe. Aaznmig, huh?

4. Why focus on Literacy? • Vocabulary, expression and organisational control; • Reading & writing; • Language; • Higher order questioning; • Self-esteem & motivation increases; • Inappropriate behaviour decreases; • Independent learners; • Empowering for students. (Deakin University, Middle Years Study) Routine class practice Leads to

5. Characteristics of effective schools (http://www.education.vic.gov.au)

6. Shared vision and goals • reviewing and using multiple sets of trend data to improve student outcomes in literacy: • whole school level • student cohort level • individual student level • unity of purpose involving a consensus on values • teaching strategies consistently used • range of assessment tools used • consistency of practice • distributing resources across all essential learning strands • collegiality and collaboration • cross-curricular teacher teams and professional learning opportunities (http://www.education.vic.gov.au)

7. High expectations • all teachers taking an active role in supporting and monitoring students' progress in literacy • access and analyse school-level and student-level data to use for planning for and monitoring optimal literacy learning opportunities for students • communicating expectations about literacy achievement levels for all students • consistently modelling exemplary curriculum • providing students with intellectual challenge • think critically • work collaboratively • use and develop higher order thinking skills. (http://www.education.vic.gov.au)

8. Focus on Learning & Teaching • focus on achievement • study and organisational skills • strategic professional learning for teachers to support students at risk of being under-challenged in improving their literacy outcomes • recognition and transfer of prior learning • cooperative and individual-focused learning experience • professional learning to improve student literacy outcomes • individual, differentiated pre and post diagnostic literacy assessments • student self-assessment (http://www.education.vic.gov.au)

9. Literacy-based startersSpeaking and listening, reading and writing • Verbal tennis – divide class into 2 groups who take turns to say a word related to the current topic. No words can be repeated. Scored as tennis. • ABC as you enter – As students enter class give them each a letter of the alphabet (within reason, you may have to repeat some letters). They have to think of a key concept, keyword, related vocabulary or example to go round the room and start the class off • See handout for further examples

10. Read the colours NOT the words (Stroop Effect)

12. KLA based survey