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Reflections on implementing CPOL strategies for literacy improvement through focused areas such as vocabulary development, phonemic awareness, and sentence structure in classrooms. Observations on student progress and unexpected outcomes leading to increased confidence and participation.
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Hayley Robinson & Hayley Darrington • Prep/1 teacher (2014, 2015) • Prep/1 teacher (2014), 5/6 teacher (2015)
Reflections about your teaching practice As teachers and leaders, what have you been doing differently in your classrooms and schools since attending CPOL? How did you plan for this? • In 2014 we focused on The Four Elements – specifically: • - 1. Phonemic and Phonological Awareness • - 2. Vocabulary Development • - 4. Developing and using more complex sentences. • We implemented these three areas mainly through our daily CAFÉ reading program. • We also focused on these areas during Circle Time, writing, spelling and inquiry learning. • After reflecting on our audio recordings we changed our practice by encouraging more student talk and peer-talk and less teacher-talk.
At Karingal Heights our Literacy Program is focused around CAFÉ Reading. CAFÉ reading stands for: C – Comprehension “I understand what I read.” A – Accuracy “I can read the words correctly.” F – Fluency “I can read accurately, with expression and understand what I read.” E – Expand Vocabulary “I know, find and use interesting words.” Four days a week we explicitly teach one reading strategy from each of the above areas using a chosen Big Book for the week. We begin with a 15 minute mini-lesson to model the strategy using a Big Book. i.e. Retell the story; Using interesting words in speaking and writing; Stretch and blends sounds in words etc. Students then spend 5-10 minutes ‘turning and talking’ discussing their ideas about the book and strategy before sharing with the class and engaging in a group or individual activity.
CPOL Language Element Focus #1: Vocabulary Development CAFÉ Focus: Expanding Vocabulary Implemented: Word focus: Synonyms, antonyms, acting out words, adjectives, verbs, Word of the week, word webs. CPOL Language Element Focus #2: Phonemic and phonological awareness CAFÉ Focus: Accuracy Implemented: Word focus: rhyming, stretching and blending, chunking, syllabification, know letters and sounds. CPOL Language Element Focus #3: Speaking in full sentences CAFÉ Focus: Comprehension Implemented: Turn and talk before, during and after reading big book, use of who, what, where, when cards from colourful semantics.
Reflections about our students: We identified a high number of students with oral language needs. We did this through observations and assessments such as: • English Online Interview Data (February) • ICPALER Oral Language Screening Profile • Letter and Sound assessments • Running Records • Observations during class discussions and social interaction between students.
Our students • Our Observations • Overall we observed greater confidence in our students through implementation of oral language focuses we have discussed such as: Colourful Semantics – vocabulary/word walls – Turn and Talk – Word of the Week – role plays. • Unexpected Results • We were surprised by the increase in students confidence and participation during class discussions • We saw unexpected improvements in students reading and writing abilities • Children responded with enthusiasm and confidence to Colourful Semantics, Word of the Week activities and role plays.
Planning for 2015: • Providing more opportunities for student-talk and class discussion across all areas of the curriculum. • Using strategies such as “clock buddies” to facilitate Turn and Talk and peer discussions.
