Inquiry blog #6: My patterns of teaching

In March, I wrote a blog where I talked about what the most important and catalytic issue of learning was in my classroom.  I reread what I wrote and found that I hadn't actually identified what the issue was with the learning, but more of what the problem was with my approach to teaching. 

After identifying my preliminary findings and gathering important data and evidence, I've decided the biggest issue in learning for my students was that 'my students struggled to write a summary about a text that they have read to show their understanding of the text'.  To come to this point, I have had to unpack my findings, to develop a worthwhile hypothesis.  I want to explore likely barriers for these findings and identify what key teaching actions I could use to accelerated student achievement in reading.  

 

Link here

1.  Developing a set of hypotheses about patterns in my teaching that could be change to more effectively address the student learning focus.

My students are struggling to write a summary because I may not be:

• spending enough time ensuring students understand the text more deeply
• allowing them to verbalise and discuss their learning more deeply
• teaching enough skills and too much content
• focussing on essentials like vocabulary 
• skilled in supporting the lower/higher ability learners
• differentiating the reading and tasks
• focussed on the process
• showing them the end result

2.  The process for developing these hypotheses.

To come to this conclusion, I am taking into consideration the following:

• my observations of my students
• my conversations and lessons with Dr Jannie
• what my colleagues say about the students and their learning
• student voice surveys
• relevant research

3.  The hypothesis about teaching that I have decided in the MOST worth testing

Spending enough time ensuring my students understand texts more deeply by putting the lense of the language (reading, writing and oral).

4.  Testing my hypothesis and evidence I may use to support my hypothesis

• Practical theories/strategies
• Dr Jannie Van Hees, putting the lense on language and deep diving into text
• Literacy expert Marc Milford's reading plan
• Successful strategies from primary schools and previous junior classes
• Critical discussions with colleagues
• Collaboration across curriculum areas such as English
• Pockets of excellence teaching within our department
• Relevant research
• Best Evidence Synthesis in Social Sciences
• Key words: Asttle, reading, acceleration, ZPD
• Gathering evidence of tests overtime in asttle reading and writing 
• Student voice survey and learning discussions.

As I unpack the impact of my teaching on student learning, I am able to understand and formulate an intervention or set of interventions which will hopefully support the learners to achieve success.