Burst & Bubble 2019
The catalytic aspect of student learning my inquiry focused on this year was to promote deep thinking and understanding in reading, writing and maths by promoting dialogic teaching and learning in my year 7 & 8.
I identified this as my focus when I noticed that the data are fluctuating - as we say the summer effect. How can I maintain that fluctuation and I know that summer blogging is happening but I think it is more to it. This was evidently clear from the Wolfe Fisher Research Centre’s presentation earlier this year. Although many of our students demonstrated shift in their achievement from Term 1 to Term 4 in 2018, they were still landing below the National norm for their age group.
The sources of evidence and data I used to build a rich picture of my students’ learning were PAT Reading and STAR assessments, Probe data and observational anecdotal notes of student oral reading and group interactions.
The main patterns of student learning I identified in the profiling phase were they are very good answering questions about superficial questions. They can talk about what is happening in the text but can’t go deeper. At times they don’t express their thinking and struggle to logically explain their thinking.
I realise there is a huge need for higher order thinker and to be more critical delve deeper into the text.
And there is a huge need for higher order thinker and to be more critical delve deeper into the text.
My profiling of my own teaching showed that I had strengths in providing students with opportunity to talk through planned hands on activities that promote discussion/conversation. I used texts that of high interest to my students. But that my students would likely make more progress if I developed conversation that challenged their thinking to dig deep into the text or situation. I particularly promote comprehension strategies that resonate with my students, such as thinking aloud and making connections - text to self, text to text and text to the world. I recognise individual’s ability and able to design learning to meet individual’s need.
But that my students would likely make more progress if I provide opportunity for discussion where they freely talk without feeling the need to give “the right answer”. My students would be more confident to participate in the discussion if I give them talking frames
The changes I made in my teaching were taking more time to plan what I wanted the outcomes of our reading sessions to be before, during and after a text was read. I used the deep dive into text reading strategy. This enable the students to read the text with a more focus purpose and know they will come back to discuss as a group. This discussion and conversation give each other opportunity to bounce ideas.
The literature/expertise that mostly helped me decide what changes to make was the ongoing CoL PD offered by Dr. Jannie van Hees. I also attended two.
Dr Aaron also shed light everytime we have CoL meeting. It made me reflect on what I did in class.
The easiest and hardest things for me to change were…..
Some changes I made along the way were I gave the reading materials to the students to read before coming to the table for discussions.
The use of structured talk eased and become free conversation.
It was hard to begin with as students are too subconscious about sharing ideas. Sometimes the content is not related to the students interest.
It was hard for me to reduce my talking and to allow the students to lead. But I became better, however, I always come in to heighten the conversation.
Overall I would rate the changes in student learning as moderate. When I am in the classroom, the students knew it was deep dive. It became a common langage. However, I still need to work with them on deeper level thinking and thinking outside the box.
The evidence for my rating is from my observation and talking with my students.
The most important learning I made about dialogic teaching and learning was the importance of conversation along the way. The need for students to use vocabulary is absolutely essential. However, the support they have from each other was phenomenal.
