Reframing Readers Resourcefully
When I started this pilot I had 4 Year 5 students who thought that being a good reader meant you could sound out words and read with expression. They didn't have a real understanding of their role as a reader or viewer. They had poor self concepts about their reading skills and said that they often didn't read books they thought they may enjoy because of the hard words.In the short amount of time that I have been working with this group I have seen that they now see a real purpose for their reading. They also know that a good reader uses strategies to understand the text they are reading. It is not just about big words. Recently a colleague came to observe an R3 session. He taught one of the girls in Year 5 last year. At the end of the session he shared with the group that he had read with Emily last year in guided reading groups and that she would always try to avoid these groups. She never participated in the discussion, was always fussing around with lost books, uncomfortable chairs and trying to find a pencil. He was amazed at the depth of the conversation she was now participating in and the key role she played in all the discussions (Emily loves to lead the group questioning the text and finding new words).
I have gained so much from this program as a classroom teacher. The resource magazines we were given are excellent and the children have really engaged with them. They are now reading historical recounts, science reports, myths, biographies, newspaper reports and see the purpose of each of these texts. They are building their vocabulary and have new strategies to clarify unknown words without sounding out or chunking a word. Often this reading has prompted them to go away and do further research about some of the topics we have read about.
From this program we have really learnt how to choose quality texts to engage and challenge our readers. In addition to the magazines, I have used picture books to explore visual literacy, and excerpts from novels to focus on specific reading strategies. Incorporating library visits into the program has sparked a love of going to the library again for them and for me. I make it a priority now with my own Year 5 class to visit weekly and explore different parts of the library with them.
I am excited to implement many of strategies and resources I have gained from this program into my own classroom. I am concerned that waiting until students are in stage 3 is too late. This program
would be perfect in our stage 2 classrooms where the majority of students are independent readers and need more mature reading strategies to engage with a wider variety of texts.
Friday, 18 March 2016
Rosemary's Reflection on R3
Rosemary Johnson – Year 4 Classroom Teacher and R3 Facilitator
Chisholm Catholic Primary School Bligh Park
I was asked to run the R3 program in our school last year when I was in Learning Support. I relished the chance to be part of a pilot program that was supporting children in Stage 3 in the area of Literacy, in particular in the area of Reading and Comprehension.
The program targets children in Stage 3 who are challenged in the areas of Reading and Comprehension. The children were chosen based on their Pat-R and Naplan results and in consultation with the Year 5 classroom teachers. The first step was to look at these results and assess what areas of concern there were and the areas of strength. After careful scrutiny of the data the children were given further tests to assess their reading and comprehension levels. These included the ‘Reading Interview’, ‘Running Records’, ‘Read and Retell’, ‘Reading Mindmap’ and ‘Burt’.
The four children I am working with begun the program a little bit reserved, as did I. Being an intensive program the expectations were high and it took some time to get into the groove of what we all needed to do. During this time of transition the children and I were supported by Kathy Ferrari and given direction through discussions and mentoring. Kathy willingly led sessions and explained in depth what the expectations and mechanics of the program were. We also had collegial sessions with the support of the Lead Educators of Literacy from the CEO who assisted us in moving forward with the program.
Now that the program has been running for 18 weeks there have been significant changes in the way these children read, comprehend and critique a variety of texts from the fiction and non-fiction genres. Their confidence and abilities have certainly grown. The children are becoming critical readers who can effectively predict, visualise, clarify, retell, summarise and read a variety of fiction and non-fiction texts. Their responses, discussions and reflections during daily sessions have become more detailed and in-depth. There has been continuing assessment completed during the 18 weeks that attest to the growth of the children’s abilities.
The program has also assisted me in being an effective classroom teacher as I have implemented some of the practices used in the R3 program. The program has helped these children to address some of the challenges they have had in the area of Reading and Comprehension and shown them that they are capable learners.
Chisholm Catholic Primary School Bligh Park
I was asked to run the R3 program in our school last year when I was in Learning Support. I relished the chance to be part of a pilot program that was supporting children in Stage 3 in the area of Literacy, in particular in the area of Reading and Comprehension.
The program targets children in Stage 3 who are challenged in the areas of Reading and Comprehension. The children were chosen based on their Pat-R and Naplan results and in consultation with the Year 5 classroom teachers. The first step was to look at these results and assess what areas of concern there were and the areas of strength. After careful scrutiny of the data the children were given further tests to assess their reading and comprehension levels. These included the ‘Reading Interview’, ‘Running Records’, ‘Read and Retell’, ‘Reading Mindmap’ and ‘Burt’.
The four children I am working with begun the program a little bit reserved, as did I. Being an intensive program the expectations were high and it took some time to get into the groove of what we all needed to do. During this time of transition the children and I were supported by Kathy Ferrari and given direction through discussions and mentoring. Kathy willingly led sessions and explained in depth what the expectations and mechanics of the program were. We also had collegial sessions with the support of the Lead Educators of Literacy from the CEO who assisted us in moving forward with the program.
Now that the program has been running for 18 weeks there have been significant changes in the way these children read, comprehend and critique a variety of texts from the fiction and non-fiction genres. Their confidence and abilities have certainly grown. The children are becoming critical readers who can effectively predict, visualise, clarify, retell, summarise and read a variety of fiction and non-fiction texts. Their responses, discussions and reflections during daily sessions have become more detailed and in-depth. There has been continuing assessment completed during the 18 weeks that attest to the growth of the children’s abilities.
The program has also assisted me in being an effective classroom teacher as I have implemented some of the practices used in the R3 program. The program has helped these children to address some of the challenges they have had in the area of Reading and Comprehension and shown them that they are capable learners.
Thursday, 17 March 2016
R3 Reflection
I feel very fortunate to have participated in the R3 pilot program. It has really affirmed many things for me as well as set me challenges to extend my thinking and practise.
The students have blossomed into more confident readers. They can name and use the strategies that they need to use to be a good reader. The challenge is that they recognise and continue applying these strategies independently on a daily basis when they read.
When choosing the students for our group we really considered the length of time of the program and was mindful of who we chose. I believe that this selection process has been a key to the programs success. The students were keen and open to change. The challenge I had with my group was changing old habits that had formed over many years.
As a school R3 has opened the discussion around "good readers" in stage 3. My intervention room is set up between both years 5 and 6. This has allowed the teachers to "pop in" and ask what is that I have on the wall or what is that piece of text. Being open with the staff about my learning and my students has been powerful. Teachers have spent time with me during a lesson which has generated many discussions. We still have a way to go in developing our first wave reading practise but this has been a platform to begin discussion and trial new ideas as a team. I also shared my learning with our Reading Recovery teacher and Learning Support teacher. From this we implemented an R3 program in year 3 and year 5 this year.
I feel at the completion of this program that the R3 teacher has a role in monitoring these students to ensure they continue moving forward.
Overall I feel the students, teachers and myself gained a great deal from this program. Even after the pilot we will continue using this at St Anthony's.
The students have blossomed into more confident readers. They can name and use the strategies that they need to use to be a good reader. The challenge is that they recognise and continue applying these strategies independently on a daily basis when they read.
When choosing the students for our group we really considered the length of time of the program and was mindful of who we chose. I believe that this selection process has been a key to the programs success. The students were keen and open to change. The challenge I had with my group was changing old habits that had formed over many years.
As a school R3 has opened the discussion around "good readers" in stage 3. My intervention room is set up between both years 5 and 6. This has allowed the teachers to "pop in" and ask what is that I have on the wall or what is that piece of text. Being open with the staff about my learning and my students has been powerful. Teachers have spent time with me during a lesson which has generated many discussions. We still have a way to go in developing our first wave reading practise but this has been a platform to begin discussion and trial new ideas as a team. I also shared my learning with our Reading Recovery teacher and Learning Support teacher. From this we implemented an R3 program in year 3 and year 5 this year.
I feel at the completion of this program that the R3 teacher has a role in monitoring these students to ensure they continue moving forward.
Overall I feel the students, teachers and myself gained a great deal from this program. Even after the pilot we will continue using this at St Anthony's.
Tuesday, 15 March 2016
Sue's Reflections (copied from other blog)
R3 Reflections
I have really enjoyed the two terms that we have worked on R3 pilot program!
From a SCHOOL COMMUNITY viewpoint, R3 has highlighted the importance of Guided Reading, Reciprocal Teaching and Read and Retell in our school.
I have really enjoyed the two terms that we have worked on R3 pilot program!
From a SCHOOL COMMUNITY viewpoint, R3 has highlighted the importance of Guided Reading, Reciprocal Teaching and Read and Retell in our school.
- Through teacher visits to the R3 lesson and viewing Guided, Reciprocal Teaching and Read and Retell, we have shared the learnings, inspired and supported teachers who were otherwise confused, and consolidated and reinforced the importance of such strategies being incorporated into the classroom menu board.
- Professional Input at Staff Meetings has helped to answer inquiry questions about Guided Reading, Reciprocal Teaching and Read and Retell. Therefore the pilot program has refreshed teacher understandings and encouraged the use of these strategies within the classroom. The benefits from the community perspective have been far reaching through the introduction of a much needed intervention program to support the development of comprehension in the older readers and to address the needs of students as seen through data analysis such as NAPLAN and Pat R.
- Acceptance by Year 5, 2015 and 6 teachers 2016, of the program and incorporating R3 into their Menu Board activities as to ensure easy transition and support of participants.
- The Parent Support from those children on the program has also been a contributing factor to the benefits to our school community. The students regularly ask their parents to sign their reading log, and as the teacher I have spoken to parents who have been very pleased to see the routine of regular reading being part of their child's daily work and pleasure times as witnessed by the holiday reading by my students and evidenced in their logs. Further, parents gave books to students as Christmas gifts as encouragement and support.
- There has also been a further support group set up with children who did not get onto the program, receiving session with our Principal, using Read and Retell as a tool for further clarity and comprehension.
- I am also a Learning Support Teacher in Stage 2 and this term I have incorporated similar style strategies into Year 3 Reading Groups ( 2 groups of 4 children) as in R3. The data collected highlights quick acceleration for those children not at Benchmark at the end of Term 4 2015.(Moving from L 26 to L 30 in Term 1 as at Week 7 2016)
For the INDIVIDUAL STUDENTS:
- Comprehension Levels have increased from Year 4 levels in Term 4 2015 to Year 6 levels in Term 1 2016. As seen by BAS
- Guided Reading sessions built around Questioning, Clarifying and Summarising through talk and written responses.
- Metacognitive conversations developing through teacher modelling and group sharing.
- Breaking of unknown words on the run as a means of developing vocabulary.
- Reading for MEANING as evidenced by fluency, self corrections and re-reading strategies.
- Confidence to discuss texts, and transition from small group interaction to classroom group contributions.
- Detailed summarising both orally and written, that are accurate and sequenced according to text.
- Improved grammar and structure of language as witnessed by written responses being edited by students before publishing.
- Reading for ENJOYMENT because it makes sense to them now.
- Reading and Writing with purpose through blogging with students from other schools.
- Improved confidence in reading publicly through daily teacher shared reading.
- Independent clarifying of questions while reading through use of Dictionaries, thesauruses and mapping investigations.
- Access to digital content through the use if iPads.
As the Teacher of R3
- I have participated in professional development
- I have 'self extended' my expertise as a practitioner and as a colleague leading school based professional learning and supporting teachers one to one, through modelling, observation and giving and receiving feedback.
- shared my learning with colleagues from other schools and my own school staff
- participated in rich learning experiences through meeting R3 colleagues each term, and through colleague visits.
- improved my use of technology through student and teacher blogging
- sharpened my skills in Guided reading Reciprocal Teaching and Read and Retells.
- gained confidence in the area of Literacy Acquisition K-6.
- been Inspired and Encouraged in my teaching career.
Tuesday, 8 March 2016
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