Inquiry Focus 2024 Part 2

 After analysing the results from my students Term 1 STAR Tests, I have noted down some of the key areas that I need to work on when planning for literacy in Term 2.

Teaching and Planning Strategies:

• Vocabulary:
  • Varied activities (image matching, writing definitions) based on reading and topics.
  • Build a word wall and hold regular quizzes (e.g., Kahoot!)
• Sentence Comprehension:
  • Focus on inference, vocabulary, and diverse texts.
  • Practice cloze activities, multiple choice, and writing for mechanics (e.g. proper grammar and punctuation) and clarity (e.g. sentence structure to ensure their writing is easy to understand).
• Paragraph Comprehension:
  • Teach strategies: skimming, summarising, identifying key words, and testing logical flow.
• Vocabulary Expansion:
  • Explore synonyms, antonyms, and word families.
• Decoding Advertising:
  • Discuss persuasive language techniques used to influence consumers.
• Writing for Audience:
  • Analyze titles, identify audience, and understand formal/informal styles through diverse writing exercises (fairy tales, news, job applications etc.).

Inquiry Focus 2024: Part 1

COL Inquiry: This year I have the privilege of being a member of the Manaiakalani COL (Community of Learning) for 2024. I have selected reading as my inquiry focus. This is because most of the students in my literacy class of Year 7 & 8 students are reading below their age. I have 30 students in my literacy class. Their reading ages range from 5 years old (ESOL student) to 11 years old, so there is quite a range. 

Target Group: I initially decided to focus on tracking only one reading group for my COL inquiry. There are eight students in this group who are all reading at 9 years old. However, after some discussion with our Acting Principal Toni Nua regarding the recent Reading PAT and STAR test results, I will now focus on two of my reading groups. The second group are reading between 8 and 8.5 years old. In total, there will be 16 students in my target group for my inquiry. This will allow for a larger sample size for my inquiry and hopefully better data collection. 

RPI influence: I just want to mention that I participated in the RPI (Reading Practice Intensive) workshops last year. I have made use of my experience with RPI in that I am more aware of how 'getting to know your learners' is important. I have conducted a survey with my students to gain information around reading and student interests. I have implemented follow up tasks that are similar to the examples shared in the RPI workshops. My planning also mirrors the examples shared via RPI. I feel as though I have hit the ground running due to my RPI experience in terms of planning for literacy and when thinking about incorporating the 'Manaiakalani Reading Pillars of Practice'. 

PAT and STAR results: 

Some Key findings: 

* The results from the 8-8.5 readers were quite similar to the 9 year readers. 

* PAT Reading range: Stanine 1 - 4

* STAR range: Stanine 1 - 3

* Word Recognition in the STAR test was a strength compared to the other sections. 

* Student weakness in STAR was: Vocab, Advertising language and Writing Style.