English, Literacies and Policy Contexts A Lecture 6

Part A Oral Language

Oral Language Three fundamental aspects: Learning language, living in speech rich communities. Learning through language, interacting with others and developing thinking strategies. Learning about language, exploring how language works through exploration, play, and stories.

Oral Language Oral language provides the base for literacy learning. ‘Being able to hear language, perceive differences in meaning and articulate difference is crucially important in learning how to read and write’ (Hill, 2012, p. 20).

Wow Words Partner Task: Define the following terms that relate to oral language and explain the role they play in the development of literacy. Phonology Syntax Semantics Pragmatics Vocabulary

Supporting the Development of Oral Language Strategies include Teacher modelling, scaffolding and student interactions. Accommodating and drawing on ‘home’ experiences, including differing cultures and student interests. Reading aloud and literature responses Rhymes, poetry and songs Differing levels of questions (eg Blank levels, SCUMPS, size, colour, use, material, parts, shape ) Open ended questions Circle time In groups discuss these and other support strategies.

Cued Articulation Developing awareness and skills related to the articulation of single sounds. This technique is frequently used to support learners during their first year at school and/or is used with students who are experiencing difficulties articulating some sounds. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BPLnfNciLbA Discuss ways that this approach could be introduced in the classroom (and engage students).

Oral Language Practical Activities: Read, discuss and ‘have a go’ at some of the language activities on your tables. Discuss when, how and why they could be used in the classroom.

The Classroom Task: In groups discuss ways that teachers can create classroom environments that support the development of oral language skills. Consider the physical environment, how oral language skills are integrated into other areas of curriculum, the role of the teacher (explicit and implicit teaching strategies) and the development of communication and thinking skills.

Part B Assessment Two

Assessment Task 2 – Planning Task: Portrait of a Literacy Learner Due date: Friday 19th May Details of task: In this assignment you are developing your teacher eyes by focussing on a young literacy learner. PART 1 Choose a young child to work with during your placement. Find out as much as you can about the child in relation to their literacy strengths. What are their interests? How do they use literacy in and outside of the classroom? How do they use language? What can they do as a reader? What can they do as a writer? Make links to the readings/ideas in this unit where appropriate. Provide evidence/work samples where appropriate.

Assessment Task 2 – Planning Task: Portrait of a Literacy Learner Due date: PART 2 In the second part of this assignment you need to think of how you might develop a learning plan for this child. How do the ways in which the child learns literacy reflect some of the theoretical ideas presented in this unit? How would you plan for this learner? What knowledge and skills would you focus on in relation to reading, writing and oral language? What kinds of resources would you use? How would you encourage parents to support the learner at home? Make links to the readings/ideas in this unit where appropriate. Word count: 2500 words Weighting/Value: 60%

Personalised Learning Plan General Goals Entry Skills Specific Outcome Target Strategies to be used to support learning Reading Writing Speaking & Listening .

Referencing and Writing Guides Federation University General Guide to Referencing https://federation.edu.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0020/313328/FEDUNI-GENERAL-GUIDE-TO-REFERENCING-2016-EDITION_ed.pdf Federation General Guide to Writing https://federation.edu.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0018/190044/General-Guide-to-Writing-and-Study-Skills.pdf Plagiarism Declaration: You must complete this when you upload your assessment task.

Attendance If you miss, or are going to miss, more than 80% of the lectures/tutorials, you need to contact me to discuss your situation and outline how you will demonstrate your learning re missed sessions. Negotiated absence will involve providing evidence of familiarity with the lecture/tutorial powerpoint (on Moodle), completion of both set and additional readings and completion of related lecture tasks. .

Part C Monitoring and Assessing Literacy Learning

Monitoring and Assessment In groups discuss and list: the differences between monitoring and assessment. the differences between formal and informal assessment. the differences between assessing for learning the assessment of learning and assessment as learning. Monitoring and Assessment

Monitoring and Assessing Oral Language Skills Consider and discuss how teachers know about, monitor and record their students’ oral language skills. Including the ability of students to: Hear, recognise and reproduce sounds, words and sentences. Communicate and convey ideas using oral language. Develop vocabulary knowledge and use Develop more complex sentence structure Understand and vary the use of pitch and tone Listen to, understand and respond to others. (See Tompkins et al. 2015, pp.70-71 for ideas)

Monitoring and Assessing Reading Consider and discuss strategies teachers use to, monitor , assess and record their students’ reading skills. Including the ability of young literacy learners to: Understand the purpose of reading Track print (read left to right with return sweep) Recognise and recall common words Use graphophonic cues (awareness of the correlation between letters and sounds) Use context/semantics cues (meaning) Use syntactic cues (structural) Read with fluency and expression (phrasing and intonation) Reread and self correct Understand and respond to what they read (using differing comprehension levels, literal, inferred, interpretive/critical) Enjoy reading

Running Records/Miscue Analysis https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dQtLFZHWP88 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m7qhJZzuiLQ&feature=youtu.be https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SJ8gSL3PZIs&feature=youtu.be

Monitoring and Assessing Writing Skills Consider and discuss strategies teachers use to, monitor , assess and record their students’ writing skills. Including the ability of young literacy learners to: Communicate ideas through print Form letters and numerals Use spacing between words Use a range of strategies to attempt to spell words Independently write common sight words Write a range of simple texts

Analysing Writing Samples In groups look at and discuss the varying writing samples. What information are you able to glean from them about the student’s knowledge of writing and spelling? How would you use this information to assist future planning for the child’s learning? guide a writing conference with the student? inform the child’s parents about their progress?

The Victorian Curriculum Discuss the developmental stages outlined in the Scope and Sequence (English) section of the Victorian Curriculum. How does this document guide teachers in both assessing and planning for literacy learning? http://victoriancurriculum.vcaa.vic.edu.au/english/introduction/rationale-and-aims

https://www.raiselearning.com.au/blogs/news/tagged/eylf

Assessment to… Inform the teacher, provide direction for future learning needs. Inform the student: Together students and teachers set relevant and achievable learning goals. Inform parents/carers on their child’s progress and provide direction as to way they can support learning. Inform schools and education departments, provide direction for school improvement etc, Other:

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