To improve students’ writing, in particular, the generalisation of spelling skills to their written work

Curriculum area: Major Focus: English – Writing - Spelling Student Groups: Year 4 girls, boys, Maori, Pacifica, EAL

Y4 Sounds Alive Levels Mid Year 2008 Factors that impact on this data may be the high number of boys with literacy needs and global special needs that have not been identified in this data summary. The high number of ESOL children in our school population will also have an impact on this data. Girls% At their expected level % Above their expected level % Below their expected level 3722%19%59% Boys% At their expected level % Above their expected level % Below their expected level 429.5% 81% Maori% At their expected level % Above their expected level % Below their expected level o Pacifica% At their expected level % Above their expected level % Below their expected level 333.3%0%66.7%

Triangulated Data Gathering  Using multiple methods to gather data in order to ensure valid, meaningful data. Other Data Gathering Methods & Initiatives: Student Survey – Terms 1 and 4 Student Rubric Utilisation Teacher observation and anecdotal records

Curriculum Level Expectation Year 4 should be working at NZ Curriculum Level 2-3, which is Spelling Level 4  Sounds Alive Assessment – This gives the teacher an indication of the literacy level that a child is working at.  Dictation (using Spell write and Sounds Alive words) – This gives the teacher an indication of the literacy level that a child is working at. Stanines 9, 8, 7High Achievers (top 4 th next 7 th and 12 th percentiles respectively – top 23%) 6, 5, 4AT (24 th to 77 th percentile – middle 54%) 3Concern (12 th to 23 rd percentile) 2, 1At Risk (bottom 4 th and 7 th percentiles – bottom 11%) NZCER stanine - This assessment shows comparative achievement against national norms (stanines).

At RiskC oncern ATHigh AchieversTotal Number of Students 0042% (10)58% (14)24

At RiskC oncern ATHigh AchieversTotal Number of Students 10% (2)21% (4) 59% (11)10% (2)19

At RiskC oncern ATHigh AchieversTotal Number of Students 0050% (1) 2

At RiskC oncern ATHigh AchieversTotal Number of Students 0050% (1) 2

At RiskC oncern ATHigh AchieversTotal Number of Students 7% (2)13% (4) 50% (15)30% (9)30

At RiskC oncern AT High Achievers Total Number of Students Dictation 5% (1)95% (18)19 Sounds Alive 4% (1)32% (7)28% (6)36% (8)22

At RiskC oncern AT High Achievers Total Number of Students Dictation 8% (1)50% (6)41% (5)12 Sounds Alive 31% (6) 37% (7)19

At RiskC oncern AT High Achievers Total Number of Students Dictation 100% (2)2 Sounds Alive 100% (2)2

At RiskC oncern AT High Achievers Total Number of Students Dictation 50% (1) 2 Sounds Alive 100% (2)2

At RiskC oncern AT High Achievers Total Number of Students Dictation 5% (1)14% (3)81% (17)21 Sounds Alive 18% (5)32% (9) 18% (5)28

 Middle and Senior children were surveyed to gather information on their thoughts and understandings about proofreading to enable teachers to best implement the team developed ‘proofreading and generalising my spelling’ rubrics. This is closely aligned with our school wide achievement target to improve students’ writing, in particular, the generalisation of spelling skills to their written work.  This analysis is a summary of year 4 responses.  100 of the year 4 surveys have been completed.

Q1 Highlights 45% believed proof-reading is important to ensure writing makes sense 17% said so it is correct 10% answered it is important for spelling

Q2 Highlights Majority believed proofreading is reading it, followed by using a different coloured pen, or using a buddy 10% answered check spelling (2% correct spelling)

Q3 Highlights 8% didn’t know Reading, a buddy and using a dictionary were the most common responses

 97% believed it was important to proofread your work with 3% answering ‘don’t know’  72% believed it was important to ensure it can be read by others answering: so it makes sense; is correct; or is important for spelling  7% were unable to give examples of what you do but the majority we able to give an independent strategy  8% were unable to answer what helps them proofread but 89% could identify independent strategies they knew could help them

 To provide regular opportunities for students to model proof-reading strategies in order to develop them further  To provide regular opportunities for students to practise using and articulating the ‘how’, ‘why’ and ‘what’ of proof-reading strategies

 All groups achieved an overall higher level score with the dictation compared to the Sounds Alive assessment. High Achievement Trends ◦ 95% of Girls scored within the high achievers category for dictation ◦ 100% Girls were at or above the national expectation for the NZCER assessment ◦ Maori and Pacifica students all met or exceeded the national expectation for all three assessments ◦ 85% EAL students were within the high achievers category for the dictation and all EAL students met the national expectation for NZCER Low Achievement Trends  50% of EAL students scored within ‘concern’ and ‘at risk’ categories for the Sounds Alive assessment  Boys tended to be at much lower levels than any other group ◦ 1/3 of Boys are within the ‘at risk’ or ‘concern’ group for NZCER 13% below the national expectation ◦ 56% of Boys are at a lower Sounds Alive level than dictation with 31% in both ‘concern’ and ‘at risk’ levels

Many of the students achieving within the ‘at risk’ or ‘concern’ category will be identified as foundation EAL students, have limited English language or special learning needs including: dyslexia, dyspraxia, low oral language (Phonetic awareness) and/or processing difficulties, and many will already have special learning programmes in place. Boys at Ilam school tend to have a wide attainment range with higher than average percentages at the upper and lower levels (this directly relates to the make-up of the school with a large number of EAL students, many special needs and gifted and talented students). This assessment reflects the wide ability range within Ilam School and the importance of careful assessment and monitoring of progress for boys. This trend of lower male reading achievement is not specific to Ilam School, and tends to follow the national trend. This reflects the wide ability range within Ilam School and the importance of careful assessment and monitoring of progress for boys. Identifying strong trends for the small number of Maori and Pacifica students is difficult although there all students within this category achieved at or above expectation.

 Individual teacher rigour with teaching of Sounds Alive and fully embedding this within the classroom programme.  Staff changes – New staff at differing stages of Professional Development will make it difficult to maintain continuity with the teaching of the programme.  A high percentage of beginning teachers.  The transient nature of the school means students new to the school have not had the foundation in Sounds Alive  It takes approximately three years to consolidate Sounds Alive understandings, and many of these students will have only had two years.  There has not been a ‘pick-up’ programme for students new to the programme. A pick-up programme is available to be led by a teacher aide which will require funding.

Actions:  Sounds Alive Spelling programme in place in all classrooms (Y0-4)  Specific proof-reading rubric, generalising spelling rubric, and instruction within classroom literacy programmes have been developed and are being implemented (for all year 1-6 students);  Toe by toe reading programme One-to-one with a Y4 student – highly structured multi-sensory reading Manuel (phonetic based)  Dyslexia clinic/teacher aide support – Stareway to Spelling Programme – reading and spelling (for those with identified special needs)  Teams are reflecting on and reviewing the proof-reading and spelling rubrics and learning programmes in order to further meet the needs of the students. PD :  Kate Lloyd (Sounds Alive programme)– ongoing PD around the Sounds Alive spelling programme with an emphasis on hearing sounds in words, isolating and substituting sounds, chunking into syllables and developing a range of strategies to sample.  Joy Allcock (Spelling Under Scrutiny programme) – PD regarding Chinese and Phoenician spellers. Teaching / Learning Programmes Words Alive (Y0-2) Sounds Alive (Y0-4) Switch on to Spelling (Y5 & 6)

 Those identified within the lower concern or at risk categories will need to be monitored and may need specialised literacy intervention, as will students who have been identified with special learning needs.  Ensure those at risk and students causing concern are highlighted with individualised literacy programmes in place and regularly assessed and evaluated.  Teachers continue to monitor and reflect on learning programmes collaboratively within teams and across the school as a whole staff (successes, students showing slow progress or ongoing difficulties).  Low achieving boys need appropriate resources with appropriate topics for older students, and have additional literacy support programmes available in the classroom (e.g.Wordshark or other online programmes/those incorporating digital media which has been shown to interest and promote engagement with boys).  Maintain the hours for Gill Latimer, the ESOL teaching team and the Dyslexia clinic to support individual students and offer professional development to all staff as required.  Utilise specialist literacy support within the community for those who need additional support or techniques including Literacy Advisors, RTLB’s and RTLit’s, specialist agencies or outside of school programmes including Seabrooke McKenzie, SPELD or Learning staircase

 The report will be shared with all teachers and those who support the Year Four students including EAL teachers, Teacher in charge of Literacy and those working with specific students on individualised learning programmes.  Names and scores are to be printed and analysed to identify individual ‘at risk’ and ‘concern’ students to allow specialised support and individual monitoring.  To look into implementing a ‘Pick-up programme’ for students new to or those students who require extra support with the Sounds Alive programme

 Did the Ilam designed dictation show a higher level of achievement because it’s in context?  Is a teacher-led dictation a true reflection of what a child will do in an independent writing situation to demonstrate how they are generalising spelling skills and strategies?  Did the triangulated nature of the data gathered provide reliable information?