1. From a classroom teacher’s point of view

2. Where is the student now? How do I know? Where does the student need to go next? How will I support the student to move there? How will I know that the student has progressed? Supporting students’ literacy and numeracy learning

3. The Literacy and Numeracy Continuums What do you already know about these continuums? Have you even heard of them before today? Why do teachers who teach students with special needs or teach Secondary school need to know about these continuums?

4. Why use continuums? All of our Bostes syllabuses are written as continuums as is The Australian Curriculum We can see where a child has been and where they are going in all subjects. They are a snapshot of where any student is at in their learning journey at any given time. It doesn’t matter where they go to school or which grade or stage they are in they are more than likely at a point somewhere along the continuum for different aspects of their learning.

5. Student development and maturation is a continuous predictable sequence, but with a unique course for each child. Progress is loosely mapped with expected milestones. Academic progress is mapped by syllabuses showing subject content, knowledge and skills. In Literacy and Numeracy development, the continuum describes a map of progress across the whole curriculum (not just English and Mathematics).

6. These continuums and the syllabuses are meant to work together. They are underpinned by anticipated levels of maturity at each stage of learning but each student will take their own path depending on their background, their personal experiences and their opportunities for learning. These continuums can really help the classroom teacher to know the students in their class because these expected behaviours are clearly described at each level.

7. Define Literacy Literacy is the ability to understand and evaluate meaning through reading, writing, listening and speaking, viewing and representing (NSW Literacy K- 12 policy, 2009).NSW Literacy K- 12 policy, 2009 Literacy is incorporated in the NSW Syllabuses for the Australian curriculum as a general capability alongside other learning across the curriculum areas.NSW Syllabuses for the Australian curriculum

8. Define Numeracy Numeracy involves using mathematical ideas effectively to participate in daily life and make sense of the world. It incorporates the use of numerical, spatial, graphical, statistical and algebraic concepts and skills in a variety of contexts and involves the critical evaluation, interpretation, application and communication of mathematical information in a range of practical situations (NSW Numeracy K-12 policy, 2007).NSW Numeracy K-12 policy, 2007

9. The Literacy and Numeracy continuums K-10 outline a progression of student learning from Kindergarten to Year 10. They identify essential skills and understandings regarded as critical to the success in learning across the school years. They can be applied across all subject or Key Learning Areas.

10. The ideal whole school implementation of The Literacy and Numeracy Continuums Whole school approach to plan teaching and assess, track and monitor student progress in literacy and numeracy across the years.

11. All staff engage in formal and informal discussions about the Literacy and Numeracy continuum K-10,and how it informs their teaching practice.

12. Teachers are able to make informed and consistent judgements about student progress in literacy based on deep knowledge and understanding of continuum critical aspects, clusters and markers across the years.

13. Not just for teachers !!! Students use the Literacy and Numeracy continuums K-10 to identify their strengths and areas for improvement and can track and monitor their progress in literacy.

14. 1. Where can I access them? 2. What do they look like? 3. What other resources are provided for me? 4. How can I plan my teaching using the continuums? 5. Can I use them when assessing and reporting to parents? 6. How can I keep effective records in an easy way? 7. How do you plot individual students onto the continuums ?

15. 1. Log into My Essentials and search in Curriculum Resources and you will find Literacy and Numeracy Continuums.

17. What do they look like? Both are organised as matrices. The eight critical aspects which form the Literacy framework are considered equally essential to student literacy development. The aspects are: Reading texts Comprehension Vocabulary knowledge Aspects of writing Aspects of speaking Phonics Phonemic awareness Concepts about print.

19. There are professional learning modules that will take you through the both the literacy and numeracy continuums in depth. Can go towards accreditation. You need to give yourself time to explore. I like the links when you hover over the interactive literacy continuum and the videos in the numeracy continuum site.

21. Use the det links for strategies. Collaboratively plan one “marker” at a time. Find appropriate resources across various subject areas to develop the literacy demands.

22. Teaching Comprehension 9th Cluster, 1 st Marker Comprehension- Build understanding by: Summarising: Retell, VIP Questioning Making Connections Predicting Making Connections Knowledge of Cause and effect through: Sequence of events Writing e.g. persuasive, procedural, recount Science Report Determine and understand events by: Predicting possible consequences and actions e.g. Timeline, Choose Your Own Adventure, Filmstrip Summary (change your own ending) Provide scaffolds to build knowledge and understanding by: Asking: What is it’s function? Why is it important? How is it used? Using learning tools and organisers: -KWL -Before and After Chart / Web -Draw it! -Knee-to-knee / Thinking Partners -Informational Retell (R,R & R p. 214) -Team Retelling (R,R & R p. 88) -Weave a Web (R,R & R p. 178) Understand possible consequences and actions: Fiction: Character – grammar, action verbs i.e. running, climbing Non-Fiction (i.e. Science): grammar, action verbs – dissolving, erupting One Sentence Summary (TRCS p. 126) Current Events Summary (TRCS p. 123) Sociogram (TRCS p. 108) Story Sticks (TRCS p. 130) How2Learn/PBL: Reflectiveness Resourcefulness Responsibility Reciprocity Resilience Need to consider 1 st Marker Builds understanding during reading by discussing possible consequences of actions and events. Scaffold & Support Understanding Builds comprehension and awareness during reading What the author said happened What are the consequences and actions? How it’s demonstrated (assess.) Syllabus Link: EN2.2A Communicating EN2.3A Reading and Viewing EN2.4A Reading and Viewing EN2.5B Writing and Representing EN2.6B Grammar, Punctuation and Vocabulary EN2.10C Thinking imaginatively, creatively and interpretively EN2.11D Expressing Themselves EN2.12EReflecting on Learning Texts: spoken, print, visual, media, multi-media and digital texts. Literature Experiences: Quality Literature, Australian, Indigenous, Inter-cultural inc. Asian, environmental and sustainability concepts Create opportunities for discussion: (link to cluster 9 Aspects of Speaking) Think-pair-share Knee-to-Knee Weave-a-web Debate Social Skills – turn-taking, responding Blogs Podcasts & Vodcasts

23. Teaching Comprehension 9th Cluster, 2nd Marker Differences between literal/inferred ­ Looking at a variety of texts, e.g. ­ between written & visual (‘Piggybook’, Bruce Whatley, ads) ­ Figurative language: metaphor, personification, idioms, anthomorphism (animals as humans) ­ Representing the human condition through animals (‘Refugees’, ‘War Horse’, ‘Gorilla’, ‘Reggie, Queen of the Streets’) ­ Advertising ­ Poetry ­ Procedures: what’s left out of the steps? ­ Venn Diagram Determine and understand events by: Predicting possible consequences and actions e.g. Timeline, Choose Your Own Adventure, Filmstrip Summary (change your own ending) Interprets ­ In your own words, what does that mean? Where are the clues in the text? ­ locate details in more than one place ­ compare visuals & script in a text ­ Clarify – making connections - explain How2Learn/PBL: Reflectiveness Resourcefulness Responsibility Reciprocity Resilience Need to consider 2nd Marker Interprets texts by recognising & discussing the difference between literal & inferred meaning in relation to information, characteristics & events Explain meaning in your own words What the author said happened Texts: spoken, print, visual, media, multi-media and digital texts. Literature Experiences: Quality Literature, Australian, Indigenous, Inter-cultural inc. Asian, environmental and sustainability concepts Create opportunities for discussion: Think-pair-share Knee-to-Knee Weave-a-web Debate Social Skills – turn-taking, responding Blogs Podcasts & Vodcasts What the author meant Inferred meanings  explicitly define & model: ­ What do you know? ­ What does the author want you to know? ­ Inference is what you believe to be true based on incomplete information & clues in the text. (can be around character speech, events and information within text and illustrations) ­ Authors use it to get to the point. ­ Fill in the details the author left out. ­ E.g. Inference Jigsaw (TRCS p. 103) ­ Inference Equation (p. 37 RRR) ­ Character Inference Chart (TRCS p. 106) ­ Hot Seat Character Interview (TRCS p. 71, and R,R& R, p. 41 Syllabus Link: English Science History HSIE Literal Meanings -What’s the Big Idea? (p. 124 TRCS) -About Point Chart (p. 121 TRCS) -Current Events Summary (p. 123 TRCS) -Key Word Strategy (p. 130 RRR)

24. Subject : Geography/sustainability/ Asian perspective (Cluster 12) Students watch ABC Behind The News film clip on Chinese pandas and the effect of deforestation of their habitats in China on their populations in the wild. Literacy demands – Watch film, take notes, retell using technical vocabulary, paragraph structure which includes topic sentences and elaborating sentences, self and peer editing, publish using fluent and legible handwriting. Research conservation programs in zoos and write a persuasive letter to a government funding body urging the need to continue to fund and expand these programs to save

25. Can I use them for assessment and reporting to parents? Design assessment tasks that show students using these strategies. Identify the literacy strategies the students have to use. They may be from more than one aspect. Use the terminology from the aspects in your reporting. They are clear and

26. Reporting Aspects of Speaking Cluster 12 Listens attentively to more lengthy and challenging spoken and multimodal texts to gather and evaluate key information. Analyses, synthesises and evaluates the views and reasons put forward by others Aspects of Speaking Cluster 8 Special needs child views the same film with modified activity-works in a small group or with an aide to help write sentences. Contributes to collaborative group problem solving to complete a task by questioning, listening and responding to the ideas of others and making suggestions. This activity would also have other aspects to report upon including content from Geography syllabus.

27. How can I keep effective records? (Easily!!) So many people are sharing resources about this very topic. I have found many class check list formats, plain speaking formats from Edmodo and Yammer. 21 st century learning snapshots Join these forums and ask the questions. Some people use sticky notes to physically place students on the continuums as they observe behaviours etc.

28. Kindergarten teachers have been plotting students on the continuums for years.... At least once a term. Now we do too......maybe even high school??? Not as many times... Go in through ERN...SENTRAL... Not too hard use a peer mentor.. But SAVE as you go.. Otherwise it is GONE........... 

29. Numeracy Continuum Similarities –aspects but not clusters are called levels( observed behaviours.) More Mathematics Syllabus oriented. However there are also numeracy demands in other subjects. The NSW Numeracy continuum K-10 outlines a progression of learning that can be used when observing the strategies students use to solve problems in mathematics. It has been informed by an extensive range of international and Australian studies, reports and research. The Numeracy continuum outlines the development of key concepts in seven aspects of numeracy development. These are: Counting sequences Early arithmetical strategies Pattern and number structure Place value Multiplication and division Fraction units Unit structure of length, area and volume.

30. Resource Rich..take your time..get to know the technical vocab.

31. Testing.......Reporting Tests have been devised to effectively plot students and ascertain needs. SENA TEST- individual Aides administering small group tests Whole class tests (Monaro High) Collaboratively plan assessment tasks which cater for differentiation... Lower to higher order skills. Particularly concentrate on PLACE VALUE

32. What have I learnt about the Continuums michelle.m.wood@det.nsw.edu.au