Plan for and implement effective teaching and learning
Learning goals
When I undertook my teaching placement in Switzerland, I was given the task of deciding on an assessment task for the grade 5 class that would adequately measure their capability and progress, but also be achievable for all students when their abilities were so varied. I decided on an oral presentation, or more an oral conversation, where I would talk to the students and ask them questions and record their responses. This was chosen as I felt the students were more confident with their spoken English than written English. Though this was a challenge for them all, they were well prepared through our practice of oral English each lesson and knew what to expect for their test. The tests were a wonderful success and it was evident that they had progressed significantly from the first lesson I taught with them, where I was unable to teach in full control as they could not understand me, to this final lesson where they could describe things to me.
Here are some examples from the transcript of one grade 5 students' oral presentation:
- What is something you like? “I like chips because it tastes good"
- What is something you don't like? "I don't like tomatoes because it smell's yucky'
- Can you tell me about your family? 'My name is Julia, I have a mother and a father, I have three brothers, and 6 rabbits. I love to play with my rabbits'
Here are some examples from the transcript of one grade 5 students' oral presentation:
- What is something you like? “I like chips because it tastes good"
- What is something you don't like? "I don't like tomatoes because it smell's yucky'
- Can you tell me about your family? 'My name is Julia, I have a mother and a father, I have three brothers, and 6 rabbits. I love to play with my rabbits'
I have also implemented reading goals for my Foundation class. After assessing their verbal reading, I created one specific goal for each student for them to focus on in their reading. This goal lives in their reading folder, which also contains their independent reading books for the week, so that they can refer to it and remember to focus on that goal while they read.
Teaching strategies
It is so important for me to incorporate a range of teaching strategies in my lessons. I am aware that each student is unique, and will respond to different styles of teaching that suit their learning style. When doing my best to ensure that I am providing all of my students with teaching that is tailored to them, I am mindful of using many different teaching strategies.
Here is an example of two lesson overviews for a sequence I designed where I do just that. This Design and Technology unit for a grade 6 class also encompassed the AusVELS requirements, detailed lesson plans and assessment.
Here is an example of two lesson overviews for a sequence I designed where I do just that. This Design and Technology unit for a grade 6 class also encompassed the AusVELS requirements, detailed lesson plans and assessment.
ICT
ICT is an area of education that I am really passionate about exploring and learning more about. In my lessons, I will often look for an opportunity to incorporate an activity where students are either using a technology device, or they are observing something on the Interactive WhiteBoard (IWB).
In Literacy rotations, I will usually have one group using a computer or iPad, completing activities on a program such as Reading Eggs. This provides students with the opportunity to continue to work on their literacy skills, as well as practice their ICT skills. We also incorporate ICT into our Literacy classes by reading books on the IWB as a whole class. This provides an interactive experience for the students as they can assist with virtually 'turning' the pages, and as with any shared reading, we can look at the basic print conventions as a whole class on the big screen.
In Numeracy, I endeavour to compliment a skill or strategy we have been learning about by pairing the work we have done with an activity on the iPads, computers, or complete a whole class activity on the IWB. This gives students an opportunity to apply their existing knowledge in a knew way, and hopefully solidifies the learning that has already taken place throughout the sequence.
An example of this is when I taught a Foundation class a sequence on patterns. In the first lesson, I started with a powerpoint presentation of various types of patterns as an introduction, without explicitly explaining what a pattern is. This was an opportunity I took to introduce the unit in a different and interesting way, and the students were really engaged.
In Literacy rotations, I will usually have one group using a computer or iPad, completing activities on a program such as Reading Eggs. This provides students with the opportunity to continue to work on their literacy skills, as well as practice their ICT skills. We also incorporate ICT into our Literacy classes by reading books on the IWB as a whole class. This provides an interactive experience for the students as they can assist with virtually 'turning' the pages, and as with any shared reading, we can look at the basic print conventions as a whole class on the big screen.
In Numeracy, I endeavour to compliment a skill or strategy we have been learning about by pairing the work we have done with an activity on the iPads, computers, or complete a whole class activity on the IWB. This gives students an opportunity to apply their existing knowledge in a knew way, and hopefully solidifies the learning that has already taken place throughout the sequence.
An example of this is when I taught a Foundation class a sequence on patterns. In the first lesson, I started with a powerpoint presentation of various types of patterns as an introduction, without explicitly explaining what a pattern is. This was an opportunity I took to introduce the unit in a different and interesting way, and the students were really engaged.
After three lessons in which they had done an investigation with materials making patterns, they had been explicitly taught about the concept of patterns and had completed some written and drawn activities, we then transferred this new found knowledge to the computer room. Students were instructed to draw patterns using the computer application 'Paint', and this allowed students to demonstrate their skills in a different context, as well as improving their paint skills. It also provided me with an opportunity to observe and take anecdotal notes of the students as a formative assessment.