Nina Davis August 2009

Language Experience

Victorian Framework: Birth -8 Key Statements A positive start is linked to positive school trajectories Children’s images of themselves Academic & social difficulties in early school years tend to continue throughout

Key Statements

A positive start is linked to positive school trajectories

Children’s images of themselves

Academic & social difficulties in early school years tend to continue throughout

5 Learning outcomes of National Framework - Transition Children have a strong sense of identity Children are connected with and contribute to their world Children have a strong sense of wellbeing Children are confident and involved learners Children are effective communicators

Children have a strong sense of identity

Children are connected with and contribute to their world

Children have a strong sense of wellbeing

Children are confident and involved learners

Children are effective communicators

VELS – Quick Review Children need- Sense of belonging Connection between home and school Positive behaviours Engaged Curious, ‘intrinsic’ motivation Express ideas, feelings Technical skills

Children need-

Sense of belonging

Connection between home

and school

Positive behaviours

Engaged

Curious, ‘intrinsic’ motivation

Express ideas, feelings

Technical skills

Conversation - Oral Language We all work hard to provide our students with the best literacy experiences we can but oral language is often neglected in the classroom. Oral language is critical to a child's literacy development: listening, speaking, reading, and writing. Planned authentic, contextualized language experiences must be embedded in classrooms programs .

We all work hard to provide our students with the best literacy experiences we can but oral language is often neglected in the classroom.

Oral language is critical to a child's literacy development: listening, speaking, reading, and writing.

Planned authentic, contextualized language experiences must be embedded in classrooms programs .

Why? Why? Why? Why? Why? Why? Chant the mantra of – 'You must be the change you want to see in the world'. Mahatma Gandhi. Changing teacher practice in light of what you learn will enable you to teach your students more effectively, improve their learning, build a culture of improvement from the classroom level, share/assist and model to others.

Chant the mantra of –

'You must be the change you want to see in the world'. Mahatma Gandhi.

Changing teacher practice in light of what you learn will enable you to teach your students more effectively, improve their learning, build a culture of improvement from the classroom level, share/assist and model to others.

Schools Exist For Children – It’s there experience!

Language Experience - History This approach is not new- started in 1960. Professor Roach Van Allen described this approach as : an approach that helps students make the connection that words on paper are really just “talk written down”. The Language Experience Approach creates a most natural bridge between spoken language and written language.

This approach is not new- started in 1960.

Professor Roach Van Allen described this approach as :

an approach that helps students make the connection that words on paper are really just “talk written down”.

The Language Experience Approach creates a most natural bridge between spoken language and written language.

Extending those thoughts: awareness that print conveys meaning awareness that everyone’s thoughts and ideas can be expressed in spoken and written language ability to gather meaning from reading and listening to others read material that relate to personal experiences ability to make meaning known by speaking in informal situations ability to use listening to understand the meaning and intent of others

awareness that print conveys meaning

awareness that everyone’s thoughts and ideas can be expressed in spoken and written language

ability to gather meaning from reading and listening to others read material that relate to personal experiences

ability to make meaning known by speaking in informal situations

ability to use listening to understand the meaning and intent of others

And there’s more... Ability to report factual information using various formats using various formats including pictures, charts and written reports Ability to tell and retell personal experiences Ability to dictate stories, sentences, and phrases for others to transcribe

Ability to report factual information using various formats using various formats including pictures, charts and written reports

Ability to tell and retell personal experiences

Ability to dictate stories, sentences, and phrases for others to transcribe

Underpins all- What?- Simply Put! What I can think about, I can talk about. What I can say, I can write. What I can write, I can read. I can read what I can write and what other people can write for me to read.

What I can think about, I can talk about.

What I can say, I can write.

What I can write, I can read.

I can read what I can write and what other people can write for me to read.

Keeping it simple: What do they need to know? Ask and answer questions Contribute ideas Follow instructions Listen and present Sequence events Retell, rephrase Match print to spoken text Identify sound/letter relationship Read print

Ask and answer questions

Contribute ideas

Follow instructions

Listen and present

Sequence events

Retell, rephrase

Match print to spoken text

Identify sound/letter relationship

Read print

What they need to be able to do! Concepts of Print Reading strategies Meaning is everything Write recount ‘ thinkers writing’ Form letters Thinking skills / organisers

Concepts of Print

Reading strategies

Meaning is everything

Write recount

‘ thinkers writing’

Form letters

Thinking skills / organisers

An Interwoven Approach! What does that mean? There is no nice neat ‘ how’ handbook. From what I have seen there are ‘bits’ of practice written about in numerous sources. What we have is, ‘Early Years’ best practice . ‘ Early Years’ best practice is interwoven in this approach but not in its known structure. ‘ Early Years’ best practice is introduced differently.

There is no nice neat ‘ how’ handbook.

From what I have seen there are ‘bits’ of practice written about in numerous sources.

What we have is, ‘Early Years’ best practice .

‘ Early Years’ best practice is interwoven in this approach but not in its known structure.

‘ Early Years’ best practice is introduced differently.

Early Years Best Practice Oral language – Young children need to build a strong vocabulary for reading and writing. Reading : Big Book Reading, Shared Reading, Modelled Reading, Poetry-chant & rhyme – Aim is for all to become student led Writing : Interactive Writing (teacher & whole class student led) Independent Writing, Guided Writing, Shared Writing, Modelled Writing, Editing as a natural progression, Writing criteria development Alphabet : Sounds/blends – incorporated into all areas

Oral language – Young children need to build a strong vocabulary for reading and writing.

Reading : Big Book Reading, Shared Reading, Modelled Reading, Poetry-chant & rhyme – Aim is for all to become student led

Writing : Interactive Writing (teacher & whole class student led) Independent Writing, Guided Writing, Shared Writing, Modelled Writing, Editing as a natural progression, Writing criteria development

Alphabet : Sounds/blends – incorporated into all areas

Know what you want them to know! You know what they need to know. Developing a plan. Now you’re ready for how!

You know what they need to know.

Developing a plan.

Now you’re ready for how!

Inquiry Central Idea – I belong to a family, class and school. Personal histories reflect traditions and culture.

A Planned Curriculum What do we want children to learn? How will we know what children have learned?

What do we want children to learn?

How will we know what children have learned?

Defining my practice – not easy Talk – Scaffolding Talk – Scaffolding

Structure is still important The Chat Room – Speaking, Listening- Big Pictures – ‘Talk about you’ time Big Book Fun : Concepts of Print, Re-tell, talk, act it – sentences, words, letters, punctuation Alphabet knowledge – Introduced as a whole – sounds introduced in context, sensory activities, letter formation Shared Experience – related to central idea – natural & planned within program. Incursions / Excursions Our Books - children’s sentences built over time becomes a book, illustrated – becomes take home book

The Chat Room – Speaking, Listening- Big Pictures – ‘Talk about you’ time

Big Book Fun : Concepts of Print, Re-tell, talk, act it – sentences, words, letters, punctuation

Alphabet knowledge – Introduced as a whole – sounds introduced in context, sensory activities, letter formation

Shared Experience – related to central idea – natural & planned within program. Incursions / Excursions

Our Books - children’s sentences built over time becomes a book, illustrated – becomes take home book

How ? Sentence Wall: Shared experience sentences pasted on large sheets, displayed-read everyday Interactive Writing : Small Group & Weekly student led. Small Group Teaching - Big Book selected for teaching. Modelled Writing – Everyday related to shared experience & Morning Message Vocabulary Building – ‘Give me a word’ game & What’s this word mean? –game Looking for transfer – Trusting the Journey

Sentence Wall: Shared experience sentences pasted on large sheets, displayed-read everyday

Interactive Writing : Small Group & Weekly student led.

Small Group Teaching - Big Book selected for teaching.

Modelled Writing – Everyday related to shared experience & Morning Message

Vocabulary Building – ‘Give me a word’ game & What’s this word mean? –game

Looking for transfer – Trusting the Journey

Independent Reading & Together Reading – PYP Independent Writing – scaffolding for success: Writing / recording / Brainstorming/ Thinking Organisers leading to expert groups. The only limits are the limits teachers put on children. Question Time : To children and by children. Everyday Reflection Time : What do we know? Wonderings Play : Any tactile objects – play first – Sensory immersion

Independent Reading & Together Reading – PYP

Independent Writing – scaffolding for success: Writing / recording / Brainstorming/ Thinking Organisers leading to expert groups.

The only limits are the limits teachers put on children.

Question Time : To children and by children. Everyday

Reflection Time : What do we know? Wonderings

Play : Any tactile objects – play first – Sensory immersion

Guided Writing Groups – Zone Reading as a opposed to Independent – Independent is Independent- This is not. The Round Robin Game : Group reading- Zone Reading Big Book Guided Reading – The beginning! Guided Reading: Sophisticated – needs to be introduced with ‘readiness’ – late in year ( no need to rush ) Sight Vocabulary- in context / blending school expectations with your own practice.

Guided Writing Groups – Zone Reading as a opposed to Independent – Independent is Independent- This is not.

The Round Robin Game : Group reading- Zone Reading

Big Book Guided Reading – The beginning!

Guided Reading: Sophisticated – needs to be introduced with ‘readiness’ – late in year ( no need to rush )

Sight Vocabulary- in context / blending school expectations with your own practice.

Recording for children – from discussion to share e.g. Remember when? Vocabulary Games : Increase – old favourites Teaching reading strategies – let the children tell you Teaching spelling rules in ‘child speak’ – let them discover and tell you why. Goals - Student Led Program / Student Conversation is equal to teacher / Transfer of learning / Leading the teaching / Content and student use of skills is a natural progression in context with understanding. You have Experience it – Trust the journey!

Recording for children – from discussion to share e.g. Remember when?

Vocabulary Games : Increase – old favourites

Teaching reading strategies – let the children tell you

Teaching spelling rules in ‘child speak’ – let them discover and tell you why.

Goals - Student Led Program / Student Conversation is equal to teacher / Transfer of learning / Leading the teaching / Content and student use of skills is a natural progression in context with understanding.

You have Experience it – Trust the journey!

Interactive Writing

Build a culture of Sharing! Learning Communities My Blog: Why I blog? http://ninadavis.wordpress.com/ Professional Blog Directory. http://globalteacher.org.au/ Professional Twitter Networks @ninadavis Online Learning Communities: e.g. http://workingtogether2makeadifference.ning.com/ New ‘ning’ starting soon: e5 & Literacy-The What? & The How?-Best Practice Investigated K-6

My Blog: Why I blog?

http://ninadavis.wordpress.com/

Professional Blog Directory.

http://globalteacher.org.au/

Professional Twitter Networks @ninadavis

Online Learning Communities: e.g.

http://workingtogether2makeadifference.ning.com/

New ‘ning’ starting soon: e5 & Literacy-The What? & The How?-Best Practice Investigated K-6

And... Sofweb – I’m always in this resource! Connect – links to explore Colleagues Mentors Coaches

Sofweb – I’m always in this resource!

Connect – links to explore

Colleagues

Mentors

Coaches