The document outlines a program designed to enhance literacy through engaging activities based on principles of learning and effective teaching strategies. It emphasizes the importance of understanding automaticity, brain science, student engagement, and the social implications of reading. Various groupings and key activities are listed to aid in developing student skills from decoding to comprehension.

1. POSITIVE START An investment, not a cost. Renew and Review

2. By the end of this session I will better understand the underlying purpose of the literacy activities we do. Using this renewed understanding, I will review what we’ve been doing. What is working? What isn’t working? What else do I want to know?

3. Big Idea A programme based on a set of principles rather than prescribed practices . Eg It’s the process of the students developing skills and strategies so don’t stress at the imperfections of a reciprocal teaching session.

4. The underlying purpose defines the type of activity chosen for each group, not the opposite. Eg Cloze activities per se do not necessarily develop the thinking and engagement in ideas needed.

5. What are the principles that define the type of activities for each grouping?

6. 1.What we know about experts v novices. Experts have deep and rich knowledge, but to get there, they firstly need automaticity . Effective people use a range of strategies . Have a broad experience base. (declarative knowledge)

7. 2. What brain science informs us about learning. Attention : We can only focus consciously on one thing at a time, effectively. So the sub-components of a task need to be automated . Strategies are needed to help Working Memory.

8. 3. What we know about transfer of learning. When there is overlap between situations, you can work at a subconscious level. eg Tying your laces. Automaticity in decoding allows your conscious mind to focus on comprehension. Explicit teaching of thinking skills and sets of strategies help students to generalise to new settings and across learning areas.

9. 4. What engages students. Learning happens with snappy, fun, and engaging activities . Challenging, but not threatening, and assuring a high level of success .

10. 5.Why it is important to be good readers. All communication acts are “political” in nature. Understanding issues of power , equity and social justice are central to students developing their ability to participate fully and equitably in society.

11. What are the groupings? Decoding = the ingredients (River) Reading Age = Pr-2 2. Transition * = the mixing bowl (Highway) Reading Age = 3-4 3. Comprehension * = blancmange (Mountain) Reading Age = 5-6 4.Strategies = icing on the cake (Sky & Sun) Reading Age = secondary level * These students often don’t draw enough attention for funding, but still need help.

12. What are the 10 main activities? 1. Decoding skills – automaticity How to read new words without struggling JC

13. 2. Silent Reading To read for enjoyment

14. 3. Teacher Read Aloud To listen for enjoyment EW/MW

15. 4. Choral Reading To be more confident and successful in reading. JC

16. 5. Oral Language To improve the way we speak and listen to others. JC

17. 6. Reciprocal Teaching Understand what you read while you read it. Learn how to make sense of the parts of the text that you don’t understand. KMK

18. 7. Engagement in Ideas To look for the meaning within text. JC

19. Critical Literacy Recognise that language is power and how to use it. MEP

20. 9. Mental Models Practising creating pictures in your head to learn to understand what you read. DS

21. 10. Strategies To discover a variety of thinking and learning tools to help with study. KAD

22. Review What is working? What isn’t working? What else do I want to know? http://www.slideshare.net/