L3 OPL Newsletter
Sharing our ideas, resources and successes
Wrapping up Term 1
Term 1 has flown by and as we get ready for the holidays I thought it was timely to touch base with everybody again. I've had some great school visits, and love walking away feeling inspired and invigorated to be able to work with such dedicated and talented teachers!! I don't always get time to get photos during visits, but thanks everybody for sharing your ideas.
Please take the time to reflect on your week 10 data - Yes you need to send that data to me, but the real purpose and power of the assessment is to drive your future planning and teaching. So..... what are the strengths your students are showing? What areas do you need to work on in your teaching? Areas you can identify that needs further development.
Have a wonderful and safe holiday!
Some independent activities ......
Post Office
Students love this free writing station!
Typing Practice
All keyboards used as a 'can do' in a variety of ways - practice their computer log on, typing first and last name, learning butterfly card words etc
Letter treasure
Letters written on 'treasure' hidden in coloured rice. Students find and match
Listening Post
Using the ipads and multi headphone jack to enjoy Procedure 1 reading to.
I spy
Students drawing what they spy in the picture. This could evolve into labels, writing/drawing things that rhyme with what they find in the picture etc
Word/letter Detectives
Using magnifying glasses to find words and/or letters they know and writing them.
Some classroom organisational ideas
Group labels
Easy to move/change groups flexibly and fluidly as required with one strip of velcro on a laminated A4, and student names.
IWB use
Groups and activities displayed using the IWB - easy to adjust and change regularly as required.
Team Teaching
Some classes are coming together after a break time and reading a story together and then doing a joint interactive writing lesson. Opportunity to support each others teaching, could develop into procedure 3, or two groups of Interactive writing based on needs.....
Guided Writing.... when can I stop!?!?
Some or your students will be ready to drop guided writing, some will require it for a while longer.
Remember guided writing lessons can discontinue when students demonstrate that they -
- know how to move from talk to written language
- have well developed alphabet knowledge and letter formation
- understand what they need to do to hear and record some sounds in words
- write left to right across the page, with correct spacing and control the return sweep
- acquire a small writing vocabulary of words that are securely know (8-10 min, 20 words better)
- appreciate why they need to monitor their own writing
Interactive Writing
Interactive writing provides meaningful demonstrations of how to write messages and stories. It shows students how to move from spoken to written language. It involves students and teacher collaborating regularly to write different types of text. It can be used at any time during the day for a range of writing purposes.
How does it look in your classroom?
- Is there a wide range of continuous text displayed in your room?
- Easel to write on?
- Magnetic white boad for word work during the Interactive Writing with magnetic letters (in alphabetical order x2 plus coming endings ing, s, ed etc)
- Word wall
- Butterfly cards and other collections of high frequency words accessible/displayed
- Alphabet display
- Environmental print
- Are you illustrating/displaying the print in and around the classroom?
- How are you programming/recording the lesson and what was taught and why ie connections to syllabus and/or continuum
Red Level Word Work
New word work is coming..... here is a one page script if you want to take a look before our next training day.
Whiteboard Rubbers
I noticed that at Terranora they use small student whiteboard rubbers at "Head Quarters". I really like the size for small hands, as well as being quicker for the students to use and taking up less space at the table. Perhaps something to consider...
They were ordered from Modern teaching aids.
They are called "Teachables Mini Erasers"
Training Session
Our next training session is Tuesday 10th May (Week 3, Term 2) from 12.30pm in the Library @ Kingscliff Public School.