Learning and Teaching
Literacy
“Improving Writing” Professional Learning.
This year our Years 3-6 teachers have been incredibly fortunate to be part of a fabulous professional learning journey titled “Improving Writing.” This learning experience had the intention of improving teacher knowledge of the grammar of English – the structure,
organization and function of words in sentences and sentences in text, and to provide teachers with a pedagogical model that explicitly teaches how language works through the use of exemplary or ‘mentor’ texts.
The learning was presented by Adjunct Associate Professor Misty Adoniou and inspired teachers to lead students through an investigation of the grammatical features of exemplary texts to discover the impact of author’s choice on meaning-making when creating written text. It provided our teachers with the knowledge and confidence to explicitly teach grammar, to improve student vocabulary and to support students to transfer this knowledge to their own writing.
Since the first session in February, our classes have been working hard, learning lots and producing pieces of writing that have dramatically improved over the year. Last week, our teaching team proudly and passionately presented their personal growth and their students’ progression at a symposium at the Catholic Leadership Centre in East Melbourne. Take a look at some of our students’ work below.
**(Pre refers to before the new learning was put into place. Post refers to after the learning took place. The difference was astounding!)
Teacher Reflections:
“This professional learning has challenged me to go back to the basics of what I know about Literacy and teaching. I was definitely taken out of my comfort zone on a number of occasions, and I think because of this, I was able to fully embrace this opportunity. I have definitely changed my practice when it comes to teaching writing and it has reminded me of just how many elements are involved in the writing process.”
“We have learnt to love writing and be passionate about what we teach.”
“Teaching is more passionate and we are more confident”
“It’s changed the way I think and teach writing. I am more confident and I love the way that the kids have enjoyed this way of writing. .”
In the future we will:
- Continue to use patterned writing with different genres of writing, engaging even the most reluctant of writers.
- Read a lot more pictures story books with the senior students
- Notice more in student writing
- Model exemplar pieces of writing ....and non-examples. “It is ok to make mistakes!”
- Encourage students to apply their writing skills to other genres (eg. poetry)
Ange
Literacy Leader.
Year 5 and 6 Poetry
By Kirralee
