edla 309 assessment task 2: planning literacy learning- reading...

Amy Callaway [email protected]

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EDLA 309 Assessment Task 2: Planning for literacy learning- Reading comprehension

Part A: Teaching Plans Lesson One: Duration: 60 minutes Year level focus: Grade 4 Comprehension Strategy: Comparing and Contrasting Ausvels standard: “Make connections between the ways different authors may represent similar ideas, storylines and relationships”(ACELT1602) Literacy Learning intention: By the end of this lesson students will be able to identify how the main character “James” has been portrayed by the author Roald Dahl. Students will achieve this by: listening to specific elements of the story, drawing images, having discussion and completing a table independently. Text Used: James and the Giant Peach Roald Dahl (1967) George Allen & Unwin Publications. (appendix one) Lesson Sequence Introduction: State the purpose of the lesson “Today we will be looking at a text titled “James and the Giant Peach” and examining how Roald Dahl (author) has portrayed James (main character) Shared Reading: Read the text to students (appendix one) without showing them the illustrations, reminding students that they are to be paying attention to how the author is trying to portray James. Draw me: Ask students to draw what the character looks like to them.

Shared Reading: Re read text to students showing them illustrations. Discussion: Talk to students as a whole class about how everyone’s pictures were all different at how the texts and illustrations in the book is how the author wants you to see James. For example: “he found himself alone and frightened in an unfriendly world” – questioning 1. What do you think are James main features as a character? 2. Why do you think these are his main features? 3. Does Roald Dahl have a purpose in how he portrays James? Model the independent task: Use the table (appendix two) and show students how to complete it. Provide a clear example. – modelling “Roald Dahl (the author) showed us that James lived with horrible people. He might want us to feel sorry for James” Task: Students are to work independently to complete the table about the main character. Although students are writing in this task the focus is on picking out “what the author has shown us or told us about James” and “what are the implications of this” so therefore it is a comprehension response activity to support the reading. Instructional strategies in the lesson:

• Shared Reading • Modelling • Questioning • Visualising

Small Focus Group (students with lower literacy comprehension skills) This group will work with the teacher to create a character profile of James. The main aim for students in this group is to identify some of the information presented about James, and orally discuss their thoughts about these. Eg: Use the image students have drawn about James and mind map ideas around this. Have students list things about James and discuss. Extension Activity: Students who finish the task early, can engage in the same activity with a focus on another main character in the story. Students can draw the character and complete the table about Aunt Sponge or Aunt Spiker. Assessment strategy: Rubric (see appendix 2) Resources: photocopied chapters of text, table for activity (class set), rubric.


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Lesson Two: Duration: 60 minutes Year level focus: Grade 4 Comprehension Strategy: Comparing and Contrasting AUS VELS: “Make connections between the ways different authors may represent similar ideas, storylines and relationships” (ACELT1602) Literacy Learning intention: By the end of this lesson students will be able to identify how James has been portrayed by the author in the movie trailer by Walt Disney pictures, and identify similarities and differences between his portrayal in the Roald Dahl text. Students will achieve this by: watching the text, engaging in discussion, adding to their table, (appendix one) and completing a whole class ven diagram activity. Text Used: Walt Disney, James and the Giant Peach (1996) Produced by Tim Burton and Denise Di Novi. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HnW21ckwXD4 Lesson Sequence Introduction: State the purpose of the lesson to students “Today we will be looking at the same text, by a different author, our focus is still how the main character is portrayed” Re view the work students did in previous lesson discussing how Roald Dahl portrayed James. Viewing of the text: Watch the clip with students. Ask questions such as: -How is the James portrayed in this clip? -What traits do we see in James that are the same? -What traits do we see in James that are different? -How are the other characters viewed in this clip? Are they different or the same? -Do you like one text portrayal of James better than the other? Why? Or Why not?

I-Pad Task: In groups students can view the clip again on i-pads and add to their “character table from previous lesson” Ven Diagram: After students have had some time in groups/focus group, get the whole class together and create an A3 ven diagram about the author’s presentation of the main character. Comparing the two texts. Model some examples first: 1. Roald Dahl shows James as being scared and alone 2. Walt Disney shows James as adventurous and curious 3. Both show James having brown hair Instructional Strategies

• Questioning • Modelling

Small Focus Group (students with lower literacy comprehension skills) This group will work with the teacher to add to their character profiles of James. Students will use a different colour pen to add new ideas representations of James. Students will discuss these with the teacher. Extension Activity: Students can create a ven diagram using only images and symbols comparing James in the film and James in the text. By using symbols they can extend their comprehension skills and build up another skill in their bank of strategies. Assessment strategy: Rubric (see appendix three) Resources: youtube clip, e- whiteboard , i-pads , table for all students to complete (from previous lesson) A3 paper and colored textas.


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Part B: Informed rationale for your teaching plans – (850 words)

Text Selection: The text I have chosen “James and the Giant Peach” depicts a wonderful story about a young boy who gets to go on the adventure of a lifetime. This text was chosen based on: my literacy learning intention, potential enjoyment for students and a science capability form the Australian Curriculum. Due to the many similarities and differences in the portrayal of the main character James, (you tube clip/text) my literacy learning intention of “comparing and contrasting author representations” was able to be well examined. Additionally I viewed this text as a fun adventurous and imaginative text which would be very well received at a grade four level, appealing to students of different abilities and different interests. Finally this text allows students to examine the lifestyle and traits of living creatures, helping to explore the science capability of “living things including plants and animals depend on each other and the environment to survive” as James and the creatures have to survive living inside a peach. Justification of lesson ideas: The two lessons I have designed are both focused on the same comprehension strategy “comparing and contrasting” (Scott, A. 2013 “Aspect of comprehension to be developed” [handout] Australian Catholic University) and the same standard from the Australian Curriculum “making connections between the ways different authors may represent similar ideas, storylines and relationships” (ACARA: Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority, 2013) In designing my lessons in this manner I believe I have allowed for explicit teaching of the strategy and allowed ample time for students to explore and engage with both texts in a meaningful way. In both my lesson plans, I have used a number of instructional strategies (Department of Education [DOE] 2013) to aid students understanding of my literacy learning intention. An awareness of these strategies and how the reading process occurs is paramount for all literacy teachers in order to help their students become more successful and independent readers. (DOE 2103) Furthermore an acknowledgement that a combination of strategies will need to be used simultaneously is important, as all students need to develop a bank of strategies to assist them with comprehension. (DOE 2013)

The main instructional strategies I have used in my lesson plans are the following:

• Shared reading/viewing • Visualising or creating images • Questioning and self questioning • Modelling the skills of “comparing and contrasting”

Shared Reading is a very valuable strategy for literacy teaching as during this process “the teacher makes explicit the knowledge and skills needed to interpret a text” (Winch 2010, pg 151) due to my literacy intention being very specific and using both electronic and print based text this strategy is beneficial. It allows for students to be engaged in the text whilst being directed by me about their focus (authors portrayal of James) Questioning is a strategy I have selected to use in both lessons. This strategy is a very effective for deepening comprehension skills as it allows students to “consciously interact with the meaning of the text” (Booth 2008) Through both answering and asking questions students are able to “monitor their own comprehension of the text” (Moore, Alvermann & Hinchman 2000) Furthermore, during questioning I would make aware to students that I want them to engage in “thoughtful considerations about the text” and generate individual responses, not the responses they think I am after. (Booth 2008)

Modelling is another key instructional strategy that is used in both my lessons. As a teacher of literacy it is important that we support students during the reading process. In doing so we create a positive and meaningful experience for students that will drive them forward to become more proficient readers. (Booth 2008) By staking students slowly through the print based and electronic text I can help them to see what is expected of them and provide clear examples of “comparing and contrasting” for the after reading task. Another instructional strategy, visualising the text (Booth, 2008 p33) takes place in lesson one during the draw me activity. In order for students to become effective readers they need to create mental images as they read. (Winch 2010 p 103) Therefore getting students to visualise what James looks like, sounds like and acts like enables them to “deepen and personalise their understanding” (Fellows and Oakley 2010 p276) of how they view James. In addition to instructional strategies, in both lessons I have ensured that there is a teacher focus group for students with lower comprehension levels. A focus group is designed so that a teacher can “help the students do what they cannot yet do independently” (Wing Jan 2009 p15) In my lesson, the focus group allows the teacher to explicitly demonstrate the idea of “author representation of character” and helps students to share ideas and information with one another. By doing this, the teacher can “activate students understanding” (DOE 2013) and support them through the process of discovering the text. I believe that I have planned two literacy lessons that would be successful in a grade four classroom. I have planned both lessons with a strong literacy learning intention and comprehension focus and have ensured that all student’s literacy learning needs are met. I have done this by using a variety of instructional strategies and ensuring there is a focus group available for students who need additional help and support. Additionally I believe I have planned sufficiently and could teach these lessons in a classroom today.


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Reference List ACARA: Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority, (2013) Retrived from http://www.australiancurriculum.edu.au/Year4?a=E&c=1&layout=1 Booth, D. (2008). It’s Critical: Classroom strategies for promoting critical and creative comprehension, Pembroke publishers. Cairney, H, T. (1990) Teaching Reading Comprehension: Rethinking Reading, Oxford University Press. Depertment of Education (2013) First Steps: Reading Resource Book, Addressing Current Literacy Challenges, 2nd edition. Fellows, J., & Oakley, G. (2010). Language, Literacy and Early Childhood Education, Oxford University Press. Kelly, M., & Topfer, C. (Eds.). (2011). Reader comprehension: Taking the learner deeper. Norwood: ALEA. Lowe, K., Hannett, K., & Martens, D. (2009). Promoting reading success: Strategies and ideas that work! Practically Primary, 14(3), 12-15. Moore, D., Alvermann, D., & Hinchman, K. (2000) Struggling Adolescent Readers: A collection of teaching strategies. Moss, B., & Lapp, D. (2009) Teaching New Literacies in Grades 4-6: Resources for 21st-Century Classrooms, New York, Guilford Publications. Pinnell. G.S., & Fountas, C. (2007) The Continuum of Literacy Learning, Grades K-8: Behaviours and Understanding to Notice, Teach and Support. Portsmouth, N.H.: Heinemann. Scott, A. (2013). Tutorial Three: “Aspect of comprehension to be developed” [power point slide] Retrieved from LEO, Australian Catholic University. Scott, A. (2013). Lecture 2 “Reading Comprehension, Making sense of responding to texts” [lecture slides] Retrieved from LEO, Australian Catholic University. Scott, A. (2013). Lecture 4 “Multimodality” [lecture slides] Retrieved from LEO, Australian Catholic University. Tankersley, K (2005) Literacy strategies for grades four to twelve: reinforcing the threads of reading. Publisher: Association for Supervision & Curriculum Development (ASCD) Location: Alexandria, VA, USA. Wing Jan, L. (2009) Write Ways: Modelling writing forms (3rd ed.). South Melbourne, Vic.: Oxford University Press. Winch, G., Johnston, R., March, P., Ljundahl, L., & Holliday, M. Literacy: Reading, Writitng and Children’s literature, (2010) 4th Edition Oxford University Press. Booth, D. (2008). It’s Critical: Classroom strategies for promoting critical and creative comprehension, Pembroke publishers.

Appendix 2. Table template for independent task

JAMES AND THE GIANT PEACH

What did the author tell me or show me about the character

Why did the author show me or tell me this

Draw a picture of James here

EG: The author said that James lived with horrible people.

The author might want me to feel sorry for James.

EG: The author showed me that James was a small boy.

The author might want me to think that he needs help because he is really small and weak.

Words used to describe James. EG: poor, alone, alive, frightened.


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Appendix 3. Rubric for lesson one.

Low Student listed some points about what the author told or showed them about James. However, provided very little or unclear explanation of why the author had made these choices. EG: Roald Dahl said that James was called nasty names by his Aunties. The author told me this because he wanted me to know that calling people names is bad.

Medium Student could list what the author told or showed them and was able to provide simple justification for author choice. EG: Roald Dahl told me that James was alone. The author might have wanted me to see that he would be feeling lonely.

High Student could confidently list what the author had shown or told them about James and could and provide clear justification as to why the author made those choices. EG: Roald Dahl told me that James was never aloud to play games. He told me this so I would feel sorry for James and want good things to happen to him.

Appendix 4. Rubric for lesson two.

Low Student could list simple “surface” comparisons between the author’s representation of James in the text and the movie. EG:

• James had darker hair in the movie version • James was more scared in the book than the movie.

Medium Student could list a deeper comparison between the author’s representation of James in the

text and the movie. EG:

• James was portrayed by Roald Dahl, as a boy who lived a very sad life and no friends. • Walt Disney portrayed James as a happier boy who liked to seek his own fun.

High Student could confidently list and explain “deeper surface” comparisons between the author’s representation of James in the text and the movie. Student could then provide a justification as to why this choice was made. EG:

• James was portrayed by Roald Dahl as, a boy who was alone, afraid and very sad. • James was portrayed by Walt Disney as, adventurous and brave. • This might have meant that the author of the book wanted us to feel sorry for James, but

the producer of the movie wanted us to go on an adventure with James.

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