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The teaching approaches adopted by the Prep/one class teacher during the literacy bloc that I observed were similar to the ideal models outlined by Hill (2008). From my observations, I believe that the teacher was effective in the development of her students’ literacy skills as she was able to “connect new learning” to previous learning, explicitly model new learning whilst providing “meaningful tasks to practice new learning” in a positive and encouraging environment (Winch et al, 2008, p. 158). The teaching approaches adopted during the reading part of the literacy bloc were similar to the models outlined by Hill (2008). The lesson started off with a shared reading experience in which the class teacher read the big book, ‘Rumble in the jungle’ by Giles Andrae. The students were already familiar with the text so the teacher did not spend time tuning students into the text such as asking for predictions or analysing the illustrations. The teacher used the shared reading time in order to revise students’ knowledge and understanding of rhyming words and the letter ‘I’. In order to tune students into the teaching focus for the lesson, the teacher scaffolded students learning by providing them with examples of rhyming words in the book. By providing students with examples before the text was read, the teacher was ensuring that each student would be able to fully engage with the reading of the text. Throughout the reading of the story, the teacher made sure that she was paying careful attention to the phrasing, expression and punctuation of the text. According to Winch (2008, p. 159), teachers must use shared reading time in order to model to students “the way effective readers read”. The teacher did this by paying close attention to her expression and pace. The teacher also used a ruler as a pointer in order to demonstrate this. During literacy learning centres, I was able to observe a guided reading session. Once again, the approaches used by the teacher were similar to the model outlined by Hill (2008). The teacher worked with a group of two students for ten minutes before assigning them with a task and working with another pair of students. Each pair had a different text that was fairly challenging. Judging from the difficulty the students had in reading the texts, I would say that the texts selected were slightly above the children’s desired learning level. Whilst one of the pairs was sent off to read their book independently, the teacher spent time with the other pair tuning them into the narrative and language of the text. During this time, the teacher asked the pair about the front cover and to predict what they thought the story would be about. The teacher used probing strategies and questioning techniques effectively in order to get students to comment that the book: ‘Hide and seek’ was “probably about kids playing a game of hide and seek”. After sufficient probing, questioning and discussion had taken place, each student took it in turns to read to the book aloud. Although this strategy was different to the one outlined by Hill (2008, p. 82), I believe that it was just as effective as it allowed the teacher to work more efficiently with her students. It also provided each student the opportunity to get immediate assistance whenever they were ‘stuck’ on a word. During the reading of the book, the teacher used the ‘Pause, prompt, praise’ strategy in order to help students with difficult or unfamiliar words. The teacher also encouraged students to self-correct by getting them to go back to the start of the sentence and look for meaning when they were having trouble with a word. This was an effective strategy as most of the time, this strategy allowed the students to actively solve their own problem and move on. After the text had been read, the teacher sent students off to complete a written activity about the text. The second pair for guided reading was looking at a non-fiction text and therefore the teacher spent additional time tuning students into the new text. The teacher prepared students for the text by probing them about the purpose of the book’s glossary and index. As neither of the students could provide an answer, the teacher provided an example of how to use the glossary and index before getting students to have a go for themselves. By scaffolding students’ learning through modelling, students were better able to appreciate the text and its meaning. An effective approach employed by the teacher during the tuning in stage of the guided reading session was that she was able to connect the text back to the experiences of the students. For example, when looking in the glossary, one of the students still didn’t understand what the word ‘cartilage’ meant. In order to develop a more concrete understanding, the teacher asked each student to feel their noses and ears and told them the uses for cartilage in the human body.
 * ~ __**PART B: Connecting with an early year's teacher and their teaching program. **__ ||
 * ~ 1a). Identify the teaching approaches and other learning experiences observed. Compare them to the ideal model described in the readings. ||
 * There is “overwhelming evidence” that an effective teacher is the “single most significant factor” in the achievement of literacy skills (Winch et al, 2008, p. 155). Research has also suggested that regardless of a child’s socio-economic status, gender or culture, teachers undeniably have the “power to make a difference to the literacy learning of young children” (Hill, 2008, p. 2). Effective teaching of literacy requires educators to “understand the needs and abilities” of their students whilst being able to employ various strategies that will target the needs of each student (Winch et al, 2008, p. 155). A successful literacy teacher will also be able develop a program that ensures “high levels of student participation” (Winch et al, 2008, p. 157) whilst providing scaffolded learning experiences that encourage children to actively solve problems (Hill, 2008, p. 3).

The teaching approaches adopted by the class teacher during the writing part of the literacy bloc were also similar to the ideal models described in Hill (2008). Whilst the literacy bloc that I observed didn’t include any modelled writing, shared writing or guided writing, the lesson that I observed did provide time for students to engage in independent writing. After shared reading, students were asked to reflect on what they did over the weekend. The teacher later told me that on a Monday, students are given the opportunity to write (grade one) or draw (prep) about their weekend. By allowing students to write independently about the weekend each Monday, the teacher is helping to provide students with a clear structure and routine. Having an element of predictability through a routine that students are familiar with is according to Holdaway (Hill, 2008, p. 76) important for students during the literacy program as it enables them to feel comfortable and supported. Despite the fact that students routinely write or draw about their weekend every Monday morning, the teacher still spent ten minutes reflecting on what each student did on the weekend. It was crucial that the teacher scaffolded students at this point as the teacher later told me that most students ‘forget’ what they did on the weekend if they don’t explicitly discuss it. Without this form of scaffolding, most students would be unable to fluently express their ideas during independent writing time. The teaching approaches adopted by the class teacher that I observed were similar to those outlined by Hill (2008). From the observations that I made, I believe that the teacher’s literacy program was “balanced”, supportive and meeting the range of different student needs in her class (Winch et al, 2008, p. 169). From my observations, I have learnt that it isn’t practical nor desirable to include each element of the literacy program in every day. For effective learning to take place, the teacher must carefully plan and implement a literacy program that works to “build and consolidate” each student’s literacy skills over a set period of time (Winch et al, 2008, p. 171). ||


 * ~ media type="file" key="Literacy recording.wav" width="78" height="63"**__ Sound file: 'A excellent resource fo literacy educators'. __** ||
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