The University of Waikato Private Bag 3105 Hamilton, New Zealand 0800 WAIKATO August 20081Jeanne Gilbert University of Waikato

Teaching as Inquiry Engaging learners prior conceptions…

Jeanne Gilbert, Adviser Learning Languages, University of Waikato Nov Teaching as Inquiry Wortigel

Professional learning opportunities for ISTEs Black Box: The learners interpretation + utilisation of available understandings + skills. Improved ISTE Practice Professional learning opportunities for teachers Improved teacher Practice Learning opportunities for students Black Box: The learners interpretation + utilisation of available understandings + skills. Black Box: The learners interpretation + utilisation of available understandings + skills. Improved student achievement INSTEP Draft Manual 2007: Fig 2: A chain of influence: ISTE learning to student achievement. Adapted from Timperley et al (2006) BES Professional Learning and Development draft. August 20085Jeanne Gilbert University of Waikato

Professional learning opportunities for ISTEs Black Box: The learners interpretation + utilisation of available understandings + skills. Deliberate acts of facilitation Professional learning opportunities for teachers Deliberate acts of teaching Learning opportunities for students Black Box: The learners interpretation + utilisation of available understandings + skills. Black Box: The learners interpretation + utilisation of available understandings + skills. Deliberate acts of learning INSTEP Draft Manual 2007: Fig 2: A chain of influence: ISTE learning to student achievement. Adapted from Timperley et al (2006) BES Professional Learning and Development draft. August 20086Jeanne Gilbert University of Waikato

(P 34-5 NZC) August 20087Jeanne Gilbert University of Waikato ISTE Inquiry Student achievement data AKO

Since any teaching strategy works differently in different contexts for different students, effective pedagogy requires that teachers inquire into the impact of their teaching on their students.

Teaching as Inquiry Cycle The fundamental purpose of the Teaching as Inquiry cycle is to achieve improved outcomes for all students. A cycle is an organising framework that teachers can use to help them learn about their practice and build greater knowledge.

Focusing Inquiry Teachers: identify the outcomes they want their students to achieve consider how their students are doing in relation to the desired outcomes ask what their students need to learn in order to achieve the desired outcomes use existing achievement data to inform this decision gather student voice to co-construct this decision

In the teaching inquiry teachers: Select teaching strategies to support achievement Reflect on how well current strategies are working Collaborate with colleagues, and research literature to find strategies that really have worked for other students Set up processes to capture evidence that shows that the strategies are working for their own students

What counts as evidence?

Processes / Tools to collect evidence?

A tool to collect evidence - student voice

Learning inquiry or asking questions about your practice… This takes place both during and after teaching Teachers monitor students progress towards identified outcomes and reflect on what this tells them Teachers use this new (comparative) information to decide what to do next / what to do differently…

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What does the literature say? Alan Reid: Educators need to be professionals who are able to theorise systematically and rigorously in different learning contexts about their professional practices – including the issues, problems, concerns, dilemmas, contradictions and interesting situations that confront them in their daily professional lives; and can develop, implement and evaluate strategies to address these.

What does the literature say? Alan Reid cont: That is educators are understood as people who learn from teaching rather than as people who have finished learning how to teach. (2004, p2)

So what could this look like in your practice / in your classroom? Focusing Inquiry - Establish a baseline and a direction The teachers use all available information to determine what their students have already learned and what they need to learn next The key question for focusing inquiry is: What is important and therefore worth spending time on given where my students are at?

The inquiry question / hypothesis Draft an inquiry question that relates to a particular issue or concern or interest in a class. Make the question specific in content and make sure you know what and how you will be measuring shifts.

How does the use of ICT (be specific about tool) produce more opportunities for spoken and written output in L2? How does setting up recorded pair and group work produce more spoken output in the target language? How does the increased use of formulaic expressions in the L2 classroom lead to more L2 output in speaking? How does providing more interaction in a second language classroom improve student achievement in speaking?

How does / will…

Good teaching and good decisions are based on high-quality information, not on take-for- granted assumptions about the causes of childrens reading failure or the worth on new curriculum resources. The quality of the information improves when everyone is open to the possibility that what they had previously taken for granted may not stand up to scrutiny. Teachers who are skilled in processes of inquiry can detect weaknesses in their own thinking about practice and help others to do the same. Robison and Lai 2006

Learning inquiry P 5 of 8

Raewyn Hollinger Maeroa Intermediate 2007 My question… How does the teacher ensure that students with English as a second language (L2) achieve in a third language (L3)? Overseas students come into New Zealand with little or no English. Should they have the opportunity to learn a third language before they have acquired English to a reasonable degree of proficiency?

Raewyn Hollinger Maeroa Intermediate 2007 The Significance of my findings (from observations all year, testing and interviewing the target group) Students have reported feeling more confident in all areas of learning Students have reported that learning German has helped them form friendships within the classroom. Where a student is reluctant to respond to a question in English, they are happy to contribute in German (especially the girl) It has enabled me to use more formulaic expressions in the classroom as all students are part of the learning (Principle 1) In all cases, students feel that learning a 3 rd language has helped to improve their English also. The change of teaching and the opportunities for students to output the language have meant that students feel confident to speak and can also understand what is being said. Students are more motivated to learn the language as they have made the choice to do so.

Raewyn Hollinger Maeroa Intermediate 2007 Next Steps Continue to read information available about learning languages. Create activities that support students in learning a 2 nd or 3 rd language Bring back teaching ideas and resources from Germany in 2008 Continue to monitor and encourage all students to participate fully in learning an international language. Implement IRDPX strategies in my teaching to support all learners I will continue to use spoken German as much as possible for maximum input in the classroom. I will also maximise the use of formulaic expressions as tools for asking and answering questions.