Teaching as Inquiry From student information to classroom practice as the “intervention”

Ken Kilpin Literacy Adviser Massey University Gordon Lee Literacy Leader Hastings Boys High School

What does intervention mean? We are deliberately changing our practice and approach Because We have identified gaps our normal actions won’t help So An intervention is a strategic response in our practice in order to close the learning gap

What can an intervention look like? Firstly: what are the gaps? Our testing shows that students have trouble : Skimming and scanning for accuracy and speed. Selecting relevant information from a text. Writing to reconstruct information in another form (note making) Low vocabulary resources. Understanding and responding inferentially.

What can an intervention look like? What should I do? Start by: 1. Using more text that challenge the kids – don’t dummy down. 2. Clearly explain what the kids are required to learn from the text – set a reading purpose 3. Identify the particular literacy skills the students will practise (i.e. those they were not good at)

What can an intervention look like? In practice what do these skills require you to teach well? To demonstrate this at a practical level, let’s unpack the ESA test. Skill No. 1 - I want you to think about: What does skimming and scanning require and how do you enact it? Section A: Skimming and Scanning. Complete this section NOW

What can an intervention look like? What does skimming and scanning involve? (or put another way) What do I explicitly teach the kids to do?

What can an intervention look like? Skill No. 2 From the ESA test again I want you to think about: what does “Selecting relevant information and recording it” require and how do you enact it? GO to Section 2: Note making and Organising Information Complete this section NOW

What can an intervention look like? What does “Note making and Organising Information “ involve? (or put another way) What do explicitly teach the students to do?

What can an intervention look like? Vocabulary learning Consistently learn and use vocabulary (Chapt 2 ELS 9-13): 1. Content domain vocabulary e.g. atomic mass, atomic weight, supply and demand curves, algorithms 2. Academic vocabulary e.g. define, assess, evaluate, survey, discuss, analyse, link, compare and contrast ( ELS pg. 132) 3. A bank of words, phrases, synonyms and antonyms that help students to communicate increasingly complex ideas and knowledge e.g. despite, in addition, however, therefore, furthermore, disaster/catastrophe/catastrophic

What can an intervention look like? Our data says “Inference” is a gap. For academic achievement, students need to be able to read beyond what is obvious and literal, beyond “what sits on top.” When we “infer” we make informed guesses that combine our prior knowledge AND information available in the text. What does “inference” require and how do I enact it?

What can an intervention look like? Here is information text with running and graphic text. “ESA: Finding Information in Graphs and Tables”. As you complete the questions, think about: The skills you are using to answer the “inferential questions” How to ask “inferential questions” What this implies about changes you need to make Do this exercise NOW!

What can an intervention look like? What skills/strategies/ways of thinking did you use to infer information from this text (or put another way) What explicitly do I teach the students?

What can an intervention look like? The second piece is a narrative story “Father and Son” with running text only. Look at the final paragraph of the story. Ask yourself: What might we infer has happened in the story? What might we infer about Dad, Mum, and their son, and the relationships between them? Do this exercise NOW!

What can an intervention look like? What skills/strategies/ways of thinking did you use to infer from this text (or put another way) What explicitly do I teach the students?

What can an intervention look like? Types of Inference: Deductive: associated with the sciences and mathematics Inductive: associated with social sciences, fine arts and humanities What’s the difference between the two? Which ones were you mostly using to infer from the two texts? What are the implications for students’ literacy skills in your subject be it Yr 9 or Yr 13?

What can an intervention look like? What have we learned about what our intervention must focus on? 1. More challenging subject text read regularly. 2. Reading and writing mutually reinforce good learning. 3. Deliberate and thoughtful decisions about what and how to teach, that are evidence informed, that address the gaps in students’ literacy learning. 4. Make the skills explicit for the kids and practise them 5. Expect them to do it and tell them so!!