COURSE OBJECTIVES Involving learners through Active strategies at KS3 To gain an understanding of the Reading process and how to create an interactive reading environment To explore strategies to engage pupils in active reading and viewing in post-primary schools

Professional Competence 4 Teachers will have developed a knowledge and understanding of how the learning area/subject(s) they teach contribute to the Northern Ireland Curriculum and be aware of curriculum requirements in preceding and subsequent key stages

Professional Competence 3 Teachers will have developed a knowledge and understanding of the learning area/subject(s) they teach, including the centrality of strategies and initiatives to improve, literacy, numeracy and thinking skills, keeping curricular, subject and pedagogical knowledge up-to-date through reflection, self-study and collaboration with colleagues. Teachers will have developed in Irish medium and other bilingual contexts, sufficient linguistic and pedagogical knowledge to teach the curiculum

Teach Others/Immediate Use of Learning Learning Pyramid Average Retention Rate Lecture Reading Audio-Visual Demonstration Discussion Group Practice By Doing Teach Others/Immediate Use of Learning 5% 10% 20% 30% 50% 75% 90%

ENABLING ADULT ‘READING’ SELECTION (bookstock, availability, accessibility, presentation ENABLING ADULT ‘READING’ (Time to read Hearing it done Doing it for yourself ‘I want to enjoy it again’ Formal talk Book gossip RESPONSE

READING FAILURE HAPPENS WHEN Reading is seen as a competition Progress is seen and assessed as linear and related to efficiency Some sorts of reading are more important than others One’s own experience is excluded from books Reading material is imposed by others

What is comprehension? Comprehension is a process of constructing meaning through the integration of a reader’s background knowledge with new information contained in the text

DIRECTED ACTIVITIES RELATED TO TEXTS (DARTS) Darts activities are designed to help pupils make sense of texts. Many of the activities are collaborative and involve significant discussion. They are grouped into three categories. Understanding/Structuring Text Selecting Information from texts Vocabulary and Speaking Activities

Before Reading Aim: To prepare for reading Preparation involves much discussion and sharing of ideas Assist readers to use strategies to: Promote enthusiasm for reading Activate background knowledge Recognise and clarify purpose for reading Select a suitable reading style Link existing knowledge to new information Review and clarify new vocabulary Analyse text organisation Raise awareness of the processes involved in reading

Before Reading Aim: To prepare for reading Preparation involves much discussion and sharing of ideas Assist readers to use strategies to: Promote enthusiasm for reading Activate background knowledge Recognise and clarify purpose for reading Select a suitable reading style Link existing knowledge to new information Review and clarify new vocabulary Analyse text organisation Raise awareness of the processes involved in reading

During Reading AIM: To self monitor reading and recognise point of miscomprehension To focus on details or concepts that are relevant to the purpose for reading Assist readers to use strategies to: Identify important information Monitor understanding Raise awareness of processes involved in reading Recognise and process text at different levels of understanding Adjust reading style Identify words

After Reading AIM: To reflect on and respond to text To select, organise and use relevant information for a specific purpose Assist readers to use strategies to: Identify and extract important information Substantiate information from within the text or by inference Summarise text structure Recognise when purpose has been accomplished Draw conclusions, make judgements and generalisations

THE READERS RIGHTS Daniel Pennac The READER has the right: Not to read To skip pages Not to finish a book To re-read To read anywhere To browse To read out loud To remain silent

Further rights … To experience different texts. To understand how texts work – this requires explicit teaching To have access to material that matters to them and which excites them Has the right not to be questioned about everything they read. To be taught new vocabulary. Children have the right to coast from time to time.

The Child in the Attic From ‘The Invisible Child’ Katherine Paterson Dutton 2001 ‘Any adequate literary diet for growing children would contain both realistic fiction and fantasy, not to speak of books of biography and non-fiction but it would be natural for readers to have different tastes and so generally prefer one genre over another.’

PRINCIPLES OF LEARNING Learning is an active search for meaning by the learner Learning is about making and maintaining connections Learning is developmental Learning is both individual and social Learning is strongly affected by the educational climate in which it takes place Learning requires feedback, practice ,use Much learning takes place informally and incidentally Learning is grounded in particular contexts and individual experiences Learning involves ability of individuals to monitor learning Learning is enhanced by taking place in the context of compelling situations