Implementation

During our last CoL PLG we were asked to discuss our implementation and answer some key questions to see how we are tracking. In this blog post I will outline these questions and my answers in detail.  

Question One:
Share data/info that you have collected/recorded about the implementation of your changed practices or intervention (what evidence do you have about what you did differently?)​ What methods have you used to collect information?​ ​- How have you been systematic in that collection? - What does the data tell you? - What are you going to do with the data in terms of ‘tweaking’ your intervention?

The evidence that I have to show about my implementation is my spelling tracking that I have been trying to remember to do each week. I do have a bit of data to share about this. This is where I test my students on a Monday before they have seen the spelling words. This way I am able to introduce them before we begin reading and place them into a sentence that is in context with what we are learning about for the week. The students then have a spelling task each week to complete and take these words home in list form to practice after school. I then complete a post test on Friday where I test to see how many words they were able to get right, using the same sentence. I then compare the data, for the most part I have seen my students make progress with their spelling words from the beginning to the end of the week. This is something I need to continue to work on remembering to do as I quite often forget to add the data.

I have also been using my reading data which I have in a spreadsheet for tracking. The surveys that I have been completing are also in a spreadsheet where I can analyse the data. I do need to do this survey again soon. Another way I have been collecting data is through taking notes during our guided reading sessions and compiling these together along with my next steps. I have changed some of my implementations over time which have been documented in my inquiry blog.

Question Two: Describe the evidence you have so far about the effects of your changed practices/intervention on desired learner outcomes and how you summarised and recorded these: What methods have you used to collect information?​ - How have you been systematic in that collection?​ - What does the data/information tell you?​ - What are you going to do with the data/information in terms of ‘tweaking’ your intervention?​

What I have found so far is that linking the reading and writing is working. I can see this from my students use of new vocabulary in their writing throughout the week. The students are also showing that they are understanding these words while they are reading in our guided reading sessions. I am also finding that the students who are practicing their spelling words throughout the week have shown that they are able to make progress in the learning and understanding of these words. Again these have been recorded and outlined in my blog and are recorded in my CoL data sheets that I have been using throughout the year.

Question Three: Explain the reflections and tweaks you have made along the way and the reasons why you made these changes. Share your evidence for these decisions. What methods have you used to collect information about the tweaks? - How have you been systematic in that collection? - What does the information tell you? - What are you going to do with the information in terms of understanding what needed ‘tweaking’ and why?

Some of the tweaks I have made is changing the spelling words of my students from the essential spelling list and just overall topic specific vocabulary to focusing on new words that the students are coming across through their reading texts in guided reading sessions. Another tweak I have made it chaining from 3 writing groups to 4 and these follow along with my reading groups. I do have specific writing sessions that are group according to my three groups but making sure that the spelling and language in writing is related. I decided to start tracking spelling progress as well which has been great but I also do keep forgetting to do this unfortunately.

Through this discussion at the meeting I have been able to clarify my implementations as well as reflect on what is working and what I might need to tweak a little bit more.

Restating my question

Creating and looking at my casual chain in my last post was really helpful to see what I changes I can make through intervention. This also gave me a clear understanding of my expectations as a teacher and what I need to achieve. This also gave me clearer direction for my students and the expectations that I have set out. This will also help with the success criteria for my students so they also understand what is expected from them during learning. 

It has now come to the time where I need to restate my inquiry question and think about my next steps, where I am going with my inquiry as well as highlighting interventions that I will use. Firstly here is my restated inquiry question:

How to enhance well being and enjoyment and accelerate reading achievement for those students reading between the ages of 8 and 9 years.

Initially I was just going to look at accelerating reading achievement but reflecting on the changes and things that have happened in previous years and this year has highlighted the importance to wellbeing as well as student enjoyment which will in turn have an affect on achievement. 

My next steps are:

• Continue to joining reading and writing with an overall focus for both for the week so that the students are exposed to key vocabulary throughout the week and know how to use these words in different contexts. 
• Take my students to the library as much a possible to expose them to different types of text and work on choosing books for enjoyment rather than just reading because they have to. 
• Assess student wellbeing through our mitey framework lessons as well as completing the survey I completed at the beginning of the year to see how students feel coming to school. 
• Continue to have spelling words directly related to the text to expose students to these words. 
• Continue class read alouds related to the topic that we are learning about for the week again to continue to build vocabulary development.
• Incorporate art, dance and drama into my reading sessions so that students can learn about these in different ways. 

I have some key things that I want to implement into my literacy program and by restating my inquiry question again I have clarity over what I am trying to achieve and the direction that I want this to take.

Casual Chain

We have been looking at a casual chain. A causal chain is when a cause leads to an effect and that effect becomes the cause of another effect A leads to B. B leads to C. C leads to D. During the process of my inquiry these year there have been several events that have occurred that have lead to changes in my focus as well as my own practice. Below I have completed my casual chain of events that have led to changes and improvements to my inquiry. This also outlines the roles that I as a teacher play in these changes as well as what is expected from the students and the changes in their roles. 

Through these implementations and changes I have been able to solidify my inquiry focus and my next steps in order to see if these implementations are successful. I hope that the changes that I have made throughout this inquiry will continue to show results in academic achievement as well as student overall wellbeing and enjoyment for reading.