Wednesday 20 June 2012
Tuesday 19 June 2012
Phonics Check
Today for the first time I have had to administer a phonics check to all my year 1 children. Throughout the year I have done plenty of checks on their progress in reading and their phonic knowledge.
The assessments I use do not continue if the child is beginning to struggle. They are linked to the different phonic phases so I know exactly where each child is working and what their next steps are. For some year 1 children I focus on comprehension and use running records to establish their reading strengths and weaknesses.
The check the children sat through today contained nonsense words for the first 3 pages. The children tried to make sense of what they were faced with and tried to apply their skills, out of context, in the head teachers office. I felt incredibly guilty administering this as the rest of my class were completing some creative writing which could have been hugely improved with the support of their teacher.
For the children involved in the check they were clearly finding the whole experience slightly strange and for others it was probably far worse as they probably came away feeling like they really didn't understand what they had just had to do. My hope is that as it was 10 minutes at most per child they will hopefully have forgotten about it and just put it down to one of those strange things teachers sometimes do.
Now my aim is to ensure that today was not a complete waste of time. I shall look at all the words, place them in the correct phonics phase, analyse the children's incorrect responses and look at the strategies they used to try to make sense of what they were reading. Most importantly I will carry on teaching the children to read, to make sense of what they read and develop a love of books. Reading should be a pleasure it should be something we do to extract meaning and should provide us with enjoyment. I have interventions in place to help the children who are struggling with the complex skill of reading and will continue to support those children. I just hope this check hasn't damaged their self esteem and undone all that we have been doing all year.
The check the children sat through today contained nonsense words for the first 3 pages. The children tried to make sense of what they were faced with and tried to apply their skills, out of context, in the head teachers office. I felt incredibly guilty administering this as the rest of my class were completing some creative writing which could have been hugely improved with the support of their teacher.
For the children involved in the check they were clearly finding the whole experience slightly strange and for others it was probably far worse as they probably came away feeling like they really didn't understand what they had just had to do. My hope is that as it was 10 minutes at most per child they will hopefully have forgotten about it and just put it down to one of those strange things teachers sometimes do.
Now my aim is to ensure that today was not a complete waste of time. I shall look at all the words, place them in the correct phonics phase, analyse the children's incorrect responses and look at the strategies they used to try to make sense of what they were reading. Most importantly I will carry on teaching the children to read, to make sense of what they read and develop a love of books. Reading should be a pleasure it should be something we do to extract meaning and should provide us with enjoyment. I have interventions in place to help the children who are struggling with the complex skill of reading and will continue to support those children. I just hope this check hasn't damaged their self esteem and undone all that we have been doing all year.
Sunday 17 June 2012
eTwinning Conference in Nottingham 2012
This is the second year in which I have been fortunate enough to be invited to the eTwinning UK conference. It is by far the best professional development I have received. Often as teachers' we get sent on training courses in which you are sitting with teachers who are tired and jaded and do not wish to be there. This is not my experience at any event organised by the British Council eTwinning team. Instead I have spent this weekend with teachers who are inspiring and enthusiastic.
I began my first eTwinning project in October 2010 with a fantastic teacher in The Netherlands and I never for once thought it would lead to the fantastic opportunities I have since had. My very first experience was a trip to Lithuania in June 2011 in which I learnt about web 2.0 tools for the classroom and mobile technology. I was absolutely terrified when I set off with absolutely no idea what to expect and was amazed by the fact it was such a positive experience.
I then attended the conference in Nottingham in 2011 and found that to be just as inspiring but far more daunting. I discovered when arriving in Nottingham that most people already seemed to know each other and have lots to talk about. I had no idea of who anyone was apart from one person I had met in Lithuania. If it had not been for her I may have decided to go home as I felt like I was a scared child again on her first day at a new school. However, I stayed and I got to know some lovely people who I learnt a lot from.
This year my experience was completely different when I arrived I was pleased to see people I knew from training in Manchester and the European Conference in Berlin. It was great to catch up with people and we were able to share ideas and discuss what had happened since we last met. At the back of my mind though was the fact that there would be others this year who felt as I did last year. I met a few people who were there for the first time and they all mentioned similar feelings that I had felt the year before. By Sunday they were buzzing with enthusiasm just as I had been last year and have again felt this year. I feel it is a real honour to be invited to such an event and can't wait now to go back to the classroom to put some of the ideas into practice.
I began my first eTwinning project in October 2010 with a fantastic teacher in The Netherlands and I never for once thought it would lead to the fantastic opportunities I have since had. My very first experience was a trip to Lithuania in June 2011 in which I learnt about web 2.0 tools for the classroom and mobile technology. I was absolutely terrified when I set off with absolutely no idea what to expect and was amazed by the fact it was such a positive experience.
I then attended the conference in Nottingham in 2011 and found that to be just as inspiring but far more daunting. I discovered when arriving in Nottingham that most people already seemed to know each other and have lots to talk about. I had no idea of who anyone was apart from one person I had met in Lithuania. If it had not been for her I may have decided to go home as I felt like I was a scared child again on her first day at a new school. However, I stayed and I got to know some lovely people who I learnt a lot from.
This year my experience was completely different when I arrived I was pleased to see people I knew from training in Manchester and the European Conference in Berlin. It was great to catch up with people and we were able to share ideas and discuss what had happened since we last met. At the back of my mind though was the fact that there would be others this year who felt as I did last year. I met a few people who were there for the first time and they all mentioned similar feelings that I had felt the year before. By Sunday they were buzzing with enthusiasm just as I had been last year and have again felt this year. I feel it is a real honour to be invited to such an event and can't wait now to go back to the classroom to put some of the ideas into practice.
Monday 11 June 2012
Survey on the new Primary Curriculum
This is a link to a survey by a colleague for her professional enquiry for her MA. Please help by filling it in.
https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/Uni_Leicester_HonselWJ9FW23
https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/Uni_Leicester_HonselWJ9FW23
Wednesday 6 June 2012
The Power of Twitter
I have just read over the past few day a book called 'Starter' by Lissa Price. It is a young adult book set in a dystopian America in which all the parents have died out and children are either looked after by their grandparents or have noone. The only reason I bought this book was that over Easter there were a lot of tweets promoting the book and I then wanted to read it to see what the fuss was about. I got the book during the Easter holidays but only had time to read it now as I have been reading all the books on the UKLA book awards shortlist.
I have read the book over the three days and can't wait until Enders is out later this year. The book contains a strong female lead character and has some great twists that you just don't expect. It explores the possible issues that would come with an ageing population who long to be young. It also leads to the question of who should be vaccinated against disease as it is often the elderly and the young first so what happens to the young who become orphans.
Lissa Price is a new author who has successfully promoted her book via people using Twitter to discuss it. She also uses the technology of aurasma to make her book cover come to life. It is the second book I have that has a cover that does this and it fascinated my children.
I would both recommend this book but would also recommend the use of Twitter to positively promote books.
I have read the book over the three days and can't wait until Enders is out later this year. The book contains a strong female lead character and has some great twists that you just don't expect. It explores the possible issues that would come with an ageing population who long to be young. It also leads to the question of who should be vaccinated against disease as it is often the elderly and the young first so what happens to the young who become orphans.
Lissa Price is a new author who has successfully promoted her book via people using Twitter to discuss it. She also uses the technology of aurasma to make her book cover come to life. It is the second book I have that has a cover that does this and it fascinated my children.
I would both recommend this book but would also recommend the use of Twitter to positively promote books.
Clickety Books website
This is an interesting set of books based on advice from speech and language therapists showing an understanding between the difficulties a child may have with reading if they have speech and language difficulties.
The books are not phonetically decodable but instead have a lot of rhyme. Each book come with a cd as well.
http://www.clicketybooks.co.uk/
The books are not phonetically decodable but instead have a lot of rhyme. Each book come with a cd as well.
http://www.clicketybooks.co.uk/
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