Know students and how they learn
1.1 Physical, social and intellectual development and characteristics of students
Proficient - Use teaching strategies based on knowledge of student's physical, social and intellectual development and characteristics to improve learning.
Highly Accomplished - Select from a flexible and effective repertoire of teaching strategies to suit the physical, social and intellectual development and characteristics of students.
One example of a way that I use teaching strategies to meet a student's physical, social and intellectual development and characteristics to improve learning is by writing Individual Education Plans (IEP's) or Individual Management Plan (IMP). A copy of one of the plans is available in the gallery. This IEP was written after the student had been tested and shown that support was required. In order to devise which areas of weakness that needed to be targeted I tested the student using the York Reading Assessment, Australian Spelling Test and tests from 'Cracking the Code'.
In addition to this, within the general lesson planning, I try to use a variety of teaching strategies to improve learning for students with various preferred learning styles. This is written up within the lesson plan. I also try to incorporate a higher degree of visual prompts into the lessons, encourage the use of technology so students can access the curriculum - this may mean having the iPad read the text to the child, use the iPad for extension students to further their knowledge by completing personal research tasks and so on.
In regards to direct teaching I prefer to use explicit teaching and the inquiry approach where appropriate. I am currently completing my Masters in Education and have studied units on best practice and these two methods align well with best practice.
1.2 Understand how students learn
Proficient - Structure teaching programs using research and collegial advice about how students learn.
Highly Accomplished - Expand understanding of how students learn using research and workplace knowledge.
My literacy teaching program is structured around the use of explicit instruction. They follow the gradual release model (I do, we do, you do) as expounded by Anita Archer, Charles Hughes and John Hollingsworth. The lesson plans within the gallery attest to the use of this method. The research of John Hattie shows that explicit instruction has a high effect size of 0.59.
I also include other teaching strategies in my programs that have a high effect size (see Visible Learning for Teachers, Hattie 2009), this is evident in my lesson plan below.
1.3 Students with diverse linguistic, cultural, religious and socioeconomic backgrounds
Proficient - Design and implement teaching strategies that are responsive to the learning strengths and needs of students from diverse linguistic, cultural, religious and socioeconomic backgrounds.
Highly Accomplished - Support colleagues to develop effective teaching strategies that address the learning strengths and needs of students from diverse linguistic, cultural, religious and socioeconomic backgrounds.
This year I have designed a literature program around the students within the class from Sudan. I noticed that these students were not consistently engaged in literature lessons due to ESL barriers. The text I chose was aimed at a lower reading ability but allowed scope for the other end of the spectrum with the complexity of the themes contained within the novel. The idea was to engage these students as we were reading about a place that they were familiar with.
Other examples of designing and implementing teaching strategies that are responsive to the learning strengths and needs of students from diverse linguistic, cultural, religious and socioeconomic backgrounds includes writing IEP's to address these needs. Part of the IEP for ESL students involves 1:1 feedback regarding grammar and sentence structure as this seems to be an area that requires a verbal feedback as immediate as possible.
I also make sure that I am aware of students within my class that my have financial constraints which may affect thir learning and aim to ensure that they have all physical materials needed for success. This may include simple items such as writing implements, text book and so on. I utilise Google Classroom and make sure all written materials are uploaded so every student has equal access to texts. For example, I uploaded chapters from the novel study which were crucial for the final essay in the unit.
1.4 Strategies for teaching Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students
Proficient - Design and implement effective teaching strategies that are responsive to the local community and cultural setting, linguistic background and histories of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students.
Highly Accomplished - Provide advice and support colleagues in the implementation of effective teaching strategies for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students using knowledge of and support from community representatives.
I have previously taught Aboriginal students within my class. They were from the Noongar group of people in the South West of Western Australia. As a teacher I made sure I had an understanding of the Aboriginal culture and I tried to be as culturally sensitive as I can. For example, Aboriginal students can avoid direct eye contact to an adult as it is considered rude in Aboriginal culture. So it is important not to misdiagnose Aboriginal students’ classroom behaviour, Aboriginal children are less likely to answer questions in the classroom because traditionally, Aboriginal culture has been passed on through the telling of stories; it’s not about questions and answers and so on. There are many aspects to teaching an Aboriginal child that needs to be understood and taken into account. During my time as a Learning Support teacher I often gave verbal and written support to colleagues to enable them to understand the Aboriginal culture and how it impacts the student. During special events we have had the opportunity to work alongside Noongar elders within the community. I have fostered a relationship with the Aboriginal Adviser at the school who has encouraged me to utilise different approaches when teaching.
1.5 Differentiate teaching to meet the specific learning needs of students across the full range of abilities
Proficient - Develop teaching activities that incorporate differentiated strategies to meet the specific learning needs of students across the full range of abilities.
Highly Accomplished - Evaluate learning and teaching programs, using student assessment data, that are differentiated for the specific learning needs of students across the full range of abilities.
I have put together many Independent Education Plans for students with acute learning needs that incorporate differentiated strategies to meet specific learning needs of both remedial and extended students.. These strategies are documented within student's IEP's and in my lesson plans They incorporate the use of strategies such as explicit teaching, the use of manipulatives and the use of scaffolds to help support student learning, questioning strategies, cold calling, prompting and so on. The needs are identified through the use of standardised testing as indicated on the IEP's. These standardised tests are administered by myself or the Learning Support teacher.
In addition to IEP's, lesson plans provide opportunities for student extension and remediation within the normal class setting. The literacy plan below shows how these needs are accommodated within the lesson. All assignments are also differentiated for both remedial and extension students and an example is attached.
During my time as a Learning Support teacher I was actively using student assessment data to format IEP's and to assist teachers in differentiating the lessons to enable success for all.
1.6 Strategies to support full participation of students with a disability
Proficient - Design and implement teaching activities that support the participation and learning of students with disability and address relevant policy and legislative requirements.
Highly Accomplished - Work with colleagues to access specialist knowledge, and relevant policy and legislation, to develop teaching programs that support the participation and learning of students with disability.
This year, I have a students in my class who are diagnosed with Autism, hearing difficulties, Specific Learning Disabilities and ADHD. An Individual Education Plan has been created to encourage their participation in classroom learning activities. The IMP's (Individual Management Plan) contain strategies to help students persist through difficult tasks and foster connections with other class members. The plans are put in place in consultation with the students parents and previous teachers. I also am in contact with specialty services that visit the school to work with the students. I utilise the RedCat system to meet the needs of my students with hearing difficulties and Specific Learning Disabilities.
Over the years I have worked with many teachers who have had students in their classrooms with learning difficulties I have worked alongside them and sourced RedCat systems, referred them to specialist teachers or educational psychologists and emailed links to further their understandings. During this time I have also read students Educational Psychology reports and informed teachers about the suggested activities and differentiation to their program.
Proficient - Use teaching strategies based on knowledge of student's physical, social and intellectual development and characteristics to improve learning.
Highly Accomplished - Select from a flexible and effective repertoire of teaching strategies to suit the physical, social and intellectual development and characteristics of students.
One example of a way that I use teaching strategies to meet a student's physical, social and intellectual development and characteristics to improve learning is by writing Individual Education Plans (IEP's) or Individual Management Plan (IMP). A copy of one of the plans is available in the gallery. This IEP was written after the student had been tested and shown that support was required. In order to devise which areas of weakness that needed to be targeted I tested the student using the York Reading Assessment, Australian Spelling Test and tests from 'Cracking the Code'.
In addition to this, within the general lesson planning, I try to use a variety of teaching strategies to improve learning for students with various preferred learning styles. This is written up within the lesson plan. I also try to incorporate a higher degree of visual prompts into the lessons, encourage the use of technology so students can access the curriculum - this may mean having the iPad read the text to the child, use the iPad for extension students to further their knowledge by completing personal research tasks and so on.
In regards to direct teaching I prefer to use explicit teaching and the inquiry approach where appropriate. I am currently completing my Masters in Education and have studied units on best practice and these two methods align well with best practice.
1.2 Understand how students learn
Proficient - Structure teaching programs using research and collegial advice about how students learn.
Highly Accomplished - Expand understanding of how students learn using research and workplace knowledge.
My literacy teaching program is structured around the use of explicit instruction. They follow the gradual release model (I do, we do, you do) as expounded by Anita Archer, Charles Hughes and John Hollingsworth. The lesson plans within the gallery attest to the use of this method. The research of John Hattie shows that explicit instruction has a high effect size of 0.59.
I also include other teaching strategies in my programs that have a high effect size (see Visible Learning for Teachers, Hattie 2009), this is evident in my lesson plan below.
1.3 Students with diverse linguistic, cultural, religious and socioeconomic backgrounds
Proficient - Design and implement teaching strategies that are responsive to the learning strengths and needs of students from diverse linguistic, cultural, religious and socioeconomic backgrounds.
Highly Accomplished - Support colleagues to develop effective teaching strategies that address the learning strengths and needs of students from diverse linguistic, cultural, religious and socioeconomic backgrounds.
This year I have designed a literature program around the students within the class from Sudan. I noticed that these students were not consistently engaged in literature lessons due to ESL barriers. The text I chose was aimed at a lower reading ability but allowed scope for the other end of the spectrum with the complexity of the themes contained within the novel. The idea was to engage these students as we were reading about a place that they were familiar with.
Other examples of designing and implementing teaching strategies that are responsive to the learning strengths and needs of students from diverse linguistic, cultural, religious and socioeconomic backgrounds includes writing IEP's to address these needs. Part of the IEP for ESL students involves 1:1 feedback regarding grammar and sentence structure as this seems to be an area that requires a verbal feedback as immediate as possible.
I also make sure that I am aware of students within my class that my have financial constraints which may affect thir learning and aim to ensure that they have all physical materials needed for success. This may include simple items such as writing implements, text book and so on. I utilise Google Classroom and make sure all written materials are uploaded so every student has equal access to texts. For example, I uploaded chapters from the novel study which were crucial for the final essay in the unit.
1.4 Strategies for teaching Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students
Proficient - Design and implement effective teaching strategies that are responsive to the local community and cultural setting, linguistic background and histories of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students.
Highly Accomplished - Provide advice and support colleagues in the implementation of effective teaching strategies for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students using knowledge of and support from community representatives.
I have previously taught Aboriginal students within my class. They were from the Noongar group of people in the South West of Western Australia. As a teacher I made sure I had an understanding of the Aboriginal culture and I tried to be as culturally sensitive as I can. For example, Aboriginal students can avoid direct eye contact to an adult as it is considered rude in Aboriginal culture. So it is important not to misdiagnose Aboriginal students’ classroom behaviour, Aboriginal children are less likely to answer questions in the classroom because traditionally, Aboriginal culture has been passed on through the telling of stories; it’s not about questions and answers and so on. There are many aspects to teaching an Aboriginal child that needs to be understood and taken into account. During my time as a Learning Support teacher I often gave verbal and written support to colleagues to enable them to understand the Aboriginal culture and how it impacts the student. During special events we have had the opportunity to work alongside Noongar elders within the community. I have fostered a relationship with the Aboriginal Adviser at the school who has encouraged me to utilise different approaches when teaching.
1.5 Differentiate teaching to meet the specific learning needs of students across the full range of abilities
Proficient - Develop teaching activities that incorporate differentiated strategies to meet the specific learning needs of students across the full range of abilities.
Highly Accomplished - Evaluate learning and teaching programs, using student assessment data, that are differentiated for the specific learning needs of students across the full range of abilities.
I have put together many Independent Education Plans for students with acute learning needs that incorporate differentiated strategies to meet specific learning needs of both remedial and extended students.. These strategies are documented within student's IEP's and in my lesson plans They incorporate the use of strategies such as explicit teaching, the use of manipulatives and the use of scaffolds to help support student learning, questioning strategies, cold calling, prompting and so on. The needs are identified through the use of standardised testing as indicated on the IEP's. These standardised tests are administered by myself or the Learning Support teacher.
In addition to IEP's, lesson plans provide opportunities for student extension and remediation within the normal class setting. The literacy plan below shows how these needs are accommodated within the lesson. All assignments are also differentiated for both remedial and extension students and an example is attached.
During my time as a Learning Support teacher I was actively using student assessment data to format IEP's and to assist teachers in differentiating the lessons to enable success for all.
1.6 Strategies to support full participation of students with a disability
Proficient - Design and implement teaching activities that support the participation and learning of students with disability and address relevant policy and legislative requirements.
Highly Accomplished - Work with colleagues to access specialist knowledge, and relevant policy and legislation, to develop teaching programs that support the participation and learning of students with disability.
This year, I have a students in my class who are diagnosed with Autism, hearing difficulties, Specific Learning Disabilities and ADHD. An Individual Education Plan has been created to encourage their participation in classroom learning activities. The IMP's (Individual Management Plan) contain strategies to help students persist through difficult tasks and foster connections with other class members. The plans are put in place in consultation with the students parents and previous teachers. I also am in contact with specialty services that visit the school to work with the students. I utilise the RedCat system to meet the needs of my students with hearing difficulties and Specific Learning Disabilities.
Over the years I have worked with many teachers who have had students in their classrooms with learning difficulties I have worked alongside them and sourced RedCat systems, referred them to specialist teachers or educational psychologists and emailed links to further their understandings. During this time I have also read students Educational Psychology reports and informed teachers about the suggested activities and differentiation to their program.