Wednesday, June 25, 2014

Critical Literacy with Susan Sandretto

Today I had the privilege of attending the CORE Ed Breakfast with Susan Sandretto. I am sharing my notes from the day via a storify of my tweets. I have included a couple of photos!

Update 25 June 2014 - Mathematical Literacy

Kia ora tātou,

The end of term is in sight, the shortest day is behind us and the sun is shining today. This is a very different day from yesterday when the frozen fog wrapped us in it’s wintry grip.  I am sharing a recording of the Dunedin Midwinter Lantern Festival which was a spectacular occasion.  I was talking with a Principal who is preparing for a whole school hangi and Matariki celebration on Friday.  I hope many of you are having celebrations around Matariki and can share you stories.

Mathematical Literacy
This week I had the privilege of talking with Viv Thompson, Primary Mathematics facilitator, based at the University of Otago, College of Education, Education Support Services.  
From the New Zealand Curriculum
Both (mathematics and statistics) equip students with effective means for investigating, interpreting, explaining, and making sense of the world in which they live. Mathematicians and statisticians use symbols, graphs, and diagrams to help them find and communicate patterns and relationships, and they create models to represent both real-life and hypothetical situations. These situations are drawn from a wide range of social, cultural, scientific, technological, health, environmental, and economic contexts.”
What is mathematical literacy?
  • Understanding what mathematics is, being able to discuss and come to a shared understanding with others
  • Discussing and building on the concepts of others.
  • Understanding and using mathematical symbols.
  • Developing a deeper understanding of what ‘equals’ means.
  • Using a context which makes sense to the learners.  Problems can be understood in context.
  • Talking about and discussing challenges and misconceptions.
  • Understanding the four operations and how they work for whole numbers and how this can change when dealing with fractional numbers.  
  • Exploration and use of patterns and ability to discuss these.
  • Exploration of graphs and diagrams.  
Why is mathematical literacy important?
Learners need to be able to understand mathematics and speak maths language to live life effectively.
They need to be able to solve problems in a real context; building, making, planning real life events.  
How do we develop and nurture mathematical literacy?
Firstly ensure learners have success and develop confidence in their ability in mathematics.
  • Provide opportunities for mathematical conversations.
  • Explore and define mathematical terms.
  • Understand and decode mathematical symbols.
  • Encourage a ‘can do” attitude.
  • Provide opportunities to manipulate concrete materials and discuss thinking around solving problems.
  • Being able to generalise an idea after it has been successfully tested on many examples e.g. using the associative property knowing that in addition the order of the addends does not make any difference to the answer.
Through discussing and debating problems learners are empowered to communicate their thinking both verbally and through the use of words and symbols.    
“They learn to create models and predict outcomes, to conjecture, to justify and verify, and to seek patterns and generalisations. They learn to estimate with reasonableness, calculate with precision, and understand when results are precise and when they must be interpreted with uncertainty.” New Zealand Curriculum”
What resources support mathematical literacy?

Effective Pedagogy in Mathematics - a downloadable pdf which can also be ordered from Down the Back of the Chair.  
Section 7. Mathematical Communication - Effective teachers are able to facilitate
classroom dialogue that is focused on mathematical argumentation.
Section 8. Mathematical language - Effective teachers shape mathematical language by modelling appropriate terms and communicating their meaning in ways
that students understand.

Key mathematical ideas.  Use this ‘key’ to ensure you know what is expected of learners at each stage, at each level..  
e-ako Learner pathways Year 3 up.  Personalised to meet individual needs, follow the learner’s journey.
Figure it out online - how can you use the online versions of the figure it outs?
Most regions have Mathematic Lead Teacher Meetings once a term.  
Education Support Services - University of Otago  You can check out upcoming meetings on this site.  It would be great if educators from around New Zealand could share links to support in your areas please.

An example of the power of developing mathematical literacy…
A HUGE thank you to Viv for this insight into Mathematical Literacy.  I look forward to rich discussion around this post.  
This week we are sharing Mathematical links to support your programmes.  
Maybe you can add links to these from your blogs, or websites.
Anne’s Literacy Links and Look ups…
Conferences:
NZLA - the 37th New Zealand Literacy Association Conference. Register now.
CLESOL - the 14th National Conference for Community Languages and ESOL. Register now.
Ngā mihi nui
Anne Kenneally
Literacy Online Facilitator
CORE Education
@LiteracyOnline2

To post to the list email: literacy@lists.tki.org.nz

Wednesday, June 18, 2014

Update 18 June 2014 - School journals available in digital form as well as print

Kia ora tātou,

Welcome to week seven.  We are rapidly racing towards the shortest day of the year, and I am counting down to the Dunedin Lantern Festival.  

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Making the lanterns in class and writing about the experience brings back very fond memories. Are there any other festivals on that you would like to share a link to?

This week I am focussing on the fabulous news that from now on the school journals will be available in digital form as well as print!

A grand tradition continues

“Since 1907, the School Journal has delivered New Zealand content to motivate, excite, and engage students across the curriculum. Now, for the first time, the School Journals are available in digital form as well as print, giving you more ways to use these resources with your students.”
“In direct response to your feedback, from now on, both the Junior Journal and School Journal – as well as titles in the School Journal Story Library – will not only be distributed to your school in print, but will also be available on Te Kete Ipurangi (TKI) as downloadable PDFs.”
What does this mean for our literacy programme?
How can we use this to transform our teaching practice and our learning opportunities?

We welcome all your ideas, as we explore how to make the best use of this new resource together. Remember ideas that seem ordinary and obvious to you are often amazing to others. Obvious to you. Amazing to others. - by Derek Sivers

Anne’s Latest Literacy Links and Look ups…

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Conferences:

NZLA - the 37th New Zealand Literacy Association Conference. Register now.
CLESOL - the 14th National Conference for Community Languages and ESOL. Register now.
Ngā mihi nui
Anne Kenneally
Literacy Online Facilitator
CORE Education
@LiteracyOnline2

To post to the list email: literacy@lists.tki.org.nz

Update 12 June 2014 - World Literacy Summit

Kia ora tātou,

Welcome to week six.  We are rapidly racing towards the shortest day of the year, a time to celebrate and a time to look forward to spring!  I had the pleasure of working with a group of educators this week exploring effective pedagogy in a Modern Learning Environment.  We were discussing how Daily Five and CAFE in your literacy programme can lead to collaborative practice.  It would  be great to hear what Modern Learning Practice looks like in your literacy programme.

This week I am sharing with you the World Literacy Summit which was held in the United Kingdom in April. I am cross posting from the CORE blog post this week.

The second World Literacy Summit was held in Oxford in April, 2014. The Summit aims to build awareness of the global literacy crisis and provide opportunities for participants to develop strategic plans, exchange information, find solutions and build partnerships to improve literacy standards worldwide. As mediascape partners, CORE Education provided digital media services at the Summit, and Michael and I were fortunate to spend a week in Oxford capturing delegates’ contributions in the form of interviews, keynotes, panel discussions and presentations.
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The overarching Summit theme was Literacies: the Power to Change — the role of both new and traditional literacy tools and techniques in the worldwide fight to eradicate illiteracy.

Issues and underlying theme

Delegates at the Summit discussed key issues impacting literacy around the world, and analysed the latest literacy delivery methods and teaching approaches, with the goal of increasing awareness of the global literacy crisis, and creating opportunities for collaboration in support of literacy development.
An underpinning theme was the widening of the notion of literacy from the classic reading and writing to include multi-literacies — health, financial, and emotional, for example. At one of the panel sessions, speakers spoke to these new literacies, outlining the challenges and possible areas for action. For example, by 2015 more than 50% of the total population in extreme poverty will reside in places affected by conflict and chronic violence. People in these countries could benefit from greater levels of emotional literacy including an ability to recognise, understand, and appropriately express their emotions to assist them to contribute to more peaceful and stable societies.

Signing of the 2014 Oxford DeclarationSigning of Oxford document

The concluding act of the Summit was the signing of the 2014 Oxford Declaration document, which outlines the key action points delegates believe are required to improve global literacy standards. Delegates had contributed to the content of the declaration in panels and discussion groups throughout the conference, and the document was signed by all of those attending the final keynote.

Video interviews with key delegates

There were over 70 international speakers at the Summit, and a key element in the dissemination of knowledge and experience from the Summit will be the video record. Michael Lintott and I were able to interview many delegates, including Dr Jean-Pierre Ezin, the Commissioner for Education, Science and Culture for the Economic Community of West African States, Dr Temechegn Engida, the Programme Officer for ICT use in Education at the UNESCO International Institute for Capacity Building in Africa, and Ms Farida Lambay, the Founder Trustee and Executive Secretary of Pratham Council for Vulnerable Children in India.
These interviews are now being released on the Global EDtalks channel and on the World Literacy Summit website.
Jedd Bartlett manages the production of digital media for CORE. Jedd began with CORE in 2004 as one of the national ICT PD secondary schools facilitators. He has since been involved in several major roles including managing a programme of teacher professional development in Malaysia, and the development of CORE's research programme. Jedd is one of the team that produces CORE's popular Ten Trends. He has his own blog: JeddJedd Bartlett
So what does this mean for us as classroom teachers in New Zealand?  Let’s explore some of the key ideas from the accepting component of the 2014 Oxford Declaration document, The four ideas that spoke to me for our learners were:
  • reading and writing in indigenous and other languages
  • using technology appropriate to local contexts and individual needs
  • engaging with members of local, national and global communities
  • recognizing and respecting the perspectives of self and others.

How are you incorporating these ideas into your literacy programme already.  We would love you to share.

Anne’s Latest Literacy Links and Look ups…


Conferences:

NZLA - the 37th New Zealand Literacy Association Conference. Register now.
CLESOL - the 14th National Conference for Community Languages and ESOL. Register now.
Ngā mihi nui
Anne Kenneally
Literacy Online Facilitator
CORE Education
@LiteracyOnline2

To post to the list email: literacy@lists.tki.org.nz

Wednesday, June 11, 2014

Update 4 June 2014 - Guest Blog Post by Sheena Cameron

Kia ora tātou,


Week five already!  I hope you have had a chance to check out some of the Matariki support shared recently.  We would love to hear your ideas and how you have used these ideas in your classrooms.


As we reflect on the inquiries shared by our community members we are aware of the diversity and indeed compatibility in our challenges.  What can you learn from, or add to, these learning journeys?  


Inquiry learning:
This week I am sharing Angela’s question:
What practices, planning/teaching tips, questions that develop meta-cognitive thinking?
I am sure Angela would love to hear your ideas and I am sure others will benefit from the discussion too.


This week I am delighted to introduce Sheena Cameron with a guest blog post.  
“Sheena Cameron is an experienced primary/elementary school teacher who has taught in New Zealand, England and the United States. Sheena has lectured at the Faculty of Education at Auckland University and was Director of Kohia Teachers’ Centre. She currently works in New Zealand and Australian schools facilitating workshops and providing in-school support in the areas of literacy, classroom environment and student publishing.”


Sheena Cameron - Personal Choice Writing
This term I have been teaching writing in a Year 3/4 class. One of the questions I have been thinking about is, ‘how can we plan opportunities for students to choose their own writing topics as part of a regular classroom programme?’
I have observed that students often have limited, if any, opportunities to choose their own topics. Although teachers are pressured to cover the demands of the curriculum, I believe students need time to write about things that are meaningful to them. Self-chosen topics can also provide a ‘window’ into the student’s world and a chance for the teacher to connect and get to know them better.
To prepare for personal choice writing, I asked the students to think of three topics they would like to write about. I modelled this by talking about and recording topics that I would like to write about. The students then used ‘think, pair, share’ to discuss their topic ideas with a partner. A few students struggled to think of ideas so I encouraged them to listen to other student’s topic ideas as these may help spark an idea for them. Topic ideas were then shared among the whole class. The students recorded their ideas on a ‘Writing Notebook’ sheet which was glued into the inside cover of their exercise book. (PM 22, page 239 of ‘The Writing Book’).
I decided that Monday would be a good day for personal choice writing as students often have experiences to write about after the weekend. There was great excitement when I suggested the class could choose their own topic.
I projected an image to write about as an alternative. Images and short video clips can be an appealing option for reluctant writers or EAL students.
Some students used the opportunity to choose their own topic but in the genre we have been working on in class. This crossover shows how the genre has been embedded into the student’s own writing repertoire.
The quality of writing can become an issue in personal choice writing. Too often this can become a boring recount, ‘On Saturday we went to the pools…’ ending with ‘It was fun.‘ At first I let the students choose without agreeing any criteria for their writing. I used this to assess areas where students needed support.
Teaching a skill in a mini-lesson and then challenging students to include the skill in their personal writing, helped to promote quality writing. Mini-lessons could support students to: understand what a sentence is; use an interesting hook to engage their reader; add details or use dialogue in their writing. Page 5 of ‘The Writing Book’ has an overview of mini-lessons that could be taught at emergent, early and fluent writing levels.
The students’ enthusiasm has confirmed my thoughts about personal choice writing. I plan to continue to include this on a regular basis, using the opportunity to develop quality writing.
It has also confirmed my thinking that a balanced writing programme needs to include a mix of personal choice topics, modified personal choice (teacher selected writing form but topic selected by students), and teacher-selected topics.


Sheena Cameron

Anne’s Latest Literacy Links and Look ups…


Conferences:


NZLA - the 37th New Zealand Literacy Association Conference. Register now.
CLESOL - the 14th National Conference for Community Languages and ESOL. Register now.
Ngā mihi nui
Anne Kenneally
Literacy Online Facilitator
CORE Education
@LiteracyOnline2

To post to the list email: literacy@lists.tki.org.nz