TEXT SELECTION:
Today was another busy and full-on cognitive day encouraging us to think about the texts we select and their intended purpose.
The facilitators made us think about whether we are meeting the needs of our students. Are our students being represented in the texts that they are reading? Are we giving them opportunities to look out the window and at the wider world? Are we opening up that opportunity? Sometimes without realising it we give them our own bias and look at things that we like. How can we do better?
I really like the idea of using the coverage sheet in our teacher workbook as this allows me to see what I am covering and if I am using a variety of different texts, genres etc. For next term, that is something that I will be really focusing on and seeing how can I allow my students to feel as though they are being represented. I also want to look at the coverage of styles of texts. I use videos, digital articles and school journals regularly but want to try and ensure I am using audiobooks or podcasts or different types.
Another moment from today was the use of levelled groups and mixed ability grouping and taking away the stigma of those reading groups where students automatically assume the worst. Next term, I will be looking at grouping students by goals that they need to achieve and see if that works. This will also allow for extended discussions with my lower readers as they will be exposed to this.
This won't be an everyday whole-term thing but I would like to give this a go as I can see how it would benefit my learners.
Evening Paige,
ReplyDeleteI agree text selection can be a huge incentive or can also do the opposite when students don’t have a connection with the text. I like how you are being reflective and thinking about if we exposing all our students to texts that reflect/ represented/ connect with individuals. Questions that we can ask ourselves when selecting texts and genres are: Are they able to see themselves, make connections, resonate with their views and cultures but as well challenge these their personal thoughts and perspectives? So much criterial thinking and literacy can come from rich engaging texts.
I like your idea of using the coverage sheet and look forward to seeing it in use in your modelling book.