Blogpost #5 - Hypothesise & Research

-Share your findings about the nature and extent of the student challenge. Make sure it is clear what evidence from your inquiry supports each findings:

Reading became a focus because of what the DATA said. Using students assessment results from EOY 2022 and BOY 2023, Reading stood out as a learning area that most students scale score was under the norm. 

At Glen Taylor School and in our team (Y7&8 learners) alone, learners from an Asian, Maori, Pasifika and MELAA background were scoring under the norm, compared to our European learners who scored above the norm. This could be down to a lot of reasons, such as; our non European learners are multi-lingual and have a first language other than English. 

I also created a PADLET to gain some student voice around Reading. Their likes/dislikes about it, what books they prefer to read and what I can do as a teacher etc and here is a photo of their responses.

RPI was ready for launching in the beginning of 2023, two of our teachers were signed up, and I was asked to be their mentor teacher. Fortunately, the two teachers are from my team, which made it easier. RPI is a Reading Practice Intensive that provides teachers with support to acquire content and practice knowledge to influence high quality reading outcomes for learners.

My intervention this year is the implementation of RPI; it's resources, tools and teacher practice knowledge to influence high quality reading outcomes for all of Team Tui.

Lockdown Learning and the difficulties that come with it...

After our CoL PLG meeting last week, I couldn't help but think about my next steps for my CoL inquiry.

We're back to online learning and we as teachers know the impacts of how this can be difficult for some of our learners.

My target group a.k.a THE PASHISKA BOYS were so amped, so passionate and enthusiastic about our PASHISKA WAY project. So, to break it down, my intervention design was project based. This idea was initiated by myself, due to it being effective last year. The only difference is, my boys were planning everything this year.

The intervention was to launch the project in Week 9 where the boys would host their whanau, our classroom and our principals to what they call "THE PASHISKA WAY". The boys planned to use the last block of a Thursday afternoon (23rd September) to prepare an island feast for the guests and perform for them as a form of entertaining the guests while they enjoy their food. The performance was going to be a mash-up of cultural dances from the Cook Islands, Tonga and Aotearoa - where the boys were from.

Planning the intervention involved:

-the boys writing a proposal of their project to Mr Herlihy

-a letter asking for funding to Mr Herlihy (again)

-brainstorming what the day would look like

-researching recipes of what food to make

-writing a letter to parents/caregivers

-dance practices during lunch break

-meeting with myself x3 a week to share what they had come up with and discuss our next-steps.

Come Week 4 of this term, NZ goes into a nation-wide lockdown. The intervention was put on hold.

To keep the energy and motivation - I endeavoured to meet with the 6 boys online, separate to our class sessions. First meeting was meant to be yesterday via google meets. Only one student responded. It's disheartening because I know it's out of our control.

My goal is to try and meet with the boys online. Talanoa about ideas and ways we could continue the project. Could it still work? Is there a next step?

This intervention is driven by the learners, it's authentic and it allows the teacher to step aside and let the learners show their full potential and what they're capable of. These boys are not at the curriculum level they should be working on, but this project provided opportunities for the students to WRITE, BRAINSTORM, TALANOA, RESEARCH & PLAN something that was meaningful and valued by them.

A couple of years ago, I had real success with my group of boys I worked with for my CoL inquiry. The first time I met with the Pashiska boys last term, it only felt right to share my 2018 success story with them. I shared my presentation with them, showed them pieces of writing produced by those boys in the beginning of 2018 and at the end of 2018. I wish I had a camera to snap the reaction from the PASHISKA boys. This was how I hooked my target group in to my 2021 CoL inquiry.

Blogpost #8 - June Blogging - Causal Chain

 What is a Causal Chain?

Any intervention you design will (consciously or not) be based on a causal chain you have in mind - this is your theory of action.

What is a “causal chain”?  67-69

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.

Any intervention you design will (consciously or not) be based on a causal chain you have in mind - this is your theory of action.

After a good talanoa with a fellow CoL teacher at school, I created my causal chain. This process helped me validate my thinking behind my inquiry. It helped me because for a while now, I felt stuck and was clueless about what my next steps were. I admit, this is the first year I have identified a causal chain in reference to my inquiry. Once I had completed this step, I had more clarity and my inquiry began to make more sense. 

Blogpost #6 - May Blogging - How will I use the data?

Explain how some of the data you have used to build a profile of the students' learning will be used as baseline data at the end of the year.

Data gathered through:

1. Learner Voice Questionnaire
2. Informal Teacher Observations (Incl Observation of Student engagement)
3. Formative & Summative Assessments (PAT, Probes, Padlet, Google Forms)
4. Teacher Observations
5. Learner Profiles (Filled in by students)
6. Visuals (Photos & Video Recordings)

This year I have collected some valuable data about each of my students'. I share this information with my learners too because I feel it's really important for the students' to know where they are and where they should be by the end of the year, with the guidance of this inquiry.

I am most excited to see the data from assessments but also through teacher observations because it's raw and it's not scripted. Student/Learner Voice will also allow me to see if there has been a shift in attitude towards the above learning areas. I look forward to hearing my 6 quiet, highly disengaged boys who initially disliked the words 'Reading & Writing", share their experiences of being part of the Pashiska Boys.

Blogpost #3 - Describe the tools/measures/approaches you plan to use...

Describe the tools/measures/approaches you plan to use to to get a more detailed and accurate profile of students learning in relation to that challenge. Justify why you chose these approaches and tools.

Tools:

• Google Form on Identity & Cultural Competencies shared to my class
• Inter-lead Self-Assessment and Student Voice tool. 
• All about the Learner Profile created by ME. 

Measures:

• Teacher Only Day Workshop Presentation - had students open up the workshop by sharing about themselves, their cultural background, their name and the story behind it. Attendees were highly engaged and provided feedback reinforcing the importance of IDENTITY.
• Student Attendance & Engagement
• Student Confidence
• Oral Language 

Approaches:

• Bus-stop activity using post-it notes by students and teachers.
• Target group - whole class
• Teaching through a Pasifika Lens

I chose these approaches and tools because student voice is what drives the learning at Glen Taylor School. This proves to be a good tool because learners love being involved with planning what they're learning. The best way to understand a student's preferred way of learning is to ask them (Causton - Theoharis, 2009) and to have them involved in the planning and assessment process of it all. 

"Often the student has the best ideas of how we might work with them, if we take time to reflect on what they might be trying to communicate."

Outreach teacher, project interview TKI, 2013 

Self-assessment is also important as it provides insight to teacher practice. It allows us to reflect and evaluate what is working, what can we do better, what can I change in my practice, to ensure we are catering to every learners' need. 

For the past 3 years, I have focused on Reading and Writing. It's helped me unpack my thinking and identify my what it really is I wanted to inquire about this year. I spoke briefly about implementing Talanoa and using Cultural competencies in past years, but I sit and ask myself now "Did I do it justice? Did I incorporate these Pasifika learning tools effectively? How can I measure it's effectiveness differently this year?

As a Y7&8 teacher, I want to ensure that my students leave GTS at the end of the year, confident in themselves, proud of who they are and embrace the richness in cultural knowledge they carry. I still find it difficult to match my Inquiry to a particular achievement challenge because my Inquiry is more than a curriculum focus. My Inquiry is to do with the knowledge captivated in each learners' story, held deep within that you need to be a 'special teacher' to unlock that taonga. 

Dr Rae Si'ilata stated at our Teacher Only Day at the end of Term 1 that "English can never translate the depth of our reo & talanoa" (2021). My inquiry encourages learners express themselves in their language, through their cultural lens and identity. If my learners Maths/Reading & Writing learning needs to be taught in a bi-lingual way for their understanding to enhance, I will endeavour to do so. It's important for the learners to make a connection before they can actually engage in the learning.

Evaluation for 2020 (Bursts & Bubbles Presentation)

 The catalytic aspect of student learning my inquiry focused on this year was 

How will I change my teaching practice to ensure my learners are developing a deeper understanding of vocabulary (in Literacy)?

I identified this as my focus when I noticed

The discrepancy between reading and writing was evident in school wide data but also my class assessment data, leading me to choose reading as my focus area for my coL within school inquiry & focusing on vocabulary as it was the highlighted area of weakness in my class.

To build a rich picture of my students’ learning I used ……. (sources of evidence and data e.g. PAT reading, my own vocabulary test, student voice)

Student Voice - through google forms, padlet, interlead, literacy learner profiles from ALL intervention to collect information about students cultural backgrounds, things that were important to them, their reading interests, attitudes towards reading, what they’d like to read more of, types of texts etc

PAT Vocab results - I’d use these results to help me identify the level of understanding my students have with words.

Samples of Writing - I’d use samples of their writing throughout the year and from summative assessments to assess their standard of vocabulary used. From this, i’d know if they’ve used words correctly and words we’ve learnt and discussed during our reading sessions.

Talanoa with students’ previous teachers, themselves and their whanau - for more insight on students, id approach previous teachers

Blog posts

The main patterns of student learning I identified in the profiling phase were (their strengths and needs)

Strengths - They enjoyed reading through song lyrics, reading myths & legends from their cultural backgrounds, reading about cultural superstitions, visual prompts helped them understand the text more, texts on things they liked/enjoyed & familiarised with

Needs - 3 main areas were: Vocabulary Knowledge, Decoding, Comprehension

My profiling of my own teaching showed that I had strengths in …. 

• Whole Class teaching

• Engaging students 

• Teaching my way! in a way it made sense to me

But my students would likely make more progress if 

• I provided students with explicit instructions to build vocabulary

• Creating more Cultural experiences for students to be more hands-on and actively involved in.

• Constant exposure to new key words and topic-specific vocabulary

The changes I made in my teaching were ….

• Changing my Reading programme, Implemented of Daily 5 programme and using a balanced reading structure inspired by Sheena Cameron

• Creating Authentic Learning Experiences relating to my students cultural background and using these experiences as points of Talanoa in class, enabling students to be exposed to thematic key understandings relating to our school LCS focus for 2020 which was IDENTITY

• Taught through cultural competencies framework - being aware of what was important to my students identity and using that as the hook in my practice this year

• Links to the LPF documents

• Front-loading students with keywords from the text prior to the delivered lesson

• Implemented the Sheena Cameron Vocabulary programme through my guided sessions 

• Continued to implement ALL strategies

The literature/expertise that helped me decide what changes to make was…

• The Reading Book by Sheena Cameron & Louise Dempsey

• Effective Literacy Practice in Y5-8

• Tapasa cultural competencies framework

• What every primary school teacher should know about vocabulary by Jannie Van Hees

• Boys in Literacy PD by Marshall Diggs

• Talanoa Framework

The easiest and hardest things for me to change were…..  

• My teacher ownership - giving more authority to the students

• Stepping out of my comfort zone and implementing a reading programme that was initially foreign to me

• Changing my practice by trying new things that I believed would help my inquiry but also be successful for my students achievement

Overall I would rate the changes in student learning as….  

“Work in progress”. 

Out of my 6 target students, (L, B, C, T, G, N), 4 made accelerated progress and the other 2 made steady progress. 5 of my students are Y8’s and I can confidently say that most of them are mentally & emotionally ready for high school learning.

5 of the boys are Y8 and they are leaving school with a passion for education and have the drive to persevere with their High School learning next year.

The most important learning I made about …. (my focus of student learning) was that 

• Talanoa/Story-telling and Oral language provides opportunities for students to dialogue more, enhancing their knowledge of vocabulary in English as well as their first language.

• Authentic cultural learning experiences provides opportunities for students to read/write/problem solve - it also encourages teachers to learn more about their students identity

• If you want to hit the nail with teaching Pasifika/Maori students you need to invest time into learning about the culture they identify with and what this means to them is key.

Professional Reading #3

 Title of Book/Reading/Study Programme

The Reading Book

Author/s or Lecturer/s or Speaker/s

Sheena Cameron & Louise Dempsey

Synopsis

• Explicit teaching of Reading is important at all levels
• Reading for pleasure, Reading to support Writing, Reading to Learn
• Work to ensure students develop a love for a Reading and a love for Oral Language and Vocabulary
• Do a lot of Shared Reading with Year 7 & 8
• Reading Process - Critical Thinking, Cracking the Code (Decoding), Comprehension
•  

Motivation

• This Reading Book has helped re-ignite my passion for teaching Literacy. It started from the PD (beginning of Term 3) and since then, my planning for literacy has improved. It makes sense, I am more motivated to teach literacy and I have implemented changes into my planning and my teacher practice.
• I am CONFIDENT that with the changes/interventions I have in place, that my students will make great progress, come end of year assessments. I have more structure to my planning, I have goals in place and have belief that it's working in my class.

How will it help me? How has it helped me?

• This book has been a pivotal tool in my change of practice in literacy, particularly in Reading. In Term 3, I introduced a structured reading programme that includes modelled reading, shared reading, guided reading and independent reading.
• I have seen engagement from students that were disengaged from reading and hated the subject. Two students in particular would always claim they couldn't read any material whatsoever and would often ask me to read it for them. From Sheena's book + PD, she encouraged using song lyrics as a resource and use it to teach inferencing. I'd introduce the goal (WALT) through my shared reading lesson and continue it in the guided lesson. The inferences made by these students who claimed to not be able to read, was astounding. I highlighted parts of the lyrics for each student to infer. Responses from our discussions were recorded in the modelling book.
•  
  
  
  
• 
  
  
  
  

So What?

• Having a structured reading programme and following it consistently has been very effective. If this is the result from having changed my practice a term ago, I can't wait to see the difference it continues to make over time.
• Yes, having a structured programme has been a positive change, but I believe including Pasifika cultural competencies in my practice has contributed to the success also. For example, demonstrating awareness of my learners identities, cultures and languages underpins the way they think and learn. Having positive and respectful relationships enhances learning and well-being for my Pasifika students. Inclusion of effective pedagogies for my Pasifika learners such as Talanoa, celebration of language weeks, authentic learning experiences such as making an 'umu, roasting a pig on the spit or making a hangi are moments in time the learners' will celebrate and remember forever.

Blogpost #7 - Plan and conduct detailed inquiry...

Plan and conduct detailed inquiry into specific aspects of your current teaching that are relevant to the hypotheses you identified in the literature.

Prior to lockdown, I decided to implement the Daily 5 reading programme in my class. It took me 6-7 weeks to set-up before launching it. It's been a success so far, the students enjoy the independence of selecting which daily 5 task they complete and in which order, in addition to the blocks I will be working with them.

However, I still felt like something was missing. I wasn't clear myself on what I wanted to see. But personally, I didn't feel the spark or the connection between my inquiry, what I had implemented and my students learning progress. I decided to approach other teachers in the CoL cluster for some insight, they suggest implementing dual language texts in my sessions, did that. Yet, I still felt the same.

Current Strengths:
After seeking some feedback from colleagues and other CoL teachers on planning, implementing an integrated curriculum and inquiring into a different approach for teaching literacy, I've identified the following aspects as strengths in my practice

- Being culturally responsive to my learners
- Inclusion of student voice
- Planning format changed (Merged aspects of ALL intervention + A balanced Reading programme by Sheena Cameron & Louise Dempsey)
- Clear learning intentions - student speak
-Respond to student voice and ideas
- Try something new - having a clear structure for my reading programme
- Integrated curriculum (cross-curricular approach) - ie. Celebrating events that provide authentic learning experiences for the students (Our Samoan Language Week, Ancient Egyptian Studies, Matariki - refer to slide below for evidence of work created by the students)

To date, I am pleased with the progress my Literacy Champs have made, especially during and after lockdown. I have seen an increment in engagement and student output. Although guided sessions have been minimal, I am still looking for a structure or proper reading programme to follow. Yes, Room 11 follows The Daily 5 reading programme, but I know and feel there is room for improvement.

From the literature I've read, I plan to continue adapting the method of TALANOA. I believe it creates unique opportunities for my students to engage, interact and communicate in a way they familiarise with, including talanoa in their first language. Taking into consideration my target students ethnic background, the group consists of dominantly PASIFIKA and MAORI students. The Pasifika way is spoken rather than written, based on oratory and verbal negotiation which have deep traditional roots in Pasifika cultures. Talanoa for Pasifika inquiries and researches will make available more valid and authentic information than other methodologies (Vaioleti, 2006)

Areas for Development: 
I hope to provide my students with more opportunities to recognise the vocabulary of literacy success. I also plan to have video recordings of a typical literacy lesson in my class where talanoa takes place, in hopes it captures students learning new vocabulary while in dialoague, or when completing follow-up tasks or independent activities.

I'm on the look out for a structured programme that is effective, easy to follow and makes sense to me. Right now, DAILY 5 feels like its only one piece of the puzzle. I am currently looking at the Reading Book by Sheena Cameron for some ideas. So I hope that provides me with the other piece to the puzzle i'm looking for.

I also plan to continue my talanoa with other CoL teachers who are working on the same achievement challenge and have a conversation about strategies that might be working well for them.

Professional Reading #2

Title of Book/Reading/Study Programme
Talanoa Research Methodology
Author/s or Lecturer/s or Speaker/s
Timote M Vaioleti
Synopsis
Author Timote argues that TALANOA is a personal encounter that enables peoples to story their issues, their realities and aspirations, allows more mo'oni (truth, pure, realities) information to be available...Talanoa can be referred to as a conversation, a talk, an exchange of ideas and thinking whether formal or informal. In a good talanoa encounter, noa creates the space and conditions, Tala intermingles the researcher/teacher and participants/students emotions, knowledges and experiences. This alliance leads to an energising and uplifting of the spirits, and to a positive state of connectedness and enlightenment (Vaioleti, 2006).
Motivation
This reading reinforces the importance of ensuring I know how to best communicate with my Pasifika learners. Taking into consideration my target students ethnic background, the group consists dominantly of Pasifika and Maori students. The Pasifika way is spoken rather than written, based on oratory and verbal negotiation which have deep traditional roots in Pasifika cultures. Talanoa for Pasifika inquiries and researches will make available more valid and authentic information than other methodologies. 
How will it help me? How has it helped me?
What I enjoy about talanoa with my students is the fact it removes distance and provides presence and a face they could connect to. It's a technique where the nature of the questions has not been determined in advance, but will depend on the way in which the Talanoa develops. It is a respectful, reciprocating interaction. The reciprocity embedded in the talanoa will raise the expectations that teacher and students have of each other, promoting mutual accountability, which adds to the trustworthiness and quality of the learning.
So What?

I'm going to encourage the talanoa methodology more effectively in my literacy lessons. Rather than having semi-structured comprehension open/close ended questions, give time and space for a talanoa to take place. Encourage the students to talanoa because research says that this particular methodological framework is more appropriate when inquiring or researching about Pasifika peoples (ie. my Pasifika learners).

Blog post #6: Most worthy hypotheses about teaching...

Explain the hypotheses about teaching that you decided were MOST worth testing, and why...

As identified in my blog post #5, my hypotheses are:

1. IF I provide opportunities for more authentic learning experiences, THEN my students will be able to read & write about it in a more communicative way, because they are able to make connections to it, and write in a way that connects their audience to the experience.
2. IF I see my target students consistently 3 times a week, for focused/guided sessions, THEN I can provide constructive feedback & feedforward on areas they need to work on i.e.Vocabulary - decoding, retrieving etc.
3. IF I teach my students at LEVEL 4 literacy (Reading & Writing), THEN we'll most likely produce accelerate results in literacy.
4. IF I change my teacher practice so that it encompasses opportunities of integrated learning, THEN my students will be able to consolidate strategies and learning in all areas of the curriculum (using the Learn, Create, Share model.
5. IF I can help develop my students knowledge of vocabulary, THEN my students will be readily prepared in literacy, for high school next year.

Highlighted above are 4 chosen hypotheses worth testing. WHY? Because I want to prove to myself that changing my practice will result in better student learning outcomes.

Providing opportunities for more authentic learning experiences, accelerate teaching, explicit teaching AND integrated learning is new to my practice. I'm hoping this change is for the better that end of year data proves it too.

• Authentic learning experiences enables deep sharing through talanoa, semi-structured interviews, questioning, visual learning and more.
• Seeing the students for in-depth guided lessons allows me to specify which areas in literacy they need support with. For example, in Vocabulary, there are many strategies to teach, such as decoding, retrieving, interpreting and explaining etc. Receiving constant feedback and feedforward is crucial to students developmental understanding.
• To receive accelerate progress, you must teach at an accelerate level. With the ALL intervention strategies such as front-loading, double dosing, gradual release of responsibility, I'm hoping the students learning will progress noticeably faster in an upward movement.
• Integration fits perfectly with the learn, create, share model. What better way to incorporate the Manaiakalani way than through integrated learning.

Professional Reading #1

Title of Book/Reading/Study Programme
How can a makerspace in the school setting increased motivation, engagement, and achievement for Pasifika and Maori

Author/s or Lecturer/s or Speaker/s
Rebecca Bishop and Savelina Lepou
Synopsis

• Through teacher-led inquiry, a group of teachers and students from an Auckland primary school created a school 'makerspace' learning environment with the aim to use it as a space to improve learning for Maori and Pasifika students at risk of underachieving.
• Students were engaged in the project. They responded well to the given opportunities in sharing their ideas, making choices and developing their skills for future use of the makerspace.
• Project based learning emerged as a pedagogy in the creation of the makerspace. (ie. Passion projects or Genius hour)
• Further teacher led inquiries were developed to investigate how teachers can effectively support students to transfer the skills from learning in the makerspace, back in to their classrooms.

Motivation

• This reading was given to me by Allen Wu (Woolf Fisher researcher), who suggested it would help with my inquiry this year. 
• This Reading provides insight into what I can apply in my classroom that will enable my target students to feel supported in their learning. To ensure my learning environment or 'makerspace' has accessible resources, student selected texts, technological devices, a culturally responsive setting that encourages them to feel 'safe' and motivated to learn in all areas, in particular, literacy. This will further support my CoL inquiry for the year.

How will it help me? How has it helped me?

• Importance of Student Voice and including students in decision making 
• Trusting the students to take the lead in the project
• Giving time to create, plan and reflect
• Online Resources - making sure everything was accessible by the students
• Purposeful Learning - students to know and be aware of the purpose for what and why they are learning it

So What?

• Making sure the class is an inclusive learning environment. Knowing it is important for our Maori and Pasifika students to feel at home and safe, giving them a sense of belonging.
• Acknowledging students ideas in what we're learning. If the students want to make an 'umu for their language week, encourage the idea. If they plan to build a school fale, support them with the planning for it.
• Provide an opportunity for higher level learning to take place - having resources available, provide opportunities for authentic learning experiences, reading and writing about their experiences etc.

Blog post #5: Developing Hypotheses...

Describe your process for developing hypotheses (hunch) e.g. what you read, who you talked with...

Developing a hypotheses proved to be challenging this year. With the national lockdown, everything that use to be deemed 'normal' was no more. So, I had to sit and really think this one through.

After discussions with my fellow CoL teacher (Poto) and our school Management team, we've identified that literacy is still an area of concern.

The following things are what I have identified as my hypotheses. I feel that if I manage to accomplish these steps or make some progress on these things, it will further clarify what my next steps would be in regards to my inquiry.

1. IF I provide opportunities for more authentic learning experiences, THEN my students will be able to read & write about it in a more communicative way, because they are able to make connections to it, and write in a way that connects their audience to the experience.
2. IF I encourage Talanoa as a methodology for gaining insight from my students, THEN I am taking into account my students ethnic/cultural practices and creating an environment that my students feel connected to.
3. IF I teach my students at LEVEL 4, THEN we'll most likely produce accelerate results.
4. IF I change my teacher practice so that it encompasses opportunities of integrated learning, THEN my students will be able to consolidate strategies and learning in all areas of the curriculum (using the Learn, Create, Share model.)
5. IF I can help develop my students knowledge of vocabulary in literacy, THEN my students will develop an in-depth understanding that will enable them to think critically about what they're reading/writing.

Blog #3: Tools, Measures & Approaches

Blog #3 Describe the tools/measures/approaches you plan to use to get a more detailed and accurate profile of students’ learning in relation to that challenge. Justify why you chose these approaches and tools.

Inquiry Question:

How will I change my teaching practice to ensure my learners are developing a deeper understanding of vocabulary in Literacy?

Reflecting on my 2019 inquiry, I decided to continue with a focus on literacy (Reading). Shifts were made by my target students, however, there was still room for more accelerated progress. After discussing with fellow CoL colleagues and teachers from school, I decided to continue with the focus on Reading.

I've identified possible tools that will help me carry out my inquiry this year, these are:

1. A.L.L strategies
2. Integrated curriculum using the L,C,S model
3. Learner voice
4. Students' prior knowledge and experiences
5. Talanoa
6. Cultural competencies for teachers of Maori & Pasifika learners - TAPASA, He Whakaaro, Tātaiako etc

To measure the students' progress, I will use assessments (standardised testing, formative assessments, overall teacher judgement, observations etc). This will inform me of what the students' strengths & weaknesses.

I aim to include the students' in decision making when it comes to their learning, having students choose the texts they wish to wish, choose what form of delivery they wish to be taught and encourage them to read both english and first language texts.

Working alongside the students' rather than a top-down approach will build our relationship, develop trust, result in highly engaged students and hopefully produce excellent results and higher level achievement throughout the year.

Sharing my Hypotheses...

1. Describe your process for developing hypotheses (hunch) e.g. what you read, who you talked with...

• Change in my teaching practice
• Change up choice of resources and materials
• Include student voice

2. Explain the hypotheses about teaching that you decided were MOST worth testing, and why...

What changes can I make in my teaching practice to ensure that I am meeting my students learning needs in Reading. I decided to focus on changing my choice of resources and materials to better suit the students. The first step I did was consult with my students. They told me what types of books they would like to read this term, what text type they prefer to read and what comprehension strategies they need support with.

3. For each of your hypotheses, explain how you will test it and what evidence would support (or refute) that hypothesis...

• Change in teaching practice: I have been reflecting on some of my lessons and asking my students for feedback on their learning. It's been quite effective being able to monitor what has been successful and what hasn't. I plan to video record myself teaching a reading lesson as evidence that further supports my hypothesis. I also plan to observe other teachers in the school and try and observe reading being taught at another school. By doing this, I could gain new ideas on the different approaches
• Choice of resources & materials: After collecting some student voice from my class, students identified having a preference for a mixture digital and hard copy texts. Being a digital learning school, I find myself dependent on digital resources, not realising that not all students enjoy that.
• To include student voice in my teaching practice was a challenge at first. It included a shift in mindset and tradition. For some of us we're immune to teachers being the decision makers and that's how some of us learnt at school. Now, having my students have a say in what they would like to learn, research their own information, create their own videos etc proves just how capable our students are. As teachers, we need to trust our students more and create opportunities to learn through exploration and inquiry.

Summary of my CoL experience for 2018

Summary of CoL Journey for 2018

Having started the CoL within schools teacher role half way through 2018, I decided to apply for the role again because it was an informative learning opportunity for me. I became more interested about Inquiring into students' learning and my own teacher practice.

Last year I had the opportunity to work with a group of 6 Year 8 boys and 1 Year 7 who were disengaged and not interested in Writing. They lacked self-confidence and self-belief in their ability to write. I implemented the Accelerated Learning in Literacy strategies of front-loading, double dosing and gradual release of responsibility into my teaching practice. I asked questions about their interests and incorporated their adoration of music and visual images into Writing.

Long story short - here are the results made by my focus group from 2018.