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.