Collaborative+group+7



Hi Julie, Ruth and Emma, This is my first attempt a t using wiki space. Looking at some of the other groups they suggest that each person has a different colour font to write in to make it easier to differentiate who is writing. This sounded like a good idea so I thought I would be green. I have read the reading and now doing some digesting of it before I write. Hope to see you on here soon Sandra

Here are some thoughts on this task. From Ruth. Hi Sandra. Seems like there are only two of us so far. Maybe I'll be black as I'm black by default.

Agree-parent teacher interview: At this school and in my classroom we aim to engage our students in learning that is relevant to their lives, that interests them and that gives them the desire to learn more. In our literacy we take an approach that we and others have found creates long term enjoyment in reading and writing. In my classroom we choose texts that interest the students, which helps them to both read and write. Focussing on the meaning of these texts, we incorporate specific phonics, spelling, punctuation and grammar activities, depending on the children's learning needs. This way, the students stay focussed and interested and phonics rules learnt, for instance, are retained more readily as they have a purpose. Reading is after all about meaning or making sense of the words on the page.

Disagree: media commentator While proponents of whole language classrooms have been having their say and getting their way, our children have been the innocent victims in a war of words. Students in our schools have been caught in the middle of the so-called "literacy wars", many appalled as they watch the decline of literacy levels in our country since the gradual disappearance of a traditional phonics-based approach to learning to read and write. Reading for understanding and a love of reading have been the catchcries of this new wave of teaching but without a solid grasp of the English language, beginning with poor if any decoding skills, how can a child read proficiently, let alone foster a love of reading?

Hi Sandra and Ruth, I am sorry i haven't responded yet, I am just completing asg 1 and am just starting to familiarise myself with the WIKI, good luck completing asg 1, talk to you both soon :) em

Hi Ruth and Em,

Yes I know I am just advoiding the inevitable, back to assignment 1 however, thought I would just see if I could remember how to play on this new toy. It actually took me awhile to get logged in. Anyway I will complete this wiki stuff another day, better get back to the assignemnt.Sandra

Hi Ruth, Emma and Julie,

Looking forward to seing you all on Saturday at Ruth's home.

Sandra

Hi all I am going to have a go with the table tonight if all goes to plan. Thanks for Saturday I found it really helpful hope you did too. Cheers Sandra

THE BEGINNING OF ASSIGNMENT 3

Hi all Here is the dreaded table, Huge word count but thought that at least with it made up we can see where to from here. It might work out with everything else in context that the word count is ok.

__Unit overview (draft 1)__ The students will be able to effectively read, understand and write a letter. Tuning in || Awareness of letters || Whole Class Brainstorming. Cause and effect thinking strategy || Speaking and listening || Direct observation recorded on checklist (see appendix) || Finding out || Develop understanding of various letter types || Small groups · share letters from home (include Mr Poppers letter) · list common structures in individual books · identify various purposes || Speaking and listening
 * **Lesson number** || **Lesson outcome** || **Lesson strategy** || **Literacy focus** || **Lesson assessment** ||
 * 1
 * 2

Reading

Writing || Formative – observe work sample || Sorting out || Recognition of parts of letter || Whole class, explicit teaching structure of letter. Individually student’s record their address in letter format || Writing || As above ||
 * 3

Sorting out || Paragraph development and specific language features || Revisit structure of letter, with focus on the body. Each student given a topic appropriate to their curriculum stage and develop a short paragraph in their books || Writing || As above || Going further || Write individual letter || Using previously constructed paragraph create individual letters || Writing || As above || Making conclusion || Further development of various letter purposes || Whole class Reconsider the various letter types and their purposes Small groups look at letters to the editor || Reading
 * **Lesson number** || **Lesson outcome** || **Lesson strategy** || **Literacy focus** || **Lesson assessment** ||
 * 4
 * 5
 * 6

Speaking and listening || Direct observation Anecdotal notes ||

Reflecting || Read, understand and write a letter || Class presentation of letters Reflective statement in book || Speaking and listening
 * **Lesson number** || **Lesson outcome** || **Lesson strategy** || **Literacy focus** || **Lesson assessment** ||
 * 7

Reading

Writing || Summative assessment using final work sample, class presentation and class checklist || Taking action || Use the developed letter strategy to construct letter || To write to Antarctic Division using letter type of choice || Writing || Summative ||
 * 8

Word count – huge 265 Hope you all are having a good night, I will also put this on email.

Kind thoughts Sandra


 * Presentation to fellow teachers**


 * Rationale**

Traditionally a curriculum subject, English by definition, is only part of the wider concept of literacy. Literacy has been defined as “the flexible and sustainable mastery of a repertoire of practices with the texts of traditional and new communications technologies via spoken language, print and multimedia.”( Queensland Department of Education, 2002. p.3) Literacy, then, is a concept with great breadth and application, and involves a multiplicity of conversations about various topics on various levels, and in various ways. Literacy is no longer an isolated concept, but integral to once disparate subject areas. In these separated subjects, students have often found it difficult to maintain high levels of comprehension when reading non-fiction text. Different disciplines have had their disparate vocabularies, and Freebody (2007) has indicated the value of using literacy practices as ways of unlocking texts used in both science and the humanities subjects. With this in mind, this unit has been developed with pre- reading strategies, necessarily involving speaking and listening, reading and writing tasks, and post reading tasks which will demand either or both oral and written responses. Explicit teaching and co-operative learning, and the use of graphic organisers will all be supported by authentic pedagogy which will encourage students to connect with their learning experiences beyond the classroom. (Annadale et al 2005)

Therefore the literacy unit is embedded in the wider curriculum, within the context of a study of the Polar Regions. The staging of the Winter Olympics and Paralympics has been used as a springboard, as students have already acquired some knowledge about cold climate regions. Using the Tasmanian Curriculum English/literacy syllabus and support materials (2007), the planning, teaching and presentation of this unit aim to ensure that students become increasingly proficient in all aspects of literacy- speaking and listening, reading and viewing and writing. (Luke & Freebody,1999) Specific outcomes will be linked across Standards two and three, through Stages four to nine of the Tasmanian Literacy Curriculum to cater for individual differences.

A particular emphasis of the unit is the encouragement of students to think critically, logically, creatively and reflectively (Tasmanian Curriculum, 2007). Tomlinson & McTighe ( 2006 ) state the obligation of teachers to stimulate student thinking, questioning and reflection by asking probing questions, establishing authentic applications, and checking for understanding through student explanation and justification.Assessment will be ongoing, both during and after student work.( Earl, 2004) The Four Resources Model (Luke & Freebody, 1990, 1999) is the underpinning structure that provides opportunities for teachers to use various approaches to meet the individual needs and abilities of the students.This model will continue to challenge us, as teachers, to be teachers of literacy in all subject areas.

This unit is designed for use over eight lessons and will utilise one half to one hour blocks of time during the daily one and a half hour literacy block.

Resources: Atwater, R. & F.(1996), //Mr Popper's Penguins//, Little, Brown Books for young Readers Hachette Book Group, Inc., New York, NY. letter writing/formatting ICT program Letters to Editor (newspaper) Eats Shoots and Leaves by Lynn Truss

Large sheets of paper for group tasks. Teacher produced copy of Cause and Effect Mind Map. Home communications diary Are these too obvious for inclusion here?


 * Assessment **

Unit outcome: Students will be able to effectively read, understand and write a letter for different purposes.
 * Teacher observations during and after tasks
 * student writing samples
 * student journals

Hi all, I've only just found a way of getting onto the wiki again. Not sure what happened. Your work looks great Sandra. We'll do wome thinking and meet again soon. Thanks for your efforts Sandra. I've added Julie's rationale to this page. Looking at the requirement for the discussion board-post the context-I have (in red) modified the last sentence of Julie's description of context below. Please feel free to edit. We also need a list of resources in this section. Something we are not yet clear on, are we? Regards, Ruth

Hi all,

Over the next couple of days I think I will try and start to formulate the assignment so we can see what it will look like for presentation,ie in the order as per task sheet and then we should all be able to adjust bits within the context of presenting the final document. Hope all is well with you all and we are all studying very hard, only three weeks to go. Happy days Sandra

HELLO EMMA, RUTH, AND SANDRA , I HAVE FINALLY ACCESSED THIS BUT CAN'T FIND FONT COLOUR SO DECIDED TO USE CAPS UNTIL I WORK THAT OUT. SHALL WRITE OUT REFERENCE LIST THIS WEEKEND. YOUR TABLE LOOKS GREAT, AND PROVIDES AN EXCELLENT OVERVIEW OF THE UNIT. HAVE SAVED THIS SITE TWICE SO I SHOULD FIND MY WAY BACK ! JULIE

Yahoo Julie has found the page. Hope you are able to access it from now on Sandra

Unbelievable! After my email to you all, my dear husband helped me find my way back. So have entered references. and have changed paragraphs. Still looking for acuracy in references. ' Tis getting late and I must be up at 5:00am so have a good week and hope all goes well with you. Julie

Annandale, K. Bindon, R., Broz, J., Handley,K., Johnston, A., Lockett, L., Lynch, P. and Rourke, R. (2005) //Writing Map of Development. // Port Melbourne, Victoria: Rigby Heinemann.

Atwater, R. & F.(1996), //Mr Popper's Penguins//, Little, Brown Books for young Readers Hachette Book Group, Inc., New York, NY.

 Earl. L.(2004). //Assessment as Learning: Using classroom Assessment to maximize student learning.// Thousand Oaks, California: Corwin Press

Freebody, P. & Luke, A. (1990). //“Literacies” programmes :debates and demands in cultural context.// Prospect: A journal of Australian TESOL, vol 11, pp 7 – 16

Freebody, P. (2007). //Literacy Education in School Research perspectives from the past, for the future//. Camberwell, Victoria: ACER.  Luke, A. and Freebody, P (1999). //Further notes on the four resources model//. Practically Primary, 4(2), pp 1 – 8.

//Literate Futures: Report of the Literacy Review for Queensland State Schools// (2000), State of Queensland, Brisbane, Department of Education.

Tasmanian Department of Education, (2008). //The Tasmanian Curriculum: English-literacyK-10 syllabus and support materials// http: //__[|www.education.tas.gov.au/curriculum]__//

//Tomlinson & McTighe, (2006 ), //Integrating Differentiated Instruction & Understanding by Design, //Hawker Brownlow Education, Victoria, Australia//

Hi Julie, Emma and Sandra, I have included some resources (in red above), from unit plan and my lesson plan so please add more that you are using. My lesson plan is based on editing with a focus on punctuation. I hope this fits with previous lesson. Shall I incude it here or will we meet again-next weekend perhaps-to collaborate some more? After the webinar I did my lesson plan and only needed about 400 hundred words I think. We can therefore add a bit more detail, including resources, to unit outline. How many words do you think your plans will be? Hope to hear/see you soon, and that all is going well with you. Regards, Ruth Hi everyone, I have been thinking about the rationale, do you think we need to add a few sentences identifying the influences to our lesson plan e.g. Piaget,Vygotsky, Constructvist approach etc.? Its is criterion 3 - "Did you use relevant literacy theories to deepen your justification? " as outlined in the Assessment 3 breakdown on Mylo. Also Ruth and Sandra, would you like to meet again on a sat morning to bring everything together, we could then e-mail Julie the final draft for her input. Let me know, via txt or here. Hope you are all well. Em :)

**H ello all, Found a colour! Each step is a re ** ason to celebrate especially with the slower, more technologically challenged! The context statement is good - very definitive. You have written really clearly and incorporated important points. Em's suggestion about influences is valid. Perhaps we could include sentences to indicate vygotsky's impact .( This is only a suggestion to be considered- an example that can be rejected, ignored .) -The unit incorporates many approaches to literacy, but is strongly influenced by Vygotsky's Zone of Proximal Development where the teacher's awareness will determine student scaffolding and teacher intervention. (Campbell 2000) Whether this belongs in the rationale or in the context statement is matter for thought. Re outcomes : students will also recognise the purposes of different kinds of letters (?) I have also made a few changes through the rationale, mainly reorganising my thinking. Please add to ,delete or challenge anything there. I hope I have also sorted out refernces. shall check again tomorrow. Julie

Hi all, Well done Julie! Glad you're able to access the wiki now. We need 1000 words for the rationale so I'm adding a few ideas on a word doc. Hopefully later today I'll include them in your rationale-in red- to do what you want with them. Cheers, Ruth.

Sounds good Ruth. Won't be back on before Thurs .Look forward to reading your ideas. Julie

Hello again, Having rechecked details of assignment, I am more than a little confused about word counts. Hoping you can please help. If rationale/ overview/ context is worth 60%, and self /peer assessment is worth 10%, how many words will each individual plan need? I was intrigued that your plan ,ruth, was around 400 words. I am currently pruning mine. Also I am having difficulty in knowing how to use peer/self assessment template ie getting into it and writing on it. Any thoughts? rShall be so glad when this is finished, but really appreciate the work you have all done. Hope these next two weeks are not too stressful for you all. I will return to this, hopefully on Thursday night. Go gently, Julie

Hi Julie, Em and Ruth

I believe the word count for the individual lesson plan to be around the 500 word mark.

Task length is 2000 words, rationale 1000, I read that the self and peer assessment were not included in the word count, which leaves the context, overview and lesson plan to use the second 1000 words,. The context statement at present is 146 words while the overview is about 300 which leaves about 500-600 for the lesson plan

Other things to think about are Cheers sandra
 * 1) the reference list, as we are all adding to this we just need to check that each reference is correct and complete
 * 2) the assesment methods I think we will need to incorporate these into the rationale with some referencing to support them.

Hi everybody,

I thought that I might cut and past what we have done so far and start to formulate the document ready for presentation.

When we want to adjust we should be able to go into the area and do so in the various colours that we all use.
 * The majority of the students

are from middle socio-economic backgrounds, **__however, there is__ ** (Wondering if this wording implies too much. One of my African students is living in a lower soc-ec area but both her parents are university graduates, one of whom is completing post grad studies) is one migrant student within the cohort. **

// Hi Ruth and Sandra, I sent you a text message yesterday about meeting sat at 9am again to sort the assignment before we submit. We can then email you Julie for your input, are we still meeting? em //

Hello Em, Ruth, and Sandra, I have worked again today on the rationale.Hope you have a successful meeting on Saturday. Would like to join you but sadly am unable. All the best. Julie Hi Em, Yes, same time, same place Saturday. See you then. Sorry, I didn't get a text message or I would have responded. Cheers, Ruth.

__Context statement__
 * Hi all, See below this draft for formatted one: (Ruth).

This unit, // Lets's write a letter ,// has been planned for a Grade 4 class of 14 boys and 9 girls. It is designed to be completed within eight lessons and will utilise one half to one hour blocks of time during the daily one and a half hour literacy block. The class would be regarded by the Tasmanian Curriculum as functioning at the standard 2/3 level, stages 5-9. (Department of Education (DoE), 2008 ), however there will be planning incorporated for students with different learning and behavioural needs. (All resources are written unless otherwise specified)???? this actually doesn't make sense e.gcfor computers or sheets of paper!????Not sure how to go about it. Any ideas? Resources used throughout the unit include: . > > >
 * 1) letter writing website: http://aupost.com.au/education/primary/html
 * 2) Letters to Editor (newspaper)
 * 3) Truss, L. (2006). //Eats shoots and leaves//: //Why, commas really do make a difference!// London: Profile Books.( written and visual)
 * 4) Atwater, R. & F.(1996), //Mr Popper's Penguins//, Little, Brown Books for young Readers Hachette Book Group, Inc., New York, NY. (written and visual)
 * 5)  Large sheets of paper for group tasks.
 * 1) Watts, D., & Brown, S. (2008). //Non-fiction writing scaffolds.// Vic: Blake Education Pty Ltd.
 * 2) Wheeler, S. (1997) . //Dear Daniel: Letters from Antarctica.// Macdonald Young Books: Great Britain. ( written and visual)
 * 3) Warren, C. (2007). //How to write letters and emails.// A Quarto Group company: London.
 * 4) Letters collected from home (written and spoken)
 * 5) Teacher produced copy of Cause and Effect Mind Map.
 * 6) email from teacher
 * 7) class/library computers
 * 8) Punctuation hand: idea taken from Winch et al. (2009, p. 251)



__Unit overview and outcomes__

Upon completetion of this unit students will be able to: 1.Read letters and understand their varying purposes. 2.Write a letter with purpose with appropriate structure, grammar and punctuation 3.Exchange information, share and explore ideas and express personally significant opinions.

Tuning in ( J Farquhar) || Develop a wareness of letters || Whole Class 10, 2 Brainstorming. || Speaking and listening || Diagnostic assessment: Direct observation recorded on checklist (see appendix) || Finding out || Develop understanding of purpsose of various letter types || Whole class View letters from Resouces 7 & 11 Small groups 9 · Share letters from home Whole class Discuss structure and purpose of letters Individual · List common structures in individual learning journals || Speaking and listening
 * Lesson number || Lesson outcome || Lesson strategy || Literacy focus || Lesson assessment ||
 * 1
 * 2

Reading

Writing || Formative – observe work sample in learning journal || Sorting out (E Coombs) || Recognition of parts of letter || Whole class 6 Explicit teaching structure and written conventions of letter. Grammar and punctuation worksheets. Individually students record their address in letter format || Writing || Summative: direct observation and checklist
 * 3

Formative: Direct observation- share and explore ideas ||

Sorting out (S Doyle) || Paragraph development and specific language features || Whole class Revisit structure of letter, with focus on the body. Individual Each student chooses a topic appropriate to their curriculum stage and develop a short paragraph in their books || Writing || Formative || Going further (R Freeman) || Write individual letter || 3, 7, 12, 13
 * Lesson number || Lesson outcome || Lesson strategy || Literacy focus || Lesson assessment ||
 * 4
 * 5

Complete and edit individual letters, puctuation focus || Writing || Formative: teacher corrections Summative: punctuation checklist || Making conclusion || Further development of various letter purposes || Whole class 11, 8 Reconsider the various letter types and their purposes Small groups look at various examples including letters to the editor and emails || Reading
 * 6

Speaking and listening || Direct observation Anecdotal notes ||

Reflecting || Read, understand and write a letter || Whole class class presentation of letters Individual reflective statement in book: students write a paragraph explaining varying purposes of letters || Speaking and listening
 * Lesson number || Lesson outcome || Lesson strategy || Literacy focus || Lesson assessment ||
 * 7

Reading

Writing || Summative assessment using final work sample, class presentation and class checklist || Taking action || Use the developed letter strategy to construct letter || small groups 12 To write emails to Antarctic Division for varying purposes: e.g. invitation, request for information || Writing || Summative: refer to Lesson 5, Appendix 1 - speaking and listening checklist ||
 * 8

__Rationale as presentation to fellow teachers__

Traditionally a curriculum subject, English by definition, is only part of the wider concept of literacy. Literacy has been defined as “the flexible and sustainable mastery of a repertoire of practices with the texts of traditional and new communications technologies via spoken language, print and multimedia." (Queensland Department of Education, 2002. p.3) Literacy, then, is a concept with great breadth and application, and involves a multiplicity of conversations about various topics on various levels, and in various ways. Literacy is no longer an isolated concept, but integral to once disparate subject areas. Letter writing is "integral to success in modern day society. It pervades almost every area of social education including education, work, leisure, communications, and business" (Winch, Johnston, March, Ljungdahl & Holliday, 2007).

Within this rationale, the learning outcomes and the literacy and assessment strategies of this teaching and learning unit, letter writing, will be discussed and supported by relevant lliterature. Motivated by the class read aloud book “Mr Popper’s Penguins”, students have expressed an interest in letter writing, thereby highlighting the appropriatness of the topic for this cohort. The unit will focus on explicit teaching of letter writing while incorporating facets of speaking and listening and reading and writing. Explicit teaching and co-operative learning, and the use of graphic organisers will all be supported by authentic pedagogy which will encourage students to connect with their learning experiences beyond the classroom. (Annadale et al., 2005).The literacy unit is embedded in the wider curriculum, within the context of a study of the Polar Regions: the staging of the Winter Olympics and Paralympics has been used as a springboard. The learning outcomes of the unit, although specifically related to letter writing, reflect the wider context in which this unit is embedded.

The unit outcomes aim to develop students’ understanding of the purposes of letter writing and how letters are written differently depending on the audience, while basing their letters on their own personal experiences and interests. Wing Jan (2009, p. 201) support the notion that "there are different types of letters, the structure and purpose of which varies according to the purpose and audience, and the relationship between the writer and the reader". This holistic approach is reflected in The Tasmanian Curriculum: English-Literacy (Tasmanian Education Department, 2008) which states that “students study and use written, spoken and visual language as they interact with every day, popular and classic texts, both fiction and non-fiction. Using the Tasmanian Curriculum English/Literacy syllabus and support materials (2008), the planning, teaching and presentation of this unit aim to ensure that students become increasingly proficient in all aspects of literacy- speaking and listening, reading and viewing and writing. Specific outcomes will be linked across Standards two and three, through Stages five to nine of the Tasmanian Literacy Curriculum to cater for individual differences. A particular emphasis of the unit is the encouragement of students to think critically, logically, creatively and reflectively (Tasmanian Education Department, 2008). Tomlinson & McTighe ( 2006 ) state the obligation of teachers to stimulate student thinking, questioning and reflection by asking probing questions, establishing authentic applications, and checking for understanding through student explanation and justification. The literacy strategies within the unit incorporate all of these facets of teaching and learning.

The literacy strategies for this letter writing unit cater for composing meaning as a social and personal process (Harris, P., Turbill, J., Fitzsimmons, P. & McKenzie, B.,2001). Through various learning activities, students engage in group and individual activities that enhance understanding in the key literacy areas as defined in the unit ouctomes. The specific literacy unit on letter writing is grounded in student involvement in a “whole book” or real text, and therefore is likely, according to theorists of the Whole Language approach, to promote student engagement and deep learning (Cambourne, 1984, as cited in Bull, 1995, p. 260). The whole language approach to literacy is based on the assumption that reading and writing are best learned within a meaningful context, motivating students and leading to a love of reading and writing (Cambourne, 1984, as cited in Bull, 1995, p. 260). The use of using student interest through the reading of //Mr Poppers Penguins// is a strategy that supports this approach. Building on these ideas, a balanced approach to literacy, as outlined by Winch and Holliday (Johnston, March, Ljungdahl and Holliday, 2001), will provide for the learning of specific literacy skills within a meaningful context. For example, within lesson five, the specific literacy skills of puntuation is taught within the context of preparing a letter of the student's choice. Recent research has shown that meaning based and skills based learning tasks within such a context enhance literacy development as well as catering for individual differences (Winch et al., 2001), a consideration of utmost importance in our increasingly multicultural society. Incorporating then, different approaches to literacy, the unit is strongly influenced by Vygotsky's Zone of Proximal Development where the teacher's awareness will determine student scaffolding and teacher intervention (Campbell & Green, 2000). The unit also encompasses collaborative group learning as a tool to further generate learning and development through social interaction, reflecting Vygotsky's social constructivist approach (Hill, 2008).

Assessment of student understanding, therefore, will be necessarily ongoing, both during and after student work.( Earl, 2004). Checklists of individual lesson outcomes will be used throughout the unit, as well as direct observation of student involvement, and the evaluation of samples of student work. Diagnostic assessment at the onset of the unit in the form of whole class brainstorming identifies students' prior knowledge and forms the basis for further teaching and learning. Formative assessment, in the form of anecdotal notes, shows the development of the students' learning towards the unit outcomes. Summative assessment through final production of the letter will assess whether they have achived the unit outcomes. This unit encourages teachers to assess the proficiency each student has in their ability to create meaningful written and spoken communications.

The various approaches to literacy continue to challenge us as teachers and stimulate our thinking. As students will be continually challenged to consider that writing texts extends beyond their school experience, so too must teachers recognise the inextricable linking of literacy to all subject areas. Literacy transcends the traditional boundaries of isolated subject areas, and it is fundamental that we, as teachers, be teachers of literacy in all subject areas.

 References

Annandale, K. Bindon, R., Broz, J., Handley,K., Johnston, A., Lockett, L., Lynch, P. and Rourke, R. (2005) //Writing Map of Development. // Port Melbourne, Victoria: Rigby Heinemann.

Atwater, R. & F. (1996). //Mr Popper's Penguins//. New York: Little Brown Books for young Readers Hachette Book Group Inc.

Bull, G. (1995). Children’s Literature: Using Text to Construct Reality. //Australian journal of language and literacy.// 18 (4). Retrieved April 2 from [|www.informaworld.com/] <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;"> Campbell, R. and Green, D., (2000). //Literacies & Learners: Current perspectives.// Australia: Prentice Hall.

Hill, S. (2008). //Developing early literacy: assessment and teaching.// VIC: Eleanor Curtain Publishing.

<span style="font-family: Times New Roman,serif;"> Earl, L.(2004). //Assessment as learning: Using classroom assessment to maximize student learning.// Thousand Oaks, California: Corwin Press

Harris, P., Turbill, J., Fitzsimmons, P. & McKenzie, B. (2001). //Reading in the primary school years// (2nd ed.). South Melbourne: Thomson Social Science Press.

<span style="font-family: Times New Roman,serif;">Queensland Department of Education. //(2000). Literate futures: Report of the literacy review for Queensland state schools//. ???Retrieved -date- from??? <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;"> <span style="color: #000000; font-family: Times New Roman,serif;">Tasmanian Department of Education, (2008). //The Tasmanian Curriculum: English-literacyK-10 syllabus and support materials// retrieved ???date??? from //__[|http://www.education.tas.gov.au/curriculum]__//

Taylor, J. (1992). //Letters to children from Beatrix Potter.// London: Penguin Group. <span style="color: #000000; font-family: Times New Roman,serif;"> Tomlinson & McTighe, (2006 ) //<span style="color: #000000; font-family: Times New Roman,serif;">. Integrating Differentiated Instruction & Understanding by Design.// Victoria, Australia: Hawker Brownlow Education.

Winch, G., Johnston, R., March, P., Ljungdahl, L. & Holliday, M (2001). //Literacy:// Reading, writing and children's literature. VIC: Oxford University Press.

Wing Jan. (????????

I took these out of ref list: <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;"> <span style="color: #000000; font-family: Times New Roman,serif;">Freebody, P. & Luke, A. (1990). //“Literacies” programmes :debates and demands in cultural context.// Prospect: A journal of Australian TESOL, vol 11, pp 7 – 16

Freebody, P. (2007). //Literacy Education in School Research perspectives from the past, for the future//. Camberwell, Victoria: ACER. <span style="font-family: Times New Roman,serif;">Hill, S. (2008). Developing early literacy: Assessment and teaching. VIC: Eleanor Curtain Publishing. Luke, A. and Freebody, P (1999). //Further notes on the four resources model//. Practically Primary, 4(2), pp 1 – 8.

Hi Everyone, I have proof read the rationale this afternoon, adding a few apostrophes, commas, spelling corrections etc. I could not format the document as it does not allow me to in Wiki. Have a read if you want to see if I have missed something. I cant remember the word count we decided for our lesson plans, was it 400? Thanks em :)

Hi all, I just adjusted colour and bold type where needed by copying it to a word doc. I've left the original above but we can use the one below for further editing. The word count for the part below is about 650, a bit more if Julie adds anything. So maybe 350? Mine will be a bit less as I took out the last activity-it wouldn't have fitted in to time allowed. Good luck. Cheers, Ruth.

__Context statement__

This unit, //Lets's write a letter,// has been planned for a Grade 4 class of 14 boys and 9 girls. It is designed to be completed within eight lessons and will utilise one half to one hour blocks of time during the daily one and a half hour literacy block. The class would be regarded by the Tasmanian Curriculum as functioning at the standard 2/3 level, stages 5-9. (Department of Education (DoE), 2008), however there will be planning incorporated for students with different learning and behavioural needs.

(All resources are written unless otherwise specified)???? this actually doesn't make sense e.g for computers or sheets of paper!????Not sure how to go about it. Any ideas? Resources used throughout the unit include: . > >
 * 1) letter writing website: http://aupost.com.au/education/primary/html
 * 2) Letters to Editor (newspaper)
 * 3) Truss, L. (2006). //Eats shoots and leaves//: //Why, commas really do make a difference!// London: Profile Books.( written and visual)
 * 4) Atwater, R. & F.(1996), //Mr Popper's Penguins//, Little, Brown Books for young Readers Hachette Book Group, Inc., New York, NY. (written and visual)
 * 5) Large sheets of paper for group tasks.
 * 1) Watts, D., & Brown, S. (2008). //Non-fiction writing scaffolds.// Vic: Blake Education Pty Ltd.
 * 2) Wheeler, S. (1997). //Dear Daniel: Letters from// //Antarctica////.// Macdonald Young Books: Great Britain. ( written and visual)
 * 3) Warren, C. (2007). //How to write letters and emails.// A Quarto Group company: London.
 * 4) Letters collected from home (written and spoken)
 * 5) Teacher produced copy of Cause and Effect Mind Map.
 * 6) email from teacher
 * 7) class/library computers
 * 8) Punctuation hand: idea taken from Winch et al. (2009, p. 251)

__Unit overview and outcomes__

Upon completion of this unit students will be able to: 1.Read letters and understand their varying purposes. 2.Write a letter with purpose using appropriate structure, grammar and punctuation 3.Exchange information, share and explore ideas and express personally significant opinions.** Tuning in (J Farquhar) || Develop awareness of letters || Whole Class 10, 2 Brainstorming. || Speaking and listening || Diagnostic assessment: Direct observation recorded on checklist (see appendix) || Finding out || Develop understanding of purpsose of various letter types || Whole class View letters from Resouces 7 & 11 Small groups 9 · Share letters from home Whole class Discuss structure and purpose of letters Individual · List common structures in individual learning journals || Speaking and listening
 * Lesson number || Lesson outcome || Lesson strategy || Literacy focus || Lesson assessment ||
 * 1
 * 2

Reading

Writing || Formative – observe work sample in learning journal || Sorting out (E Coombs) || Recognition of parts of letter || Whole class 6 Explicit teaching structure and written conventions of letter. Grammar and punctuation worksheets. Individually students record their address in letter format || Writing || Summative: direct observation and checklist
 * 3

Formative: Direct observation- share and explore ideas ||

Sorting out (S Doyle) || Paragraph development and specific language features || Whole class Revisit structure of letter, with focus on the body. Individual Each student chooses a topic appropriate to their curriculum stage and develop a short paragraph in their books || Writing || Formative || Going further (R Freeman) || Write individual letter || 3, 7, 12, 13
 * Lesson number || Lesson outcome || Lesson strategy || Literacy focus || Lesson assessment ||
 * 4
 * 5

Complete and edit individual letters, focusing on puctuation || Writing || Formative: teacher corrections Summative: punctuation checklist || Making conclusion || Further development of various letter purposes || Whole class 11, 8 Reconsider the various letter types and their purposes Small groups look at various examples including letters to the editor and emails || Reading
 * 6

Speaking and listening || Direct observation Anecdotal notes ||

Reflecting || Read, understand and write a letter || Whole class class presentation of letters
 * Lesson number || Lesson outcome || Lesson strategy || Literacy focus || Lesson assessment ||
 * 7

Individual reflective statement in book: stucents write a paragraph explaining varying purposes of letters || Speaking and listening

Reading

Writing || Summative assessment using final work sample, class presentation and class checklist || Taking action || Use the developed letter strategy to construct letter || small groups 12 To write emails to Antarctic Division for varying purposes: e.g. invitation, request for information || Writing || Summative: refer to Lesson 5, Appendix 1 - speaking and listening checklist ||
 * 8

__Rationale as presentation to fellow teachers__

Traditionally a curriculum subject, English by definition, is only part of the wider concept of literacy. Literacy has been defined as “the flexible and sustainable mastery of a repertoire of practices with the texts of traditional and new communications technologies via spoken language, print and multimedia." (Queensland Department of Education, 2002. p.3) Literacy, then, is a concept with great breadth and application, and involves a multiplicity of conversations about various topics on various levels, and in various ways. Literacy is no longer an isolated concept, but integral to once disparate subject areas. Letter writing is "integral to success in modern day society. It pervades almost every area of social education including education, work, leisure, communications, and business" (Winch, Johnston, March, Ljungdahl & Holliday, 2007).

Within this rationale, the learning outcomes and the literacy and assessment strategies of this teaching and learning unit, letter writing, will be discussed and supported by relevant lliterature. Motivated by the class read aloud book “Mr Popper’s Penguins”, students have expressed an interest in letter writing, thereby highlighting the appropriatness of the topic for this cohort. The unit will focus on explicit teaching of letter writing while incorporating facets of speaking and listening and reading and writing. Explicit teaching and co-operative learning, and the use of graphic organisers will all be supported by authentic pedagogy which will encourage students to connect with their learning experiences beyond the classroom. (Annadale et al., 2005).The literacy unit is embedded in the wider curriculum, within the context of a study of the Polar Regions: the staging of the Winter Olympics and Paralympics has been used as a springboard. The learning outcomes of the unit, although specifically related to letter writing, reflect the wider context in which this unit is embedded.

The unit outcomes aim to develop students’ understanding of the purposes of letter writing and how letters are written differently depending on the audience, while basing their letters on their own personal experiences and interests. Wing Jan (2009, p. 201) support the notion that "there are different types of letters, the structure and purpose of which varies according to the purpose and audience, and the relationship between the writer and the reader". This holistic approach is reflected in The Tasmanian Curriculum: English-Literacy (Tasmanian Education Department, 2008) which states that “students study and use written, spoken and visual language as they interact with every day, popular and classic texts, both fiction and non-fiction. Using the Tasmanian Curriculum English/Literacy syllabus and support materials (2008), the planning, teaching and presentation of this unit aim to ensure that students become increasingly proficient in all aspects of literacy- speaking and listening, reading and viewing and writing. Specific outcomes will be linked across Standards two and three, through Stages five to nine of the Tasmanian Literacy Curriculum to cater for individual differences. A particular emphasis of the unit is the encouragement of students to think critically, logically, creatively and reflectively (Tasmanian Education Department, 2008). Tomlinson & McTighe ( 2006 ) state the obligation of teachers to stimulate student thinking, questioning and reflection by asking probing questions, establishing authentic applications, and checking for understanding through student explanation and justification. The literacy strategies within the unit incorporate all of these facets of teaching and learning.

The literacy strategies for this letter writing unit cater for composing meaning as a social and personal process (Harris, P., Turbill, J., Fitzsimmons, P. & McKenzie, B.,2001). Through various learning activities, students engage in group and individual activities that enhance understanding in the key literacy areas as defined in the unit ouctomes. The specific literacy unit on letter writing is grounded in student involvement in a “whole book” or real text, and therefore is likely, according to theorists of the Whole Language approach, to promote student engagement and deep learning (Cambourne, 1984, as cited in Bull, 1995, p. 260). The whole language approach to literacy is based on the assumption that reading and writing are best learned within a meaningful context, motivating students and leading to a love of reading and writing (Cambourne, 1984, as cited in Bull, 1995, p. 260). The use of using student interest through the reading of //Mr Poppers Penguins// is a strategy that supports this approach. Building on these ideas, a balanced approach to literacy, as outlined by Winch and Holliday (Johnston, March, Ljungdahl and Holliday, 2001), will provide for the learning of specific literacy skills within a meaningful context. For example, within lesson five, the specific literacy skills of puntuation is taught within the context of preparing a letter of the student's choice. Recent research has shown that meaning based and skills based learning tasks within such a context enhance literacy development as well as catering for individual differences (Winch et al., 2001), a consideration of utmost importance in our increasingly multicultural society. Incorporating then, different approaches to literacy, the unit is strongly influenced by Vygotsky's Zone of Proximal Development where the teacher's awareness will determine student scaffolding and teacher intervention (Campbell & Green, 2000). The unit also encompasses collaborative group learning as a tool to further generate learning and development through social interaction, reflecting Vygotsky's social constructivist approach (Hill, 2008).

Assessment of student understanding, therefore, will be necessarily ongoing, both during and after student work.( Earl, 2004). Checklists of individual lesson outcomes will be used throughout the unit, as well as direct observation of student involvement, and the evaluation of samples of student work. Diagnostic assessment at the onset of the unit in the form of whole class brainstorming identifies students' prior knowledge and forms the basis for further teaching and learning. Formative assessment, in the form of anecdotal notes, shows the development of the students' learning towards the unit outcomes. Summative assessment through final production of the letter will assess whether they have achived the unit outcomes. This unit encourages teachers to assess the proficiency each student has in their ability to create meaningful written and spoken communications.

The various approaches to literacy continue to challenge us as teachers and stimulate our thinking. As students will be continually challenged to consider that writing texts extends beyond their school experience, so too must teachers recognise the inextricable linking of literacy to all subject areas. Literacy transcends the traditional boundaries of isolated subject areas, and it is fundamental that we, as teachers, be teachers of literacy in all subject areas.

References

Annandale, K. Bindon, R., Broz, J., Handley,K., Johnston, A., Lockett, L., Lynch, P. and Rourke, R. (2005) //Writing Map of Development.// Port Melbourne, Victoria: Rigby Heinemann.

Atwater, R. & F. (1996). //Mr Popper's Penguins//. New York: Little Brown Books for young Readers Hachette Book Group Inc.

Bull, G. (1995). Children’s Literature: Using Text to Construct Reality. //Australian journal of language and literacy.// 18 (4). Retrieved April 2 from [|www.informaworld.com/]

Campbell, R. and Green, D., (2000). //Literacies & Learners: Current perspectives.// Australia: Prentice Hall.

Hill, S. (2008). //Developing early literacy: assessment and teaching.// VIC: Eleanor Curtain Publishing.

Earl, L.(2004). //Assessment as learning: Using classroom assessment to maximize student learning.// Thousand Oaks, California: Corwin Press

Harris, P., Turbill, J., Fitzsimmons, P. & McKenzie, B. (2001). //Reading// //in the primary school years// (2nd ed.). South Melbourne: Thomson Social Science Press.

Queensland Department of Education. //(2000). Literate futures: Report of the literacy review for// //Queensland// //state schools//. ???Retrieved -date- from???

Tasmanian Department of Education, (2008). //The Tasmanian Curriculum: English-literacyK-10 syllabus and support materials// retrieved ???date??? from //__ [|http://www.education.tas.gov.au/curriculum] __//

Taylor, J. (1992). //Letters to children from Beatrix Potter.// London: Penguin Group. Tomlinson & McTighe, (2006 )//.// //Integrating Differentiated Instruction & Understanding by Design.// Victoria, Australia: Hawker Brownlow Education.

Winch, G., Johnston, R., March, P., Ljungdahl, L. & Holliday, M (2001). //Literacy:// Reading, writing and children's literature. VIC: Oxford University Press.

Wing Jan. (????????

I took these out of ref list:

Freebody, P. & Luke, A. (1990). //“Literacies” programmes :debates and demands in cultural context.// Prospect: A journal of Australian TESOL, vol 11, pp 7 – 16

Freebody, P. (2007). //Literacy Education in School Research perspectives from the past, for the future//. Camberwell, Victoria: ACER. Hill, S. (2008). Developing early literacy: Assessment and teaching. VIC: Eleanor Curtain Publishing. Luke, A. and Freebody, P (1999). //Further notes on the four resources model//. Practically Primary, 4(2), pp 1 – 8.

Hi everyone, I have proof read the rationale, adding commas, fixing spelling, apostrophes etc. Good luck everyone and thanks! , :) em

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