Know your Learners as Readers, Day 2 RPI

During our learning session today, we focused on the importance of knowing your learners as readers and how this knowledge can help in assessing their reading abilities. The day began with a questionnaire to reflect on how my current practices aligned with the Manaiakalani Pillars of Practice, which showed that I am on the right track.

Next, Dothory shared another part of the Manaiakalani story, highlighting how they have engaged and accelerated their readers. Her key message was that a "hook" is needed to reel in disengaged learners. This made me reflect on the "hooks" I am currently using in my class and whether they could be better. This discussion was linked to the last session in which we talked about creating a Reader Profile and how the emotional aspects of reading, such as enjoyment, interest, reading for pleasure, and participation, are important in choosing the right hook.

Assessment 101 

The rest of the day was spent on a deep dive into the various assessment tools we use, with a focus on using them more effectively.

Keeping track of learning

Next, I was introduced to the Teacher Workbook, a one-stop shop Google Sheets where I can keep all the reading knowledge about my learners. This information is usually stored both in my head and in many other places, both digital and on paper. Not very helpful when working collaboratively.  After making my copy to use for the rest of the year, we played around with ways to use the various tools to help with organising and unpacking PAT and Reader Survey data. A simple way to find the next steps for both the class as a whole and individual groups.

Assessment Tools 

Having the time to log into NZCER and look at the PAT Reading comprehension data was great. One sensible suggestion when analysing your class was to read the text and then check what answers the students selected (incorrectly) thinking about what information they misunderstood in the question. Why did they choose that answer? This will help guide choosing the next learning steps for that group of learners. 

Learning intentions & success criteria 

We recapped how to create student-focused and friendly learning intentions and success criteria. This is something that is a core part of my practice and it is always helpful to revisit my understanding of it. The quote by Michael Absolum was a refreshing reminder not to overuse WALTs and SC. They need to be fit for purpose!

A top tip was to introduce the co-constructing of WALTS slowly, the teacher suggesting 2 and the students come up with one. This is a great idea for some of my students who have been finding it difficult to come up with all SC/remember to.

 The two things that I can add to my guided reading sessions next week are:

• Add a reading challenge sheet to the back of each student's current home reading log 
• Add in an opportunity for students to record themselves reading texts when creating the Panui evidence slides.

Overall, another thought-provoking day resulting in a lot to think about and many ways to make small tweaks to refine my current practice.

Reader Profile Survey Reflection

Following the recent Manaiakalani Reading Programme Intensive (RPI) session, I've been tasked with implementing the key practices discussed during the day. This involves completing and analysing the results of a class reading survey and introducing "ground rules for talk" with one of our reading groups.

Recapping using the ‘ground rules for talk’ was an easy task as the students were already familiar with our accountable talk ground rules and I had previously (a few weeks earlier) introduced similar talk rules for our guided reading sessions.

The Reader Profile Survey has proven to be a valuable tool for gaining insight into my students' reading habits and preferences. As educators, we know that understanding our students as readers is essential for informing our instructional practices.

Reviewing the survey results, it was evident that while students may not always be confident to vocalise their enjoyment of reading, they possess a clear understanding of their reading preferences including what time of the day they prefer to read and the types of texts they most enjoy.

An interesting finding from the survey was that there was an almost equal number of students who reported currently having a public library card and going to the library regularly, and those who did not. This observation resonates with my experiences in the classroom, where I have noticed varying levels of enthusiasm for taking a book home each night to read. This leads me to wonder if reading regularly at home is something that some of our families value. Do they know about the free public libraries and what they offer families? This is something I will look into as I get to know my learners better.

When visiting our school library once a week, I make it a point to support all learners in finding reading material that sparks their interests, especially those who may initially resist the habit of having a book each night to read. We all issue a book each week and this can either stay in the class or go home. I also stock our library corner with a range of books that may catch the attention of more reluctant readers during the school day.

Starting the academic year with a survey like this is a great way to get to know my learners as readers. It has prompted further exploration into the reasons behind some students' lack of enjoyment in reading,  (about 4 students consistently showed this in many of the questions), as well as an examination of what resonates with students who do enjoy reading. 

The last few questions about reading preferences will inform adjustments to my reading program and what new books our librarian orders to better meet the needs and interests of all students. There is a strong interest in graphic novels, humour, and mystery genres among my students. These results of course reinforce the importance of providing a diverse range of reading materials both during guided sessions and when reading independently in class to help to foster a love for reading.

My students' knowledge of and belief in the transformative power of regular reading is something I will continue to reinforce during the year with my learners. As we know a positive attitude, a love of reading, is closely linked to academic progress. By highlighting the benefits of reading for personal growth and development, we can empower students to see themselves as lifelong readers.

Overall, the data collected from the survey offered valuable insights into students' perceptions of themselves and their relationship with reading. Armed with this information, I am equipped to make informed decisions for the learners in my classroom. Defenilty is a tool I will now use every year!