Intervention: implementation & monitoring of new approaches

 

Intervention: implementation & monitoring of new approaches 

The 'worksheet' I had designed for my students to enhance their knowledge of how words are connected involved using phonemes that have the same sound, pictures to visibly see the difference of the sound, both familiar and unfamiliar words, an opportunity to define the words as well as being able to look for new words themselves.  Below on the left is my original worksheet and on the right the learners full in the rest of the words themselves and find the root words.  We had to do a lot of unpacking and defining for understanding so my students felt confident in finishing the worksheet. A teacher intentionally calls attention to specific vocabulary terms which heightens the student’s awareness of the new words heard or read (Manzo & Manzo, 2008).

After reflection of my initial concept of designing a word list to show the differences and similarities of phonemes, I realised that my students were still struggling with the beginning of the given words.  While having discussions in the talanoa time it was suggested that I not only make the words visible to my group but to also place a sound bite on each word so that my learners could hear the word.  The fifth framework suggests involving students in original investigations of word and word features.  (Ashlie R. Jack, 2011). When I was discussing how I was going to alter the way I would be doing the word sheet to my students, it then dawned on me that as well as working alongside words the students had searched to expand their knowledge they could place a sound bite on those words so I could navigate their learning by hearing if they are pronouncing each sound correctly that would enable them to have an understanding of how the word sounds as well as being conscious of how the word is spelt. 

With monitoring the trajectory of the understanding the students have with words they have been introduced to and observing how they have the confidence to look up new words to ensure they have not only the spelling correct but also an understanding of the definition given.  

I have really changed my thinking of the teacher teaches the unknown, to the teacher and students co construct through discussions or informal feed forward and feedback of what works for them and which words, sounds, chunks etc  they have difficulty with.