Joanna Guevarra Select two tasks from your paired teaching plan and detail the sequence of explicit

teaching actions you would use for each task. Indicate how you will differentiate your teaching to support the learning of students in the group, such as ESL, gifted students and students with literacy learning difficulties.

Lesson Two
Lesson Topic/Focus: To review the structure used in writing information reports Content of Lesson: A. Introduction 5 mins

Students are provided with a range of information report type texts that is distributed amongst the class- one between small groups. Each piece of text is rotated around the class until each group has had access to each text. Students are asked to read through their provided text and are questioned about what they notice about it: o o What type of text do you think they are? What do all these texts have in common? 20 mins

B.

Development 1) Discuss the general features concerning the structure of an information report: o Classification or generalization o What is the focus or topic of the report? o Description o What are the important features to be expanded? o Summarizing comment

o Is there any new information included in this paragraph or is it just 2) Using another sample text, use the interactive whiteboard to display the text and provide each student with their own copy. 3) Ask the students questions pertaining to each paragraph of the text. Students work in small groups to create a framework which assist in understanding the content. For example:

Paragraph 1: What is the purpose?

Joanna Guevarra What can we call it? Classification To tell what it is. To introduce the subject.

Paragraph 2: What is the purpose? What could we call it? Description of physical appearance To tell what it looks like.

Paragraph 3: What is the purpose? What could we call it? Description of location To tell where it lives.

Paragraph 4: What is the purpose? What could we call it? Description of dynamics To tell what it does.

Paragraph 5: What is the purpose? What could we call it? Summarizing content To finish off the report.

4) As a class, annotate one of the provided sample information report by using a guided writing approach to identify the structure of an information report. Students are asked to provide clear labels for the various features such as topic sentence. o o o What labels do we need to include when we annotate? Can you explain what a topic sentence is? Do the topic sentences link with the content of the paragraph?

C.

Consolidation and Practice

20 mins

In pairs, children are provided with two informative texts which they must break down and annotate using appropriate labels and terminology (topic sentence, headings).

Joanna Guevarra

D.

Closure

10 mins

Students reconvene and sit in a large circle on the floor where they are invited to orally retell the text they annotated in the independent learning portion of the lesson such as the structure of the report, and the content of the text. o o o What was the purpose of your text? What was the topic/content about? Did your information report contain all the structural features?

Catering for... ESL students: ESL students are specifically provided with an individual copy of pre-annotated sample text which they may use as a reference point to guide their learning. Miller and Windle (2008) highlight the need for a text-rich classroom environment for ESL learners including various materials such as dictionaries, charts, etc. However, another class annotated text is provided for all students to refer to if needed. As stated by Gibbons (2001), it is important to provide ESL students with clarification and concept-checking to ensure that they have completely understood the material taught. Therefore, prior to beginning the independent learning portion of the lesson, students are invited to gather in a small group for a quick revision session of the concepts to clarify any confusion. Gibbons (2001) also emphasize the benefits of student-student interaction; therefore placing students in pairs during the independent learning portion is beneficial to the language learning of ESL students. Throughout the lesson instructions are provided through oral language rather than written word. Hill (2006) highlights that oral language should be encouraged where possible. ESL students are also invited to share their work at the end of the lesson, which is supported by Hill (2006) who states that sharing is a useful way to encourage them to talk aloud in the classroom. Gifted students:

Joanna Guevarra Taylor and Milton (2008) state that gifted students have needs distinct from other students, and when these needs are not met, they often experience underachievement, boredom, and frustration, therefore providing gifted students with a more challenging text to analyse and annotate, these needs are being met. Through pairing up the students for the independent learning task, gifted students are able to showcase their knowledge and the complexity of their thinking (Chase & Mansfield, 2005). Taylor and Milton (2008) also suggest peer-tutoring and collaborative leaning as one of the strategies that benefit gifted students.

Students with literacy learning difficulties: Mixed ability, or heterogeneous grouping may be used during the selection process for pairbased activities, as Collins (2007) and research by the National Middle School Association (2007) remind us, children with special needs require interaction with peers, opportunities to develop their higher-level thinking, and acknowledgement of their contributions. Therefore it is often beneficial to used mixed ability groups/pairings to enable students with literacy learning difficulties with a better understanding and more confidence.

Session Four
Lesson Topic/Focus: To collect and organize information Content of Lesson: A. Introduction 5 mins

Set the scene for students to reflect upon the life of children in 1808 compared to children of their generation. o o Do you think life in 1808 is different to life today? How so? What do you think children in 1808 did on a day to day basis?

B.

Development 1) Introduce the topic of note taking and provide discussion points: o o What is the importance of taking notes? How does it help you?

20 mins

Joanna Guevarra 2) Model how to take notes in point form on the interactive whiteboard sho that students are able to observe the demonstration using keywords and phrases, while viewing the My Place video clip Episode 21 (1) Sarah. o Do you know any note taking strategies?

3) Students are asked to observe what they noticed about the teachers demonstration. o o o What strategies did the teacher employ to take notes? Did she/he take notes on every piece of information provided? What do you notice about the type of information that was written?

4) Discuss with students the aspects and strategies that assist in the note taking process such as dot points, key words, key phrases, relevant quotes, brief sentences, organized grouping, etc. 5) Provide students with a written dialogue of the video, and demonstrate how to take notes using text rather than video footage. o o What are the key points of the dialogue? Was it more useful to have the written dialogue in front of you?

C.

Consolidation and Practice

20 mins

The second video Episode 21 (2) Sarah is viewed and students are encouraged to independently take brief notes about the key points. *Students with learning disabilities and/or ESL students, are given the option of using another note taking template with picture cues to assist them in their note taking. The video is played a second time to enable students to record any other key points that they may have missed during the first viewing.

D.

Closure Students are invited to discuss some of the key points recorded in their notes.

10 mins

As a class, the responses are recorded using a fact tree (appendix 2) where information is grouped into categories.

Catering for... ESL students:

Joanna Guevarra

Miller and Windle (2008) suggest the constant use of visual aids throughout the completion of tasks, therefore providing students with the note taking template with picture cues serves as a prompt or starting point for students to record notes.

Gibbons (2001) highlight the need for ESL students to have learning experiences which are repetitive in order for them to understand the information being conveyed, which was the main idea behind viewing the video twice.

Students are invited to use the provided template for note taking; however they are also welcome to complete the task as the other students have done without the template. This is done so that students who are capable of doing the same work as their peers do not feel alienated.

Gifted students:

Taylor and Oakley (2007) discuss the importance of including gifted students in the teaching of note taking skills, as many teachers have a misconception that they automatically possess these skills without being taught. Therefore, gifted students also need explicit teaching in developing note taking skills, however as Taylor and Milton (2008) state, gifted students are able to think quickly, learn new material rapidly, and easily understand complex concepts.

Students with literacy learning difficulties: Students with literacy learning difficulties need to be provided with a clear structural framework where they are able to order their ideas, therefore minimizing the risk of confusion. Therefore the adapted note taking template is beneficial for students to focus on the main aspect of taking notes so that they can more easily develop the skill (Education Department of Western Australia , 1994).

Compose an example of the text type and annotate it for its purpose and text structure. List key grammatical features and provide examples from your model text. NB: I have provided one text type suitable for ESL students and students with learning difficulties (honey bee) and the other is suitable for confident or more capable students (koalas).

Joanna Guevarra

References
Chase, L., & Mansfield, L. (2005). Collaboration to support gifted and talented students in stage 4. Scan , 13-17. Collins, R. (2007). Grouping students for success. Teacher , 36-39. Education Department of Western Australia . (1994). Writing Resource Book . Melbourne : Longman Australia Pty limited . Gibbons, P. (2001). English language teaching in its social context. Learning a new register in a second language , 258-270. Hill, S. (2006). Developing early literacy: assessment and teaching. Melbourne: Eleanor Curtain Publishing. Miller, J. M., & Windle, J. A. (2008). ESL Transitions Initiatives. Clayton: Monash University. Sharp, A. (1995). The Koala Book. Louisiana : Pellican Publishing . Taylor, T., & Milton, M. (2008). Teacher education in catering for gifted learners. Gifted , 11-13. Taylor, T., & Oakley, G. (2007). Catering for gifted students in the literacy classroom. Practically primary , 21-26. Wheatley, N. (2008). My Place. Newtown: Walker Winston, M. L. (1991 ). The Biology of the Honey Bee . Massachusetts: Harvard University Press.