Selecting Text - So much to choose from....

 Another set of engaging sessions...

Love the sharing of learning that being part of Manaiakalani brings.  The encouragement and support if offers in terms of creating resources that will benefit my learners and resources that learners can create to improve learning outcomes. Fantastic resource bank of strategies today that can be implemented in the classroom.

Learning today was based around text selection. My ahha moment was exploring advanced search on Journal Surf! Why have I not used this before? Loved the session on shared reading. This makes it far more engaging for learners and meaningful in terms of 'bang for buck'. On reflection my current shared reading has been zone out time for students! I can see some ways to make meaningful change in this space. 

The Mirror, Window, and Sliding Door analogy is inviting, and a great way to view the learners perspective. It is aligned with text selection in that first learners need to see themselves related in text, then be able to see through the window into a wider world, then they are enabled to walk out into that space.

As a way of looking into the mirror I am thinking that using whakatouki in shared sessions would allow students to engage with  the culture of being a New Zealander and give the opportunity to look at inference. It would then need to be supplimented with a longer text so that the skills can be taught. I can see me deep diving into the skill builder sessions in the coming weeks. 

The window on the wider world will be broadening the context of learning. What does this look like elsewhere? My pondering is how far can I open the door and nudge my struggling readers out into the wider world without leaving them behind? My current thought is: even if it is only a toe out the door, it is still out the door. First a toe and then a foot... can I make in the weeks ahead? What will it look like for these learners next year?

The power of the Workbook was again emphasised with the opportunity to draw from what we already know about our learners and plan for success by ensuring that we are developing good readers, opposed to ensuring that they tread water.

I will continue to engage with parents, caregivers and whanau on the importance of modelling reading, and engaging in wide reading experiences with students. 

Fellow teachers would I'm sure benefit form the Skill builder resource. From the quick dabble today I can see what a wealth of information it will provide and model explicit teaching of the vital reading skills.