Today’s lecture

THE LITERACY PROJECT

Possibilities and parameters

What are we trying to achieve?

to bring theory and practice together, i.e. to test in the real world what you are learning in ELPC G2

to better understand the reading process, through either close observation or thorough research

to learn useful strategies to help students read better.

to share thoughts and refine ideas with each other in tutorials, online and in the presentations

The background: your ELPC G2 focus

The parameters

to bring theory and practice together, i.e. to test in the real world what you are learning in ELPC G2

to better understand the reading process, through either close observation or thorough research

to learn useful strategies to help students read better.

to share thoughts and refine ideas with each other in tutorials, online and in the presentations

Present your work in one of the tutes in Weeks 5 -9

The possibilities

The action research project

The studentYou find a student to work with and have a minimum of three sessions with that student.

The sessionsIn the first session, you closely observe him ‘reading a text’. In particular you see what strategies he/she uses to make sense of the text. In the second session you help the student with a text (either the original one, or a new one). You do the same in the third session.

Your postsWrite before and after each session, documenting the sessions and your developing understanding.

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The action research cycle

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Cycle 1: Observation

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Cycle 2: The second session

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Cycle 3: The third session

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A case study

The subjectYou find someone (family member, someone you know, yourself) who has had literacy challenges.

The sessionsYou interview the person, both listening carefully to the story they tell and also reflecting on their experience in the light of what you’re learning in ELPC G2.

Your postsWrite regular posts documenting the sessions and your developing understanding.

Invent an action research project or a

case studyThe subjectInvent someone (family member, someone you know, yourself) who has had literacy challenges.

Your literacy projectYou create a believable project, either in the form of an action research project or a case study.

Your postsWrite regular posts as you create your project and develop your understanding.

Q&AsQ: What do we mean by ‘read a text’?

A: Each discipline has different kinds of texts that need to be read. A text in English might be a poem. In a Movement class it might be a dance. In Art, a painting. In Industrial Arts, a blueprint. In Maths, a graph. In Science, an experiment. And so on.

Q&AsQ: Can I use this work as my event in my Assessment 3?

A: This will work if run a minimum of three sessions with a secondary student working on texts relevant to your discipline.

Q&AsQ: If I do the action research project, how long do the sessions have to be?

A: There is no stipulated length. This will depend very much on what you’re planning to do, the age of the student, etc.

Q&AsQ: Does it have to be three sessions? For the student I’m working with, it would work better if I rolled Sessions 1 and 2 together.

A: You can be flexible, as long as you keep your eye on what we’re trying to achieve (Slide 2).

Q&AsQ: Can we work in pairs or in small groups on this?

A: Yes, though you would want to plan your roles carefully. (A tutorial session with three teachers and one student would be daunting. A session where one was the teacher and the other recorded it – even filmed it – would have many benefits.

Q&AsQ: What kinds of permissions do I need to get?

A: If you’re wanting to work through a school, you should get the permission of the relevant teacher (who will advise you about whether further permissions need to be sought). Parents and the students themselves need to give permission.

Q&AsQ: What other protocols need to be followed?

A: No real names are to be used, nor any identifying details about schools, teachers etc. If you are writing about your sessions in a public forum (blogs, Ning), you should not write about the sessions in ways that could be open to misinterpretation or being taken out of context. It might be prudent, as well, not to use your own name.