Contents
Acknowledgements3
Introduction4
Reading Fluency
Our Lady of Victories Girls’ N.S
5
Power Hour
Holy Spirit Boys’ N.S
7
Word Detective Spelling Programme
St. Joseph’s Senior N.S
9
Talk Time
Virgin Mary Girls’ N.S
11
Loop Card Games & Take a Stand
Holy Spirit Girls’ N.S
13
In-Class Novel
Virgin Mary Boys’ N.S
15
Literacy Lift-Off
Gaelscoil Bhaile Munna
17
StoryTime
Scoil an tSeachtar Laoch
19
Power Hour
Our Lady of Victories Boys’ N.S
21
Vocabulary Building
St. Joseph’s Junior N.S.
23
Power Hour
Our Lady of Victories Infant N.S.
25
Acknowledgements
youngballymun would like to thank
sincerely all the pupils, parents, teachers, SNAs and Principals who were involved in the making of this
resource for their support and generosity in sharing their expertise and experiences.
The Ballymun primary
schools that feature are:
Virgin Mary Girls’ N.S.
Virgin Mary Boys’ N.S.
Holy Spirit Girls’ N.S.
Holy Spirit Boys’ N.S.
St. Joseph’s Junior N.S.
St. Joseph’s Senior N.S.
Gaelscoil Bhaile Munna
Scoil an tSeachtar Laoch
Our Lady of Victories Infant N.S.
Our Lady of Victories Girls’ N.S.
Our Lady of Victories Boys’ N.S.
Introduction
youngballymun
Literacy Pyramid: What Works to Maximise
Children’s Literacy Learning
Special
Needs
Instructional
delivery
Methods &
Progs
youngballymun is a Complex Community Change
Initiative that works collaboratively with partners
across Ballymun to embed evidence-based practices
in mainstream services. The overall objectives
are to measurably improve learning and wellbeing
outcomes for children and families and to inform the
development of policy and practice. youngballymun is
funded though the national Area-Based Child Poverty
Initiative (ABC).
youngballymun’s Write Minded team works
collaboratively with all Ballymun primary schools
to build the capacity of teachers and other school
staff to implement evidence-informed literacy
methodologies in the classroom. The work is guided by
the Balanced Literacy Framework which provides the
evidence of key principles to support effective literacy
development and the factors which should be in place.
Balanced Literacy Framework
The Balanced Literacy Framework has been
developed by Professor Timothy Shanahan, member
of the US National Reading Panel and Chair of the
National Early Literacy Panel. These panels were
established to review and synthesise research about
the development of children’s literacy and effective
literacy instruction. The Balanced Literacy Framework
is informed by this international research and maps
out the four domains of literacy teaching that require
attention – reading comprehension, reading fluency,
writing and word knowledge. These four domains are
structured within a wider set of principles (see literacy
pyramid), rooted in evidence, about what works
to maximise children’s literacy learning in school
including time, curriculum, teacher development and leadership.
Parents &
community
Teacher
development
Time
Motivation
Assessment
Curriculum
Leadership
Reading
Comprehension
Reading
Fluency
Oral
Language
Writing
Planning for literacy in Ballymun primary schools is
completed at a whole-school level to help ensure that
each domain of the Balanced Literacy Framework
is given the necessary time and focus in the
classroom. Whole School Plans outline the specific
monthly literacy objectives for every teacher under
the headings of reading comprehension, reading
fluency, writing and oral language (e.g. skimming and
scanning; persuasive writing; buddy reading; use of
synonyms). A Whole School Plan is tailored to each
school, incorporating learning from pupil literacy
assessments and reflections on existing practices.
Use of this resource
This resource showcases, in words and in action, the
excellent language and literacy classroom practices
that are taking place in Ballymun primary schools,
embedded within a Balanced Literacy Framework.
4
Reading Fluency
School: Our Lady of Victories Girls’ N.S.
Contact person: Elizabeth Shannon
E-mail: [email protected]
Tel: 01 837 9833
What is it?
A whole school approach to reading fluency was the focus of our School Self
Evaluation. The objective was to increase pupils’ enjoyment of reading and improve the rate, accuracy and expression of reading.
What personnel are needed?
•
Buddy reading – older children reading
with children from more junior classes
•
Paired reading with parents - one-toone reading instruction with parents,
demonstrated by a DVD of a parent and
child reading together
•
SUAS paired reading with volunteers –
as above but with volunteers from DCU
•
Choral reading – whole class reading a
shared text
•
Echo reading – teacher models
appropriate speed, accuracy and
expression of text, which pupils echo
afterwards
All staff were involved.
How does it work?
Pupils in each class were informed about
the explicit focus on reading fluency and
reminded through classroom activities
and intercom messages from the principal.
School assemblies included a time for
reading fluency demonstrations. Parents
were involved through questionnaires, parent
meetings, letters, texts messages, posters
and the school website.
A number of different classroom practices
and fluency initiatives were introduced
across the school:
5
•
Taped reading – children listen to a
taped reading while following the text or
generate their own taped recording of a
text reading fluently
•
Drop Everything and Read (D.E.A.R.) – a
time during the day when every child and
adult reads a book of their own choice
silently for a specified period of time
•
Library time – a time to practice reading
fluency with a book of pupils’ choice
Any additional information?
Useful book: “Focus on Fluency” published by Mary Immaculate College
What resources are needed?
•
Resources used include:
•
Reading scheme: “My Read at Home
Book” published by CJ Fallon
•
“Reasons to Write” by ECO
•
Subject books e.g. Alive-O, Earth Link
•
Novels
•
Easi-Speak microphones for taped
reading
•
Readers’ Theatre scripts
6
Power Hour (2nd class)
School: Holy Spirit Boys’ N.S
Contact person: Mary Nilan
E-mail: [email protected]
Tel: 01 842 1230
What is it?
Power Hour is a literacy work station model to address needs identified by
standardised literacy assessment results (Micra-T) and teachers’ observations.
Interventions are differentiated by needs. The objective is for pupils to become
independent, fluent and strategic readers.
What personnel are needed?
Two classroom teachers, two learning
support/resource teachers and one volunteer
teacher.
How does it work?
•
The two 2nd classes are amalgamated. Pupils
are then grouped according to ability.
•
20 highest achieving pupils work with one
teacher in a classroom and the remaining
pupils receive the literacy station work with
the other teachers.
•
7
For station work, pupils move from station to
station and each station lasts approx. 10-15
minutes.
Note: The format changes from year to year
depending on the needs of pupils, teachers’
observations and available resources
What areas of literacy are targeted in each station?
Group with highest achieving pupils:
Through the use of novels or short stories:
•
Reading fluency – guided reading of chapter/
short story with emphasis on appropriate
rate, accuracy and expression.
•
Response to reading - for example, retelling,
write about the setting, etc.
•
Reading comprehension strategies – for
example, predicting, making connections,
creating images, summarising etc.
•
Word work – for example, synonyms, common
nouns, adjectives, conjunctions, adverbs,
plurals worksheets
Group with lower achieving pupils:
•
Guided reading – A strong focus on reading
comprehension strategies that are needed
before, during and after reading and reading
fluency.
•
Comprehension / oral language – response
to reading, for example, sequencing the story,
synonyms, matching phrases to meaning.
•
Writing – 220 Dolch list with a focus on
spelling using the ‘look-say-cover-writecheck’ strategy. Also, writing sentences using
the given Dolch words.
Any additional information?
Excellent website by Jan Richardson on guided reading: www.janrichardsonguidedreading.com
Note: Independent working and application of
strategies is emphasised in all groups
What resources are needed?
•
Usborne Young Readers Series 1
•
Novels (e.g. ‘Brush: A Tale of Two Foxes’ by
Pierce Feiritear)
•
Reusable laminated worksheets for word
work
•
General writing task cards that can be used
with any novel
•
Reading comprehension task cards
•
5 finger prompt card to retell a story – setting,
character, problem, events, ending
•
On-line resources specific to a novel
•
Group running record to document teachers’
observations about pupils’ progress
8
Word Detective Spelling Programme
School: St. Joseph’s Senior N.S.
Contact person: Maura Doyle
e-mail: [email protected] Tel: 01 842 1230
What is it?
The Word Detective Spelling Programme is a systematic, cross-curricular spelling
programme for each class level. The aim of the programme is to provide a
framework for teachers to teach spellings, phonics and grammar that suit the
needs of the pupils and their context. The programme was developed by Dr. Rosalyn
Brady of St. Joseph’s NS in Drogheda and has evolved over a number of years. We
decided to pilot the programme during the school year 2013/2014 during which
we would record changes to be made to suit the specific needs of the children in
our school. The words that will be incorporated in the programme were taken from
the children’s own writing, mistakes they make, topics we cover in the curriculum
and Dolch and Fry’s lists. There are two sets of words: topic words and challenge
words. The spelling programme should be at an instructional level for pupils (i.e.
achievable for them).
What personnel are needed?
The class teacher is the main resource for
the implementation of the programme on a
daily basis. A learning support and resource
teacher may be used to consolidate the
programme with their groups.
9
What areas of literacy are targeted?
Spelling is the area of literacy targeted
but the workbook also makes provision for
teaching phonics, grammar, dictation and
word families. The Whole School Plan for
Literacy can be incorporated by using the
prescribed spelling strategies.
How does it work?
The spellings are tested on Friday: topic words,
challenge words, word detective words and
dictation are tested. The programme covers
assessment of learning and also assessment
for learning, as teachers can see by the results
if they have covered words/grammar etc.
The workbook provides a weekly overview for
teachers of how well words and grammar are
covered. The children and parents are involved
and document if they are happy or unhappy with
their spellings at the end of every week.
The children each have a Word Detective
workbook. Ideally all children in the class are
using the same standard and the teacher
differentiates the programme depending on
the children’s individual ability. The programme
is cross-curricular. Topic words are generated
from cross-curricular areas; SESE, SPHE
etc. and other identified needs from teacher
observations. These are the words that the
child must know how to spell at that level.
The challenge words come from Dolch list and
words that children consistently spelled wrong
in their writing, appropriate to their needs.
The programme is based on Spelling for Success
– focus of spellings are ones that after going
over them once or twice (by Wednesday),
pupils will achieve 90% correct. The optimum
instructional level for spelling is when pupils
achieve 90% accuracy after introducing
spellings once, and the rest of the week is
revision. The aim is that pupils achieve 8/10 on
Friday test. The class teacher differentiates even
within the assessment process – congratulates
child on basis of their own individual
achievement. The workbook serves as a portfolio
of child’s progress throughout the year.
The methodology used is look/cover/write/
check. The teacher explicitly teaches the words
by breaking them down, words within words,
word families, phonics etc. The overall concept
is first test then study –
On a Monday…
•
Teacher explains the meaning of the word
•
Children orally put the words into sentences
•
Children and teacher clap out syllables of word
•
With the help of the children the teacher breaks
the word into syllables on the board
•
Children and teacher trace the words in the air
•
Children and teacher track the word with their
fingers
•
Children and teacher rap the spellings
•
Children do the spelling test using their
whiteboards
•
Children swop their spellings with their
partners and they correct them.
•
The children are given highlighters and the
words they get wrong they highlight.
•
The highlighted words are the words that the
children focus on for the week. When the words
are highlighted it gives the teacher a clear
indication of where her/his focus needs to be.
What resources are needed?
The Word Detective workbook for each child
is the main resource. Each child also needs
access to a whiteboard, whiteboard marker
and red pen.
Any additional information?
•
The programme facilitates differentiation e.g. a
weaker child may only have to learn topic words,
some challenge words etc.
•
The Word Detective programme could also be
integrated into Power Hour
•
Useful books on spelling written by Brendan
Culligan: “Spelling and Handwriting” and
“Improving Children’s Spelling: A Guide for
Teachers and Parents. 2nd edition”.
10
Talk Time
School: Virgin Mary Girls’ N.S.
Contact person: Trish Nolan
E-mail: [email protected]
Tel: 01 842 1614
What is it?
Talk Time is a literacy initiative to support oral language development, and vocabulary development in particular.
What personnel are needed?
•
Words are taught using different methods
(e.g. examples, non-examples, synonyms,
opposites, generating own definitions,
repetition and review using different games,
activities and worksheets)
•
Assessment every Friday on the four words
targeted during the week. The ‘word wall’ is
taken down and the definition is called by
teacher. Pupils write the corresponding word.
Spelling mistakes are overlooked for the
marking of this assessment.
•
Teachers can assess all words targeted
during a term(s) and send report cards
home to parents
Two classroom teachers, two learning
support/resource teachers and one volunteer teacher.
What personnel are needed?
Talk Time is delivered to the whole class by
the classroom teacher. Parents are involved
through oral language homework.
How does it work?
•
•
11
One word is targeted per day – vocabulary
to be taught can be chosen from a book,
curricular topic, current affairs or pupils’
conversations
Target words are recorded on ‘word walls’
in the classroom and in pupil ‘Talk Time
booklets’ for homework
What resources are needed?
•
Word wall for classroom
•
Talk Time booklet for pupils to record
homework
•
Activities and worksheets to assist with
repetition and review of vocabulary (e.g. word
lines, 4 squares, venn diagrams, semantic
feature analysis)
1. Target Word:
Donation
3. Child's own
definition
Something that you
give away for free to help others
2. Examples
•
•
•
Money to charity
Clothes to charity
Books to charity
4. Non-Examples
•
•
Pay a bill
A set amount
of money
4 square worksheet completed on a target word
Talk Time booklet for Pupils to record oral language homework
12
Loop Card Games and ‘Take a Stand’
School: Holy Spirit Girls’ N.S. Contact person: Caroline Boyle/Hanora Hannafin
E-mail: [email protected]
Tel: 01 837 5255
Loop Card Games
card(s) to see if they have the next loop card
which answers the question asked. If so, they
read their card and provide the next clue for
the group
What is it?
Loop Card Games are literacy-
themed games that can be played with the whole class.
The game continues until all the clues on the
cards have been called out.
What areas of literacy are targeted?
What resources are needed?
•
•
‘Follow me’ Loop Card Games Lower Primary
(Prim-Ed) by Trisha Callella
•
Laminated set of the loop cards
•
Loop Card Games can target many areas
of literacy. There are loop card games for
‘adjectives’, ‘verbs’, ‘past tense’, ‘compound
words’, ‘categories’ etc.
Loop Card Games can be used to reinforce
literacy objectives from the classroom
How does it work?
13
•
•
A loop card(s) is given to each child in the class. A full set for a loop card game has 32 cards
•
The game starts with the person who has
the first card. They read their card aloud: “I have the first card. Who has......?” and give
the relevant clue
•
Every pupil listens and checks their own
Tips: Before laminating the cards it can be useful to write the letters of the alphabet on the
back of each consecutive card. This is a way of
helping pupils if they can’t find the next card. Also laminate each set of cards in a different
colour to avoid cards get mixed up!
Take a Stand
What is it?
Take a Stand is an interactive and
educational way to support a whole class in debating and developing
informal arguments.
•
Teacher allocates one side of the classroom
for the pupils who agree with the statement
and the other side for those who disagree
with the statement
•
Pupils are asked to walk to the relevant side,
depending on their opinion of the statement
•
Pupils from each side explain/justify their
reasons for taking such a stand – which the
teacher records on the flip chart OR pupils
exchange their reasons for taking such a
stand with their peers, which are then shared
with the whole class
What areas of literacy are targeted?
•
‘Take a Stand’ supports pupils in developing
the language needed to engage in debates
and informal arguments, and to persuade an
audience to accept a particular point of view
•
Pupils learn how to express and justify an
opinion, listen and understand contrasting
points of view, refute an argument
•
Sentence starters are placed on the board
and the pupils are encouraged to use them
when justifying their stance
•
Sentence starters
•
•
‘Take a Stand’ is an excellent pre-writing task for persuasive writing
Pupils are given the opportunity to change
their mind/point of view after hearing what
the opposing side has contributed
How does it work?
•
Teacher presents the pupils with a statement
•
Pupils are given time to think individually
about the statement (1-2 minutes)
What resources are needed?
•
‘Statements to debate' (may be written on flip
chart or whiteboard)
•
More information in the First Steps Speaking
and Listening Resource Book (p.85-87)
14
In-Class Novel
School: Virgin Mary Boys’ N.S.
Contact person: Deirdre Lonergan
E-mail: [email protected]
Tel: 01 842 1314
What is it?
In-class novel is a literacy initiative that gives children lots of opportunities to develop literacy skills through the lens of a children’s novel. It operates on a literacy work station model.
What personnel are needed?
There are 3 literacy work stations with one
adult per station. In our school, we typically
have the help of the classroom teacher,
learning support/resource teacher, and SNA.
How does it work?
•
Pupils are grouped according to reading ability
•
Pupils move from station to station
•
Each station lasts approx. 10 minutes
What areas of literacy are targeted?
1. Whole class: Reading Comprehension
• Teacher reads new extract from the novel to
whole class. Pupils listen or follow reading
in their own book. Class discussion and
15
comprehension strategies related to the
content and structure of the novel follows.
2. Writing station
• Differentiated according to ability and
includes familiarising, modelling and guiding
writing in a variety of genres on topics related
to the novel
•
Activities are based on the Whole School
Plan for English and may include writing
newspaper reports, recounts, cloze exercises,
poems or free writing
3. Oral Language/Vocabulary development station
• Vocabulary from the novel is taught with flash
cards using a range of methodologies (e.g.
images, synonyms, antonyms, definitions,
categorising)
•
What resources are needed?
Activities may include matching, word
searches, cross words, cloze exercises
4. Grammar/Punctuation station
• Grammatical structures and punctuation
markers from the novel are taught
•
Activities may include highlighting verbs/
nouns in extracts from the novel, categorising
grammatical structures, and other worksheets
5. Reading Comprehension station
• This may include a small drama piece, peer
reading, fluency instruction etc.
Reading Comprehension
Objectives
To read Chapter 20:
‘Goodbye Mr. Hazel’
•
Multiple copies of the novel and photocopied
extracts from the novel.
•
Activities and worksheets based on aspects
of the novels (e.g. word searches, maps, cross
words, flashcards, cloze exercises)
•
Planning sheet (see example below for ‘Danny
the Champion of the World’ by Roald Dahl)
Any additional information?
Writing
Oral Language/
Vocabulary
To write newspaper
report/headlines based
on an aspect
of chapter 20
To define key words from
novel
Cloze exercise
Resources/
Methodologies
Differentiation
Seomra Ranga website has a useful document
that suggests 34 things to do with a novel:
www.seomraranga.com/wp-content/
uploads/2013/11/things_to_do_with_a_
novel.pdf
Grammar/
Punctuation
Identification of verbs
and nouns
To categorise words
according to emotions
Crossword
To correctly select words
for cloze
Multiple copies of the
novel
Modelling, editing, group
discussion
Flashcards with key
words
Teacher initially reads
new extract
Peer reading
Reading fluency
Report framework
Category cards
Examples of
sentences based on
each headline
Crossword
Worksheet for
categorising words
Guided as needed
Group 1&2:
Free writing with
framework & key words
not provided for cloze
exercise
Group 3:
Teacher directed
Group 3:
Teacher directed
Teacher observation and
completed worksheets
Teacher observation and
completed worksheets
Highlight verbs/nouns
from an
extract of the novel
Group 3:
Report based on
headlines. Key words
provided for cloze
Assessment/
Evaluation
Teacher observation
Teacher observation and
completed worksheets
16
Literacy Lift Off
School: Gaelscoil Bhaile Munna
Contact person: Aisling Coughlan
E-mail: [email protected]
Tel: 01 862 2275
What is it?
Literacy Lift Off is an intervention that gives children lots of opportunities to read
books at their own level of competency and gradually lift the complexity of what
they can do in both reading and writing. It operates on a literacy work station model.
What personnel are needed?
There are 5 literacy work stations with one adult per station. In our school, we
typically have the help of the classroom
teacher, learning support/resource teacher, SNA and parents.
How does it work?
•
17
Literacy Lift Off is delivered to 1st class pupils
•
Pupils are grouped according to reading ability
•
•
What areas of literacy are targeted in each station?
1. Familiar Reading
•
Fluent reading practised chorally or individually
•
Focus on appropriate speed, accuracy and expression
2. New reading (learning support/resource teacher)
•
Reading skills and comprehension strategies
Pupils move from station to station
•
New book introduced each day
Each station lasts 8 minutes
•
This book then becomes part of the familiar reading resources
3. Letter work
•
Using magnetic letters and white boards,
adult teaches tricky words through “making
and breaking” words
•
Pupils practise writing the words on the white
boards using white board markers
•
Pupils are supported to build phonically
regular words with their own set of letters by
changing the onset or rime
Any additional information?
•
PDST website have other useful clips of Literacy Lift Off in action: www.pdst.ie/node/292
4. Writing (classroom teacher)
•
Conversation and collaborative writing
•
A sentence is constructed by the group based
on their own experience, with support from
the teacher
•
Pupils practise writing the sentence
•
Occasionally dictations can be completed
5. Reassembling words into sentences
•
Pupils re-arrange words (from station 4) in order to form a complete sentence
•
Words are stuck into their copies with glue
•
Pupils can re-write the sentence or practice
writing a tricky word or draw a picture to
represent the sentence
What resources are needed?
•
Banded books (at least 5 copies of each book)
•
Blank copies
•
Magnetic letters
•
White boards and white markers
•
Glue
18
Story Time
School: Scoil an tSeachtar Laoch
Contact person: Deaglán O hAinle
E-mail: [email protected]
Tel: 01 842 5725
What is it?
Story Time is a dedicated time immediately after school where infant pupils and
their parent/family member are read a children’s storybook. Children receive a copy
of the book and related literacy activities to take home for the week.
What personnel are needed?
The Home School Community Liaison teacher
coordinates the delivery of Story Time. Adults
are invited by the Home School Community
Liaison teacher to read a book at Story Time.
Previous readers have included parents,
grandparents, school principal, teachers, and
adults from local community organisations.
•
The Home School Community Liaison teacher
organises a different reader for each Story
Time session. Each reader has their own style
and emphasis which exposes children and
their families to a variety of ways of reading a
story.
•
Through the use of a large format book, the
reader models many reading comprehension
strategies and encourages the participation
of pupils.
•
Pupils borrow a copy of the book to take
home for the week.
•
Related literacy activities are also provided to
each pupil (e.g. writing, visual discrimination,
matching etc.)
How does it work?
•
•
19
Four Story Time sessions are scheduled
for infant classes to take place at the end
of the school day. Each Story Time lasts
approximately 10 minutes.
Parents are informed and invited to attend.
What areas of literacy are targeted in each station?
•
Reading fluency - the reader models
appropriate speed, accuracy and expression.
•
Reading comprehension – the reader models
a number of different reading comprehension
strategies such as predicting, making
connections, self-questioning, comparing etc.
•
Oral language – new vocabulary and
sentence structures are explained informally
in their supportive context
•
Writing – pupils are given short written
age-appropriate tasks as part of the literacy
activities that accompany the book they
borrow
Any additional information?
There are many free and easy accessible
literacy resources online to accompany
children’s story books. For example: www.primaryresources.co.uk and www.teachingideas.co.uk
What resources are needed?
•
Large format books for the reader
•
Enough copies of the book for pupils to
borrow for the week
•
Literacy activities related to book suitable for
infant pupils
•
Small plastic folders to hold the book and the
related literacy activities.
Useful books:
Peace at Last by Jill Murphy
Owl Babies by Martin Waddell
The Smartest Giant in Town by Julia
Donaldson
Mise and Tusa a Bhéirín le Martin Waddell
20
Power Hour
School: Our Lady of Victories Boys’ N.S.
Contact person: Eoin Dolan
E-mail: [email protected]
Tel: 01 837 5255
What is it?
Power Hour can take many forms. In Our Lady of Victories Boys’ N.S. it is a literacy
based programme which is conducted over an agreed period of time. The students
work through a specified number of stations each targeting a different strand or
theme. It aims to allow students access to all the three strands in the curriculum in
the one lesson and the time frame aims to focus both student and teachers.
What personnel are needed?
The personnel involved are diverse and
include SNAs, resource teachers, class
teachers and others. In the younger classes,
senior students or transition year students
have taken part.
How does it work?
Power Hour can change from term to term
and lesson to lesson depending on the needs
and available resources. Typically, power
hour is operated with two teachers and
there are two stations where pupils work
21
independently. This allows four activities
to be completed per hour and also ensures
smaller group numbers. Activities are
planned to take into account the allotted
time for each station (i.e. 15 minutes). Whole
school plan for English and Literacy Across
the Curriculum are used as our focal point
and for ideas for lessons. The classroom is constructed in a way which
is conducive to four groups. Activities are
explained prior to the lesson to help ensure
that students will understand what is
required from them in activities. Independent
stations are carefully planned to help
ensure pupils are working independently, for
example, ICT resources such as iPads lend
themselves to these independent activities.
The time of the day when Power Hour takes
place can be very important. In Our Lady of
Victories Boys’ 11:00-12:00 was found to be
the most productive time. A timer is used to
help ensure more efficient moves to stations
within the hour.
Power Hour is run every day for 1 week and
then a break for 2 weeks. Then this cycle is
repeated.
What areas of literacy are targeted in each station?
One station is devoted to each strand:
(i) Reading; (ii) Writing, (iii) Speaking and
Listening and (iv) needs-led (e.g. Spellings/
Phonics/Grammar).
What resources are needed?
•
Banded books - Fireworks series of readers.
•
Published resources such as“Better English
Literacy Skills”, “Reasons to Write”, “Lift Off”,
“Listening and Speaking”,“ Selections of
Poetry”, Treasury Books, “Chatterbox”
•
Test the Apps you are using first as some
require payment after initial levels.
•
Make sure the iPads are charged.
•
Have a clear definite set of instructions for
the students to follow.
•
Pair up pupils who are not ICT literate with
those who are.
•
If the activity requires the students to listen
to something- provide earphones.
Any additional information?
Ten Top Tips for Station Teaching
1. Have well-planned activities - A useful tip is
to plan lessons that flow into each other over
the week as this will improve consistency and
set a journey for the students to follow
2. Be strict on time
3. Ensure stations are multi-faceted
4. Explain activities clearly
5. Plan independent activities to be self-sufficient
6. Avoid interruptions
•
Oral Language Games such as “Grannies
Candies” or “Story Cube”
7. Be conscious of when you timetable Power Hour
•
Collections of short stories for reading
stations
8. Keep activities concise
•
Whiteboards
•
ICT: iPads are frequently used in Station
Teaching. This is constantly being
developed and reviewed. To date, the
following are some important factors
recommended when utilising iPads:
9. Give Feedback
10. Seek pupil opinion - ask the students for their opinions as to what works and what does not
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Vocabulary Building
School: St. Joseph’s Junior N.S.
Contact person: Jenny McGee
E-mail: [email protected]
Tel: 01 842 1801
What is it?
An explicit focus on vocabulary building, either within an English ‘Power Hour’ session or as a whole class lesson.
What personnel are needed?
One teacher: as part of a rotating station
teaching approach or whole class lesson.
How does it work?
Pupils are grouped in similar-ability groups.
The children sit at the table in their allocated
group for 12/13 minutes and the teacher
teaches a new word every day. Particular
emphasis is placed on teaching ‘Tier 2’ words
as described by Isabel Beck –unfamiliar
vocabulary that recurs across different
domains in an educational context.
The methodologies used for teaching each
new word are (in this order usually):
23
Teacher:
• Shows the written word
•
Shows images to illustrate the new word
•
Uses the new word in a verbal sentence
•
Relates the word to a personal
experience
•
Gives a synonym
•
Gives an antonym (opposite)
Pupils:
• Act out the new word
•
Draw an image of the new word
•
Write a sentence containing the new
word
What areas of literacy are targeted in each station?
Any additional information?
Excellent book on vocabulary
development: Bringing Words
to Life: Robust Vocabulary
Instruction by Isabel Beck,
Margaret McKeown and
Linda Kucan.
Oral language/vocabulary
What resources are needed?
•
A list of tier 2 words to teach
•
A blank half sized copybook for each child,
pencils and colours.
•
A notice board in an area that the children
walk past daily to reinforce the new words.
•
Two copies of the laminated typed word with
a number of photos or pictures related to the
word (bearing in mind the different meanings
a word can have). One copy is for the notice
board and the other for the teaching in the
group and daily revision (see below).
Tier 2 words
Agree
Calm
Local
Local
Group 1:
Antelopes
Centre
Methodologies
Written word
See images
Verbal
Sentence
Personal
Experience
Act It Out
Synonym
Opposite
Draw Image
Write
Sentence
A record sheet for monitoring words taught and methodologies used
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Power Hour
School: Our Lady of Victories Infant N.S.
Contact person: Joan McRory
E-mail: [email protected]
Tel: 01 837 2372
What is it?
Power Hour is a literacy-based hour which focuses on the teaching of oral language,
reading and writing in small group settings. The aim is to expose the children to
a variety of literature, to provide strong models of oral language, give pupils an
opportunity to express themselves, and to develop pupils’ writing skills.
What personnel are needed?
One classroom teacher and ideally two
learning support teachers and SNA, if
available.
How does it work?
The class is divided into four groups, based
on ability.
There are four literacy stations: (i) New
Reading, (ii) Oral Language, (iii) Familiar
Reading and (iv) Writing.
Groups move from station to station, with
each station lasting approximately 10 – 15
minutes.
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What areas of literacy are targeted in each station?
New Reading
•
Reading Fluency
•
Oral comprehension strategies
•
Predicting
•
Word work
•
Decoding skills
•
Checking for meaning and self-correction
•
Interpreting picture information
Oral Language
•
Headbandz game (questioning)
•
Questioning
•
Picture cards (Describing)
•
Describing
Familiar Reading
•
Expressing
•
Rigby Rocket Readers
•
Discussing
•
Comprehension question pages
•
Debating
Writing
•
Sequencing
•
Copies (1 per child)
•
Stimulus: e.g. Vocabulary page, Picture, Object
•
Comprehension pages
Familiar Reading
•
Sequencing
•
Summarising
•
Oral comprehension strategies
•
Expression
•
Vocabulary enrichment
Writing
•
Letter formation
•
Punctuation
•
Written comprehension strategies
•
Mastering different genres of writing
What resources are needed?
New Reading
•
Rigby Rocket Readers
Any additional information?
We have found that communication with the
class teacher throughout the Power Hour
sessions is very important for the children.
Before beginning, we discuss the topics
that they would like to cover and connect
them with oral language objectives from
the Curriculum. We can then create games,
activities and tasks for the oral language
station as well as stimuli and vocabulary
pages for the writing station to meet the
needs of the particular class.
Each class is planned for differently – it must
be designed along with the class teacher and
with that class in mind.
Oral Language
Games:
•
Board games (connected with topic)
•
Sequencing cards
•
Labelling activities
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Notes