Learn, Create, Share - Student focus for my Inquiry - Going in from the inside out.

The challenge of student learning you plan to focus on in this inquiry.

Below is a series of pictures from School Talk which gives us a clearer picture of the evidence I have about my Y1/2 target learner.

Fig 1

In summary this visual is showing us that 7 learners out of 10 target learners are tracking their below expected level for reading and writing, including the three Māori learners. One learner is tracking at the correct reading and writing level for their age.

Fig 2.

On the whole target learners are all working towards their writing progressions in writing from range of Deeper to Surface Features.

Fig 3

When looking at the the learners graduate profile (the whole child) there is a trend that learners are still developing strategies for being in the learning pit, and are lower in assessment capable skills. In general reading and writing levels are lower than mathematics. Digital Literacy skills are also lower at this Y1/2 level.

There is work to be done in this space. A wondering I have is that by increasing the learning of being in the 'learning pit', being 'assessment capable learners' and creating 'digital literacy skills' will that help to raise achievement in literacy, especially in the area of writing?

Surface and Deeper Features in Writing

Fig 3

Fig 4

Fig 3 shows that all three areas punctuation, spelling and handwriting are areas where my target group are lower in skills and knowledge. Fig 4 shows the within deeper feature writing progressions there are some gaps in knowledge when it comes to learners having the vocabulary and the refining part of the writing process. Hence learners understanding and living the 'Writing Process' is a big focus in our hub this year.

How and why you have selected this challenge of student learning. Locate your inquiry in the context of patterns of student learning in Manaiakalani overall. 

I have chosen this challenge because our overall data in writing is lower than the expected shifts need to make for learners to be at their chronological age for writing. Our school strategic direction is to also raise student achievement in writing by growing teacher capability in their learning design, support teachers to cause learning the teaching, learning and assessment cycle. This trend is evident within the Maniakalani cluster overall.

Summary of the discussion had with your school leader(s) about your proposed inquiry focus and their reaction to this.

Sharing this data After having discussions about this Inquiry with leaders and colleagues about this collaborative Inquiry people are excited to see the impact this Inquiry will have. It not only aligns with our strategic direction, but shares different perspectives on how we can improve writing for our learners and create the expected shift we are projecting. Through this collaborative Inquiry we can bring our knowledge, experience and have the robust dialogue to cause shift in teaching and learning practises.

Explain why you judge this to be the most important and catalytic issue of learning for this group of learners this year

This is area of inquiry feels important to me as also part of our strategic direction we are building relationships with our whānau and community to help build the partnership between learning and home. By providing feedback about learning (especially in writing) will help to do this and align with raising student achievement in writing.

Moving forward... by providing feedback and feedforward with our learners and their families it will help to bring a more impactful scafold for improving our learners writing ability.