Engaging Early Learners
SESSION
1
Thinking about Thinking: Becoming an Independent Reader
1
Overview
Becoming an Independent Reader
is a professional learning resource with
four sessions:
1.
2.
3.
4.
Engaging Early Learners
Making Thinking Visible
Supporting Student Inquiry
Reflecting on Learning
Thinking about Thinking: Becoming an Independent Reader
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Key Messages
•
The purposeful integration of the four roles of the
literate learner supports higher-order thinking and
student independence in early primary classrooms.
•
An inquiry approach to teaching and learning leads
to student and teacher efficacy and supports the
development of independence in reading.
•
Ongoing reflection on research findings and
classroom practices deepens the professional
knowledge of educators and informs their teaching
practices.
•
Ministry resources (e.g., monographs, webcasts
and curriculum documents) support early primary
teachers in planning effective literacy instruction.
Thinking about Thinking: Becoming an Independent Reader
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A Child’s Perspective on Reading
View a video on the web:
A Child’s Perspective on Reading
Thinking about Thinking: Becoming an Independent Reader
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5
“Teaching is not about finding the
magic answer and applying it. We can
only be really good teachers if we’re
always questioning what we’re doing.
Great teaching is a constant quest.”
– Carol Rolheiser
Quoted in “A Contest Quest” University of
Toronto Magazine, 2006
Thinking about Thinking: Becoming an Independent Reader
Setting the Purpose
This session probes the conditions for student
engagement by asking the following questions:
• What classroom conditions characterize learning
communities that foster engagement?
• How might students and teachers co-construct
learning to deepen thinking?
• How does taking an inquiry stance support student
engagement? How does it foster independent
learning?
Thinking about Thinking: Becoming an Independent Reader
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“In adopting an inquiry stance, we push
our beliefs out of their resting positions
and engage in a cycle where new
knowledge provokes new questions and
where new questions generate new
knowledge.”
– Mitzi Lewison, Christine Leland, Jerome Harste
Creating critical classrooms: K –8 Reading and
Writing with an Edge (2008, page 17)
Thinking about Thinking: Becoming an Independent Reader
Student Identity and Engagement
“Ensuring students are listened
to and valued and respected for
who they are leads to greater
student engagement which, in
turn, leads to greater student
achievement.”
– Student Identity and Engagement
in Elementary Schools
Capacity Building Series, 2011, page 1
Thinking about Thinking: Becoming an Independent Reader
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Teaching with an Inquiry Stance
View a video on the web:
Teaching with an Inquiry Stance
Grade 1/2 Teacher
Thinking about Thinking: Becoming an Independent Reader
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Connecting the documents…
and identifying classroom conditions
that support student engagement
Thinking about Thinking: Becoming an Independent Reader
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Authentic Real-life Inquiry
in Kindergarten
View a video on the web:
Authentic Real-life Inquiry
in Kindergarten
Thinking about Thinking: Becoming an Independent Reader
11
Gradual Release of Responsibility
View a video on the web:
The Gradual Release of Responsibility
Thinking about Thinking: Becoming an Independent Reader
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Peer Conferencing in Grade 2
View a video on the web:
Peer Conferencing in Grade 2
Thinking about Thinking: Becoming an Independent Reader
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Thinking about The Four Roles of the Literate Learner
Click here to connect
Click here to connect
Click here to connect
Click here to connect
Adapted from Literacy for Learning: The Report of the
Expert Panel on Literacy in Grades 4 to 6 in Ontario (2004).
For discussion purposes only.
Thinking about Thinking: Becoming an Independent Reader
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Thinking about Inquiry
What are the learning needs
of our students?
What do they already know?
What do they need to learn and do?
How do we build on what they know?
What are our learning needs?
What was the impact of:
What do we already know that we can use
to support student learning needs?
• the learning tasks/experiences?
• our teaching actions?
What do we need to learn to do
to support student learning needs?
What sources of evidence/knowledge
can we utilize to learn this?
What teaching actions will
support student learning within
the tasks and experiences?
Thinking about Thinking: Becoming an Independent Reader
What learning tasks and
experiences can we design to
support student needs?
15
Collaborative Teacher Inquiry
reciprocal
relevant
adaptive
collaborative
reasoned
reflective
iterative
Thinking about Thinking: Becoming an Independent Reader
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Moving Thinking Forward
“Confirmation bias” is the tendency to seek confirmation
of what we already think, believe, know and do.
When we read professionally, our natural inclination is
to focus on the things that confirm what we already
think, believe, know and do.
Katz and Dack suggest that in order to “intentionally
interrupt” the confirmation bias, we should highlight
the things we don’t agree with and create an opportunity
to make our tacit knowledge explicit – to create the
conditions for possible real, new learning.”
– Adapted from Steven Katz and Lisa Dack
Intentional Interruption (in press)
Thinking about Thinking: Becoming an Independent Reader
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Connecting Theory and Practice
“With such wide and varied bodies of knowledge
to explore, and limited time to act on the specific
needs of students, it is important that the use of
expert knowledge is strategic and purposeful.”
– Collaborative Teacher Inquiry,
Capacity Building Series, 2010, page 4
Research articles to support ongoing professional learning are available
to all members of the Ontario College of Teachers in the Members Area/
Margaret Wilson Library.
Click here to connect
Thinking about Thinking: Becoming an Independent Reader
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Research Reflections
on Engaging Early Learners
The Ecology of
Learning: Factors
Contributing to
Learner-centred
Classroom Culture
(Crick, McCombs,
Haddon, Broadfoot, &
Tew, 2007)
Philosophy in
Primary Schools:
Fostering
Thinking Skills
and Literacy
Organizing Literacy
Classrooms for
Effective
Instruction
(Fisher, 2001)
(Reutzel & Clark, 2011)
Thinking about Thinking: Becoming an Independent Reader
The Classroom
Environment First,
Last and Always
(Roskos & Neuman,
2011)
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Curriculum Documents
Sessions 1 – 4
All resource and curriculum documents used in Thinking about Thinking sessions are
available online in PDF – click to download file to desktop.
 The Ontario Curriculum, Grades 1–8:
Language, 2006 (revised)
 The Ontario Curriculum, Grades 1–8:
Science and Technology, 2007 (revised)
 The Ontario Curriculum, Grades 1–8:
Mathematics, 2005 (revised)
 The Ontario Curriculum, Grades 1–8:
The Arts, 2009 (revised)
 The Ontario Curriculum, Grades 1–8:
Health and Physical Education, 2010
(revised/interim edition)
Thinking about Thinking: Becoming an Independent Reader
 A Guide to Effective Literacy Instruction,
Grades 4 to 6 – Volume One, Foundations
of Literacy Instruction for the Junior
Learner, 2006 Part 1 & Part 2
 The Full-Day Early Learning –
Kindergarten Program, 2010–2011 (draft
version)
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Monographs
Sessions 1 – 4
All monographs used in Thinking about Thinking sessions are available online in PDF –
click to download file to desktop.
• Asking Effective Questions in
Mathematics – Capacity Building
Series, 2011
• Collaborative Teacher Inquiry –
Capacity Building Series, 2010
• Critical Literacy – Capacity Building
Series, 2009
• Getting Started with Student Inquiry
– Capacity Building Series, 2011
• Grand Conversations in Primary
Classrooms – Capacity Building
Series, 2011
Thinking about Thinking: Becoming an Independent Reader
• Integrated Curriculum – What Works? –
Research into Practice, 2010
• Integrated Learning in the Classroom –
Capacity Building Series, 2010
• Let’s Talk about Listening – Capacity
Building Series, 2009
• Primary Assessment – Capacity
Building Series, 2010
• Student Identity and Engagement in
Elementary Schools – Capacity Building
Series, 2011
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Research Articles
Sessions 1 – 4
All research articles are available online in PDF to members of the Ontario College of
Teachers. Click here to proceed.
Session 1
• The Ecology of Learning: Factors Contributing to Learner-centred Classroom Cultures
(Crick, McCombs, Haddon, Broadfoot, & Tew, 2007)
• The Classroom Environment First, Last and Always (Roskos & Neuman, 2011)
• Philosophy in Primary Schools: Fostering Thinking Skills and Literacy (Fisher, 2001)
• Organizing Literacy Classrooms for Effective Instruction (Reutzel & Clark, 2011)
Session 2
• Making Thinking Visible – How to Promote Engagement, Understanding and
Independence in All Learners (Ritchhart, Church & Morrison, Karin, 2011)
• Critical Literacy in Australia: A Matter of Context and Standpoint (Luke, 2000)
• Using the Everyday to Engage in Critical Literacy with Young Children (Vasquez,
2009)
• Teachers Talking to Young Children: Invitations to Negotiate Meaning in Everyday
Conversations (Gjems, 2010)
Thinking about Thinking: Becoming an Independent Reader
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Research Articles
Sessions 1 – 4
Session 2 (continued)
• The Nature of Student Teacher Discourse in an Elementary Classroom (Dickson, 2005)
• Orchestrating Discussions (Smith, Hughes & Engle, 2009)
• Teachers Talking to Young Children: Invitations to Negotiate Meaning in Everyday
Conversations (Gjems, 2010)
Session 3
• It’s a Mystery: A Case of Implementing Forensic Science in a Preschool Science Inquiry
(Howett, Lewis & Upson, 2011)
• Reading Through a Disciplinary Lens (Juel, Hebard, Haubner & Moran, 2010)
• Inquiring Minds Learn to Read, Write and Think: Reaching all Learners Through
Inquiry (Wilhelm & Wilhelm, 2010)
• An Early Start on Thinking (Epstein, 2008)
• New Horizons in Comprehension (Keene, 2010)
Thinking about Thinking: Becoming an Independent Reader
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Research Articles
Sessions 1 – 4
Session 4
• Children’s Self-Assessment of Their Schoolwork in Elementary School (Elder,
2010)
• Using Self-assessment in Elementary Classrooms (Bingham, Holbrook & Meyers,
2010)
• Who’s Afraid of the Big Bad Answer (Aukerman, 2006)
• Launching Self-Directed Learners (Costa & Kallick, 2004)
• Talking in Class: Remembering What is Important about Classroom Talk
(Johnston, Ivey & Faulkner, 2010)
Thinking about Thinking: Becoming an Independent Reader
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Handouts
Sessions 1 – 4
• Checklist for an Inclusive Classroom Community
• Learning Environment Document Statements
• Four Roles of the Literate Learner
• Thinking about Inquiry
• Making Thinking Visible Document Statements
Thinking about Thinking: Becoming an Independent Reader
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Videos
Sessions 1 – 4
SESSION 1
• A Child’s Perspective on Reading 1.02
•
Teaching with an Inquiry Stance Grade 1 / 2
Teacher 3:11
•
Authentic Real-life Inquiry Kindergarten 4:27
•
The Gradual Release of Responsibility 7:19
•
Peer Conferencing in Grade 2 2:43
SESSION 2
•
Talking About Learning in Kindergarten 2:14
•
Reading Different Texts Grade 2 4:03
•
Play-Based Learning in Authentic, Real-Life
Contexts Kindergarten 2:17
•
Relevance and Authenticity: Articulating
Values and Beliefs and Taking Action
Grade 2 6:20
•
Reading the World: Allan Luke 5:12
Thinking about Thinking: Becoming an Independent Reader
SESSION 3
• It’s About a Repertoire: Allan Luke 0:44
•
An Inquiry Approach to Learning Grade 1/2
Teacher 3:06
•
Inquiry in Kindergarten 3:06
•
Sharing Learning in Grade 1 2:11
SESSION 4
•
Student Teacher Reading Conference
Grade 1 4:26
•
Questioning and Listening Grade 1 3:14
•
Consolidating the Learning Grade 2 5:55
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