Workshop 1

Workshop 1

Facilitator’s Notes

Understanding Our Learners and Supporting Their Learning

Duration: 3 hours 5 minutes – 5 hours 35 minutes

Purpose:



present overview of course content and requirements



encourage participants to talk and get to know each other better



introduce student profiles as way of knowing the learner/student in order to support their learning



stimulate thinking about how our cultural and linguistic experiences shape our view of the world



a llow each participant some ‘talk-time’



model activities that can be adapted for use with children (retrieval charts and talk stations).

Sessions:

1. reflection on pre workshop introduction... page 2

2. overview, big ideas ... page 2

3. planning for purposeful talk and knowing our learners... page 3

4. scaffolding... page 7.

Materials:



enough red, blue and green counters, cards or blocks for Session 3 grouping activity.



post-it notes, textas (mark er pens), pens, butcher’s paper, highlighters, scissors, glue sticks



PowerPoint for Workshop 1



workshop 1, Participa nt’s Workbook (Activities, Journals and Resources) (one each)



poster ruled up as retrieval chart



poster cut into strips showing s trategies for scaffolding student’s oral language



strips of paper for recording brainstorm

Resources Available in the Support Resource



Counters Red, Green and Blue



Facilitator Cheat Sheets



Headings



Talk Station Poster



Glossary Poster

Homework Tasks









Lesson Sequencing Activity Version A

Lesson Sequencing Activity Version B

Poster Scaffolding

Scaffolding Reading

1. Complete a student profile.

2. Observe a teacher scaffolding student oral language.

Session 1: Reflection and Housekeeping (10 – 15 minutes)



Complete introductions and housekeeping details such as lunch arrangements, evacuation points, toilets, etc.

PowerPoint 1, Slide 2



Reflection

 Participants should have brought their copy of the Pre Workshop Introduction,

Participant’s booklet .

Discuss the pre workshop introduction session using the

 workbook.

Provide an opportunity for participants to raise questions or matters that need

 clarification.

Pay particular attention to the summary of the course overview in the Pre

Workshop Introduction, Participant’s booklet.

 Advise participants that by keeping this Pre Workshop Introduction booklet they can use it as a quick reference for aspects of the workshops.

Session 2: Overview, Big Ideas (10 - 15 minutes)




Use the PowerPoint to give an overview of the series of workshops.

Course Overview











Knowing about our learners

Scaffolding learning

Helping children’s oral language development and links to learning

Helping children learn to read

Helping children learn to write

Facilitator’s Note: Sections in this colour indicate that the same information is in the

Participant’s Workbook.


Big ideas

What do I need to know about ...

What understandings do I need to have about ...



 children as learners? supporting students’ oral language development supporting student’s reading skills? 



 supporting students to develop their writing skills? educational language?


The best learning occurs when adults work in teams to learn together and plan interactive experiences for their students.



Explain that by the end of the course it is hoped that participants will have developed deeper understandings about these ideas.



Allow time for discussion and questions.



Acknowledge that participants bring a wide range of experience and differing knowledge to any workshop.

They are likely to find that they will be presented with some things they already know; some things they had forgotten they knew; and new things that they can add to their collection of ideas and understandings .

2 | W o r k s h o p 1 : F a c i l i t a t o r ’ s N o t e s



Distribute Workshop 1, Participant’s Workbook (Activities, Journals and

Resources) and refer participants to the front page of the workbook showing the

Purpose , Sessions within the workshop and Homework task .




Discuss the outline of workshop 1 - Understanding Our Learners and Supporting Their

Learning




Remind participants that this information is always on the front page of the Participant

Workbooks. (The Glossary is always on the last page).

Session 3: Planning For Purposeful Talk & Knowing Our Learners (1 – 2 hours)

A. Getting ready



Explain that the introductory session is an opportunity to ‘break the ice’ and to demonstrate a strategy that can be used with students to encourage ‘purposeful talk’.


B. Show me how (modelling)



Give each facilitator and participant 7 post-it notes.



Ask them to write on each:

1. Your name

2. Where you were born

3. Your interests outside of work

4. Languages that you speak

5. What your job is

6. Number of years you have worked in education

7. What you want to learn from this course/workshop

Facilitator’s Note: Sections in this colour indicate that the same information is in the

Participant’s Workbook.



Each person finds a partner and tells them about themselves, using full sentences and the post-it notes as a guide.



If there are two facilitators they should model the activity recording one only first.



Explain that each person will be asked to report back about their partner to the group.

C. Help me do it (guided practice)

Activity One – Retrieval charts



Participants then place their post-it notes in the appropriate columns of the retrieval chart.



The facilitator models how to use the notes on the retrieval chart to present a brief oral report about their partner.



An example of a retrieval chart is provided here. As facilitator you will rule up this chart before the workshop on large posters for display. Or you could use the heading provided in the support resources.



Workshop 1, Headings - Available in Support

Resources Folder


Name Where you were born

Interests outside of work

Languages that you speak

Job Number of years I have worked in schools

What I want to learn from the course

 Advise participants that you will take note of the responses in the “What you want to learn from the course” and they will be addressed throughout the workshops and at the end of the workshops.



Explain to participants that the next activity is designed to help them reflect on the large range of backgrounds and experiences of the children they work with and the multiple identities we all have e.g. country/place of birth, gender, religion/belief systems, family make-up, language(s) spoken at home, home literacy practices, occupation of parents/caregivers etc.



Participants think about three people they work with from different backgrounds and reflect on how different people can be even when they are from very similar backgrounds.

Activity Two - Talk Stations



Assign each person a colour – using red, blue, green counters

 Ask participants to stand in a group of 3: each group comprising one red, one, blue, one green





Ask the groups of three to sit/stand in a larger circle:

Explain that there will be three rounds and each colour will have a turn at talking about a topic while the other two listen (1 minute) and then ask clarifying questions (1 minute)



Distribute topic posters and ask participants to commence

Round 1: reds speak first, then greens, then blues. Workshop

1, Participant’s Workbook page 3.



Talk Station Posters - Available in Support Resources

Folder


Round 1

Red Topic: The best things about living where I do are ...

Green Topic: My earliest memories of school are ...

Blue Topic: A challenging experience I had meeting people from a different culture was ...



After the completion of the round, new groups are formed for Round 2: reds stay in the same spot, blues move clockwise to the next group and greens move anti-clockwise to the next group.



Remind participants of the turn taking and clarifying questions (1 minute each)

D. Let me do it myself (independent practice)


Round 2

Red Topic: In my family, when I was a child, literacy meant ...

Green Topic: Working with children, I think my strengths are ...

Blue Topic: One thing I wish I had learned as a child is ...




The process is repeated for Round 3.


Round 3

Red Topic: I think children learn best when ...

Green Topic: Some interesting things I have learned about the cultural background of one of the children I work with are ...

Blue Topic: The best things about where I work are ...

PowerPoint 1, Slide 12 & 13

E. What did I learn?



Introduce participant s to the “What did I learn?” section that will end each session pointing out that the aim is to give participants time to reflect on the learning from that session.



Ask participants to refer to the Wo rkshop 1, Participant’s Workbook page 4.

The aim of the “What did I learn?” section at the end of each session is to give participants time to reflect on:



 what you have learned in each session the skills and knowledge you needed to have to be able to participate in the session

 any assistance you required



 how you felt after completing the activity/session whether you have seen the strategy/skill/activity used in your workplace

 how you could use/adapt what you have learned to your own work

The “What did I learn?” sections will follow a pattern of:

 “community circle” where each participant is given the opportunity to talk about the reflection questions

 journal writing time where participants can work in pairs or individually to write about or visually represent their learning and feelings.

Source: Jeanne Gibbs (2001) Tribes: A New Way of Learning and Being Together.

Center Source Systems, LLC, California.



Explain the idea of community circle based on Tribes (Jeanne Gibbs, 2001) where the facilitator invites each participant to speak about each reflection question. Participants have the option of “passing” (not speaking) when their turn comes.



As facilitator you will need to ensure these “What did I learn?” sessions only take a short time.



Discussion - What did I learn in Session 3?



Explain that retrieval charts or information grids are a very useful tool for organising information and for helping students to structure their thinking. As a graphic organiser of information they can also support students to develop oral, reading and writing skills.

If participants have not already asked for definitions of words use this session to explain

‘graphic organiser’ and point out the Glossary at the back of each Participant’s Workbook where participants are encouraged to write words and phrases that are unfamiliar to them. These can either be a research project for them later or they may place a post it note on the Glossary Poster provided in each workshop for discussion at the end of, or throughout, each workshop.



Glossary Poster - Available in Support Resources Folder



Community circle and Reflection - Allow participants time to read through the questions below either from the PowerPoint or in their workbooks. If there is plenty of time allow all participants to respond to as many questions as they wish verbally. If time is short have only a few volunteers respond to each question. Remind participants they have the right to pass.



Community circle



What did you learn from this session?



What skills/help/understandings did you need to be able to participate in the activities?

 During the ‘talk stations’ activity, why do you think only one person was allowed to speak while the other two had to listen and ask clarifying questions?



Do all the children you work with come from the same cultural or linguistic background to your own or to the teacher’s? What do schools need to know about their students’ family, cultural and linguistic background and experiences? How can this knowledge help you with the work you do with children? Where would you find this information?



How did you feel while doing and after completing the session?



Have you seen retrieval charts/information grids being used in the classroom?

 Have you seen or used ‘talk stations’ in the classroom. Were they successful/not successful with students? Why?



Could you use/adapt the activity in the work you do with students?

Journal entry

Advise the participants who wish to use this workbook as evidence of learning that only comprehensively addressed notes will be sufficient for this. Eg “It was good I think I’ll do it”, won’t be satisfactory.

Participants take time to reflect on the session and, either individually or with a partner, complete a journal entry. Allow 5 minutes for writing.

Homework task (5 - 15 minutes)




Explain to participants that the homework task is to find out about one of their students and to complete a student profile or case study for that student. The more we know about the children we work with the more we will understand about some of the factors that may impact on their success at school. All learners have diverse interests, experiences and needs.

 Refer to additional optional reading about “Teaching Exceptional, Diverse and At Risk

Students in the General Education Classroom” in the Worksho p 1, Participant’s

Workbook page 8.



Suggest that the trainees talk to the teacher about

 the homework task,



 the selection of student to be profiled, information that the teacher has about the child,

 suggestions of who to talk to about the child



Ask the participants to turn to the Workshop 1, Participant’s Workbook page 7 and discuss the example Student Profile provided for the homework task.




Show the student profile headings as they appear in the Workshop 1, Participant’s

Workbook page 7.

Facilitator’s Note: Negotiation with the teachers in the school/s participants are from is required for all homework tasks. As facilitator you may be a part of the school and can arrange this for the participants.

If you are not part of the school you will need to ask the school in advance. This is true for all the homework tasks involving working with children.

Certificate Training : If you are doing this with certificate trainees, and you are not from the registered training organisation (RTO) yourself, it is important to liaise with the RTO to ensure that the homework tasks reflect their assessment requirements.


Session 4: Scaffolding (1 hour 30 minutes – 2 hours 30 minutes)

Activity 1: Thinking about learning



 Refer participants back to the ‘big ideas’ that we looked at earlier about supporting students’ learning



Explain that:

 the following activities will focus on understanding the nature of ‘scaffolding’

 the teaching-learning model that was used in Sessions 1 and 2 is an example of

‘scaffolded learning’ and that it will be used throughout the workshops

 they will be thinking about a time when they learned a new skill and how they were supported to learn the skill





Ask participants to think back to when they learned how to ride a bike. NB: Depending on the group of participants you are working with you may need to change this example (eg learning to swim, learning to cook something etc).

Activity 1: Thinking about learning e.g. riding a bike; learning to swim; learning to cook at home.



As a group complete the details of the table in the

Workshop 1, Participant’s Workbook page 9.

What was the skill?

Why did you want/need to learn it?

Who had you seen using that skill? / How was that skill demonstrated to you?

What support did you have when you were learning the new skill?

What were the steps?

At what point did you use the new skill independently?

Were you able to successfully do it or did you need some more help?

What were your feelings about learning the new skill? How did learning that skill help you to do other things?

If the learning was not successful, why do you think this was so?




Now ask participants to think back to another skill they learned in a formal situation such as in a class. Examples could include learning how to do a power point presentation, learning a language or how to play a musical instrument.



In pairs or independently complete the details of the table in the Workshop 1,

Participant’s Workbook page 10.




Participants then think about a skill they taught someone else – an adult, their own child or a child at school.



Independently/Individually complete the details of the Session 4 Table 3 in the

Workshop 1, Participant’s Workbook page 11.













How did you feel while doing and / after completing the session?



Have you ever reflected on learning and teaching new skills in such a way?



Will such reflection be useful to you in your work?

Journal entry


Activity 2: The Theory of Scaffolding





Ask participants to:

 brainstorm what they understand about the everyday meaning of the word ‘scaffolding’ as it is used in the

 building trade

Talk to your partner. See Workshop 1, Participant’s

Workbook page 13.



Facilitate sharing with the whole group by asking the group to contribute to the writing of a group negotiated text about what scaffolding is. E.g.

Scaffolding is the structure that is placed around the outside of new buildings. It allows builders to access the emerging building as it rises from the ground. Once the building is able to support itself the builder removes the scaffolding. (This activity will develop differently depending on the participa nt’s familiarity with scaffolding in education.)




Point out that scaffolding has a specific meaning in education while still being related to the definition the group came up with before.



Refer participants to the article about scaffolding in their Workshop 1, Participant’s

Workbook page 13.




Ask participants to read the article and then note down five points they think are most important on post-it notes or in their Workshop 1, Participant’s Workbook page 13.




Have pairs move into groups of three and negotiate a definition of scaffolding based on their five important points. Participants should feel free to represent their group definition in any format: writing, drawing, mini-play, song/ditty/poem etc.




Each group of three presents their definitions to the group. Facilitator suggests other key points for the definition if necessary. Also reinforce the notion that participants work with children daily to scaffold them into learning.





Explain that a teaching-learning sequence based on scaffolding has been used for all the workshop sessions and activities they have already participated in up to this point.

In summary:

A. Getting ready,

B. Show me how (modelling),

C. Help me do it (guided practice),

D. Let me do it myself (independent practice),

E. What did I learn?




Use scaffolding model to explain. Point out that the model is in the Workshop 1,

Participant’s Workbook page 16.



Give groups of three a sequencing/matching exercise to complete together. Before the workshop photocopy the relevant worksheet so that there is one for each participant to cut up and glue into their Workshop 1, Pa rticipant’s Workbook .



Lesson Sequencing Activity Version A Available in Support Resources Folder















Could you use/adapt the think-pair-share activity for the students you work with?


Journal entry

Participants can make notes (by writing or visually representing) in their journals about these questions. They can work in pairs or individually. Allow 5 minutes for writing.

Activity 3: Scaffolding in practice


 Discuss and brainstorm the strategies parents use to encourage children to walk and talk

(eg echoing their child, rephrasing the attempt, role-playing, praising, reinforcing, finishing the sentence etc). Give the example of a child saying “Dadda ....dink” with the parent responding, “You want a drink?” The parent has accepted the child’s attempt and intuitively provides the correct model of language for the child. At the same time the child achieves his/her purpose in getting a drink. ( Classroom Helpers, A Course for parents, helpers and aides , Education Victoria)


What do parents do to encourage their children to speak?









Expect them to speak

Provide models of how spoken language works

Demonstrate how to listen

Support their attempts with praise



Explain that the things parents and caregivers continually and intuitively do to teach their children are excellent examples of scaffolding.



In his/her own words facilitator explains to participants that scaffolding student learning in school occurs at two levels:




Macro-level scaffolding : The teacher’s responsibility is to develop learning programs for the students that provide the following key elements of scaffolding:







 clear goals or outcomes an understanding of the linguistic demands of learning tasks knowledge of the students and of their abilities and understandings careful sequencing of tasks designed to develop the skills and practices

 required to achieve the goal/outcome a gradual but constant shift of responsibility for completion of task from teacher to student


Micro-level scaffolding: For paraprofessionals this is most obvious the learning that occurs within small group or independent activities. At the micro-level of supporting small groups or individual it is necessary to be aware that students need to be scaffolded in the following areas:

 from home language to school language and

 from spoken to written language



Explain that one way of scaffolding at the point of need can be achieved through the kinds of questions teachers/adults ask. Ask participants to think about typical child-adult interactions in the classroom. Explain that research shows that the dominant form of interaction is a particular three-part exchange when the teacher/adult first asks a question, the student responds with a single word or short answer; and then the teacher responds by evaluating the answer. Such interactions are referred to as IRF (Initiation,

Response, Feedback):


Initiation

Response

Feedback

TEACHER:

STUDENT:

TEACHER:

What is a magpie?

A bird

Yes. Good.


 In the above example, the teacher’s feedback has ‘closed the door’ to further discussion and opportunities to extend the student’s use of language. There are a number of more effective ways adults can scaffold children’s language and learning.

 Tell participants that this session will focus on how they can scaffold children’s language.




Refer participants to the list of what parents do and what teachers and Paraprofessionals do to scaffold learning in Workshop 1, Participant’s Workbook page 18.


Parents have already taught their children to speak and listen by:



Expecting them to speak



Providing models of how spoken language works



Demonstrating how to listen



Supporting their attempts with praise

You can support children in the classroom by:

 asking open-ended questions

 repeating new language

 rephrasing and modelling

 pause-prompt-praise

 extending

 being an active listener



Briefly describe and discuss each approach.


Refer participants to the table below in Workshop 1, Participant’s Workbook page 18 and then discuss each section.

PowerPoint 1, Slide 30-35

Strategies for scaffolding student’s oral language

30 Being an active listener

Nodding, eye contact with speaker, smiling, gestures,

Repeating words said, word for word, rephrasing what was said, respond with comment or question

Asking open ended questions

Examples of open ended questions include: How will you...? What happened after...?

List all of the... How did...? Can you tell me...? How many ways can...? What would happen if...? Why do you think...? How did you feel when...?

Repeating new language

31

32

Child: Her in Hostabul

Adult: Yes, she went to the hospital.

Child: trimba

Adult repeats word and may define: Did you know timber is the wood from trees?

Rephrasing and modelling

Student:- big monster, big and fat, very good

Adult: Oh! You liked the big monster, because he was big and fat.

Extending

Teacher uses what the student says and builds on the utterances, to extend what the student has said

Pause-prompt-praise

Pause = Wait for the child to think.

Prompt = Help the child by giving a key word, or sound, or starting a sentence.

Praise = Praise their efforts.

Remember to praise the behaviour not the child e.g. say “You spoke very clearly” (and smile) don’t just say “Good girl”

33

34

35



Use an oral language transcript to demonstrate the use of the strategies for scaffolding student’s oral language: asking open-ended questions, repeating new language, rephrasing and modelling, using the pause-prompt-praise strategy, extending and being an active listener.




In pairs, participants read oral language transcript 1 which is in their Workshop 1,

Participant’s Workbook page 19, first individually and then role-play to each other (one as student and one as teacher). They then discuss how the adult has scaffolded / helped the child to develop their language.



Ask a pair to volunteer to read / share script 1 with the other students in a role play model.



Brainstorm examples from the transcript of how the adult helps the child. Write these

 examples on to strips and display.

Use the headings:



Being an active listener



Asking open ended questions



Repeating new language



Rephrasing and modelling



Extending



Pause-prompt-praise.



With the participants, organise the strips of examples from the transcripts under the relevant headings which may also be on strips or on large charts.




Get the participants to read oral language transcript 2.



Participants should then find a new partner and work with them to take the role of either teacher or student/s and role play the script.



In the same pairs, or individually, participants find examples of when the teacher used particular scaffolding strategies and record in the Workshop 1, Participant’s Workbook page 20.

OR , if there are sufficient resources, use different coloured highlighters on the actual script to identify different strategies.



In groups of four discuss these choices.



If there is sufficient time, work through this as a whole group recording on a poster sized version of the table below.

Observed/

Teacher

(Tick)

Strategy Examples of language used

Being an active listener

Asking open ended questions

Repeating new language

Rephrasing and modelling

Extending

Pause-prompt-praise


A. What did I learn?














Have you ever used or seen similar strategies being used in the classroom? If so what do you think made the use of the strategy effective or not effective?

Journal entry


Homework Task (5 – 15 minutes)


Distribute and explain the assessment task/homework activity,

Participants observe questioning techniques used by teachers. They note down examples on the observation sheet in Workshop 1, Participant’s Workbook page 23.

Talk to the teacher about

 the homework task,

 the ways they use questioning techniques to scaffold learning,

 other scaffolding used by the teacher

 particular children that require a lot of scaffolding

Facilitator’s Note: Negotiation with the teachers in the school/s participants are from is required for all homework tasks. As facilitator you may be a part of the school and can arrange this for the participants.

If you are not part of the school you will need to ask the school in advance. This is true for all the homework tasks involving working with children.

Certificate Training : If you are doing this with certificate trainees, and you are not from the registered training organisation (RTO) yourself, it is important to liaise with the RTO to ensure that the homework tasks reflect their assessment requirements.

Glossary (5

– 15 minutes)


It is important that paraprofessionals are not excluded from educational discussions and learning by language that is commonly referred to as ‘teachereze’.

Give time for people to talk about any words they had trouble with or may need to put in their glossary.

Take five minutes to look at the Glossary Poster to see if there were any words that needed explanation. Invite participants to write these in the glossary page of their Workshop 1,

Pa rticipant’s Workbook to look up later.


End of workshop 1

Remind participants of the next workshop and any requirements or preparation needed.

If they are learning to use their emails as a part of their training you could let them know that you will se nd them a ‘ meeting invite’ for the next workshop. If they are doing VET training this then contributes to their competencies. Include on the school’s calendar of events.


Workshop 1 - Facilitator`s notes

Facilitator’s Notes

Understanding Our Learners and Supporting Their Learning

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