Your monthly round-up of resources, news and notices

Dear English Colleagues,

Are we counting the hours until the end of the week?! It's been a long, busy first term and we all deserve to have a relaxing Easter break.

In this Update, there are notices of upcoming events and links to new resources. We are experimenting (!) with the format, and this time have used the framework of the site to organise the different sections. Let us know what you think.

We are aware that we are very much in a transition phase with the new site and thank you for your patience as we iron out a few bugs and work to get the interactive and Community pages up and running. Welcome to those of you who have already registered membership of our Community. You can subscribe to these updates so you never miss a single one! The Frequently Asked Questions section aims to address queries about the new site. Feel free to send me any queries you have and I'll share the answers with you all.

Here's wishing you all a restful two weeks' break - and I hope the Easter bunny brings you something tasty!

Ngā mihi nui,

Karen Melhuish
English Online Facilitator
karen.melhuish@learningmedia.co.nz
http://englishonline.tki.org.nz

OUR COMMUNITY

Planning is well under way for this year’s conference. You are asked to pre-register your interest at www.inspirationinc.org.nz. This will add your name to the list of people who will get regular conference updates. HODs should inform first year teachers that there are scholarships available from NZATE to cover their costs. Applications for these scholarships should be made to pjmaw@xtra.co.nz . There is also a scholarship available for first-time presenters. Apply to the same e-mail for information about this. Submissions for workshops are welcome and open until May 1st. Contact Margaret at blackm@paradise.net.nz

WHAT DO OUR LEARNERS NEED? > Curriculum

• Teacher-only Days, and PPTA “Jumbo Days”: Facilitators and specialists in their subject areas are being trained to support teachers on these Curriculum support days. For further information, go to the PPTA web page.

• English Curriculum resources are being developed by the English Community as we speak and several generous people have shared them on the Forums. If you have resources to share, please do use the Teacher Resource Exchange so we can begin to build up resources together.

• NZCER Curriculum Conferences: As part of their 75th celebrations, NZCER is holding a series of conferences in May in Hamilton, Auckland, Christchurch and then in Wellington. At each location invited local school leaders will share their learning journey, and how the curriculum fits into that. Go to www.nzcer.org.nz/75th for updates about the May series. Registrations due by 15th April.

• NZ Curriculum Online website can be accessed here, and you can sign up for monthly emailed updates on new additions to the site: http://nzcurriculum.tki.org.nz

• Resources to support English:http://nzcurriculum.tki.org.nz/nzc_resource_bank

WHAT DO OUR LEARNERS NEED? > NCEA

• NCEA Standards Curriculum alignment: for current news and draft matrix/information, visit www.nzate.org.nz

• Best Practice Workshops for Secondary Teachers: Understanding National Standards. These 4 hour workshops will be conducted by NZQA secondary moderators. http://www.nzqa.govt.nz/ncea/for-schools/bestpractice/index.html

• NZQA and English: all the NCEA resources, gathered on one handy page. http://www.nzqa.govt.nz/ncea/resources/english/index.html

WHAT DO OUR LEARNERS NEED? > Literacy Standards

• Literacy standards: what are they? What will they look like? Anne Tolley published the following update in her e-newsletter, School Report: "Work is progressing well on developing the National Standards in Literacy and Numeracy. The standards will set clear and consistent expectations for students’ achievement in literacy and numeracy in English and Māori-medium settings. The Ministry of Education is working with small teams of literacy, numeracy and assessment experts to develop draft standards. This draft material will be available for consultation in primary and intermediate schools from 25 May to 3 July. We’ll be consulting on the standards themselves, as well as the reporting of them. A particular focus of the consultation will be on who needs access to what information. It isn’t our intention to set up league tables, and, once again, I stress that there will be no one national test. Teachers will be able to use a variety of existing assessment tools. A reference group has been set up to inform the development of the standards. The group includes key sector organisations such as the School Trustees Association (NZSTA), the Principals' Federation (NZPF), as well as NZEI and PPTA. During the consultation phase, the Ministry will run all-day seminars for the school sector, the dates below are confirmed. Information packs about the Standards will be sent at the end of May. If you are unable to attend one of these meetings, Ministry staff will be available to talk with principals and teachers at other events around the country.
  03 June: Wellington
  05 June: Palmerston North
  08 and 09 June: Auckland
  15 June: Hamilton
  15 June: Christchurch
  16 June: Dunedin
  17 June: Invercargill
  19 June: New Plymouth
  19 June: Napier
  
  More information as it comes available will be posted at www.minedu.govt.nz . The standards are about you having the information you need to help your students, and government supporting you to raise student achievement. I’m looking forward to talking the draft standards through with you and receiving your feedback."

WHAT DO WE NEED TO KNOW AND DO? > Content Knowledge > Language

• Savethewords : This is a great ‘Web 2.0’ site for students interested in spelling. The words call out to you to pick them, and once you 'adopt' a word you promise to use that word in conversation. A great way for your spellers to increase their vocabulary and have fun doing it.

WHAT DO WE NEED TO KNOW AND DO? > Content Knowledge > Literature>Poetry

• Moontown Cafe : this site is dedicated to all things poetic. Whether you read it, write it, want to discuss it or collaborate on it, this is the poetry family for you and your like-minded students.

• Planet eBook: you may not have splashed out on a Kindle yet, but you can still download books online. Receive Macbeth via mobile? Why not.

WHAT DO WE NEED TO KNOW AND DO? > Knowledge of Pedgaogy> Maori and Pasifika learners

• Literature review on the experiences of Pasifika learners in the classroom : this document highlights the need for of all students, but particularly Pasifika learners, to help them develop the requisite capabilities and sense of belonging and wellbeing to succeed and contribute to wider communities.

• Culture Counts: teaching Maori and Pasifika learners requires a working knowledge of how to include all cultures in their learning. This section of the Knowledge about Pedagogy includes resources that align the 'Effective Pedagogy' page in the Curriculum with current research into Maori and Pasifika learning. A useful starting point for discussion.

WHAT DO WE NEED TO KNOW AND DO? > Knowledge of Pedgaogy> e-learning

• E-learning Research Network : This network is a place for teachers, educators and researchers to share the evidence about the impact of on teaching and learning. http://elearningresearchnetwork.ning.com/

• ICT in English and Literacy : check out the blog, facilitated by Fiona Grant. Recent posts include the wonderful work in the Manaiakalani Cluster around e-learning and literacy, the first in series (I hope) from Claire Amos, e-Fellow 09 and an online presentation on ways to use e-learning to inspire students' writing.

WHAT DO WE NEED TO KNOW AND DO? > Knowledge of Pedgaogy> ESOL

• Supporting English Language Learning in Primary School: A Resource for Mainstream and ESOL Teachers (SELLIPS) : This resource comprises four booklets for different year levels. It gives suggestions for developing students’ academic language in curriculum contexts. SELLIPS is intended for all teachers of students in years 1–8. To order SELLIPs, please contact Customer Services, phone 0800 660 662, fax 0800 660 663.

• Many Voices: Many Voices is intended to provide information and discussion that is relevant and of practical use to educators in the fields of ESOL and community languages. This annual periodical highlights key messages and news from the Ministry of Education, research and case studies in primary and secondary contexts, school and community initiatives in various regions, student voices, and new resources. Many Voices will be distributed to all schools early in Term 2, 2009

WHAT DO WE NEED TO KNOW AND DO? > Teaching and Learning Sequences (Units)

• Have you found them yet? The site has six brand new teaching sequences (units). Have a look and tell us what you think.
  

WHAT IS THE IMPACT OF OUR TEACHING?

• Making Classroom Assessment Work: this is a collaboration between well-known Canadian author Anne Davies and New Zealand’s Mary Hill, who has adapted the material for New Zealand schools. It is packed full of ideas on how get students involved in self-assessment, how to collect evidence of learning and provide feedback, and how to share learning achievements with parents. To order, go to www.nzcer.org.nz/nzcerpress

• New Assessment Bank Resources: English: The English team at NZCER have two ARB resources with a new focus on vocabulary instruction. Both these resources are aimed at Level 5 and use the text "Up from the Ashes" (a personal story about the rebuilding of the Rangiatea Church) from Choices, 2005. Each resource requires students to use contextual clues in order to infer the meaning of a different word. Find them at: http://arb.nzcer.org.nz/new_english.php

OUR EVENTS & COMPETITIONS

• Elsie Locke Writing Prize 2009: Learning Media and the Elsie Locke Memorial Trust are proud to announce a new annual competition for original writing by year 7 & 8 students. The theme for 2009 is ‘Living Together – in peace and friendship'. The winner will receive a cash award of $400 and $100 book tokens. The winning entry will be published in a Part 4 School Journal. Entries close 24 April 2009. Further information at: http://www.learningmedia.co.nz/nz/online/elsielocke

OUR BOOK NEWS

• Book Reviews on Radio NZ National in April: http://www.radionz.co.nz/genre/books/ninetonoon/reviews/books_in_march_2009

• Roxborogh Reviews: Tanya Roxborogh shares her thoughts about recently published literature for young (and old) alike. Reviews first published in the Otago Daily Times. In this Update:

Chick lit for the under 20s

Meg Cabot: Queen of Babble: It took me a few chapters of Meg Cabot’s latest novel to begin to enjoy myself: I found the central character selfish, self-centred and stupid – or so I thought. Then I realised she’s a lot like me: completely honest and prone to speak before she thinks – yikes. The title, Queen of Babble – Big Mouth, Big Heart, Big Problems, was disturbingly familiar to my thinking as an early 20s girl. American gal, Lizzie, totally besotted by English man Andy, has given up her American summer to fly to England to be with the guy she intends having babies with. Despite the fact she’s only been going out with him for three months and he’d been gone for three months. Not surprisingly, it turns to disaster so Lizzie, because of her non-refundable return air ticket, heads to France where her best friend’s boyfriend’s best mate (yes, I know, but it’s that kind of story) is preparing for a family wedding at a French castle. That’s where the fun begins – well, actually, it begins when Lizzie finds a spare seat next to an American/French guy on the way through the Chunnel. This book has some x-rated parts a la Marion Keyes so I recommend it not been given to the under 16 girl in your home (that’s the mummy speaking). A great story for the older teenage (female) reader.

Elizabeth Cody Kimmel: Lily B on the brink of Paris: I kept putting Lily B on the brink of Paris away to read more satisfying reads, which wasn’t a bad idea. So, after two days homebound with snow days and the flu, I thought I’d pick it up again. This is a fluff book which is sure to sell well because it has the Paris Hilton kind of media press. I suppose if you’ve got a non-reader girl who loves the gossip mags, you should buy her this book. It’s got that chick magazine type of feel to it.

Anne Cassidy: Careless: A better book is Anne Cassidy’s Careless: well-written and well-balanced between the point of view of the boy and girl in the story. A social worker mother writes to one of her charges telling him goodbye (she’s dying) and, he’s not happy with that. Neither is her daughter. What makes it harder for the daughter is the ‘client’ Nicky, decides to respond to his grief and anger about something which happened to him (as a result of her decision) by sending nasty notes and attacking the family home. A good book for the libraries.

Elizabeth Scott: Bloom: Elizabeth Scott’s Bloom is, (if the current teenage female in my house is typical of the species) an accurate reflection of the emotional struggles a girl goes through when she feels she can’t be honest with those who consider themselves closest: her workaholic father, her perfect best friend, her perfect (committed Christian) boyfriend. This is an interesting, credible narrative though I did get a bit annoyed with the ‘shall I tell people how I really feel or not’ angst-ing. But then, I’m a cynical old woman and am not the intended audience of this story; one of those times that being an English teacher and a mummy don’t make good qualifications for the reviewing process. Personally, I’d choose a Brigid Lowry or a Fleur Beale over this but it would make an acceptable addition to the library (or the bookshelf of the literary teen who already has the other good stuff)

OUR THEATRE EVENTS

• Totally Shakespeare NZ09: Compleate Workes: In 2009, it’s time to celebrate Shakespeare’s Sonnets turning 400 by endeavouring to perform the whole canon in Wellington and embracing everything Shakespeare in New Zealand throughout the year! Shakespeare Globe Centre New Zealand (SGCNZ) fosters festivals in schools and beyond, and encourages fun with Shakespeare in his infinite variety. Encompassing international, professional, emerging professional, educational, community and allied troupes, organisations, companies and activities, Compleate Workes 2009 will present a feast of the Bard. From the international premiere of Cardenio to performances in a multitude of site specific spaces, the programme will even full the airwaves with the Sonnets being broadcast weekly all year. http://www.compleateworkes.co.nz/

• Shakespeare in Schools 2009 Nationwide Tour – Term 3 ‘Lear and his Daughters’ and ‘Macbeth’ by the Kore Theatre Company Bookings: Dr Lilicherie McGregor, Artistic Director, Kore Theatre Company, 2031 Ngunguru Rd, RD 3, Whangarei 0173; ph (09) 955 1170, (021) 296 2910; email koretheatre@gmail.co.nz

• National Youth Drama School 2009 (NYDS): 11–19 April 2009 at Havelock North High School. Fantastic fun and great learning opportunity for 15-20 year olds. Eight days, full-time - 21 classes in acting, voice, Shakespeare, film production, radio drama, circus skills and much more. Billet and hostel accommodation available. For more information booklets or posters email admin@nyds.co.nz or go to www.nyds.co.nz