English Online News

Webinar: Reporting to parents and caregivers

Mon, 14 May 2012 02:06:05 GMT

This webinar on 28 May from 4pm to 5.30pm will discuss one approach teachers can take in reporting about the curriculum, particularly in the senior school: the achievement objectives, the curriculum aligned standards and the competencies. It will be co-hosted by Mike Fowler, secondary English Online community facilitator and ICTs in English community facilitator, Hamish Chalmers.

For first time users of a webinar, there is a test session available now which will stay active until the actual webinar date. If you need technical support, email Hamish Chalmers .

Click here for the test session: Guest link
Click here for the actual session: Guest Link – this will not be active until 3.00pm 28 May 2012.

Literacy in Secondary School Contexts

Thu, 03 May 2012 04:24:16 GMT

Literacy in Secondary School Contexts is a new resource that aims to assist secondary teachers to incorporate subject area literacy teaching and learning into their programmes of work. It explores aspects of subject area literacy within technology, science and social studies contexts.

The resource has been organised into 5 modules:

Module 1: Introduction

Module 2: Subject area literacy for students in years 9–13

Module 3: Exploring aspects of subject area literacy within a technology context

Module 4: Exploring aspects of subject area literacy within a science context

Module 5: Exploring aspects of subject area literacy within a social studies context

The Ministry wishes to acknowledge the lead writer Chris Thornley, the development team, and the subject advisers, teachers, and students who have contributed to the development of this resource.

Embedded Support in Audio

Thu, 29 Mar 2012 03:34:29 GMT

Learning Media is piloting the use of embedded support in the audio versions of non-fiction texts from the School Journal, Junior Journal and School Journal Story Library (years 5-6) and School Journal Story Library (years 7-8).

Embedded support is designed to assist students to use visual features, such as photographs and diagrams, to help them make meaning of the text.

The aim of including embedded support in audio is to help students to use the strategies highlighted in the audio file independently when they read other non-fiction texts.

Two embedded support items - School Journal and Junior Journal are currently online.

We would like teachers' feedback after they have used the audio track(s). Please complete four questions telling us what you think of the embedded support for audio

March 2012 newsletter

Thu, 22 Mar 2012 00:34:57 GMT

You can now read and enjoy the March 2012 newsletter online.

Providing focused PLD in 2012

Mon, 19 Mar 2012 01:02:02 GMT

Lifting learner achievement is one focus of redesigned professional learning and development for the new year. The Education Gazette reports on the process,and what it will mean for students, teachers and schools.

Professional Learning and development (PLD) in kura and schools has a single and compelling purpose: equipping kaiako and teachers to get better results for their learners.

The Government invests $80 million a year on PLD services to be spent on the programmes and providers that will make the biggest difference in individual kura and schools,and across the whole system.

In 2011, the Ministry redesigned the allocation of PLD to be targeted and focused on lifting learner achievement.This new system will be fully operational this year, and this means changes to the way PLD for kaiako and teachers will be accessed.

PLD is an integral part of a school’s planning and reporting cycle. This cycle, which culminates with the submitting of annual charter updates, identifies groups of learners schools want to target to improve learner outcomes. One way of improving these outcomes is to provide PLD which is based on evidence-based need.

It will work in the following way: Step one: needs analysis

The needs of the learners at kura or schools are identified. What does achievement data say? Are there particular groups of learners, or particular year levels, that need more support – or are there subjects where, across the whole kura or school, learners are not achieving as well as they could?

Charters, annual reports, ERO review and self-review processes will all be important sources of information for this analysis. It is the crucial starting point for making good decisions about PLD.

Step two: request PLD

Having identified the needs of learners, kura and schools will contact the senior advisor at the regional or local Ministry office to discuss requirements to see if these needs fit within the Government’s priority areas for centrally-funded PLD support.

The Ministry senior advisor or student achievement function practitioner already working with the school or kura can discuss PLD needs. The request for support form available from local offices can be completed and returned.

Many kura and schools will be accustomed to arranging their PLD directly with a provider. From this year, however, all centrally-funded PLD must be arranged through the Ministry’s regional office.

Step three: regional prioritisation of schools

PLD is just one of the supports available to kura and schools to raise learner achievement. Other support includes the student achievement function, reading together, programmes and resources for students, and learning and change networks.

The regional office will prioritise all the requests it gets from kura and schools to form a region-wide view to ensure that support is targeted to the areas of greatest need.

The regional office will draw together information from needs analysis, ERO reports, feedback from previous PLD providers, variances between charters and annual reports, and from senior advisors or student achievement function practitioners.

The regional office will also take account of how support allocated across each region, including PLD, will raise achievement for the priority groups of Māori, Pasifika, learners with special education needs, and learners from low socio-economic backgrounds.

Step four: finalise the support required

Once the regional prioritisation is complete, ministry senior advisors or student achievement function practitioners will work directly with kura and schools to finalise the support they require. If targeted PLD is needed at a kura or school, the local office will appoint a provider. That provider will confirm needs through a more detailed analysis, and work to agree to a tailored PLD plan to meet those needs. The agreed programme will then form the basis of a memorandum of understanding between the board of trustees and the provider.

What will the PLD look like?

Depending on requirements, kura or school may get PLD targeted at the teachers of specific groups of learners, or particular areas of the kura or school, such as a junior syndicate. There may be all-of-school PLD, and, if the needs are the same, kura or schools in the region can combine for PLD. A key goal of the redesign is to enable this flexibility, and to encourage ‘clusters’ of learning and development across kura and schools.

There may get PLD from a new provider – the Ministry has opened up the field to a much more diverse range of providers, particularly iwi. It has also established clear requirements for the content. The new PLD contracts will cover similar, and in some cases extended content areas. There are also some significant changes.

Identity, language and culture

All PLD providers must recognise and reinforce the central role that identity, language and culture play in learning. Research shows that this is an essential platform for lifting achievement for all learners, especially Māori, Pasifika, learners with special education needs, and learners from low socio-economic backgrounds.

Achievement standards

PLD available to secondary schools in 2012 will include support for implementing the newly-aligned NCEA achievement standards.

eLearning

eLearning has become an important vehicle for education. All PLD in 2012 will include a strong emphasis on eLearning, both in the content of the PLD itself, and the way the PLD is delivered.

Assistance with self-reviews

Kura and schools have different levels of capability in self-review and in using achievement data to identify the needs of their learners. From this year, the PLD available to kura and schools will include assistance in self- review for those who need it.

Online tools are also available to help the self-review process:

Resources to support planning and reporting

“The redesigned PLD aims to lift achievement for all learners, most especially for those groups – Māori, Pasifika, learners with special education needs, and learners from low socio-economic backgrounds – that aren’t currently well served in our system.

“This means that the critical task for principals, tumuaki and leaders is to identify which learners aren’t achieving well, and then identify what PLD will best equip teachers to support those learners.”

– Joanne McEachen, national manager, student achievement function

Latest instructional series materials publications

Wed, 07 Mar 2012 02:33:24 GMT

Four new Ready to Read books and two School Journals (student books, TSM, and audio) have been published this year, and Junior Journal 44 (books, TSM and audio files) will be out soon.

Ready to Read

Four new Ready to Read texts, at Blue 2, Green 2, and Orange 1, were distributed to schools in February this year.
TSM and MP3 audio files of these stories, as well as TSM for other titles in the Ready to Read series are avaliable online.

School Journal

School Journal Level 2 February 2012 and School Journal Level 3 February 2012 have been distributed to schools.
School Journal Level 4 March 2012 will be out shortly.
TSM for three items from each School Journal and audio MP3 files of selected Level 2 School Journal items are avaliable online.

Junior Journal

Junior Journal 44 will be distributed to schools mid March.
TSM and MP3 audio files of these stories are available are avaliable online.

Providing focused PLD in 2012

Tue, 31 Jan 2012 01:56:01 GMT

Lifting learner achievement is one focus of redesigned professional learning and development for the new year. The Education Gazette reports on the process, and what it will mean for students, teachers and schools.

December 2011 newsletter

Mon, 19 Dec 2011 03:37:12 GMT

You can now read and enjoy the December 2011 newsletter online.

National Standard Reading and Writing Illustrations - Set 5

Wed, 03 Aug 2011 03:43:12 GMT

Set 5 of the National Standard Reading and Writing Illustrations are now available on Literacy Online.

The twenty-one Illustrations at levels 1-8 are:

http://literacyonline.tki.org.nz/Literacy-Online/Student-needs/National-Standards-Reading-and-Writing/National-Standards-illustrations

Year 1

Magnets
My Chicken

Year 2

What are Pyramids for

Year 3

A Quiet Evening

Year 4

Celebrating Matariki
Christopher Columbus
It’s mexicano nachos
Rangoli
Why do Onions make You Cry

Year 5

Drought
I am David
Water Quality
Why and how tornadoes occur

Year 6

A Conversation
Recycling
Shadows

Year 7

Events of the Past
My Room Makeover

Year 8

Fair Trade Coffee
Landfills
Pacific Paradise

July 2011 newsletter

Wed, 27 Jul 2011 21:31:40 GMT

You can now read and enjoy the July 2011 newsletter online.

National Standard Reading and Writing Illustrations - Set 4

Wed, 13 Jul 2011 02:59:49 GMT

Set 4 of the National Standard Reading and Writing Illustrations are now available on Literacy Online.

The eight Illustrations at levels 4-8 are:

Year four - reading

Year five - reading

Year six - reading

“A Flying Ostrich”

Year eight - reading

June 2011 newsletter

Wed, 29 Jun 2011 04:28:08 GMT

You can now read and enjoy the June 2011 newsletter online.

National Standard Illustrations

Wed, 22 Jun 2011 22:46:12 GMT

Set 3 of the National Standard Reading and Writing Illustrations are now available on Literacy Online.

The ten Illustrations at levels 1 - 3 are:

The Three Little Pigs –writing year 1
Mum's New Job – reading year 1
Cats – writing year 2
Dimitri's Lunch – reading year 2
Green and Red Yummy Jelly - writing year 2
How the Lungs Work – writing year 2
Cheeky Charlie – writing year 3
The Impossible Bridge – reading year 3
Undersea Gardens – reading year 3
Wild Orphans – reading year 3

School Journal Teacher Support Materials - new materials - Part 4 Number 2

Tue, 21 Jun 2011 23:21:38 GMT

Three new School Journal Teacher Support Materials are now available:-

Part 4 Number 2 2011 - A Tour Like No Other
Part 4 Number 2 2011 - Maori Rugby A Timeline
Part 4 Number 2 2011 - Rep

Secondary Literacy mailing list weekly summary of activity 6-10 June 2011

Mon, 13 Jun 2011 04:21:40 GMT

Greetings All. This is a summary of the discussion on the Secondary Literacy mailing list for the week 6-10 June. Thanks for the off–list messages about the Secondary Literacy web space.

I do encourage readers to send a post to the forum secondaryliteracy@mailinglist.tki.org.nz as well so that we can all share in the discussion. The achievement of Maori students, in literacy, and in a wider learning context, is a priority in NZ education.

This report In Their Own Words! presents the findings of the Māori Youth Council prepared in response to the call from the Minister of Māori Affairs “to hear directly from young people what they think about how the Government’s policies and programmes work for them”.

The report contains a review of current policy initiatives including:

Kura Kaupapa Māori;
He Kākano;
Ka Hikitia; and
Te Kotahitanga.

There are four common themes present in the recommendations. They are:

greater use of whānau- and community-based initiatives;
improved access to information;
more targeted resources; and
greater use of Te Reo Māori to engage youth.

I look forward to your comments on this report, and of course on any other secondary literacy related topic.

Have a great week

Regards

Denise Hitchcock

Facilitator: Secondary Literacy community

Secondary literacy now live

Wed, 01 Jun 2011 20:38:04 GMT

The Secondary Literacy section of Literacy Online is now live.

These pages will help secondary teachers gain an understanding of the literacy demands of their subject areas so that they can develop teaching and learning programmes based on the literacy needs of their learners.

A major feature of the site is a section on ‘Literacy in the Learning Areas’ – a dedicated space for literacy resources in context. Resources in this section include units of work that show how effective literacy practice can be integrated into different subjects and links to relevant research. The site also includes literacy professional readings, links to online seminars, and resources from the secondary literacy project. The Secondary Literacy section will continue to be developed throughout the year. Visit Secondary Literacy.

May 2011 Newsletter

Tue, 24 May 2011 22:40:47 GMT

You can now read and enjoy the May 2011 newsletter online.

School Journal Teacher Support Materials - new materials - Part 1 Number 2

Sun, 22 May 2011 22:31:50 GMT

Three new School Journal Teacher Support Materials are now available:-

Part 1 Number 2 2011 - Making the Team
Part 1 Number 2 2011 - Mighty Muscles
Part 1 Number 2 2011 - Never Give Up

School Journal Teacher Support Materials - new materials - Part 2 Number 2

Thu, 19 May 2011 03:35:12 GMT

Three new School Journal Teacher Support Materials are now available:-

Part 2 Number 2 2011 - From Kick-off to Cup
Part 2 Number 2 2011 - Get Ready to Roll!
Part 2 Number 2 2011 - Mrs Wildings Potatoes

School Journal Teacher Support Materials - new materials

Wed, 04 May 2011 04:06:02 GMT

Three new School Journal Teacher Support Materials are now avaliable:-

Part 4 Number 1 2011 - On the Dinosaur Trail
Part 4 Number 1 2011 - Losing Nemo
Part 4 Number 1 2011 - Switching Sides