EDLA369 Assessment 2

Know and understand literacy and numeracy teaching strategies and their application in teaching areas.
Each student brings their own experiences and understandings of reading and writing. Thomson (2002) identifies
this as the the virtual school bag where the need for teachers to build understandings about students through
their knowledge and skills is believed to be derived from previous experiences. Based on these experiences
teachers continue to foster each students literacy development (Flint, Kitson, Lowe and Shaw, 2014, p.221). Ray
is one example where providing the necessary support would bridge the gaps in his current reading, and its
impact on his overall writing. Rays case is unique as he can read, but does so to please thus lacking motivation.
Ray is solely extrinsically motivated which ensures there is no desire or purpose to his reading. The lack of selfcorrection and inability to comprehend the meaning within the text is hindering his overall literacy development.
The Australian Curriculum supports student growth and literacy knowledge through the recommendations made
by Teale and Yokota (2000). Examples include the significance of adopting a multifaceted word study program

Grace Leva 6/10/2015 1:55 PM

Comment [1]: Given that it is recognised
that all students bring with their varying
experiences which shape their understandings,
it is the role of the teacher to ensure that
various strategies are known by the teacher
and put in place to support the individual
needs of each student.
Grace Leva 6/10/2015 1:57 PM
Comment [2]: NOTE: Throughout this
assessment reference will be made to Ray who
is the case study student allocated for this task.
Grace Leva 6/10/2015 1:58 PM
Comment [3]: Identifying the needs and
therefore level of the student understandings
are crucial to ensuring the appropriate
strategies are applied to each individual case.

where student vocabulary and decoding is furthered (Flint et al, 2014, p.222). Luke and Freebody identify these
as Code Breaker within their model. Reading Rockets (2015) defines decoding (graphophonic cues) as the
ability to apply your knowledge of letter-sound relationships, including knowledge of letter patterns, to correctly
pronounce written words. The application of Rays lacking knowledge results in an inability to recognize
familiar words accurately and implement the appropriate strategies to determine unfamiliar words (Reading
Rockets, 2015).
Phonics is an approach to reading instruction, the focus is teaching the principles of the letter- sound
relationships missed. Reading Rockets (2015) notes identifying students who have difficulty with word decoding
and phonics stating He guesses words based on the first letter or two. Ray demonstrates this when he says
house instead of horse. Griggs (2000) furthers the ways to teach reading with a strong focus on the text
decoder first through phonics, the look and say method, language experience approach and the context support
method.
The following lessons focus on supporting Ray. Beginning with strengthening Rays code breaker skills through
strategies by holding a pivotal place within his learning (Flint et al, 2014). Ray is supported through not only
interests but also understanding the purpose of his reading. Graves and Graves (1994) highlight the positive
learning experience through scaffolding noting the necessity to perceive this strategy as a flexible framework
providing a set of options from which you select those that are best suited for a particular group of students
reading a particular text for a particular purpose. (Flint et al, 2014, p. 480)

Grace Leva 6/10/2015 2:08 PM

Comment [4]: With an understanding of
the skills which are needed in order to have a
strong understanding of the foundations in
literacy are identified here and shape the
teaching and learning sequences which are
created to support individual student learning.
Grace Leva 6/10/2015 2:12 PM
Comment [5]: After an understanding of
what needs supporting is established the
teacher is able to determine the appropriate
strategies to be used to support these areas.
These various strategies are highlighted below
with the text in blue.

Additionally, Ray struggles with comprehension, where fluency is a contributing factor to capable readers
through supporting reading comprehension (Flint et al, 2014, p.222). Based on this Ray may have some
cognitive processing difficulties, which stem from his lack of intrinsic motivation to learn how to decode words
and thus make it difficult to comprehend the text. Students are unaware that the text itself should make sense and
that their prior knowledge and contextual understandings should be utilized.
Luke and Freebodys (1997) model places comprehension within the text participant role. Ray is unable to make
meaning from texts as he is unable to find that connection (Edwards-Grove, 2004). Research on this aspect of
comprehension has centered on the need for the reader to comprehend the connections which are explicitly
identified and build the connection with additional information. (Anderson in Flint et al, 2014). Anderson (1997)
further notes that the meaning is not in the message. The message is a cryptic recipe that can guide a person in
constructing a representation (Flint et al, 2014, p. 422). Harris and Hodges reiterate that comprehension is the
intentional thinking during which meaning is constructed through interactions with the text and reader and this
is what struggling readers are unable to achieve due to their inability to consciously create meaning whilst
reading (Flint et al, 2014, p.481).
These lessons ensure Ray is able to seamlessly continue to build on understandings through application whilst
simultaneously ensuring meaning making as a text participant. In lesson three, the Think aloud strategy
encourages predictions so that meaning is formulated (Flint et al, 2014, p.483). Additionally, shared reading is
also employed by modeling applicable strategies and the importance of self-correction to ensure meaning.
Lesson 4, delves further into understanding the comprehension by reading and breaking down important aspects
to obtain meaning. Support is offered through the use of Main ideas questioning where complex information is
broken down (Flint et al, 2014, p.483). In addition students choose to focus on word and sound level at the
expense of comprehending the text, demonstrated within Rays reading (Flint et al, 2014, p.481). Through the
use of the strategies, both comprehension and decoding will be given equal attention and used to further Rays
overall literacy development.
Its understood that reading and viewing are perceived as being a component of the meaning making process.
With this in mind the final lesson provides the necessary platform enabling students to demonstrate their
understandings. The valuable opportunities, arising from reading endeavor to move students like Ray who are
lacking in intrinsic motivation to see the purpose of reading and encourage a desire for motivation.