Running head – Assessment 2: Essay

Code: EDU20001 – Developing Literacy

Assessment 2: Essay

Full name:

Swinburne University

Student number:

Tutorial: Caroline Scott - Wednesday 11:30-14:30

Due date: Sunday, 6th October 11:59PM

Assessment 2 - Essay

Reading and writing are significant skills for children to develop within children’s
literacy development in their early years of schooling. These skills are essential to children,
as they are the next generation of children and will need to adapt these changes in ways they
can read, write, listen and speak in a range of contexts. By incorporating these reading and
writing skills, children will have meaningful and writing experiences. This essay will
examine the importance of student’s literacy skills through reading and writing strategies
within a chosen age group. This is crucial to their development in their early years of
schooling to become confident readers and writers. The two strategies that will be analysed
are guided reading and modelled writing. Given the chosen strategies, it will evaluate its
relationship to the children’s literacy development within the appropriate curriculum and
other relevant policy documents. The chosen strategies will be supported by their strengths,
limitations, interests and other needs to implement these learning experiences in a classroom
setting. Furthermore, this essay will address how students learn new vocabulary by listening,
viewing, talking, reading, and applying their knowledge while understanding reading and
writing texts.

Guided reading is defined as a strategy that develops children’s reading that already
has prior knowledge to read simple texts by themselves. This strategy intends to provide
support to the child so they can read the text, absorb the information and become a confident
reader (Fellowes & Oakley, 2014). In guided reading, this involves a child to choose a book
within their zone of proximal development (Vygotsky, 1978). The zone of proximal
development (ZPD) often refers to when a child receives support from another
knowledgeable other to accomplish a task as they could not accomplish themselves (Fellowes
& Oakley, 2014). By incorporating the ZPD technique within this strategy, it enables students
to scaffold and collaborate with their peers and educators in order to develop their reading
skills.

The important aspects to reading are supported by this approach includes the purpose
of the comprehension, decoding, vocabulary, fluency, visual picture cues and text. During
guided reading, children are divided into groups of similar reading levels and specific needs.
Guided reading promotes the understanding and techniques to the three stages of
comprehension (State Government of Victoria, Department of Education and Training [DET],
2019a). This also supports decoding by enabling students to acquire reading strategies (DET,
2019b). When utilising this strategy, the educator requires to be familiarised with the text

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before the reading session to decide what teaching strategies to enhance the child’s reading
abilities (Krashen, 2004). Furthermore, the focus of guided reading is then identified through
the analysis of running records and other variety of other assessments which is then matched
to learning needs of the group or individual (Education Victoria, nd.).

Guided reading is essential to children’s literacy development as it allows them to use

their initiative when writing. From the early years of a child’s lifespan, they acquire grasp
knowledge to grow as readers and writers. Students who have the opportunity to experience
early reading experiences, this assists them to build their vocabulary the moment when a
child hears people speaking, song tunes, rhythms and repetitions of rhymes and stories (Fox,
2001b, p. 13).. By incorporating literacy-rich environments, according to the student’s needs,
educators can create independent and tailored classroom lessons to expand comprehension of
print and word, linguistic and phonemic awareness, and vocabulary growth. Although guided
reading enables the student to apply strategies with prior knowledge to new texts, the
educator encourages and supports the student to read so they can become independent readers
when they are confident.

In the Australian Curriculum (AC), it is reflected in the English: Literacy –

Interpreting, analysing, evaluating the sub-strand of year 1 level, “read decodable and
predictable texts using developing phrasing, fluency, contextual, semantic, grammatical and
phonic knowledge and emerging text processing strategies” (ACELY1659) (Australian
Curriculum and Assessment Reporting Authority [ACARA], 2018a, Version 8.4). The sub-
strand within this content descriptor elaborates that children should be able to construct texts,
using a range of strategies to discuss the text and make predictions about the text’s intention
and content. Guided reading enables the students to read loudly with fluency and articulation
to help self correct themselves when the text doesn’t make sense, using images, meaning,
phonics and grammar awareness. It is required that Year 1 student can decode text using a
combination of knowledge of context, meaning, grammar and phonics when utilising the
guided reading strategy. The AC requires students in the Year 1 level, to meet the standard
achievement for English in Literacy students. This requires students to read texts with
unfamiliar terminology whilst establishing connections to sounds, letters, high-frequency
words, punctuality and directionality to make meaning.

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The learning experience that is suitable for the guided reading strategy is phrasing
and fluency. This allows valuable educators to view the video vignette presentation to support
relevant texts that use developing phrasing, fluency and emerging text-processing skills to
make predictions. This is evident to year 1 students as it assists students reading fluency and
phrasing. During the learning experience, the educator will model the process of communi-
cating with prior knowledge before reading and utilises differentiation to arrange groups of
students to concentrate on thinking about the use of semantic understanding (Scootle, n.d).

For the lesson plan to be effective, the educator will select their students for reading
groups through an analysis of errors, omissions and self-corrections on the running records.
The lesson plan should only be up to half an hour as young students won’t a long attention
span. After gathering the data, the educator will know some students on the need to develop
their use of semantic cues to predict words and groups to enhance their phrasing and fluency.
The data also states that some students vary dependent on using phonic cues when they sound
out words. The required materials for the learning experience is an educator, classroom of
students, tables of groups with chairs, whiteboard, few white pieces of a4 papers, pencils, and
textas. Before a lesson starts, the educator will model the use of semantic cues to support
meaning-making in a text with the whole classroom before and during after small guided
reading. The educator will then begin the lesson by establishing a clear statement of the
learning goals and expectation for the class. In this case, the educator will already have stated
to the children the process of connecting prior knowledge on what the students before
reading. The educator requires being at the front of the classroom on the chair to ensure that
every student has the opportunity to see the educator. The educator will have a book titled “
Whales” in her hand which is suitable for year 1 students and be going reviewing what the
students know based on the prediction of words and groups depending on the topic. While
holding the book, the educator will ask questions to the class of students such as: “what do
you think this book is about? And “What do we already know about the book?”. The students
will reply to the educator with: “Whales?” The educator will then put a piece of paper with
the title “mind map” on the whiteboard to show the class. By doing this, the educator
encourages the students to describe where the whale looks like, lives, eats and other specific
things about the whale. The educator will start reading the book to the children and given the

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provided information on the mind map, this will also encourage students to gain more
knowledge on the topic of Whales. This learning experience allows students to answer
questions on their prior knowledge before the book on whales. After reading, the educator
demonstrates the process with the use of semantic knowledge during reading groups. When
educators help students to understand the meaning of a reading book or novel, it is essential
that small reading groups consist of no more than six students with a similar level of reading
level. Students will be in small group guided lessons with their peers while the educator
reviews the mind map with students and add more semantic knowledge to support their
development on phrasing and fluency (Education Victoria, 2016).

The strengths of this guided reading strategy are that educators can spend time with
particular children to monitor their progress through running records. When educators
address children’s needs, this encourages the student’s independent learning level to enhance
their comprehension skills and new vocabulary terms (Fellowes & Oakley, 2014). Another
keys strength is that children with similar reading levels are addressed so each student has the
opportunity to participate resulting students to improve their reading skills such as reading
independently, silently and fluently. While students are in small groups, they also learn and
receive support their peers with the method of ZPD. However, there are limitations to guided
reading strategies such as, when the educator has a guided reading session in the class
happening, the rest of the students in the classroom are disengaged as some children may
have additional needs, English as a second language (ESL), different abilities and learning
paces (Hills, 2012).

Modelled writing is a strategy that is utilised when writing. This strategy is

demonstrated via when the educator writing a text to a small group or whole class while they
observe. For this strategy to be effective students will be able to see the strategies and skills
that the educator is utilising and how they can connect to create meaningful texts (Fellowes &
Oakley, 2014). Modelled written texts can vary in length depending upon the skills and
learning abilities of the children to read. Through modelled writing, students will be able to
acquire the skills for writing to become a writer. When educators incorporate the ‘think aloud’
technique into the modelled writing strategy, this allows students to verbalise the thinking and
to process what strategies are going on in the writer’s mind. This technique is utilised with
students to ensure that the children can see strategies taken into consideration to decode and

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understand a text (Fellowes & Oakley, 2014). The ‘thinking aloud’ claims that it will make
the ideas and sentences for educators easier to generate ideas and texts when they are in a
text. Thinking aloud supports the educators to be able to establish what type of skills,
information, processes and strategies for writers to apply to their writing. This may focus on
decisions regarding the correct text form, grammar, punctuation and spelling (DET, 2019a).
Modelled writing ensures that students understand the different punctuations marks that are
used when educators model and identify. This strategy is essential to children’s literacy
development as it provides students with the opportunity to practice their writing or the
process of writing, revision, editing and publishing. When educators provide students the
opportunity with adequate tools and resources, they begin to write words which is the first
crucial step to improve their literacy. This encourages students to build their confidence from
a young age so they can build their writing skills in the future.

In the Australian Curriculum (AC), it is reflected in the English: Language – text

structure and organisation of the sub-strand of year 2 level, “understand that different types of
texts have identifiable text structures and language features that help the text serve its
purpose” (ACELA1463) (ACARA, 2018a, v.8.4). The sub-strand within this content
descriptor elaborates that children should be able to have recognition of the topic and form of
its text by its visual presentation. It is also vital that students establish connections with the
visual presentation by identifying the topic and form of the message. Modelled writing
educates students at a young age to write while enhancing their reading abilities by
recognising the connection between the letters they see and sounds the letter makes. It is
required that by the end of year 2, students understand that different texts exchange
similarities through the recognition of text structures and features as they are used to describe
characters or events to convey factual information. According to the AC (2018a, v.8.4), it
requires students in year 2 level to meet the standard achievement for English in Language
students. This requires students to read texts and to use knowledge of letter-sound
relationships while establishing connections between texts. Students should be able to
converse their ideas and experiences using everyday language features and vocabulary related
terms. Fellowes & Oakley (2014) states that as students learn to read and write, they develop
problem-solving skills to assist them from learning a fact to understanding the meaning of a
concept. The intention of utilising the modelled writing strategy is to improve children’s
understanding on their use of punctuation and using punctuation marks correctly. Modelled

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writing provides a significant framework for the development of children in reading,

especially at an early age.

The learning experience that is suitable for modelled writing is that educators could
ask questions to the students in the classroom. Educators must take into consideration of topic
choice to children’s learning to allow children to easily understand the text as they navigate
through. These questions would relate to the guided reading strategy on the topic of Whales
utilised in the learning experience. The resources for this lesson plan would include the edu-
cator, classroom of students, whiteboard, textas, papers and pens for the students for the les-
son to be effective. The educator must take into consideration that the modelled writing les-
son should only be about 15-20 minutes, as young children may not have the longest attention
span. The time of the lesson can be manageable for older students, although if the text is not
completed in one lesson it can continue the following day. The educator’s role in the learning
experience is to ask questions and generate a text about the topic whales on the whiteboard,
so it will allow the children the opportunity to see the strategies used. As mentioned, educa-
tors can incorporate the think aloud method to the students. This provides the children the op-
portunity to see the educator verbalise thinking and model writing on the whiteboard or book,
as well as brainstorm questions about punctuation Fellowes & Oakley, 2014).

The benefits of modelled writing are that students can apply their new skills such as
understanding, spelling, or understanding a range of texts to build their reading and writing
skills. Limitations of modelled writing include students with additional needs will require as-
sistance listening to the educator when modelling guided writing. Another limitation is that
educators must take into consideration is when selecting texts teachers will need to ensure
that the texts are culturally appropriate before providing these texts to the student (Fellowes
& Oakley, 2014).

In conclusion, children’s literacy development is seen significant once they develop

their reading and writing skills in their early years. When educators incorporate reading and
writing skills into students learning, they benefit a great deal out it. This includes children
being able to write, read, listen and speak in many types of contexts. This essay explored
children’s literacy development by looking at reading and writing strategies. The strategies
analysed were guided reading and modelled writing. These strategies were evaluated by
looking at the strengths, limitations, interests and other needs when educators are

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Assessment 2 - Essay

implementing these learning experiences in a school setting. The strategies has evaluated it’s
relationship to children’s literacy development with the suitable curriculum along with other
relevant policy documents.

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References

Australian Curriculum and Assessment Reporting Authority [ACARA]. (2018). F-10

curriculum: English. v.8.4. Retrieved from https://www.australiancurriculum.edu.au/f-
10-curriculum/english/

Australian Curriculum and Assessment Reporting Authority [ACARA]. (2018). F-10

curriculum: Literacy, general capabilities. v.8.4. Retrieved from
https://www.australiancurriculum.edu.au/f-10-curriculum/general-
capabilities/literacy/

Australian Institute for Teaching and School Leadership [AITLS]. (n.d.). Guided Reading.
Retrieved from: <https://www.aitsl.edu.au/tools-resources/resource/guided-reading-il-
lustration-of-practice>

Christie, F. (2005). Language Education in the Primary Years. Sydney: University of New
South Wales Press/University of Washington Press.

Department of Education WA [DEWA]. (2013). Writing map of development: Addressing

current literacy challenges. Retrieved from
http://www.det.wa.edu.au/stepsresources/redirect/?oid=com.arsdigita.cms.content-
types.FileStorageItem-id-13760380&stream_asset=true

Education.vic.gov.au. (2018). Guided Reading. Retrieved from: <http://www.education.vic.-

gov.au/school/teachers/teachingresources/discipline/english/literacy/readingviewing/P
ages/teachingpracguided.aspx#link54>

Fellowes, J., & Oakley, G. (2014). Language, literacy and early childhood education. (2nd
ed). Melbourne, VIC: Oxford University Press.

Hill, S. (2012). Developing early literacy: assessment and teaching (2nd ed.). South Yarra,
Vic. Eleanor Curtain Publishing.

Krashen, S. D. (2004). The Power of Reading: Insights from the Research. (2nd ed.).
Portsmouth, NH: Heinemann.

Scootle.edu.au. (n.d.). Guided Reading. Retrieved from: https://www.scootle.edu.au/

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State Government of Victoria, Department of Education and Training [DET]. (2018). Shared
Reading. Retrieved from
http://www.education.vic.gov.au/school/teachers/teachingresources/discipline/english/
literacy/readingviewing/Pages/teachingpracshared.aspx#link3

State Government of Victoria, Department of Education and Training [DET]. (2018). Guided
Reading. Retrieved from
http://www.education.vic.gov.au/school/teachers/teachingresources/discipline/english/
literacy/readingviewing/Pages/teachingpracguided.aspx

Vygotsky, L. (1978) Mind in Society: the development of higher psychological processes.

Cambridge: Harvard University Press

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