Students with Literacy Difficulties
Scenario
“Thomas was in Year 5 and was 11 but was small for his age, and appeared to have a really bad attitude. He would not complete any tasks and usually acted in class disturbing those who were busy working. After several weeks, Amy realised that she did not have a single piece of written work from Thomas. When Amy tested his reading she was alarmed to discover that he had a reading age of 6.2 years…(Amy) thought how the students seemed to enjoy the books she had read and how they all, including Dale, Thomas and Jack seemed to enjoy singing, role playing, and building volcanoes in their groups.”
Thomas: A student with Literacy Difficulties
When dealing with a student with literacy difficulties, one of the first ways to establish a starting point is to assess their reading age. Amy has already assessed Thomas and discovered that he has a reading age of 6.2 years. The teacher should also assess and analyse all aspects of the student’s literacy skills. Click below for a ‘Student literacy Assessment’ template.
student_literacy_assessment_template.docx | |
File Size: | 60 kb |
File Type: | docx |
Based on Thomas’ reading assessment, he is at the ‘Early alphabetic stage’ of reading according to Konza (2006). It also appears from the information provided, that Thomas is most likely at the ‘Early alphabetic stage’ in relation to his writing as he has not produced a single piece of writing for Amy. In order for a student like Thomas to become a fluent reader and writer, there are a variety of skills that they must develop and master. In order to achieve this fluency in reading and writing, teachers should include learning activities that develop the acquisition of phonological literacy skills required including awareness of words, syllables, onset and rimes, rhyme and intonation (Harris, et al, 2006; Konza, 2006). Specifically, the ‘Alphabetic Principle’ should be a primary focus for Thomas, as is it an integral part of the ‘Early Alphabetic Stage’ (Konza, 2006).
Spelling
For students with literacy difficulties, teachers should incorporate a spelling program like the ‘THRASS Program,’ that explicitly highlights blends and letter patterns. This will assist students with literacy difficulties like Thomas with their spelling and understanding of the ‘Alphabetic Principle.’ A program like the ‘THRASS’ program will also enable students to understand the predictable relationship between phonemes and graphemes so that he can read and write with fluency (Konza, 2006). Spelling should also be taught within the context of meaningful modelled, guided and independent writing situations (Harris, et al, 2007; NSW DET, 1998).
Writing
Essential modelled, guided and independent writing activities should be included to develop students knowledge of text types including their purpose, structure and grammatical features (DET NSW, 2000). Writing activities about nouns, verbs, adjectives and adverbials would also be beneficial to enhance students writing (BOS NSW, 1998). Activities that focus on conjunctions and connectives will assist students to combine simple sentences so that they are able to incorporate compound sentences into his writing (BOS NSW, 1998). Essential to fluency in writing is the ability to clarify meaning and self-correct (DET NSW, 2000). Learning activities Jason completes will require the development and use of this skill. Punctuation should be taught explicitly in a variety of contexts so that students develop their understanding of punctuation conventions and how punctuation affects meaning when reading and writing (NSW DET, 2000).
Reading
Modeled, guided and independent reading activities will be included in order to practise using phonological and graphological cues to decode written texts (BOS NSW, 1998). Activities that focus on high frequency words, sight words and vocabulary should also be incorporated so that students with literacy difficulties becomes familiar with visual patterns associated with words, in order to further enhance their ability to read and write with fluency (Konza, 2006).
Differentiation
With a child like Thomas, the teacher should differentiate the literacy activities to his ability levels in order to remove the anxiety associated with reading and writing and build his confidence (Konza, 2006). It is likely that students like Thomas who are experiencing reading and writing difficulties, have a poor attitude due to their lack of confidence in their ability to read and write (NSW DET, 2007). Teachers will also find that students like Thomas act out in class because they want to avoid completing their work, more than likely because of their lack of confidence (Arthur-Kelly, Lyons, Butterfield & Gordon, 2007). The teacher should also differentiate the learning to the student’s interests because this motivates and engages students in their learning (Brady, 2003). In order to establish their interests, it is a matter of simply asking them what they would enjoy to read or write about. Amy has already discovered that Thomas enjoys singing, role-plays and building volcanoes. It would be beneficial for Thomas if she used these activities in a way that develops Thomas’ literacy skills.
For specific activities to assist students with literacy difficulties, refer to the NSW DET resources titled “Writing and Spelling Strategies: Assisting Students who have additional learning support needs” or see “Programming and Strategies Handbook: Assisting Year 3 and Year 5 students who need additional support in literacy” at http://www.schools.nsw.edu.au/media/downloads/schoolsweb/studentsupport/programs/disabilitypgrms/pshandbook.pdf
Spelling
For students with literacy difficulties, teachers should incorporate a spelling program like the ‘THRASS Program,’ that explicitly highlights blends and letter patterns. This will assist students with literacy difficulties like Thomas with their spelling and understanding of the ‘Alphabetic Principle.’ A program like the ‘THRASS’ program will also enable students to understand the predictable relationship between phonemes and graphemes so that he can read and write with fluency (Konza, 2006). Spelling should also be taught within the context of meaningful modelled, guided and independent writing situations (Harris, et al, 2007; NSW DET, 1998).
Writing
Essential modelled, guided and independent writing activities should be included to develop students knowledge of text types including their purpose, structure and grammatical features (DET NSW, 2000). Writing activities about nouns, verbs, adjectives and adverbials would also be beneficial to enhance students writing (BOS NSW, 1998). Activities that focus on conjunctions and connectives will assist students to combine simple sentences so that they are able to incorporate compound sentences into his writing (BOS NSW, 1998). Essential to fluency in writing is the ability to clarify meaning and self-correct (DET NSW, 2000). Learning activities Jason completes will require the development and use of this skill. Punctuation should be taught explicitly in a variety of contexts so that students develop their understanding of punctuation conventions and how punctuation affects meaning when reading and writing (NSW DET, 2000).
Reading
Modeled, guided and independent reading activities will be included in order to practise using phonological and graphological cues to decode written texts (BOS NSW, 1998). Activities that focus on high frequency words, sight words and vocabulary should also be incorporated so that students with literacy difficulties becomes familiar with visual patterns associated with words, in order to further enhance their ability to read and write with fluency (Konza, 2006).
Differentiation
With a child like Thomas, the teacher should differentiate the literacy activities to his ability levels in order to remove the anxiety associated with reading and writing and build his confidence (Konza, 2006). It is likely that students like Thomas who are experiencing reading and writing difficulties, have a poor attitude due to their lack of confidence in their ability to read and write (NSW DET, 2007). Teachers will also find that students like Thomas act out in class because they want to avoid completing their work, more than likely because of their lack of confidence (Arthur-Kelly, Lyons, Butterfield & Gordon, 2007). The teacher should also differentiate the learning to the student’s interests because this motivates and engages students in their learning (Brady, 2003). In order to establish their interests, it is a matter of simply asking them what they would enjoy to read or write about. Amy has already discovered that Thomas enjoys singing, role-plays and building volcanoes. It would be beneficial for Thomas if she used these activities in a way that develops Thomas’ literacy skills.
For specific activities to assist students with literacy difficulties, refer to the NSW DET resources titled “Writing and Spelling Strategies: Assisting Students who have additional learning support needs” or see “Programming and Strategies Handbook: Assisting Year 3 and Year 5 students who need additional support in literacy” at http://www.schools.nsw.edu.au/media/downloads/schoolsweb/studentsupport/programs/disabilitypgrms/pshandbook.pdf
How does this relate to the National Professional Standards for Teachers?
Standard 1: Know students and how they learn
Focus: Physical, social and intellectual development and characteristics of students
Graduate 1.1.1 Demonstrate knowledge and understanding of physical, social and intellectual development and characteristics of students and how these may affect learning.
Focus: Understand how students learn
Graduate: 1.2.1 Demonstrate knowledge and understanding of research into how students learn and the implications for teaching.
Focus: Differentiate teaching to meet the specific learning needs of students across the full range of abilities
Graduate: 1.5.1 Demonstrate knowledge and understanding of strategies for differentiating teaching to meet the specific learning needs of students across the full range of abilities.
Focus: Physical, social and intellectual development and characteristics of students
Graduate 1.1.1 Demonstrate knowledge and understanding of physical, social and intellectual development and characteristics of students and how these may affect learning.
Focus: Understand how students learn
Graduate: 1.2.1 Demonstrate knowledge and understanding of research into how students learn and the implications for teaching.
Focus: Differentiate teaching to meet the specific learning needs of students across the full range of abilities
Graduate: 1.5.1 Demonstrate knowledge and understanding of strategies for differentiating teaching to meet the specific learning needs of students across the full range of abilities.