GLT Reflection

GLT Reflection

• What did students learn and which students struggled with the lesson? 

Students learned that some words have the same initial sounds and that we can hear these sounds when we say the word aloud. Students also learned that by paying attention to the key details of the story, we are able to retell the story by acting it out. Most students understood these concepts. The few that did struggle were students that have a hard time focusing for longer periods of time.

• What are alternate reads (interpretations) of your students’ performance or products? 

The majority of students were able to participate in the retelling of the story by stating which part would come next in a sequence of events in the story. This demonstrated that the students were engaged in the shared reading and were comprehending the key details of the text.

• What did you learn about your students’ literacy practices that extend beyond your objectives?

Most students were able to hear the initial sounds as being separate from the rest of the word and therefore were able to identify words with like initial sounds in the activity. Students needed less support here than I had originally intended, which extends beyond my objectives for the lesson.

• When and how will you re-teach the material to students who need additional support? 

The main concepts of the lessons that were taught this week will come up again in this coming week’s activities that I have planned. Students will be exposed to these ideas again and be given an opportunity to practice using the skills involved. If needed, I will pull aside individual students that may be struggling and work with them one-on-one.

• If you were to teach this same lesson again, what would you do differently and how do you think the changes would improve students’ learning? 

I would extend it by having more word pairs as well as longer words (multisyllabic) for students to try in the initial sound activity. I would also pull sticks to randomly choose students to participate, not just select students that are raising their hands to share their thoughts.

• What did you learn so far about implementing your ‘core practice’ and what do you need to do to continue your professional learning?

I have learned that students see the value of thinking aloud while reading, and are showing a beginning understanding of strategies to help support thinking aloud while reading. Different types and genres of books besides the fictional narratives that I have read aloud so far may lend themselves better and make it easier for students to use/practice certain strategies.