SAMPLE LEARNING ZONES

Learning Zones: What do these look like?

Open, creative spaces where children experience learning through play

Play is creative, purposeful, focused, fun and engaging

Areas where students are introduced to and can explore curriculum concepts and resources

Safe places where students can think, ask questions and problem-solve

How do these zones promote literacy learning? o Students’ natural motivation to play promotes their oral language through sharing,

pretending, problem-solving, imitating, practicing, … o Students’ vocabularies grow o Students explore and read related texts within zones o Students write for authentic reasons within zones

Assessment o Observing and listening with anecdotal notes

o Talking with students

Meeting Area: What does this look like? A separate, inviting meeting area (easel, portable white board,

document camera, interactive white board, …)

Access to resources such as: picture books, wordless picture books, mentor texts, digital texts, charts, poems, writing samples, images, …

What happens here? Whole group explicit instruction

A sense of community is built

Reflection and sharing

Teachers instruction: modeling / thinking aloud; reading aloud; co-constructing anchor charts; focus/mini lessons; shared reading, shared writing

Opportunities for students to share and discuss: ideas for writing, pictures and pieces of writing, what they are learning, books they are enjoying, how they are problem-solving, …

Small Group Instruction Area: What does this look like?

Organized space for differentiated instruction, where the teacher can work with a small group of students with similar needs

Resources: multiple copies of leveled text, magnetic letters, mini white boards, easels, chart paper, magnetic letters, writing materials, assessment materials, …

What happens here? Concepts are taught and reinforced with small groups or individuals through

planned, focused lessons

Students can share background knowledge, problem-solving strategies, ideas for writing, learning goals, …

Sometimes may be used by other adults who support learners

Classroom Library: What does it look like?

Classroom Library – arranged by topic, genre, authors, browsing bins, just right books, front covers facing students when possible, etc...

Collection of materials that students use to practice reading – pointers, reading glasses, word swatters, alone phones, etc…

Organized and labeled so that students have easy access to materials

Creatively and attractively displayed What happens here?

Students choose texts to read independently or with a buddy

Visual Supports to Enhance Student Learning What do these look like? Large accessible print, such as pocket charts, visual schedules, calendar, days of the week, co-constructed anchor charts, interactive word

walls of high frequency words, familiar poems, purposeful labels of classroom spaces, objects, etc., alphabet charts, name walls (students’ names ordered alphabetically), wall stories, charts of words and concepts about specific topics, …

What happens here? Students and teachers interact with visual supports through various learning experiences

* Writing Centre: What does it look like? Collection of materials that students use to write

Materials include –variety of paper (lined, unlined, coloured, newsprint, construction paper, pre-made blank booklets), markers, crayons, pencils, erasers, pens, gel pens, stamps, stickers, staplers, scissors, …

Organized so that students have easy access to materials

What happens here? Students choose materials they need for their writing

Students collaboratively share thoughts and ideas about writing Seating:

Seating that encourages talk, , cooperation, and small group interactions

Variety of other seating spaces to facilitate private reading, thinking, writing, talking with a partner or in a small group (rocking chairs, bean-bag chairs, benches, mats, cushions, learning carpets, …)

Play nourishes every aspect of children’s development – it forms the foundation of

intellectual, social, physical, and emotional skills necessary for success in school and in life.

Canadian Council on Learning

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WWhheenn cchhiillddrreenn aarree ppllaayyiinngg,, cchhiillddrreenn aarree lleeaarrnniinngg..

Discovery – resources that encourage exploration, wondering,

investigation and discovery: magnifying glasses, sand and

water, aquariums, clip boards, related texts about discovery, …

Family Living –resources that resemble those of every-day life:

kitchen, laundry, puppets, dress-up clothes, related

texts about home and family, …

Construction – resources that promote

construction and problem solving: blocks, lego, other

construction materials, related texts about

construction, …

Creative Expression – resources that support

creative expression: easels, paint, markers, paper, craft

materials, clay, …

* Writing Centre part of the this zone

What the teacher is doing o Purposefully plan to ensure learning is

connected to curriculum outcomes and responsive to students’ needs and interests

o Nurture positive relationships amongst students, family, school and community

o Know the whole child (social, emotional, cultural, academic, physical)

o Assess students’ learning (FOR and OF) o Design learning experiences to meet

students’ differentiated needs o Model, demonstrate, monitor, guide,

prompt, facilitate children’s playful learning experiences

o Set the tone for working and learning together

o Scaffold students’ learning to ensure their success (e.g., introduce relevant vocabulary)

o Ensure that there are books and other texts in all learning zones

o Explicitly teach routines and procedures

What the students are doing o Talking, making choices, collaborating,

cooperating, problem-solving, exploring, discovering, sharing, investigating, questioning, wondering, turn-taking, …

o Observing and listening with checklists

o Pictures and video-clips

CCllaassssrroooomm EEnnvviirroonnmmeenntt Learning is facilitated when students have a rich, stimulating environment that encourages

interaction, exploration, and investigation. P-3 ELA Guide Draft 2014

What does this look like? Culturally responsive where students’ lives and prior experiences are reflected and valued in all aspects of learning Flexible spaces for a variety of purposes Flexible arrangement of furniture that encourages talk and collaboration Easy access to the learning resources students need for their learning Print rich (interactive word wall, anchor charts, books, classroom library, wall stories, …)

What happens here? Reading, writing, conversations, quiet work, dance and movement, … Students’ learning is nurtured in developmentally appropriate ways Relationships of trust are nurtured Students take risks, offer opinions, and learn about things that are important to them

PP--11

LAUNCHING LEARNING THROUGH ORAL LANGUAGE

READING WORKSHOP

Assessment for and of Learning

Prior to Instruction During Instruction and Practice

Experiences After Instruction

~ through the application of differentiated assessment practices ~ Purpose:

To determine students strengths and needs at the beginning of the year, term, unit if study, …

To identify appropriate starting points for instruction

How:

Analysis of Records of Oral Reading (running records) for accuracy, fluency and comprehension

Conferring with students

Observing with anecdotal note taking or checklists

Assessments such as: concepts about print, letter identification, word recognition, phonological/ phonemic awareness, …

Purpose:

To monitor students’ changing strengths and needs

To determine next steps for instruction with an awareness of the stages of reading development (Emergent, Early, Transitional)

To provide descriptive, corrective and immediate feedback

To co-construct and monitor learning goals

How:

Analyses of anecdotal records of conversation/talk about reading (e.g., book partnerships, turn and talk, reflection and sharing)

Comprehension checks

Spot check/check in (e.g., stamina, fluency, text selection)

Conferring with immediate descriptive, corrective feedback

Anecdotal records of observations during guided reading/small group instruction, and independent practice

Purpose:

To determine evidence of growth

To summarize students’ achievement of learning at the end of a term or unit of study

To identify next steps for instruction

How:

Analyses of records of oral reading / running records with reference to learning goals (including accuracy, fluency and comprehension)

Conferring with immediate, descriptive and corrective feedback

Reading Workshop for P-1 ~ instilling a love of reading ~ ~

Key Instructional Focuses

Routines and procedures

Print carries a message

Concepts about print

Letter/sound relationships

Sources of Information (meaning, structure, visual)

Word-solving/reading strategies

Comprehension strategies

Reading fluently

Elements of fiction, non-fiction, poetry

Gradually building stamina

Word study/vocabulary

Time to Teach – What’s Happening?

Teacher: Conducting focus/mini Lessons

Sharing instructional focus/learning target with students

Modelling/thinking aloud

Reading aloud

Facilitating anchor chart co-construction

Engaging students in shared reading

Leading interactive read alouds

Time to Practice – What’s Happening?

Students: Practicing reading daily

Engaging in reading like behaviors

Applying strategies taught

Choosing and reading ‘just right’ texts

Offering ideas for anchor charts

Gradually building stamina

Reading a variety of texts

Talking about texts

Reading with a partner

Reading around the room

Role playing

Engaging in literacy centres

Time to Share and Reflect – What’s Happening?

Students: Knee-to knee / whole class sharing about:

Personal opinions about books

Successes

Problem-solving on text

Their reading goals

Routines and procedures

Sharing whole class, knee-to- knee, …

WRITING WORKSHOP

Assessment for and of Learning Prior to Instruction

During Instruction and Practice Experiences

After Instruction

~ through the application of differentiated assessment practices~ Purpose:

To determine students’ strengths and needs at the beginning of the year, term, unit of study, …

To identify appropriate starting points for instruction How:

Analyses of authentic writing samples using rubrics, continuums, checklists

Conferring with students

Observing with anecdotal note taking or checklists

Purpose:

To monitor students’ changing strengths and needs

To determine next steps for instruction with an awareness of the writing developmental stages (Emergent, Early, Transitional)

To provide descriptive, corrective and immediate feedback to students

To co-construct and monitor learning goals

How:

Listening to students talk about writing – (e.g., turn and talk, reflection and sharing)

Spot check/check in

Conferring with immediate descriptive, corrective feedback

Anecdotal records of observations during guided writing/small group instruction and independent practice

Purpose:

To determine evidence of growth

To summarize students’ achievement of learning at the end of a term, unit of study, …

To identify next steps for instruction

How:

Analyses of several, authentic writing samples, with reference to learning goals (using rubrics, continuums, checklists)

Analyses of anecdotal records of observations during guided writing/small group instruction, and independent practice

Conferring with immediate, descriptive and corrective feedback

Writing Workshop for P-1 ~ instilling a passion for writing ~

Key Instructional Focuses

Print carries a message

Consider audience and purpose

Write in different genres

Concepts about print

Letter/sound relationships

Writing fluently

Gradually build stamina

Apply traits of writing

Writers’ craft

Letter formation

Using text features

Conventions

Time to Teach – What’s Happening?

Teacher: Conducting focus/mini Lessons

Sharing instructional focus/learning target with students

Modelling/thinking aloud

Facilitating shared writing

Engaging students in interactive writing

Co-constructing anchor charts

Using mentor texts

Time to Practice – What’s Happening?

Students: Writing daily

Making decisions about topics

Applying strategies taught

Gradually building stamina

Talking about writing

Writing with a partner

Choosing writing materials

Participating in literacy centres Time to Share and Reflect – What’s Happening?

Students: Knee-to knee / whole class sharing about:

Successes (e.g., author’s chair)

Problem-solving about their writing

their writing goals

Giving feedback to others about their writing

Routines and procedures

Oral Language Opportunities – Reading Related

To talk about their understanding of a variety of texts

To support their thinking with evidence

To talk about favorite books and authors

To use new vocabulary

To confer with peers or teacher To reflect personally or critically To chime in with expression

To alk about reading goals

Oral Language Opportunities – Writing Related

To talk about their ideas before writing

To talk about words used in writing

To share their writing To talk about authors’ craft in mentor texts

To confer with peers or teacher

To compliment and ask questions

To talk about writing goals

Oral Language Opportunities throughout the day

Casual talking

Asking questions

Problem-solving

Sharing ideas

Making decisions

Role-playing

Experimenting with new vocabulary

Assessment of Oral Language

- Observing and listening with

anecdotal note-taking and checklists (e.g., whole / small group experiences, through play, Literacy Centres, during share and reflection, ...)

Video-clips of student interaction

Talking with students

Engage Students in Oral Language Experiences:

To create a community

To explore and extend ideas

To clarify understandings

To reflect on thoughts, feelings and experiences

To take risks

To extend vocabulary To wonder and ask questions

To confidently share ideas and opinions

To participate in conversations

To listen attentively and respectfully

To listen critically

To follow instructions and directions

WORD STUDY WITHIN READING

Key Instructional Focuses:

patterns within words (e.g., onset, rime, inflectional endings, vowels)

phonemic awareness

vocabulary development

high frequency words

word solving strategies Authentic Student Experiences in Reading Workshop, including Literacy Centres: • transfer strategies in daily reading • making words activities • word sorts • making connections between words and

identifying common patterns • discuss word meanings • word hunts (not word searches) around the room

and in independent reading texts • reading morning messages, big books, charts,

poems, chants, …

WORD STUDY WITHIN WRITING

Key Instructional Focuses:

Temporary spelling through risk-taking

Hearing and recording beginning, ending, and medial sounds

Patterns within words (e.g., onset, rime, inflectional endings, vowels)

Increasing the conventional spelling of high frequency words

Authentic Student Experiences in Writing Workshop, including Literacy Centres:

transferring strategies to daily writing

stretching out sounds in words finding words using available resources (e.g., word

wall, anchor charts, technology, labels)

co-constructing morning message with teacher engaging in interactive writing

WORKSHOP MODEL IN GRADE PRIMARY & ONE

Teacher: Prompting and facilitating

meaningful, focused talk

Teaching and guiding effective sharing

Students: thinking together

listening actively

chiming in

turning and talking sharing understandings

Teacher: Leading small group instruction

and conferring

Observing and Assessing (record of oral reading / running records)

Students: thinking together

listening actively

generating ideas

sharing the pen

turning and talking

Teacher: Leading small group instruction and

conferring

Observing with anecdotal note taking or checklists

Checking in and providing on-the-spot feedback

Teacher: Prompting and facilitating

meaningful, focused talk

Teaching and guiding effective sharing

TIME TO TEACH

(I DO)

TIME TO REFLECT &

SHARE

TIME TO PRACTICE

(WE DO, YOU DO…)