Reading Comprehension Strategies in a Middle Years setting.

Analysing data is vital in the development and implementation of new ideas and strategies to make our students succeed. We use data to evaluate learning and teaching, identify interventions and modify teaching practice.

Through studying National Testing data (NAPLAN) it was evident that Mark Oliphant College Middle Years students, were not meeting benchmark levels for reading comprehension.

Consequently, I have written a reading comprehension program (Reading Warm Up) to be used throughout the college from 2016 onwards. Reading warm ups focus heavily on three types of comprehension questions, literal, inferential and evaluative. Like all warm ups, the activities are fast-paced, curriculum driven and centred on maximum participation.

Lately I have been working heavily with year 8 and 9 teachers to apply these strategies in their classroom.

Proficient Standards

1.1 Physical, social and intellectual development and characteristics of students Use teaching strategies based on knowledge of students’ physical, social and intellectual development and characteristics to improve student learning.

1.2 Understand how students learn Structure teaching programs using research and collegial advice about how students learn.

1.3 Students with diverse linguistic, cultural, religious and socioeconomic backgrounds Design and implement teaching strategies that are responsive to the learning strengths and needs of students from diverse linguistic, cultural, religious and socioeconomic backgrounds.

1.4 Strategies for teaching Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students Design and implement effective teaching strategies that are responsive to the local community and cultural setting, linguistic background and histories of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students.

1.5 Differentiate teaching to meet the specific learning needs of students across the full range of abilities Develop teaching activities that incorporate differentiated strategies to meet the specific learning needs of students across the full range of abilities. 1.6 Strategies to support full participation of students with disability Design and implement teaching activities that support the participation and learning of students with disability and address relevant policy and legislative requirements.

2.1 Content and teaching strategies of the teaching area Apply knowledge of the content and teaching strategies of the teaching area to develop engaging teaching activities. 2.2 Content selection and organisation Organise content into coherent, well­sequenced learning and teaching programs.

2.3 Curriculum, assessment and reporting Design and implement learning and teaching programs using knowledge of curriculum, assessment and reporting requirements.

2.5 Literacy and numeracy strategies Apply knowledge and understanding of effective teaching strategies to support students’ literacy and numeracy achievement. 2.6 Information and Communication Technology (ICT) Use effective teaching strategies to integrate ICT into learning and teaching programs to make selected content relevant and meaningful.

3.2 Plan, structure and sequence learning programs Plan and implement wellstructured learning and teaching programs or lesson sequences that engage students and promote learning.

3.3 Use teaching strategies Select and use relevant teaching strategies to develop knowledge, skills, problem solving and critical and creative thinking.

3.4 Select and use resources Select and/or create and use a range of resources, including ICT, to engage students in their learning.

5.4 Interpret student data Use student assessment data to analyse and evaluate student understanding of subject/content, identifying interventions and modifying teaching practice.