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In the Classroom

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literacy

Dean Butler – St. Augustine’s Primary School

LiteracyWodonga, Victoria

Teacher interview
Classroom video
Classroom video with commentary
Professional learning
Lesson resources

Teacher interview

Hear directly from the teacher to understand their teaching approach and methods.

Dean Butler, literacy leader and primary school teacher, demonstrates the teaching of synthetic phonics, a systematic and explicit approach aimed to improve students’ phonemic awareness, phonics, fluency, comprehension and vocabulary skills within a Year 3/4 literacy lesson.

Dean implements a diverse range of learning activities that consolidates students’ prior knowledge whilst introducing new challenges that aim to expand on core literacy concepts. In supporting student learning, Dean creates an engaging learning environment through the use of visual teaching tools such as sound pack cards, individual whiteboards and ‘finger spelling’ that promotes student voice and agency in their learning.

The strategic use of teaching tools enables Dean to check for student understanding, gathering observations to determine which students may require additional support or to arrange a learning intervention in small groups or individually in consolidating their knowledge.

Watch the teacher interview video with Joe Quinn, Principal and Dean Butler who unpack their whole-school approach to improving student literacy, focusing on evidence-based practices and gathering assessment data to inform their direction.

Joe and Dean share their insights on using an explicit instruction model that assists teachers in their understanding of teaching literacy concepts.

Classroom video

Go inside the classroom to watch complete video footage of the lesson.

Chapters

Classroom video with commentary

Go inside the classroom to watch video footage with audio commentary from the teacher.

Chapters

Professional learning

Discussion questions

What strategies does the teacher use to check for student understanding throughout the lesson?
How can you integrate simple strategies for differentiation throughout your literacy teaching?
What evidence did you see of students building on their prior learning?

Teacher Standards focus areas 1.1, 1.2, 2.5

Graduate

Focus area 1.1: Physical, social and intellectual development and characteristics of students
Demonstrate knowledge and understanding of physical, social and intellectual development and characteristics of students and how these may affect learning.
Focus area 1.2: Understand how students learn
Demonstrate knowledge and understanding of research into how students learn and the implications for teaching.
Focus area 2.5: Literacy and numeracy strategies
Know and understand literacy and numeracy teaching strategies and their application in teaching areas.

Proficient

Focus area 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.
Focus area 1.2: Understand how students learn
Structure teaching programs using research and collegial advice about how students learn.
Focus area 2.5: Literacy and numeracy strategies
Apply knowledge and understanding of effective teaching strategies to support students’ literacy and numeracy achievement.

Highly Accomplished

Focus area 1.1: Physical, social and intellectual development and characteristics of students
Select from a flexible and effective repertoire of teaching strategies to suit the physical, social and intellectual development and characteristics of students.
Focus area 1.2: Understand how students learn
Expand understanding of how students learn using research and workplace knowledge.
Focus area 2.5: Literacy and numeracy strategies
Support colleagues to implement effective teaching strategies to improve students’ literacy and numeracy achievement.

Lead

Focus area 1.1: Physical, social and intellectual development and characteristics of students
Lead colleagues to select and develop teaching strategies to improve student learning using knowledge of the physical, social and intellectual development and characteristics of students.
Focus area 1.2: Understand how students learn
Lead processes to evaluate the effectiveness of teaching programs using research and workplace knowledge about how students learn.
Focus area 2.5: Literacy and numeracy strategies
Monitor and evaluate the implementation of teaching strategies within the school to improve students’ achievement in literacy and numeracy using research-based knowledge and student data.

Resources from Dean's lesson

Student sample work prior to teacher instruction

Student 1 work prior instruction (.pdf)

Student 2 work prior instruction (.pdf)

Student 3 work prior instruction (.pdf)

Student 4 work prior instruction (.pdf)

Student sample work following teacher instruction

Student 1 work following instruction (.pdf)

Student 2 work following instruction (.pdf)

Student 3 work following instruction (.pdf)

Student 4 work following instruction (.pdf)

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