Teacher Refresher Course

Teacher Inquiry Plan

...effective pedagogy requires that teachers inquire into the impact of their teaching on
their students. NZ Curriculum, P35

NZC p.35

Focusing Inquiry (establishes a baseline and a direction). The teacher uses all available information to determine what their students
have already learned and what they need to learn next.

Teaching Inquiry
The teacher uses evidence from research and from their own past practice and that of colleagues to plan teaching and learning
opportunities aimed at achieving the outcomes prioritised in the focusing inquiry.

Learning Inquiry
The teacher investigates the success of the teaching in terms of the prioritised outcomes, using a range of assessment approaches.
(This occurs...) while learning activities are in progress and also as longer-term sequences or units of work come to an end.
(Teachers...) then analyse and interpret the information to consider what they should do next.

Using the Teaching as Inquiry process to inquire into the impact of teaching on students.
NZ Curriculum p.35.
Teacher/Group/Syndicate: Mrs. L

Room

Date:

Focusing Inquiry: What is important, and therefore worth spending time on, given where my students are at?

Based on evidence
I noticed that many students in this class were having difficulty in understanding and interpreting information
accurately when presented with maths word problems. Analysis of the e-asTTle reading data showed that
most students were reading at level 4P and five students were reading at level 3B/3P of the curriculum.
I also noticed that most students were able to use the correct algebraic skills and reasonable number
knowledge to solve simple mathematical equations. However, when the mathematical problem was presented
as a word problem, most students did not know where to begin to solve the problem. Also, I have noticed that
most students were having difficulties with explaining important features of the findings and reasoning process:
the explanation was too simple, repetitive and deficient of academic and subject- specific vocabulary. I
hypothesized that issue might be due to factors such as:
Students did not have prior knowledge of context;
Students had a limited vocabulary, including terminology;
Students had poor knowledge and/or skills of using variety of sentence structure.
In order to test these hypotheses, I interviewed targeted students informally and found there was evidence for
each. For example, students said they much preferred doing the mathematical equations than when it was
presented in words as I get stuck on some words I havent seen tem before, some words just confuse me,
so I do not know where to start, Just dont know how to explain it, Dont know how you call it. The targeted
students could not articulate any strategies they used to help them identify the key words apart from
underlining the numbers which only a few articulated.
Having analysed the e-asTTle data and group learning pathways report, observation and students interview
results, I identified understanding and identifying information accurately as the highest learning needs for this
group.
Student Profiles: What do you know about these students? What are students saying about their learning?

STUDENT 1

Neti, Year 9, current achievement level 3B (curriculum expectation 4A) expected achievement level by
the end of the school year 5B. Neti is a Priority Learner as he is ESOL and Pasifica student.
Neti is 14 years old Samoan boy. Neti has been living in NZ with his family for six years. His parents do not
speak English very well and they speak Samoan at home. He is the youngest in the family: he has 3 older
brothers. Although Neti has a computer at home, he does not always have access to it as the elder brothers
have a priority. His interests are sports: he plays rugby at school. He likes singing with friends. Neti loves
animals: he has two dogs and three cats. He has a lot of friends at school.
Neti has difficulty concentrating and completing work (consider variety and lengths of activities), discerning key
concepts when reading or listening (consider visual concept maps) and poor writing mechanicsspelling,
proofreading (consider vocabulary learning: word cluster, voc grid and etc).
Learns best in highly structured settings: prefers structured tasks. Although he very often distracts other
students, he benefits from work with peers. Normally Neti listens to the teachers feedback. However, he does
not always understand how to act on feedback to improve his work (consider self-assessment, setting S.C. by
himself, step by step: now I know how). Needs lots of praise and encouragement, otherwise could be easily
discouraged.

Student 2.
Shepherd, Year 9, current achievement level 3B (curriculum expectation 4A), expected achievement
level by the end of the school year 5B. Shepherd is a Priority Learner as he is a Pasifika student.
Shepherd is a 14 yr. old Samoan boy from a family of three. He has two elder brothers. His father is the only
one working for the family. Although he was born in NZ, he speaks Samoan at home. He is a kind boy, likes to
spend time with peers, and has lots of friends. Shepherd has a computer at home, but it seems that he does
not use it use for learning purposes mainly to play games. He enjoys any kind of sports, but he is especially
good at playing rugby. He is a member of school rugby team. Shepherd also likes fishing with his dad and the
eldest brother.
Shepherd could be a good leader if he is motivated. Although he has a low expectation of success, he would
like to be successful in academics. However, his concern that he might fail in front of peers creates anxiety and
barrier for progressions. Shepherd has poor reading skills: one of the reasons is very limited academic
vocabulary, word recognition and decoding (consider vocabulary learning: word cluster, voc grid and etc).
Gives up easily, difficulty seeking relevant information (consider R.A.P.). The pattern of his learning style
suggests that Shepherd is a visual and hands-on learner. His advantage is very good memory for what he
hears (when he is listening). Does best in individual or small group learning environment.
Student 3
Api, Year 9, current achievement level 3B (curriculum expectation 4A), expected achievement level by
the end of the school year 5B. Api is a Priority Learner as he is ESOL and Pasifica student .
Api is a 1 4yr. old from Tonga. Api has been living in NZ with his family for two years. His parents do not speak
English very well and they speak Tongan dialect at home. He is the only child in the family. He gets full support
from his family in his educational challenges. He is very good-natured. He is friendly and gets on well with
peers. Api is confident with computers and other digital devices. He has a computer at home, and i-Pad. He is
interested in sport, music, but his passion is religion. He has a strong view about Christianity.
He is a hard worker and spends a lot of time studying. Sometimes he has more difficulty when he is overtired.
Trouble completing work. Poor self-monitoring skills (consider self-assessment, setting S.C. by himself, step by
step: now I know how). He has a tendency to literal interpretation. Api has positive attitude towards feedback.
However, he is not good at making use of it. Api has a great difficulty in remembering, retaining and recalling
information (consider a visual concept map showing links as the topic builds up and refer to it to aid recall each
lesson; ask to draw and develop his own memory maps and to talk them through with a partner; card sorts to
prompt his memory).
Learns best in highly structured settings with minimal distractions. Although he is a very independent worker,
he benefits from work with peers.
Student 4.
Toma, Year 9, current achievement level 3P (curriculum expectation 4A), expected achievement level
by the end of the school year 5B. Toma is a Priority Learner as he is a Pasifica student.
Toma is a 14 yr. old Samoan boy from a family of five. He speaks Samoan at home. He is from very religious
family. Toma also has a large extended family and a lot of elder cousins he spends time with. He is especially
closed to his parents. Toma is very social and wants to be friends with everyone. He enjoys sports and singing
with mates.

His weaknesses are poor memory for spoken information and poor skills in finding important information
(consider a visual concept map, trash and treasure). He has hard time staying on task: looses focus, distracts
other students.
Strengths: Toma is very good observer, flexible and adaptable student. He is quite good at interpretation of
graphs/charts and oral presentation.
His learning pattern suggests that having him use his strengths as well as his verbal language skills when
processing is beneficial but only when he is truly listens to what is being discussed. Does best in group
learning environment (consider keep him busy).
Student 5.
Mesui, Year 9, current achievement level 3P (curriculum expectation 4A), expected achievement level
by the end of the school year 5B. Mesui is a Priority Learner as he is a Pasifica student.
Mesui is 14 years old Tongan boy from the family of six. His father is the only working member of the family.
Mesui helps his mother a lot around the house and takes care of his two younger brothers. He is kind, very
good-natured boy. Mesui likes to be friendly with peers and has lots of friends at school. He is involved with
sport activities at school and seems to enjoy it. He likes fishing with his eldest brother.
His weaknesses: - Difficulty discerning key concepts when reading or listening;
- Afraid to take risks;
- Trouble prioritising;
- Difficulty with abstract ideas such as numbers and math concepts.
His strengths:
- Works well in collaborative groups;
- Could be persistent if motivated;
- Organised;
- Flexible and adaptive learner.
Mesui learn best with a lot of structure and benefits from work with peers/small groups.

Aspects of reading that need to be developed:

Toma, Mesui: Current level 3P.
Neti, Shepherd, Api: Current level 3B. These students show signs that they work towards level 3.
Progression indicators
Level 3. When students at this level read,
respond to, and think critically about texts, they:
Monitor their reading for accuracy and sense,
demonstrating that they have the confidence to
adjust their reading (e.g., by varying the speed of
reading, by rereading, and by attending to the
most important information) when they encounter
difficulties;
Understand how they select from and use their
repertoire of comprehension strategies, which
include comprehension strategies which include:
- Making connections to their prior
knowledge and the concrete examples in
a text in order to understand abstract

Students can / need to learn:

Current level 3B / 3P. They can:
Monitor and adjust their reading for accuracy and
sense when they get stuck.
Understand how to select from and use some
comprehension strategies which include:
- Making connections (I can use what I
know to help me understand the text);
- Locating and summarising
(I sometimes can locate and summarise
ideas by skimming and scanning but do
not know which technique to use in
particular tasks to serve the purpose, by
identifying key words if they dont
confuse me, topic sentences, and key

ideas in the text;

Locating and summarising
(e.g., by skimming and scanning, or by
using subheadings);
- Drawing on several related items of
information in order to infer ideas and
information that are not directly stated in
the text;
- Evaluating and integrating ideas and
information across a small range texts.
Regular read for sustained periods and sustain
meaning over many days in longer texts (such as
novels) and across a variety of texts on the same
topic;
Identify and reflect on writers purposes and on
the ways in which writers use language and
ideas to suit their purposes (e.g., by using
vocabulary to set a scene or develop a mood).
-

questions if I understand them, or by

using subheadings);
- Infer (I can use several pieces of
information to make inferences;
- Evaluating and integrating (I can evaluate
and integrate ideas and information
across a few texts.
Read longer tests for longer time frames and
remember what they have read over days and
across different texts on the same topic.
Can identify and talk about writers purposes and
on the ways they use language and ideas to suit
their purposes (e.g., by using vocabulary to set a
scene or develop a mood).

They draw on knowledge and skills that include:

Decoding the text fluently and accurately, using a
range of reliable strategies;
Finding and learning the meanings of unknown
vocabulary by using strategies such as applying
their knowledge of how words work or seeking
explanation in the text or in illustrations;
Understanding that words and phrases can have
figurative as well as literal meanings and that
some words have different meanings depending
on the context;
Recognising basic grammatical constructions
and understanding how these affect meaning;
Identify the specific language features and
structures of many common continuous and noncontinuous text types (including mixed text
types);
Interpreting illustrations, photographs, text boxes,
diagrams, maps, charts, and graphs.

They draw on knowledge and skills that include:

they can
Decode texts fluently and accurately, using some
strategies;
Find and learn the meanings of unknown
vocabulary by applying their knowledge of how
words work or seeking explanation in the text or
in illustrations;
Understand that words and phrases can have
figurative as well as literal meanings and that
some words have different meanings depending
on the context;
Recognise basic grammar and understand how
these affect meaning;
Identify the specific language features and
structures of many common text types;
Interpret illustrations, photographs, text boxes
and sometimes diagrams, maps, charts, and
graphs.

Level 5. When students at this level read,

respond to, and think critically about texts, they:

To get to the expected level 5B by the end of the

Term 4 they need to learn:

Use appropriate skills and technologies to locate

and use a range of texts for specific purposes;
Increasingly control a repertoire of
comprehension strategies that they can use
flexibly and draw on when they know they are
comprehending fully, including such strategies
such as:
- Using their prior knowledge, along with
information in the text, to interpret
abstract ideas, complex plots, and
sophisticated themes;
- Identifying and resolving issues arising
from competing information in texts;
- Gathering, evaluating, and synthesising
information across a small range of texts;
- Identifying and evaluating writers

A variety of skills and technologies that can help

them to find and use a range of texts for specific
purposes;
A wide range of comprehension strategies to
help them understand text such as how to:
- Link prior knowledge to a new knowledge
(use prior knowledge);
- Skim and scan text for information,
identify key words, topic sentences, and
key questions and use subheadings
(locating and summarising);
- Think critically when looking at competing
information in texts or from different texts
(Identifying and resolving issues);
- Reproduce information from own
perspective (gathering, evaluating, and

purposes and on the ways in which

writers use language and ideas to suit
their purposes;
Apply some criteria to evaluate texts (e.g.,
accuracy of information; presence of bias).

synthesising information);
Identify and evaluate by considering how
writers have used structure and
language, particular words to meet the
purpose;
1. Create and use criteria to evaluate texts.

They draw on knowledge and skills that include:

Decoding texts with such automaticity that they
do not need to decode all words;
Working out more complex, irregular, and/or
ambiguous words by using strategies such as
inferring unknown from the known;
Recognising and understanding the features and
structures of a wide variety of continuous and
non-continuous text types and text forms;
Recognising and understanding a variety of
grammatical constructions and rhetorical patterns
(e.g., cause and effect; comparing and
contrasting);
Making links across the text by recognising
connectives or adverbial clauses;
Using their growing academic and contentspecific vocabulary to understand texts;
Interpreting metaphor, analogy, and connotative
language.

They need to learn:

A variety of decoding strategies and different
ways to select an appropriate one;
A wide range of techniques including inferring to
work out more complex, irregular, and/or
ambiguous words;
A range of features and structures of different
text types and forms;
A variety of grammatical constructions and
rhetorical patterns such as cause and effect;
comparing and contrasting;
A wide range of connectives, conjunctions, and
adverbial clauses;
Academic and content-specific vocabulary for
language development;
A wide variety of language features such as
metaphor, onomatopoeia, and simile;
Different ways of drawing analogies and
interpreting connotative language.

Outcomes: What are the achievement targets and time frames? (Short and long term.)
Target
Children

Year Level 9

Term 1

Neti

Term 2

Term 3

Term 4
At N/Standard

3B

5B

3B
5

5B

Api

3B

5B

Toma

3P

5B

Mesui

3P

5B

Shepherd

3B

I do understand that assuming they will improve to the expected curriculum level 5B is a bit out of reach.
However, by taking full advantage of their effectual strengths such as positive attitude towards learning,
feedback, and inclination to work in pairs/small groups and involving them in self-monitoring and assessment
processes, it is likely that the boys will show some progress during two weeks of my practicum.

Monitoring. What available information do you have to determine what students have already learned and need to learn next? How will
you monitor this?

I will be recording and tracking results for areas of improvement through the range of informal assessments.
I will gather from and discuss with other teachers information of students reading to look for improvements
made and to address any areas of concern.
Personal learning goals and learning plan will be discussed and set collaboratively with individual students.

I will be observing and interviewing students about whether they progress according to the learning plan. We
will revise goals as needed.
I will discuss with other teachers to get their opinion on the students progression.
I will gather students voice to monitor the effectiveness of reading strategies and feeding back to the students
about collective learning in regards to the reading strategies.
I will require students to keep literacy log and regularly discuss their progression with them and their parents.
Teaching and Learning
Strategies / Deliberate acts of teaching
What will you do to help students achieve the outcomes?

Over the course of Probability unit, I worked to

improve students ability to read mathematical word
problems. The areas identified for improvement
included:
Increasing the number of opportunities students
had for solving problems collaboratively in
groups;
Supporting groups to be very structured with
explicit reading strategies:
R.A.P.,
Break it down:
- Break it into smaller bits;
- Highlight important information,
including keywords in a question;
- Find what they are asking you to do;
Big picture: look for the big picture before you
read it all.
- What is it about?
- What are the clues titles, headings,
expressions, and labels?
Make notes:
- Annotate what you read;
Visualise it:
- Picture the parts of the question in your
mind or draw it on some paper;
Modelling explicit reading strategies that were to
be used in the group work, R.A.P.:
1. Read the problem carefully.
2. Ask three questions:
- What do we have to find out?
- What do we know?
- How will we do it?
3. Paraphrase put it in your own words and
solve it.
Modelling explicit reading strategies such as
trash or treasure to help students identify the
key words from context.
Co-constructing with students an understanding
of the text features and purpose of the word
problems;
Modelling and prompting translation of the word
problem into different textual forms e.g.
diagrams, tables, mathematical sentences;

Teaching Inquiry
Rationale
What evidence from research, personal past practice or that of
colleagues, underpins your teaching intentions?

ESOL Online: this resource gives suggestions for

developing students academic, cross-curricular
English language in both mainstream and transitional
classes. SELLIPS is intended for all teachers of
students in years 18.
Effective Literacy Practice in Years 5 to 8:
Expanding students vocabulary: This text outlines
the teachers role in expanding students vocabulary.
Effective Literacy Strategies in Years 913:
Chapter 2: Vocabulary: this resource focuses on the
strategies that teachers and learners can use to solve
new vocabulary and to discover and reinforce the
meanings of the words and terms they encounter in
the various subject areas.
English Language Learning Progressions what
ESOL specialists and mainstream teachers need to
know about English language learners. They will help
teachers to choose content, vocabulary, and tasks
that are appropriate to each learner's age, stage, and
language-learning needs.
Teaching Reading Comprehension (Davis, 2007):
Chapter 3: Working with vocabulary strategies:
gives comprehensive guidance for explicit vocabulary
instruction in years 48.
Vocabulary Learning Sequence, Think Aloud
presentations by Aaron Wilson, Woolf Fisher
Research Centre, Faculty of Education.
Literacy Learning Progressions.
National Standards Writing and Reading Book.
NCEA: Literacy Requirement.
MOE (1996) Exploring Language: A handbook for
teacher. Wellington: Learning Media Ltd.
MOE Teaching Writing across the curriculum in Y
7 and 8.
Having observed the practice of others, I learnt:

Modelling think aloud to simplify the problem;

Vocabulary:
Use disappearing definition (Vanishing cloze)
technique as a strategy of learning new terms;
Vocabulary list: students scan for words that they
have seen in todays lesson, explain in pairs their
meanings/definitions;
Matching cards.

The importance of including more than one

form to represent information - orally, visually,
and interactively;
A variety of explicit teaching techniques used
to improve literacy skills such as R.A.P.,
vocabulary grid, trash or treasure.

Learning Inquiry.
Investigating the success of the teaching in terms of the outcomes, using a range of assessment approaches.

Notes:
The focus of this inquiry was chosen during the two weeks of students observation prior to my teaching. At
that time they were studding algebra unit, which contains a wide range of word problems. Based on what I
observed, e-asTTle and interviews results, I decided to look closely into difficulties boys were having with
reading problems, understanding and identifying information accurately in particular. However, the Probability
unit proved that it is not quite good choice to start the inquiry with this particular focus. There are several
reasons for this. One of the main factors is lack of variety of word problems in this unit. Another big issue that
arose was that I only had 5 lessons with these students due to some computer lessons and e-asTTle test
scheduled by AT before my practicum.
In practice: I continued to monitor students ability to solve problems throughout the unit. At the end of the unit
I set a test that contained a variety of Probability word problems and re-interviewed targeted students.
Unfortunately, I decided against the literacy log and regular discussion of students progression with their
parents (which I had planed to do) because it did not seem to be practical for such a short period of time (two
weeks: 5 lessons).
Conclusion:
In the end of this unit, all students had attempted all of the word problems with varied mathematical success.
What I did notice was students were much more resilient in reading word problems and able to start solving
mathematical problems with more confidence. On their worksheets, nearly all students were underlying the
correct words that were needed to solve the word problems and using this information to write mathematical
sentences and/or draw visual representation of the problem. When I collated the students feedback at the end
of the unit, I noticed that most students were able to list some of reading strategies that helped them to
understand word problems and in some cases to solve them. The most common strategy articulated was
trash or treasure and drawing a diagram. The target students were re-interviewed and were able to articulate
some of the reading strategies they used, they also commented that I liked working in groups as I can get
from others and Before I didnt know how to paraphrase, working with my group Ive learnt how to use some
key words from problem and add other words to make the problem make sense.
Despite of the presence of some indicators of progression, I must admit that the progress was very little
considering the time frame of two weeks and evidence of students progression was inconsistent. Another
issue that I identified was that students were not checking if the problem answers they worked out made
sense or writing sentences using correct terminology. This is an area for improvement and could be the goal
for next unit. However, I think that teacher needs to continue working on the area of understanding and
identifying information accurately as this is the highest learning needs for this group.

How has this impacted my PCK?

(Pedagogical Content Knowledge.)

As a teacher, I was engages in further learning to deepen and refine my professional knowledge and skills.
1. What did I need to know and do to support my students to meet the literacy and language demands in my
learning area?

I have learnt:
Effective Literacy Strategies, DTAs from observing other teachers and on Literacy online TKI.
Developed ppt.: Literacy in Mathematics, reading in particular.
Vocabulary Learning Sequence, Think Aloud in Maths.
Having observed the practice of others, I learnt:
The importance of including more than one form to represent information - orally, visually, and
interactively;
A variety of explicit teaching techniques used to improve literacy skills such as R.A.P., vocabulary
grid, trash or treasure.
2. What connections can I make to students individual expertise, experiences, culture, language, and
identity?
Since the targeted students were Pasifica boys, the cultural aspects were crucial during my practicum
(inquiry). I had to revisit my knowledge about teaching approaches to education of the Pasifica students by
rereading the article The importance of the teacher/student relationship for Maori and Pasifica
students by Kay Hawk, Esther Tumama Cowley, Jan Hill and Sue Sutherland;
Cultural competencies for teachers of Maori learners - Tataiako and Summary of Ka Hikitia
Accelerating success;
Effective literacy strategies: ELS Pasifica focus;
Learnt greetings and encouraging phrases in Tongan, Samoan and Maori such as Morena, Kia ora,
Talofa lava, mal ad tino pai.
3. What resources are available to assist me?
Revisited ESOL online and examples of mainstream teachers experience on TKI to choose content,
vocabulary, and tasks that are appropriate to each learner's age, stage, and language-learning needs.
For more resources see above.

Evidence
YEAR 9 DATA ANALYSIS

What are we seeing for the year 9 cohort

All students less than 2B
Writing is a concern (types
/ styles of writing
Writing is the worst

Writing doesnt correspond

Results reflect behavior in
with reading
class
Gap between top students
Reading is still low
and the rest
All below curriculum level
NZ born low level across
Yr 9 writing test was
curriculum. What language
persuasive
writing

is spoken at home?
suitability of task

Overall reading / writing

/spelling low
Spelling age does not
correspond
Spelling age is a concern

Attendance is an issue

Majority of yr 9s less than 2

2 A for writing
Big contrast between writing
and reading scores
9A
9B
9C
Relatively wide gaps
Maths is better than reading / Ethnicity
Writng needs work
writing
4 Maori , 2 Niuaun , 5 Samoan , 6
Spelling needs work
How can Soloman have 5B in Tongan
writing and have 3P in reading?
At least 4 have more than one
ethnicity
Writing & spelling
Writing
Writing
4/5 boys at around L2 (Quinton, Cohort
9b
Range of writing levels
Neti, Mesui, Api, Richard?)
19 @ L2
8@L2
Half kids operating below 3B
13@L3
13@L3
(Josiah,Isaiah,Draedyn, Alex)
9 @ L4
9@L4
Was writing test suitable?
2@l5
2@L5
Maths
Maths
3 boys are strong Quinton,
Raising from 2A 2P

Richard, Neti
Api & Mesui average 3 ish
Reading
Reading
5 boys at around L3 (Toma, Neti, 7@L3
Mesui, Api, Shepherd)
9@L4
1@L5
Spelling
Cohort
24 @ L2
14@L3
5 @ L4
9@NA

2/3 below level 4

7 of 9c are top
Reading
Operating over 2 levels with half kids
at L3 (John, Jaelin,Sam)

9b
10@L2
3@L3
2@L4