Mid Year Reflection

 After completing the BSLA Week 10 Testing and analysing the data, I changed the students in my focus group. This term, I will focus on supporting Student A, Student MT, Student M and Student F. I made this change to better support the learning needs shown in the assessment.

As a result, I have adjusted my planning to ensure that each lesson is targeted to these students' next steps. To support oral language development and comprehension, I regularly use ChatGPT to generate story-specific prompts including retelling, inferencing and open-ended questions.I have streamlined my planning and this has increased the effectiveness of my teaching. I have observed noticeable growth in my students’ confidence, their ability to engage in meaningful conversations about the story and their ability to make connections with their own experiences. These improvements show that the students are getting better at understanding stories and talking about them,

Next Steps

Next Steps for Strengthening Comprehension Skills:

Foster Active Listening Skills:

Continue to reinforce the importance of listening to peers before responding, supporting peer turn- talking

and discussion.

Use of Visual Support:

Incorporate pictures and illustrations from the reader/story to ehlp students make connections between

text and visuals.

Ask open-ended questions:

Use more open -ended prompts to encourage deeper thinking.

Promote predictive Thinking: 

Encourage students to make predictions to support engagement and inference-making.

Encourage Peer Sharing: 

Provide opportunities for group discussions, students can share personal responses and justify their

thinking.

Integrate Movement: 

Use drama, gestures and physical expression to help students show understanding and maintain

engagement.

Vosaic with AI Prompt

To support my inquiry into oral language comprehension, I used Vosaic to record and review a guided reading lesson.

AI Prompt: Is it evident that the children understood the story.

Info it gave me:

Understanding of the Story by Children

Yes, it is evident that the children understood the story. Throughout the transcript, several instances demonstrate their

comprehension and engagement with the narrative.

When the teacher asks, "What happened in the story?" multiple children respond, indicating they are recalling details from the text (00:35).

Aya mentions that "Becca was hungry," and the teacher builds on this by asking for more details about the beginning of the

story (01:10). This shows that the children are not only recalling facts but also engaging in a discussion about the character's

feelings.

As the teacher guides them through the story, children like Abela and Lucas contribute observations about the pictures

and events, such as noticing the spider webs and discussing the farmer's potential reactions (05:01, 06:06).

At the end of the session, when asked about their favorite parts, children express their thoughts clearly, with Abela mentioning her favourite part was when Becca was thinking about food (09:37), which reflects their connection to the story's themes.

Overall, the children's ability to recall details, discuss character emotions, and share their favorite parts indicates a solid

understanding of the story.

Research:

Research supports the idea that children's engagement in discussions about stories enhances their comprehension. According

to studies, when children are encouraged to express their thoughts and feelings about a narrative, it fosters deeper

understanding and retention of the material (Duke & Pearson, 2002).

Next Steps for Developing Comprehension with 5-Year-Old Students:

To enhance comprehension skills among the 5-year-old students, the teacher can implement the following strategies based on

the transcript:

Encourage Active Listening: The teacher should continue to emphasize the importance of listening when others are speaking.

This was highlighted when the teacher reminded students to "listen to them" before adding their thoughts (00:40).

Use Visual Aids: The teacher can incorporate more visual aids, such as pictures from the story, to help students connect the text

with imagery. For instance, the teacher referred to the first page and asked students to describe what they saw (01:15).

Ask Open-Ended Questions: The teacher can ask more open-ended questions that require students to think critically about the

story. For example, when discussing the farmer's actions, the teacher prompted students to consider what the farmer might do

(06:30).

Encourage Predictions: The teacher can ask students to predict what might happen next in the story, fostering engagement and

critical thinking. This was evident when the teacher asked, "What happens next?" (04:36).

Facilitate Group Discussions: The teacher can create opportunities for group discussions where students can share their favorite

parts of the story and explain why, as seen when the teacher asked students to share their favorite parts (09:09).

Incorporate Movement: Integrating movement into the learning process can help maintain engagement. The teacher could have

students act out parts of the story or use gestures to express their understanding (e.g., when discussing the character's emotions).

By implementing these strategies, the teacher can create a more interactive and engaging learning environment that supports the

development of comprehension skills in young learners.

Research:

Research indicates that active listening and engagement strategies significantly enhance comprehension skills in early

childhood education. According to the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC), interactive

read-alouds and discussions promote language development and comprehension in young children.

Term 1 2025 - Inquiry Focus

 This year, my professional inquiry is focused on Literacy, with a particular emphasis on supporting the development of oral language comprehension. 

As part of this focus, I am working closely with a small target group of four students—two boys and two girls. Three of these students started school last year and have had some exposure to the Better Start Literacy Approach (BSLA), while one student started at the beginning of this year and is still new to this approach.

Evidence Gathering and Problem Clarification:

Through a combination of classroom observations, group reading sessions, and analysis of BSLA data, I have identified oral language comprehension as an area of need for these students. Some students are finding it challenging to retain and process information from texts. They often struggle to recall key details or ideas from a story and have difficulty answering comprehension questions or participating in discussions. In many cases, students tend to remain silent when prompted, which can be attributed to limited vocabulary, lack of confidence, and underdeveloped listening skills.

BSLA assessments—particularly the oral narrative component.

These have provided valuable insight into these needs. Two students have completed this assessment, revealing difficulties with sequencing, retelling and answering questions related to the story. One student has not yet completed the oral narrative assessment due to a recent school start, and another is not yet due for testing.

This inquiry is aimed at deepening my understanding of how to effectively support oral language development within a structured literacy framework. I will continue to monitor progress through targeted teaching, ongoing observation, and the use of BSLA tools to inform and adapt my teaching practise.

End of Year Reflection-Better Structured Literacy Approach (BSLA)

After 20 weeks of receiving BSLA instruction, students are once again assessed to evaluate their progress and identify areas for further development. This assessment will provide valuable insights into their phonological awareness, blending skills, and overall literacy growth.

 

The following provides an overview of the progress and achievements of each student after 20 weeks of instruction and completion of Taumata 2.

Student Summary: Student MH shows strong proficiency in identifying and manipulating individual sounds in words, with solid skills in decoding unfamiliar words, as reflected in their Early Tupu score.

Student Summary: Student LA shows strong phonological awareness in phoneme identity, but improvement is needed in non-word reading and spelling, as indicated by scores of 40% and 57%, requiring further practice and support.

Student Summary: NWA has shown excellent progress in Early Tupu non-word reading and spelling, achieving scores of 100% and 92%. However, there is decline in her performance in Late Tupu, in both reading and spelling, showing a need for additional support to enhance her skills at this level.

Student Summary: JJ demonstrates strong foundational skills in non-word reading and spelling up to the Early Tupu level, achieving high accuracy rates of 97% in reading and 89% in spelling. However, performance declines at the Late Tupu level, suggesting a need for support to improve confidence and skills with more complex word structures and spelling patterns.

In summary, while all students are making good progress in some areas, targeted interventions are necessary to address specific gaps in skills, particularly at the Late Tupu level, to ensure continued development.

End of Term 2 - Better Structured Literacy Approach (BSLA)

As the end of the term approaches, I take a moment to reflect on the progress we’ve made throughout this successful period of teaching and learning. It has been a time filled with growth and achievement, both for myself as an educator and for the students. We have worked hard together, fostering a positive and engaging learning environment, and I am proud of the progress each student has made.

The following provides an overview of the progress and achievements of each student after 10 weeks of instruction and completion of Taumata 1.

Student Summary: MA has a strong foundation in phonological awareness and letter-sound recognition, excelling in Initial Phoneme Identity. He achieved a score of 100% in Set 1 letter sounds, but Set 2 shows a slightly lower score of 76%, indicating the need for further practice. Focus on Set 2 sounds, phoneme blending, and non-word reading and spelling will help enhance his reading and writing skills.

Student Summary: JJ has strong foundational phonological awareness, especially in identifying initial phonemes, and performs well in Set 2 letter sound recognition. Improvement is needed in Set 1 (75%) and in applying phoneme-grapheme relationships to read unfamiliar words, as shown by his non-word reading (47%) and spelling (65%) scores. With focused support, JJ can strengthen these areas and further develop his literacy skills.

Student Summary: LA has a solid foundation in phonological awareness and letter-sound knowledge. Her letter sound recognition is strong, however, she is still developing her ability to blend phonemes.To support LA’s progress, focusing on explicit teaching of phoneme blending through activities and repeated practice would be beneficial as it will help strengthen her ability to decode unfamiliar words.

Student Summary: NWA achieved excellent results in identifying initial phonemes and has mastered letter-sound recognition for both Set 1 and Set 2 (100%). She has a solid understanding of the basic building blocks of reading and writing.

Her performance in non-word reading and non-word spelling shows she is developing her decoding and encoding skills. These results suggest she can apply her phonics knowledge to unfamiliar words with growing confidence.

My Next Steps:

MA - reinforcing Set 2 sounds, phoneme blending, and non-word reading and spelling to further enhance his literacy abilities.

JJ -. Focused teaching in non-word reading and spelling will help develop his ability to decode unfamiliar words and build overall literacy confidence.

LA-Her decoding abilities will be supported through explicit instruction and repeated practice in blending skills, with a focus on activities that strengthen phoneme blending

NWA- Practice in non-word reading and spelling will strengthen her developing decoding and encoding skills, boosting her confidence in applying phonics to unfamiliar words.

Term 2- Better Structured Literacy Approach (BSLA)

At the start of the term, I changed my inquiry focus to match my new teaching role.I am now focused solely on teaching the Better Structured Literacy Approach (BSLA) with two classes Rooms 19 and 20, working collaboratively with my colleague, Mrs. Dwyer, in an open learning space. Mrs. Dwyer has taken on the responsibility for teaching writing and mathematics, which prompted the change in my inquiry focus.

Our school has adopted the Better Start Literacy Approach (BSLA), for which I completed training last year. I feel confident in implementing the scope and sequence for both Taumata 1 and Taumata 2.

My focus is on fostering phonological awareness and explicitly teaching students the relationship between letters and sounds. By developing their ability to blend sounds, I aim to equip them with the foundational skills needed for their fluent reading and writing.

For my focus group, I have selected four students, consisting of two boys and two girls.

- Student JJ

- Student MH

-  Student LA

- Student NWA

These students started school last year as New Entrants and had a few weeks of BSLA - Taumata 1. 

The following provides an overview of the progress and achievements of each student in the New Entrant cohort for the year 2023:

Student Summary: MH is making steady progress in letter-sound recognition, particularly with the basic sounds in Set 1. There is room for improvement in phoneme blending and more advanced letter sound recognition (Set 2). Targeted instruction focusing on blending sounds and reinforcing letter-sound knowledge in Set 2 will support further development in literacy skills.

Student Summary: Overall, LA is making progress in phonemic awareness, with areas of strength in initial phoneme identity and phoneme blending. Continued focus on expanding letter sound knowledge, particularly in Set 2, will be important for further development.LA has demonstrated a 50% proficiency in phoneme blending, indicating that she is in the early stages of developing the skill to blend sounds into words. Ongoing practice and targeted support will be important in helping LA achieve greater fluency in this area.

Student Summary: NWA has demonstrated a strong understanding of phoneme identity, achieving a score of 30, which shows a solid grasp of initial sound recognition. However, there is a need for further development in letter sound recognition. NWA is currently at 0% for both Set 1 and Set 2 letter sound recognition, indicating that more targeted support and practice are needed in these areas.NWA has performed exceptionally well in phoneme blending, achieving a high score of 90%. This reflects strong progress in combining sounds to form words, which is an important skill in early literacy development.

 To support NWA's continued growth, I will focus on reinforcing letter sound recognition through additional practice and targeted activities. As NWA continues to develop in this area, her strong blending skills will support further progress in reading and writing.

Student Summary: Based on the data provided, JJ is showing limited progress in key areas of early literacy development. There is a need for more targeted practice and support in recognizing the initial sounds of words.JJ requires additional reinforcement and target teaching of letter-sound correspondences, especially as they move toward more complex letter sets. Phoneme blending is also at a 10% proficiency, highlighting the need for focused instruction to help JJ develop the skill of blending individual sounds to form words. Moving forward, it will be essential to implement individualised support with consistent practice in these areas to build on  JJ’s foundational literacy skills.

My Reflection: The students are making steady progress in their phonemic awareness and letter-sound recognition, with varying levels of proficiency. Some students, like NWA, show strong blending skills, while others, such as MH and LA, need additional support with more advanced letter sound recognition and phoneme blending.

My Focus: The focus will be on reinforcing letter-sound knowledge, especially in Set 2, and providing targeted support for phoneme blending. Consistent practice and where possible  individualized instruction will be key to helping each student strengthen these critical literacy skills.