Emma Phyland
Special Education and English Teacher (Secondary)
Context
As part of the Year 9 English assessment on the novel ‘The Outsiders’ written by S.E. Hinton, I developed a comprehensive novel study booklet (see 'Year 9 English - The Outsiders Booklet') that incorporated a range of formative and summative assessment tasks that students worked on through weeks 1 to 5 of Term 3. Within this cohort, I team taught 47 students who required a significant level of differentiation to engage effectively with the curriculum due to the low attendance rates at this particular school. Six of these students had verified disabilities, and their learning needs were outlined in their ‘One Child One Plan’ (OCOP), which is an individualised and targeted program for students with complex learning needs. Therefore, I was required to include a significant amount of differentiation within the learning content and the assessment tasks that I created. The two employed teachers used a system of differentiation called the ‘Bronze' 'Silver', and 'Gold’ method. This differentiation model was comprised of different activities that moved up three tiers of difficulty as the colours progressed to gold. As I wanted to keep this method consistent throughout the year, I decided to use this method to inform my own teaching (1.1, 1.2, 1.3, 1.5, 1.6).
To effectively prepare for the assessment and reporting phase of the English novel study unit, I collaborated with my mentor teacher and we decided that I would teach the following topic and learning goals, learning activities, and achievement standards.
Topic & Learning Goals (3.1)
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Comprehend the context and main characters of a narrative text.
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Understand how texts are made cohesive through various grammatical features that link and strengthen the text’s internal structure.
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Apply a range of reading comprehension strategies to evaluate information within the text.
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Evaluate the text and recognise how language can be used to manipulate meaning.
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Critically interpret information and evaluate the way the text is organised to make increasingly sophisticated language choices in their own texts.
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Compose a written text that explores, communicates and analyse information, ideas and issues.
Learning Activities (3.3, 3.4, 4.2)
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Analysis questions and graphic organisers to enhance understanding of key literary devices and themes within the text (see 'Intertextuality Venn Diagram') (Eilers & Pinkley, 2006).
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Class discussions framed around sharing and comparing chapter responses and their opinions in the context of the novel. These discussions will be used as a guide for students to uncover multiple perspectives from others’ thoughts of the text.
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Explicit teaching of symbolism, motif, theme, allusion, foreshadowing, characterisation, intertextuality (see 'Explicit Instruction PowerPoint' and 'Before and After Explicit Instruction - Student Work Sample').
Achievement Standard (2.1) Year 9 English AC Achievement Standards being assessed:
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Students analyse the ways that text structures can be manipulated for effect.
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They evaluate and integrate ideas and information from texts to form their own interpretations.
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They select evidence from texts to analyse and explain how language choices and conventions are used to influence an audience (see English Assessment Task Rubric).
Evidence set 2
Assessment and reporting
Year 9 English - The Outsiders Booklet
The novel study booklet (to the right) that was given to students to study at school and from home. The booklet includes all of the relevant vocabulary, chapter, literary, and assessment learning tasks.
ACTION
As part of the Year 9 English assessment on the novel, I developed a comprehensive novel study booklet that incorporated a range of formative and summative assessment tasks (details listed below). I also considered how I would provide formal and informal feedback throughout the unit.
Pre-assessment (1.1, 1.2, 3.3, 5.4, 2.6, 4.5): Literary devices quiz (see Pre-assessment - Literary Devices)
Formative Assessment (1.2, 3.2, 5.1): Booklet tasks
Students identified and analysed key literary devices throughout the novel and form their own interpretations of how they represent the main themes within the text.
Summative Assessment (1.2, 3.2, 5.1): Bronze, Silver, or Gold level task (see 'Differentiated Summative Assessment Tasks and Exemplars')
One-page book review (Bronze Level) (page 2)
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Students discussed one of the novel’s key themes and connected this to a message behind the text. Students used evidence from the text to explain their interpretation of the novel and how the underlying message relates to a real-life example or their personal experience.
Character Comparison (Silver Level) (page 3)
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Students used their knowledge of characterisation to compare two characters within the novel and discussed the similarities and differences in relation to their relationship throughout the novel. Students useed evidence from the text that either separated or connected the two characters and justified how their relationship can be interpreted in relation to one of the key themes within the novel.
Transformative Text (Gold Level) (page 4)
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Students useed their knowledge of intertextuality and key themes throughout the novel to create a transformative text of Robert Frost’s poem ‘Nothing Gold Can Stay’. Students created their own scaffolded poem that connects to a key theme behind the text and used their knowledge of the characters and the storyline to display their poem in relation to the overall message behind the novel. Students then wrote a paragraph that justified how their poem relates to a key theme or overall message within the text.
Student Feedback (5.2)
Student feedback focused on how they achieved or could improve their analysis of the ways that text structures can be manipulated for effect and their evaluation and integration of ideas and information from the text to form their own interpretations (see 'Assessment Task Student Work Samples' and 'Mentor Comment - Feedback'.)
Post-assessment (1.1, 1.2, 3.3, 5.4, 2.6, 4.5): Literary devices quiz (see Post-assessment - Literary Devices)
Pre-assessment results (Kahoot) - Literary Devices
Students completed a short quiz to show their understanding of the definitions of literary devices used within the novel (symbolism, motif, theme, allusion, foreshadowing, characterisation, intertextuality).
Post-assessment results (Kahoot) - Literary Devices
Students completed a short quiz to show their understanding of the definitions of literary devices used within the novel (symbolism, motif, theme, allusion, foreshadowing, characterisation, intertextuality) to measure if they have improved on their knowledge since the beginning of the unit. This data shows that students significantly improved on their knowledge of key literary devices within the text.
Differentiated Summative Assessment Tasks and Exemplars
The assessment tasks templates and exemplars of the novel study tasks that students were formally assessed against.
Mentor Comment - Feedback
"Students were provided feedback on learning progress informally each lesson through discussion and guidance and were provided formal feedback half-way through and at the end. Emma marked all students summative tasks and provided extensive feedback on Daymap for students about their learning." Mentor Teacher, Jason McKenzie, June 15, 2020.
RESULTS
Overall, the class performed well on their post-assessment of literary techniques which proved that the unit sequence was effective and that most of the students were able to understand the key literary techniques and themes present throughout the novel (see Post-assessment - Literary Devices). From the interactive pre-assessment and post-assessment of student knowledge of literary techniques, I was able to interpret and analyse student data in regard to their responses to each question. These diagnostic assessments allowed me to evaluate student learning on the specific literary techniques used within the novel, which allowed me to modify my teaching practice accordingly to ensure I covered the content that students had not yet grasped (see 'American Civil War and The Outsiders Comparison' ), (see 'Intertextuality Venn Diagram'), (see 'Journal Entry - Intertextuality), (see 'Explicit instruction - Textual Analysis'), (see 'Explicit Instruction of Textual Analysis'). As I aligned the learning content to the Year 9 ACARA English achievement standards, I was able to report on student learning against four specific standards (see 'English Assessment Task Rubric). Student's grades and their individual feedback was provided in a timely and appropriate manner, which allowed them to carry this knowledge into their next English unit (see 'Assessment Task Student Work Samples'). See studednt work samples below to see individual student results and feedback.
In the artefacts below, you will see examples of explicit instruction, graphic organisers, and student results and teacher feedback on their final assessment tasks. These learning tools and teaching techniques allowed the students to grasp a better understanding of key literary techniques such as textual analysis and intertextuality. This then impacted their assessment task results, as they applied the knowledge learnt throughout the unit to their final assessment tasks (scroll down to view student work samples and teacher grading and feedback.
English Assessment Task Rubric (click to view)
The assessment task rubric each student was assessed against using the Year 9 ACARA Achievement Standards
Explicit Instruction - Textual Analysis
(click to view)
Journal Entry 06/05/2020 - Intertextuality
"I introduced the topic of the american civil war and how it relates to the outsiders through intertextuality (Gone With the Wind). I was apprehensive about describing this connection because the students have not learnt about this in history.
However, I used a Venn-diagram to compare the outsiders and gone with the wind which I
thought was the best learning tool to display this. I used explicit instruction to explain the
concept and the students seemed to understand this and how it related to the novel."
Below is an example of a lesson where I explicitly taught students how to answer a textual analysis question (listed in their novel study booklets).
Before and After Explicit Instruction - Student work Sample
(click to view)
Below is an example of one student's progress in answering textual analysis questions after my lesson explicitly teaching this technique. It is clear that the student had improved on their analysis and identification of literary techniques.
American Civil War and 'The Outsiders' Comparison
(click to view)
In order to teach students about the literary technique of intertextuality, I had to explicitly teach them about the American Civil War (which they had no prior knowledge of) and how this related to The Outsiders and the novel Gone With the Wind. Below is an example of the slide show I used to explain the American Civil War and the graphic organiser that I used (Venn Diagram) to lead a class discussion about the differences and similarities between the two texts.
BEFORE
AFTER
Intertextuality Venn Diagram
(click to view)
Mentor Comment - Explicit Instruction of Textual Analysis (3.2, 3.3)
"Emma continued to engage students in literacy building activities in lesson warm-ups and explicitly taught examples. She applied strategies such as the “I do, we do, you do” method and modelling of thought processes when decision making in writing". Mentor Teacher, Jason McKenzie, June 15, 2020.
Assessment Tasks - Student Work Samples (3.1, 5.1, 5.2, 5.3, 5.5)
Work Sample 1: C+ Grade
Strengths identified from this student’s work sample were shown throughout their contributions to class discussions and they showed a satisfactory understanding of how to create a text that responds to issues, and interpreted and integrated ideas from the novel, as seen in their assessment task 3.
Challenges identified from this student’s work sample show that they could improve their efforts to understand the subtle meaning behind literary techniques such as symbolism, characterisation and intertextuality, rather than simply the literal sense. This is identified within all three of their assessment tasks, as they describe themes, characters, and events throughout the novel, however, they do not mention the subtle meanings behind how these literary devices connect to the overall message behind the novel.
Work Sample 2: A Grade
Strengths identified from this student’s work sample were shown through their level of analysis and evaluation of the novel. They integrated ideas and information from the text to form their own interpretations of how the key themes and the message within the text relate to real-life issues in society today, as seen in their assessment task 3.
Challenges identified from this student’s work sample show that they could improve their efforts to include examples from the novel within their responses and connect this to the impact on the audience. For example, they could have included a quote within assessment tasks 1 and 3 to enhance the connection between the characters and the message behind the novel.
Work Sample 1: C + Grade (click to view)
Work Sample 2: A Grade (click to view)
Refer to coloured boxes to view teacher feedback and comments.
EVALUATION
I believe my substance and structure of the content and teaching strategies were effective and sequenced well as the novel progressed.
In hindsight, I would have improved the formative assessment tasks in the novel study booklet and created more opportunities to formatively assess student learning progressions. I would have improved the formative assessment tasks to include more group learning activities, ICT related activities, and included excerpts of the film adaptation to enhance students’ interest and understanding of the main themes and literary techniques within the novel. I would have included more opportunities to provide informal feedback to students through 1:1 and small group discussions, and used more targeted questioning strategies to extend students thinking so they can formulate meaningful responses to open and critical class discussions. These strategies would ensure I, as their teacher, could strategically keep track and collect data on the learning progressions of each individual student and provide continuous informal and formal feedback throughout the entire unit, instead of providing formal feedback in the middle of the unit and once the unit was complete.
Based on student results, I would make improvements to my teaching and learning plan and assessment types by connecting the booklet and assessment tasks directly to the achievement standards from the beginning, to give students multiple opportunities to show their knowledge and understanding of these specific areas – instead of the assessment tasks being weighted so heavily in terms of their overall grade. I would also create an alternative assessment task that allowed students to meet the achievement standards, without having to read excerpts of the novel itself (as some students missed a lot of the in-class reading due to low attendance).
New challenges that I would set for students who have met the learning objectives would involve re-teaching, through explicit instruction and activities, how to extend and enhance their responses to analysis questions and how they connect this to the overall impact on the audience.
Standards
1.1 Physical, social and intellectual development and characteristics of students
As I pre-assessed and post-assessed students on their knowledge of key literary techniques, I was able to gain a sense of students intellectual development in regard to the topic content. This allowed me to develop appropriately challenging learning goals for each student through differentiation.
1.2 Understand how students learn
I used key teaching strategies that aligned with the English subject area such as explicit instruction, modelling, providing task exemplars, historical context, vocabulary warm-ups, and I related the teaching content to student interest (music and pop culture).
1.3 Students with diverse linguistic, cultural, religious and socioeconomic backgrounds
I used effective teaching strategies that were responsive to the learning strengths and needs of students from diverse backgrounds by ensuring that all of the teaching and learning resources were provided to students to access online and offline, regardless of the resources they had at home.
1.5 Differentiate teaching to meet the specific learning needs of students across the full range of abilities
I effectively differentiated all three assessment tasks to meet the needs of three tiers of learning readiness levels using Bloom's Taxonomy to underpin each assessment task and increase the level of complexity.
1.6 Strategies to support full participation of students with disability
I used teaching strategies of explicit instruction, graphic organisers, and differentiation to meet the needs of students with One Plans, and provided an audio version of the novel to cater for students with reading difficulties.
2.1 Content and teaching strategies of the teaching area
I used key teaching strategies that aligned with the English subject area such as explicit instruction, modelling, providing task exemplars, historical context, vocabulary warm-ups, and I related the teaching content to student interest (music and pop culture).
2.6 Information and Communication Technology (ICT)
I implemented teaching strategies for using ICT through online platforms such as Kahoot, Webex, Microsoft Teams, Youtube, PowerPoint, and Daymap to expand the curriculum content and increase the participation and learning opportunities for students.
3.1 Establish challenging learning goals
I set learning goals that provided achievable challenges for students of varying abilities and characteristics, by creating three tiered levels of differentiated assessment tasks and also used the Bronze, Silver, and Gold level of differentiation within each lesson to increase the level of challenge for all students.
3.2 Plan, structure and sequence learning programs
I effectively planned lesson sequences using knowledge of student learning, content, and effective teaching strategies by aligning all of the relevant content to the ACARA Year 9 English standards. This was evident as most students achieved the learning objectives and I was able to assess them against the relevant achievement standards.
3.3 Use teaching strategies
I used effective teaching strategies that were responsive to the learning strengths and needs of students by using graphic organisers, providing formal and informal feedback, and differentiating the assessment tasks to meet the needs of all students. I adapted my teaching strategies to explicitly teach literary analysis and the historical context of the novel to ensure students grasped understanding of these challenging concepts.
3.4 Select and use resources
I effectively used a range of resources, including ICT, that engaged students in their learning through the online platforms Kahoot, Webex, Microsoft Teams, Youtube, PowerPoint, and Daymap.
4.2 Manage classroom activities
I effectively organised classroom activities and provided clear directions on a range of platforms that students and their caregivers could readily access. I posted daily lessons outlines and weekly updates on Microsoft Teams and Webex and also listed the relevant learning expectations, achievement criteria, and an outline of each learning task at the beginning of each lesson.
4.5 Use ICT safely,responsibly and ethically
As I attended professional development workshops on how to use online platforms (Webex, Microsoft Teams, Kahoot), I was able to identify potential issues in regard to student safety and safe work practices. Throughout the professional development sessions, I discussed potential issues with colleagues in regard to online lesson streaming and the relevant administrative duties to account for all students learning from home and at school.
5.1 Assess student learning
I used informal, formal, diagnostic, formative and summative approaches to assess student learning. I used diagnostic assessment to pre-assess and post-assess student knowledge in relation to key literary techniques, which informed my teaching practices of certain techniques that students had little understanding of (intertextuality). I effectively assessed student learning informally through 1:1 and small group conversations that provided feedback for students in relation to their current levels of achievement. I provided informal feedback in each student's novel study booklets on their progress on answering literary analysis questions and I provided formal feedback and assessed and graded students on their level of achievement against the Year 9 English achievement standards in each assessment task.
5.2 Provide feedback to students on their learning
I provided feedback to students informally through 1:1 and small group conversations in relation to their current levels of achievement. I provided informal feedback in student novel study booklets on their progress on answering literary analysis questions and I provided individual formal feedback on their assessment tasks on Daymap.
5.3 Make consistent and comparable judgements
I compared student achievement consistently through marking and assessing each student's individual assessment tasks. I collaborated with my mentor teacher to moderate all student work submitted and we found that our grades aligned with each others and the ACARA achievement standards.
5.4 Interpret student data
I interpreted student assessment data to evaluate student learning through the diagnostic pre and post assessments to compare their levels of understanding from the beginning of the unit in comparison to the end of the unit after instruction. I used the pre-assessment class results to inform and modify my teaching of key literary techniques within the novel and explicitly taught concepts that students had little understanding (intertextuality and literary analysis) to ensure they achieved success in the assessment tasks.
5.5 Report on student achievement
I reported on student achievement using the online platform Daymap so students and caregivers had easy access to formal feedback and the grade they received for their assessment tasks.
References
Eilers, L. H., & Pinkley, C. (2006). Metacognitive strategies help students to comprehend all text. Reading Improvement, 43(1), 13+. https://link.gale.com/apps/doc/A144717432/AONE?u=flinders&sid=AONE&xid=ce676250.