Early+Years+Teaching+Practice

=__//**Early Years Teaching Practice**//__=

Through our observations and explorations of the text we have learnt the different teaching approaches in literacy, which are –

 * == **Approach:** == || == **Definition:** == ||
 * ==**Modelled Reading –**== || ===The teacher models how to read by reading aloud to the class from a range of text types. This allows children to engage with texts pitched at a higher level than they may be able to read. (P. 73 Hill.)=== ||
 * ==**Shared Reading –**== || ===Whole group activity, allowing all students the opportunity to participate. Students can play a part and involve themselves through answering questions or joining in the repetitive sequences.=== ||
 * ==**Guided Reading –**== || ===Group of 4-6 students all sit down with the teacher, each with a copy of the same book, which would be chosen by the teacher to be at the level of the students in the group. Teacher increases students’ participation through asking questions, listening to each student read and discussing unfamiliar words they may not have encountered before.=== ||
 * ==**Independent Reading –**== || ===Students are challenged to read on their own, to build fluency and motivation for reading and gain more practice with different text types and levels.=== ||
 * ==**Language Experience Approach (LEA)**== || ===Comes from the experiences of children, their homes and communities. (P. 84 Hill)===

A child dictates to the teacher a story about a personal experience in their life. This enables the child to put their reality in words by making a story, through literacy.
||

==Through our observations within a classroom, we have concluded that the approaches to early years literacy teachings for reading and writing are very similar to what was explained and described in the reading, particularly ‘Developing Early Literacy’ by Susan Hill.==
 * == **Approach:** == || == **Definition:** == ||
 * ==**Modelled Writing –**== || ===The teacher demonstrates different types of writing on a white board/smart boards. To show how a writer uses different words, sentences and text types to record ideas. Enabling the students to have an understanding of different writing styles.=== ||
 * ==**Shared and Interactive Writing –**== || ===Whole class activity. The teacher investigates the importance of different text types with the students, to gain further capabilities within their writing. Teacher demonstrates styles on the whiteboard/smart board and students have the opportunity to contribute.=== ||
 * ==**Guided Writing –**== || ===Writing a range of text types either individually or in a small group. Teacher contributes through demonstrating a particular aspect for them to follow such as grammar, punctuation or spelling.=== ||
 * ==**Independent Writing –**== || ===Students write on their own, to explore and express their ideas to build inspiration and fluency for writing.=== ||

=//__Reading Lesson Observation:__//=

Block 2 involved mostly literacy learning centres but in one observation they moved onto independent reading.
==After the whole group session on the floor, the students referred to the task board where they split in to small groups and completed varying literacy activities. Much like what Hill (2006, p 379) defines as a ‘learning centre approach’. This teaching approach enables the teacher to work with the rest of the class or run a guided reading session in this time which was observed in some classrooms. This routine was continued daily with the group activities rotating. ==

==** The whole class would then come back together to have share time to show the class what they have achieved or learnt from their group work. This allows the students to recognise and understand exactly what they have learnt in that time. **==

=//__Writing Lesson Observation:__//=

==** For the writing component of the lesson, the teacher would usually start off with modeled writing, to demonstrate what the class is focusing on that day. Ie. What is a blurb and how to write it or finishing off the days big book with a text response. **==

==** Students would then work individually to complete the activity, such as writing their own blurb for a book in independent writing. This would allow them to draw on what they already know and build on their literacy skills through giving the teachers indication of their writing levels. **==

//__ **Comparisons and Similarities:** __//
==Guided Reading – As Hill suggests ‘the text are selected by the teacher to be at the children’s learning level’ (Hill 2006, p.80) This should be beneficial for the students however as one of our observation discovered it can be intimidating for disadvantaged readers who struggle with confidence, but has good one on one student/teacher contact.==

Shared Reading – covered the same theories and strategies as Hill in most of our classroom observations. Most classes started off with a big book and followed on with small group activities.
==In comparison to one of our observations where the teacher used laminated phonogram cards with different letter combinations such as ‘ee’, ‘ew’ and ‘a’ as their shared reading activity. Although they didn’t use a big book it still covered the same criteria of ‘solving problems in identifying various words’ (Hill 2006, p. 73)==

==Independent reading – in comparison to Hill, one observation was different as it incorporated writing in the independent reading block, it was used on this occasion as it was near the end of the term to keep the students more engaged and focused on their work.==