6.2 Engage in professional learning and improve practice
AITSL Standard 6.2 Example 1
I engaged in professional learning when I attended the AISWA Play School Professional Learning on Object-Based Inquiry, please see Figure 1, and improved my practice by implementing Inquiry Learning into my classroom.
Figure 1 - Notes from AISWA Play School Object-Based Inquiry professional learning
Inquiry learning is an approach to learning that emphasises the student's role in the learning process, it enhances the development of critical thinking skills and promotes self-directed work. The students were encouraged to explore, ask questions and share ideas in their inquiry-based learning on spiders. Using the ideas from the professional learning on Object-Based Inquiry, I first gave the students a plastic spider each as their provocation and asked the students the following questions: What do you see? What do you know about spiders? What do you wonder about spiders? What do you want to know about spiders? Please see the students responses in our Spiders Inquiry Floorbook below in Figure 2. The students then used QR codes, which took them to YouTube videos about spiders which I had researched for the students to view, see Figure 3. After watching the videos the students discussed with me what they had learnt and their responses were added to our spiders Inquiry Floorbook, please see Figure 4.
Figure 2 - Spiders inquiry Floorbook
Figure 3 - QR codes for students to view YouTube videos on spiders
Figure 4 - Students responses about what they learnt
I used Information Communication Technology (ICT) with students to develop their knowledge, some more capable students worked with me to use Google to investigate some of the questions the class had on spiders. The student used the microphone to ask their question, I read the student some information that was relevant to their question, then they wrote the answer to their question into the class Floorbook, please see the students' work in Figure 5.
Figure 5 - Students' responses to inquiry questions after investigating on Google
EYLF Outcomes: 1, 2, 4 & 5
NQS Quality Area: 1, 2, 3 & 4
Domains: Language, Personal, Social, Physical, Creative, Cognitive, Emotional & Spiritual
AITSL Standard 6.2 Example 2
I engaged in professional learning when I attended the Riverside Network Professional Learning Day, the first part of the day was presented by Jane Nolan from Melville Primary School who specialised in the area of gifted and talented. There were three main areas she discussed: understanding giftedness, practical differentiation strategies and practical programming options. After the professional learning I reflected on my students and compared them to the Bright -vs- gifted child outline we were given, see Figure 6. According to the chart I identified two of my students as gifted and a few as bright. Jane presented an Exit Pass is a practical differentiation strategy, it is a pass given to students who already know the content being taught. The students who receive an Exit Pass do not have to participate in the lesson and engage in another activity which will extend them further in their learning. I assessed my bright and gifted students prior to reviewing a unit of work on phonics and provided them with an Exit Pass and extension activities on CVC words and basic word level work, see Figures 7 and 8.
Figure 6 - Notes from Riverside Network Professional Learning Day focusing on gifted and talented students
Figure 7 - Exit Pass for bright and gifted students who knew the content being taught
Figure 8 - An example of one of the CVC worksheets for students who received an Exit Pass for a phonics lesson
EYLF Outcomes: 1, 4 & 5
NQS Quality Area: 1, 3 & 4
Domains: Language, Personal, Physical & Cognitive
AITSL Standard 6.2 Example 3
I engaged in professional learning when I attended the AISWA Supporting EAL/D Learners in the Classroom Professional Development, please see notes in Figure 9, and improved my practice by using the ideas from the professional development in my classroom.
Outlined below are some of the ways I have improved my practice to support EAL/D students:
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pairing native-speakers and EAL/D learners up to encourage scaffolding
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respecting the silent period
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explaining vocabulary
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not putting EAL/D learners on the spot to answer questions
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providing EAL/D learners with wait time
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use of more visuals in lessons
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use of gestures in my lessons.
Figure 9 - Notes from AISWA Supporting EAL/D Learners in the Classroom professional development
An example of a lesson in which I improved my practice to support EAL/D students was a math lesson on measurement. The objective was to order objects from smallest to largest. Using babushka dolls, I opened them and ordered them from largest to smallest. I then used hand gestures to describe the size and encouraged the students to join in with hand gestures, hands almost meeting for smallest, further apart for next size, larger, then further apart again for the next size, larger until the students have their hands stretched out as far as they can go (one low and the other high) for largest. We repeated the activity for other babushka dolls then ordered plastic spiders from smallest to largest and repeated the gestures as a class. The students then participated in an activity in which they cut out different sized spiders and placed them in order from smallest to largest, see Figure 10. When working with EAL/D students I used the hand gestures for smallest, larger and largest and referred to the babushka dolls and plastic spiders to reinforce the concept.
Figure 10 - Student A's work sample of ordering spiders from smallest to largest
EYLF Outcomes: 1, 2, 4 & 5
NQS Quality Area: 1, 2, 3, 4 & 5
Domains: Language, Personal, Social, Emotional, Physical & Cognitive