Instructional Model

The Instructional framework at Glengala Primary School is informed by the Gradual Release of Responsibility (GRR) model (Fisher & Frey). Framed around the Workshop Model and consistent with the work of Cris Tovani and Lucy Culkins, the model builds a structured evidenced-based approach for teaching and learning. This model is used to teach all aspects of the curriculum and is consistently implemented from Foundation to Year 6.

The Instructional Model is

• aligned with the Victorian teaching and learning model that incorporates the vision for learning, practice principles and HITS 
• focused on teacher practice as the main contributor to improved student learning outcomes
• improvement-focused to assist teachers with their professional learning, including designing their PDP goals
• adaptive and can be modified to fit subject contexts
• implemented together with the practice principles, the pedagogical model enables teachers to maintain a line of sight between their own professional development and school-wide improvement based on FISO 2.0.

Focus

Each lesson at Glengala Primary School begins with a clear focus. The teachers clarify the purpose of the lesson through a learning intention and success criteria. Teachers link the learning to previous lessons and explain the vocabulary, skills, knowledge and understanding required for the students to be successful.

Explicit Instruction

In this stage of the lesson, teachers engage students through specific and clear modelling of the learning, demonstrating the success criteria. The teacher carefully engages in a ‘think aloud’ sharing their metacognitive strategies and approaches to be successful in the thinking processes. The teachers share exemplars and refer to anchor charts that serve as the second teacher in the room for students to refer back to during the ‘we do’ and ‘I do’ components of the lesson. During the ‘we do’ students engage in a range of opportunities to share their thinking so far. For example, through a turn and talk or recording their thinking on sticky notes or whiteboards.

Small Group Instruction/Independent/collaborative work

The teacher meets with small groups, guiding them through their ‘point of need’ learning. Using an evidence-based approach such as reciprocal reading, guided reading the learning is differentiated and modified to support each student. As the teacher works with small groups, students work independently or in small groups practicing the skills and developing understandings modelled to them in the explicit instruction. They engage in this independent work at their level though appropriate text choice or scaffolded tools to assist their learning.

Reflection of the learning

The final part of the lesson involves students assessing themselves against the lesson’s success criteria and teachers provide the opportunity for the students to share their thinking. Students offer evidence of their learning and how they were successful in the lesson against the success criteria. Both the teacher and students will refer to the learning intentions and success criteria, anchor charts to further articulate their understandings.

Reading Workshop Model

• The Readers workshop model supports the teaching of reading through a consistent approach.  It scaffolds the teaching of reading through core teaching practices including:

Modelled Reading, Shared Reading, Guided Reading, Literature Circles, Close Reading, Language Experience, Reciprocal Reading.

• PLTs and the leadership team will determine the appropriate selection of teacher practices based on the needs of their students as well as the teacher's knowledge and understanding of these practices.

Writing Instructional Model

Writing Workshop Model

Effective writing draws upon a repertoire of practices and resources that allow learners, as they engage in reading and writing activities, to:

• encode written and visual texts - Text encoder
• compose meaning in written and visual texts - Text participant 
• compose written and visual texts for social purposes - Text user
• construct underlying beliefs, views, values and to position the reader viewer - Text analyst

Writing Instructional Model

Focus

Are used as inspiration to plan and record their thinking to decide what message they want to convey and how. The teacher refers to the learning intention and success criteria and unpacks the language they will need to be successful.

Explicit Instruction

Are short and focused for approximately 10 minutes. The teacher seeks to inspire and instruct the students as writers. The explicit teaching might focus on something the students are struggling with, or introduce strategies that the students can employ in their own writing.  During the explicit teaching the teacher connects the day’s teaching to the ongoing work that the students have been doing and they explain the Learning Intention and Success Criteria. Students can use their writer’s notebook as a guide for inspiration. The teacher model for the students, by writing in the text type the students will be writing in. The teacher explicitly teaches the 6 plus one traits and guides the students through their thinking as an author.

Small Group Instruction/Independent/collaborative work

Students work independently on their written pieces.  Different structures and supports are in place to ensure students get support from their teacher or peers.  The teacher confers with individuals and small groups to learn more about the students and to provide appropriate guidance. The teacher might gather small groups of 4-6 students who have a similar need and provide additional structure and support.

Reflection of the learning

Share drafts, comment on each other’s strengths, advise on areas that could be clearer or more powerfully conveyed or offer strategies for overcoming difficulties. The teacher and students refer back to the learning intention and success criteria