ECL310 Weekly Reflections

My weekly reflections for the unit ECL310

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WEEK TEN REFLECTION

By researching ‘#picturebooks’ on other social media platforms including Facebook and Instagram, I found that there are similarities to the ones on Tumblr. I noticed that Facebook had a filtering option for users to select the content they would like to see in their results. For example, you are able to select who it is posted by, the tagged location and dates posted. Furthermore, these forms of social media enable users and producers to interact with each other. I enjoy scrolling past posts like videos, images, etc. on the hashtag results.

Although I do not think it is a sole and reliable source for a classroom to rely on when researching online information, I believe it is a great springboard to begin a research. Using a hashtag in relation to a topic provides various ideas for students to look, interact and browse. Through this research stage from using the hashtag, students begin to formulate their ideas, opinions and thoughts while keeping an active and critical thinking mind. However, teachers need to be mindful of what can be included in this hashtag as it is a tool that the general public of users are able to hashtag in their posts.

I also found this GIF from using entering ‘#picturebook’ in the Tumblr search bar when wanting to insert a GIF. I thought this process of researching a hashtag relates well to this week’s prompt too! :)

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WEEK NINE REFLECTION

Upon exploring the #picturebooks on Tumblr, I discovered a lot of illustrators. I followed a few Tumblr blogs that stood out to me:

http://tomclohosycole.tumblr.com Tom Clohosy Cole’s website includes ‘out of this world’ illustrations that are adventurous, bright and colourful. (first picture)

http://marcmartin.tumblr.com Simplicity is Marc Martin’s main theme in his illustrations. I believe his illustrations are aimed older year level students. (second picture)

http://thelittlebookroom.tumblr.com The Little Bookroom have recommendations for up and coming picture books, which was very insightful.

http://tinkerd.tumblr.com David Litchfield illustrates for children’s picture books, which are eye-catching and unique. (third picture)

In addition, I noticed that people posted about a lot of illustrations, upcoming launches of picture books, sales of picture books and recommendations. It was rather interesting to explore a hashtag on Tumblr for this week’s reflection as I woudn’t have explored it at all. It is a useful tool that I would keep in mind when planning for future lessons.

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WEEK EIGHT REFLECTION

VIDEO:

‘Visit the Torres Strait!’

http://splash.abc.net.au/home#!/media/2182257/visit-the-torres-strait

The short clip ‘Visit the Torres Strait!’ is a good introductory video to show learners before they explore about Australian and Torres Strait Islander through a picture book. After viewing the video, students are gathered as a whole-class and to be seated in a circle to complete a ‘I notice...’ activity.

I will ask students to take turns and begin by saying “I notice...” from what they noticed in the video. When every student has completed and had their turn, the teacher debriefs with the whole class. The teacher creates a visual roadmap of the text on chart paper as they share what they have noticed. Next, the teacher loads up pictures on the projector screen to show the learners a map of Australia with an arrow pointing where the Torres Strait Islands are in relation to where we are staying in Australia. Next, a closer view of the Torres Strait Islands map is shown to the learners to give a clearer idea of how the islands are spread out. Finally, the picture of the Torres Strait Islander flag is shown to the learners. The teacher asks the students what do they remember or know from what each element of the flag represents. After the front-loading activities are completed, the teacher can proceed to read the picture book to the class.

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WEEK SEVEN REFLECTION

When weddings and wastage have become the world’s priority.

A short ten-to-twenty minute front-loading activity I will conduct before the book is read is called ‘Word Sorts’ (McCall 2005, p. 3-4).

“Identify key vocabulary from the text to be read. Provide a list of words to students to sort into categories determined by either the teacher or the students. Encourage metacognition by asking them to provide the rationale for placing words in certain categories. If the selection to be read is a narrative, students can sequence the words in a way that makes sense and use the words to tell the story, based on their prediction of what the story will be about. The words can be resorted to reflect the actual story as the reading occurs, and can be sorted again at the end of the reading to aid in retelling.”

References: McCall, J 2005, Frontloading for ELL Learners: Building Concepts and Vocabulary Before Reading, Literacy Specialists, retrieved 31 August 2016, <www.literacyspecialists.com>.

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WEEK SIX REFLECTION

Instagram: *like*

Facebook: *comments*

Twitter: *re-tweet*

Online gaming: *solve puzzles*

After reading Bridget Brennan's online article 'Online gaming may boost school scores but social media is wasted time, study suggests', I felt students who reads this article will take the message the incorrect way. They may start to believe that if they spend more time online gaming, they will score better in tests. However, this online gaming experience would need to work hand-in-hand with completing their homework regularly and practising their skills (reading, spelling, writing, etc.) in various areas. These students' parents will still encourage students to have a balance of school work and gaming. Some parents may even discourage as much online gaming or use of social media too.

Having heard experiences of cyber bullying, I feel like social media is a tool that is great for communication, sharing ideas and keeping updated but it can also be utilised in the wrong manner such as cyber bullying. It is important to inform and talk about these issues with primary school students as they will face more challenging issues when they progress to secondary school. Instead of letting them be passive bystanders, I believe each student has a role to play to prevent as much cyber bullying from occurring.

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WEEK THREE REFLECTION

I have created a short clip summarising the different ways I have made meaning from text in the past week. I have categorised them in three groups: daily use, social media and uni course work. 

It is funny how we do not pay attention to what we actually make meaning from as it it something that we just do automatically. The different forms of texts include reading children’s written work, reading uni textbooks, viewing my daily planner, browsing food reviews, viewing menus at an eatery, paying attention to road and street signs, etc.

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WEEK TWO REFLECTION

Short Listed for the 2015 CBCA Book of the Year for Older Readers.

Are You Seeing Me? by Darren Groth, Random House Australia isbn:9780857984739

To get students thinking about the context of the story, I could get them to infer and ask the possible scenarios that is occurring in this scene of the front cover. There are many prompts that could be asked such as: ‘Where do you think this story is set at?’, ‘Is the octopus a villain?’ and ‘What does the title suggest what the book is going to be about?’

Another prediction activity that I could do with this cover is to get students to predict and draw the next scene following this front cover image. This enables the student to run wild and creative with their ideas. They could also do a role play in small groups and predict the next scene while presenting it to the classroom.

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WEEK ONE REFLECTION

I attended a private primary school in Malaysia. Growing up in that country meant I learnt a few languages such as English, Malay and Mandarin during my schooling years. I remember my teacher would read a short story to us at least once a week during library time when I was in grade 3 or 4. Our culture in Malaysia had various Malay folklore and fables that I vaguely remember. Thus, the image above is one of the many famous short stories I have read or been read to. It always stood out to me how the fables were always creative in embedding the moral of the story. Thus, this contributed to my positive experience of being read to during primary school.