Clip 5: From theory to practice

Melanie:

Let’s think then, generally. I think in terms of your teaching, that this is, this is bigger than just this writing lesson, isn't it? This is, this is a teaching strategy, if you like, that you're going to be developing and improving. So let’s think about the sorts of things that generally you would be looking out for and noticing, so that you are able to scaffold the kids and their learning. OK? And then we’ll talk about these specific kids.

Glenda:

OK.

Melanie:

For instance, I was thinking that oral language and the way that kids talk and the way they use language is a very powerful link that you can help kids to make – you know, to think back to, to relate back to.

Glenda:

Yeah, I hadn't thought of that. That would actually be really good for Anna Leah, because I had a conversation with her about … she went to Australia for the holidays, and she was really animated when she was telling me, and, yeah, her oral language was quite … it was a lot richer than what she had actually written.

Melanie:

Mm, let’s think about some other things, too.

Glenda:

Do you mean like other kinds of writing as well? Maybe like books that they've read or something.

Melanie:

Especially when you know the impact that something has had on a particular student and something that they’ve said that’s told you that.

Glenda:

Mm, yeah, I hadn’t thought of that.

Melanie:

OK, so it’s linking into that – the thinking and the talking that‘s happened at that time.

Glenda:

It’s a lot broader than what I had ever thought, you know, the way I'd ever viewed scaffolding really. So that’s, yeah, that’s good. Like Danny, I mean, I can think of a time already when he was writing about “Do we have too much homework?” or “We have too much homework”. And he was … the thing he was proudest of, and came and showed me many times over, was that he really connected to the reader, to the audience, and he asked questions of them, and … So I could probably link that in, because really, here, he hasn't, he hasn’t connected to the audience.