Clip 7: Immediate teaching needs
Glenda:
OK, I just, I just want to write down those criteria we developed for modelling and add in that scaffolding bit, and what I need to notice, long-term and short-term.
Melanie:
I think it’s important to say “strengths”, remind yourself.
Glenda:
Yep – right.
Melanie:
You know, that in your head, “the strengths – what do I know they can do, what do I know they’ve been successful at?”
Glenda:
Yeah, that’s actually the key, cause that’s probably what I wasn't doing enough of. So it was oral language …
Melanie:
And it could be any of these occasions, couldn't it … oral language ...
Glenda:
Well, I'm going to go and try, try it with Danny. I’d have to think about the words that I said. But maybe it would be something along the lines that: “Remember when we were doing the writing about, when you did the writing about having too much homework. You thought about the audience, and when you talked to the audience and said things like ‘You wouldn't want that, would you?’ – that made, gave me a better understanding, and we’re trying to do the same thing here, have a better understanding.”
Melanie:
That’s the key with Danny, isn't it? That shows that he can, and he knows how to think about the audience. So it might just be a reminder, you know, just like you did today when you made those really quick reminders to the kids. So for Danny, it’s cueing into that cause he knows about that.
Glenda:
And he was really proud about that too, it’s something he will remember.
Melanie:
Yeah, as you were talking, I was, you just reminded me – and I was thinking about – prompting. Because that’s such a powerful strategy and it’s helping or enabling the kids to use what they already know and can do. And you're absolutely right, that it is about strengths; and so often we talk about needs, don't we?
Glenda:
Yeah, yeah. I’m going to be more aware all of the time. I mean, I might, initially, maybe what I might have to do is actually jot some things down. Because, I mean, it’s not just this group, it’s all of the kids. And there’s so many different things through the day that may or may not be useful that I hadn't actually thought of before. And I might need to slightly change my … the organisation of my writing, because I think I might need to have slightly less time modelling with the whole group. So that allows me a little bit more time to actually have some of those conversations with individual children that perhaps aren't getting it, so I can make those connections specifically for them.
Melanie:
Yeah, yeah. But, OK, go back to your modelling though, because we know that’s something that is a strength for you, and it’s the same with the kids, isn't it? You know, let’s build on something that we know that you are strong in. I'm wondering how you can strengthen what you are already doing. So even in your modelling, we need to think about some ways that you can connect with the kids even then, or be aware of those connections even in that particular time.
Glenda:
I guess it’s the same sort of thing. If I know the kids that are in my group, and I know that this might be a connection for this child, and they haven't quite got it yet, that maybe I might use that particular thing.
