Mabel Tang

April 20, 2016

CIL621
I as a Learner Part 2 Reflection

Process for Meeting Goal #1

My first goal is to develop and organize a binder of word work lesson plans

(and ready to be used materials) for use during small groups. This year, our grade

level adopted the Guiding Readers monthly units created by Deedee Wills and

Deana Jump from TeachersPayTeachers since our school does not have a reading

program. Part of the unit includes premade lessons on word work for kindergarten

and first grade.

I began putting together my evidence binder by going through each months

unit and jotting down which lessons I wish to use with my students. For example,

the months of August/September and October focuses on identifying and sorting

beginning consonant sounds. The months of October and November focuses on

word families and short vowel sounds. In December, digraphs and blends are

introduced. Based on my own class this year, I realized the students require more

practice on word families and vowels before moving on to more difficult concepts.

So instead of continuing with the kindergarten lesson plans provided through the

monthly units, I decided to review with the first grade lessons on word families in

January and February. The kindergarten and first grade word work overlap. However,

the first grade lessons utilizes three sorts rather than two. Therefore, even though

the students are reviewing with word families previously used, they are still getting

new information with a new word family sort. In March and April, digraphs are

reviewed and new digraphs and blends are introduced as well. Finally, in May, I

pulled long vowel word work focusing solely on the silent e pattern.

After I have organized the word work by the nine month school year, I began

printing out the lesson plans and pictures sorts I need. Many of the word work sorts I

already have printed and made since I began using them with my own students this
Mabel Tang
April 20, 2016
CIL621
I as a Learner Part 2 Reflection

year. I went through and laminated all the beginning consonant sound cards and

glued word family, digraphs, blends, and long vowel sorts onto notecards. I realized

that as I was organizing all these into the two inch binder I have, the sorting cards

were causing the binder to inflate more than it should. At that point, I decided to

transfer all the sorting cards into a tub and leave the lesson plans, sorting headers,

and extra materials in the binder. There are 10 dividers within the binder to

separate each plan for the nine month school year while the last tab includes extra

material I also utilize during small group word work time. Honestly, putting together

all this work was time consuming, but I am glad I made this my goal because I

would have most likely not done something like this over the summer like I had

planned.

Process for Meeting Goal #2

My second goal was to develop knowledge on accountable talk and how to

implement it in a kindergarten classroom. I began this by researching accountable

talk in kindergarten, but realized many of the articles pertained to primary grades

rather than just kindergarten. So, it was simply my job to adapt the information to

fit with my group of students. I also realized from researching, that I have already

been implementing accountable talk during my literacy block by asking literature

response questions and providing discussion on topics; I simply did not know that it

was a form of accountable talk.

After researching and expanding my own knowledge of accountable talk, I

went in search of materials I could use and incorporate with my students (why

reinvent the wheel; might as well use what others have done). I found many things

on TeachersPayTeachers and decided to utilize one of them within my class. This

strategy included the use of accountable talk signs to help students remember how
Mabel Tang
April 20, 2016
CIL621
I as a Learner Part 2 Reflection

to respond during discussion. I asked my parent volunteers to help me create the

little signs and laminate posters to be hung around the room.

Finally, I began implementing accountable talk during my blended learning

(math) block about a month ago. Students are grouped into small groups based on

their ability level and when students arrived at the teacher station, I introduced the

concept of collaborative conversations and modeled how to respond and listen

appropriately to someone. I have continued the use of accountable talk since and

have seen definite improvement on their speaking and listening skills.