RPI Day 9 Reflection

 Overall RPI Reflection

Before starting the Reading Practice Intensive (RPI) programme, I used to think that teaching reading was mainly about taking guided reading groups, listening to students read, and giving them comprehension questions. I now realise that reading is so much more than comprehension. It is about building vocabulary, strengthening decoding skills, and encouraging students to think deeply through questioning, inferring, analysing, and discussing texts.

The sessions on Guided Reading, Comprehension, Vocabulary, and Decoding were my favourite because they gave me practical strategies that I could use straight away. One of the biggest changes in my classroom has been redesigning my reading taskboard. It is now much more purposeful, supports independent learning, and gives students clearer pathways for reading and responding to texts.

I also loved the focus on sharing. Next term, I want to introduce a Whānau Reading Interview, where students read a favourite book with a family member, answer a few questions together, and upload a photo of them reading or draw the book cover. I hope this helps strengthen learner voice and builds meaningful partnerships between home and school.

This PLD has changed the way I view reading. My goal is to create confident readers who not only understand texts but also think critically, collaborate with others, and enjoy sharing their reading journey.

 Reader Profile Survey Reflection

When I analysed our Reader Profile Survey, I was encouraged to see that 93.8% of my students said they enjoy reading for pleasure or enjoy having someone read to them. This was a wonderful result, as it shows that the majority of my learners already have a positive attitude towards reading and are beginning to see themselves as readers.

The survey also highlighted an important next step. Half of my class have a public library card, while the other 50% do not. Although students enjoy reading, many have limited access to books outside the classroom, which can make it more challenging to develop regular reading habits and sustain reading for enjoyment.

This is an area I want to strengthen by building stronger partnerships with whānau. I plan to encourage families to sign up for a local library card and make greater use of the National Library service so students have access to a wider range of high-interest texts. By increasing opportunities to read at home, I hope to continue nurturing confident readers who choose to read for pleasure.

This survey has provided valuable insight into my students’ reading identities and will help guide my next steps in creating a rich and sustainable reading culture both at school and at home.

RPI Day 8 Reflection

RPI Day 8 Reflection 

What did I learn that increased my understanding of the kaupapa and pedagogy of the Manaiakalani Reading Programme?

A key learning for me was that the heart of the Manaiakalani Reading Programme is to motivate learners to engage meaningfully with the curriculum. Reading is not simply about understanding a text—it is about empowering students to become creators, designers, and creative thinkers who actively construct meaning.

The Create element reinforced the importance of giving learners opportunities to apply their understanding, make choices, collaborate with others, and connect their learning to authentic tasks. I also discovered how much easier the podcast tool has become to use, providing students with an engaging way to share their thinking and demonstrate their understanding through oral language.

Alongside this, I explored how AI tools can be used purposefully to support creativity rather than replace it. These digital tools help shift learners from being consumers of information to confident producers who create, design, and share meaningful learning.

What did I learn that could improve my capability and confidence in teaching reading?

One of the most valuable experiences was becoming a creative illustrator and performer during our reading session. Instead of simply analysing a poem, we interpreted it through art and performance, then reflected on how our ideas were similar to and different from a published illustration. This showed me that there is no single “correct” interpretation of a text and that creative responses encourage deeper thinking and rich discussion.

It gave me the confidence to move beyond traditional comprehension activities and provide my students with opportunities to represent their understanding in creative ways.

What did I learn that could be used with my learners?

I learned that creativity is essential for engagement and empowerment. Texts can be explored through many modes, including images, writing, speech, layout, movement, drama and film. When students create, they become active meaning-makers rather than passive recipients of information.

The idea of providing routine opportunities for short creative responses really stood out to me. These can happen before, during or after reading, with either structured or open-ended tasks and opportunities for student choice and collaboration. I’m especially excited to try creating one-shot films as a hook into reading, allowing students to bring a scene or idea from a text to life.

I also learned about the SAMR model, where digital tools can do more than substitute paper tasks—they can modify and redefine learning by enabling students to create, share and receive meaningful feedback.

What did I learn that could be shared with colleagues or whānau/aiga?

I would share the message that reading should lead to creating, not just consuming. Encouraging learners to respond creatively through podcasts, illustrations, drama, digital storytelling or short films helps develop critical and creative thinkers. Sharing these digital artefacts with whānau also makes learning visible and celebrates students’ voices, strengthening the connection between home and school.

RPI Day 7 Reflection

What did I learn that increased my understanding of the kaupapa and pedagogy of the Manaiakalani Reading Programme?

Through the Manaiakalani Reading Programme, I have gained a deeper understanding of how reading and digital literacy work together to prepare students for the future. I learned that the Four C's—critical thinking, communication, creativity, and collaboration—are essential skills that should be embedded in everyday learning. One of my biggest takeaways was the importance of teaching students to think critically about the information they see online. Using Cybersmart lessons such as Smart Media, I have learned how to support students to question whether information is real, reliable, and created for a specific purpose. I also developed a better understanding of how AI and digital technologies are becoming part of students' daily lives, making it essential to teach them how to use these tools safely, responsibly, and ethically. This learning has influenced my teaching by encouraging me to intentionally incorporate opportunities for students to discuss, evaluate, and reflect on digital content, helping them become confident, informed, and responsible digital citizens.

What did I learn that could improve my capability and confidence in teaching reading?

Today's learning deepened my understanding of Bloom's Taxonomy, particularly the importance of developing higher order thinking skills such as analysing, evaluating, and creating. I learned that students need to move beyond literal comprehension and be explicitly taught to interpret, synthesise, and critically analyse texts. This has increased my confidence in planning reading lessons that intentionally develop deeper thinking through modelling, questioning, and discussion.

What did I learn that could be used with my learners? 

I will encourage students to highlight evidence in the text as they analyse and synthesise information to support their ideas. I also want to use images and provocations to develop "reading beyond the lines" by encouraging students to interpret deeper meanings, justify their thinking with evidence, and participate in rich discussions that require reasoning. These strategies will help students become more confident and critical readers.

What did I learn that could be shared within my wider community, with either colleagues, or whanau/aiga? 

I would share the importance of providing regular opportunities for students to engage in higher order thinking rather than focusing only on literal comprehension. Using Bloom's Taxonomy, thought-provoking questions, image analysis, and response-to-text activities can help learners analyse, synthesise, evaluate, and explain their thinking. These approaches can be used both at school and at home to develop thoughtful, independent readers.

RPI Day 6 Reflection

What did I learn that increased my understanding of the kaupapa and pedagogy of the Manaiakalani Reading Programme?

I learned that vocabulary is a key part of learning and is closely connected to the Manaiakalani kaupapa of empowerment. The more robust a student's vocabulary is, the more confident and successful they can be in listening, speaking, reading, and writing. I also learned that vocabulary development plays an important role in supporting students who may be disadvantaged in oral language and literacy development. Children grow their vocabulary through rich conversations with adults, listening to stories, and reading widely. In addition, digital tools can be powerful for building vocabulary through audiobooks, in-text support, immediate feedback, repeated exposure to words, and increased engagement. This learning reinforced the importance of using digital tools such as Wordwall, Vocabulary.com, and Quizlet to empower students to create their own quizzes, flashcards, and word lists, helping them take greater ownership of their learning.

What did I learn that could improve my capability and confidence in teaching reading?

I learned that effective vocabulary instruction is essential for reading success and cannot be left to chance. It requires a deliberate and balanced approach that includes building word consciousness, explicit and interactive teaching of vocabulary, providing multiple opportunities to encounter and use new words, teaching strategies for cracking unfamiliar words, and developing morphological knowledge. Through the robust vocabulary activity with a buddy, I experienced how discussion, collaboration, and repeated exposure to words deepen understanding. This learning has increased my confidence in planning purposeful vocabulary instruction that helps learners access increasingly complex and curriculum-specific texts.

What did I learn that could be used with my learners?

I learned the importance of creating a vocabulary-rich classroom where words are explored, discussed, and celebrated regularly. The buddy activity demonstrated how structured discussions, supported by clear ground rules, encourage learners to share ideas, listen respectfully, and build on each other's thinking. I can use strategies such as word maps, word consciousness activities, "word of the day" challenges, and "word sneak" games to encourage students to notice, use, and experiment with new vocabulary. Having a consistent system for displaying and revisiting words will help ensure learners encounter vocabulary multiple times and in different contexts, strengthening both oral language and reading comprehension.

What did I learn that could be shared within my wider community, with either colleagues or whānau/aiga?

I learned that vocabulary learning is most effective when it is intentional, engaging, and reinforced across different settings. This understanding could be shared with colleagues to promote consistent approaches to vocabulary instruction across classrooms, including the use of explicit teaching, multiple exposures, and word consciousness activities. I could also share with whānau and aiga the importance of talking about new words at home, reading together, and encouraging children to use interesting vocabulary in everyday conversations. By working together to build rich language experiences, we can help learners develop the robust vocabulary needed for success in reading and learning across the curriculum.

Reflection on Timetable Adjustments and Independent Learning

 After our session, I adjusted my task board by adding ReadWorks and LiteracyPlanet to the weekly choice board. I created student logins for these platforms and started assigning specific tasks through Epic, ReadWorks, Sunshine Online, and LiteracyPlanet. This ensures students are reading texts linked to our inquiry and writing topics and completing quizzes and follow-up tasks afterwards. Previously, I did not realise that assignments could be given through these apps, so this has been a valuable learning for me. Since ReadWorks and LiteracyPlanet are new to the students, they have been highly engaged and excited to use them.

Students are enjoying the weekly choice board and are very engaged with the digital reading activities, even during SSR time. I have also adjusted my weekly timetable by adding handwriting and spelling, as these were already being taught but were not clearly shown in my timetable.

I am focusing more on high expectation independent activities by making tasks purposeful, connected to classroom learning, and encouraging accountability. The changes I have made have helped students stay focused, work independently, and take greater ownership of their learning. I have also included reading comprehension and follow-up tasks that encourage deeper thinking and meaningful engagement.

RPI Day 5 Reflection

What did I learn that increased my understanding of the kaupapa and pedagogy of the Manaiakalani Reading Programme?

Reading through different class sites helped increase my understanding of the kaupapa and pedagogy of the Manaiakalani Reading Programme. I learnt that equity is at the centre of everything we do and that teaching should be visible and accessible for all learners. The priority goals of the class sites are engagement, personalised learning, accelerated achievement, and empowerment. I also noticed the importance of having a clear and organised class site that is easy for learners and whānau to access without passwords or usernames. Using tools like Muzify also seemed interesting for supporting group learning while ensuring all learners have equal access.

What did I learn that could improve my capability and confidence in teaching reading?

Planning a reading programme helped me think more carefully about how I structure my reading programme. I learnt the importance of having a mix of print and digital texts and making planning realistic by focusing on the important features. I also realised that reading learning happens across the whole curriculum, not just during reading time. The discussion around teacher and learner timetabling also showed me how important consistency is.

What did I learn that could be used with my learners?

I learnt that guided reading follow-up tasks and independent activities should have a clear purpose such as building comprehension, vocabulary, discussion, engagement, and learner empowerment. We also explored skill builders like inferring and looked at useful resources to support this. One thing I found really useful was learning that with Epic, Sunshine Online, and ReadWorks, I can give assignments to my students, which is something I would like to start using more in my classroom. I have also created an account on ReadWorks and invited my students, so I will start using it from next week. I also liked the idea of teaching students to read like writers and write like readers.

What did I learn that could be shared within my wider community, with either colleagues, or whānau/aiga?

Strategies for reading difficult words is something I think would be useful to share with colleagues and whānau/aiga so learners can also be supported at home. We also talked about structured reading, digital reading apps, and ways timetabling can help empower learners, which are all ideas worth sharing with others.