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.

Reflection on Reading Group Practice Adjustment

Teaching students to engage in the strategic actions needed to process increasingly complex texts has encouraged me to make some adjustments to my group reading practice. I have started using a quieter reading approach where students read independently while I listen in, observe, and make notes using the fluency rubric and modelling book. This has helped me notice individual strengths and next steps more clearly.

I have also begun using Screencast alongside the fluency rubric. Students are able to hear and see themselves reading, which helps them reflect on their fluency and identify areas they need to improve. This has supported greater student ownership of learning, as they are becoming more aware of what successful reading looks and sounds like.

RPI Day 4 Reflection

 

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

I learned more about the framework for small group reading instruction and how important explicit teaching, modelling, scaffolding, and discussion are in reading. I also liked learning more about the comprehension taxonomy and the different types of questions we can ask students.

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

I learned better ways to observe reading using the Learning to Reading (LtR) tool instead of going around the group one by one. I liked the idea of students reading quietly while I listen in and make notes using the fluency rubric and modelling book. This helped me think more about what to notice during reading. I also loved the exemplars and templates provided for us to follow as it makes preparing teaching slides much easier.

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

I loved the fluency rubric because students can clearly see where they are at and what they need to work on. I also liked the “response-to-text” follow-up activities and the questioning examples linked to the taxonomy. It was a good reminder to build conversations instead of just asking lots of questions. The ideas for creating a digital modelling book and what to include in it were also really helpful and useful. 

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

I could share the fluency rubric, observation ideas, and questioning strategies with colleagues. I also loved the resource room provided for practice ideas and activities that could be used with learners or shared with whānau/aiga to support reading at home.

Reflection on Text Coverage Planning

 

Reflection on Text Coverage Planning

Over the past few weeks, I have been reflecting on my text coverage planning, particularly the use of text sets in reading. One of the main challenges I faced was limited access to resources. The Colour Wheel books were in short supply, and there were no soft copies available online, making it difficult to ensure all students could engage with multiple texts at the same time.

As a result, I shifted to focusing on one core text each week. While this was initially due to necessity, it proved effective. Students were able to engage more deeply, revisit key ideas, and build their comprehension with greater confidence. I also noticed that when multiple texts were introduced, many students struggled to complete follow-up tasks, so simplifying the focus supported better participation and completion.

To support wider exposure, I added related articles and videos to my taskboard. This allowed students to access additional content in different formats, helping to build background knowledge while still maintaining a clear focus on the main text.

Moving forward, I aim to balance depth and variety by continuing with a core text while thoughtfully incorporating supporting resources. This experience has reinforced the importance of being flexible and responsive to student needs, ensuring that planning supports both access and meaningful learning.