Professional Knowledge
Professional Standard 2: Know the content and how to teach it
Focus Area 2.1 - Content and teaching strategies of the teaching area
I use a wide variety of strategies every lesson. These include (but are not limited to), questioning, vocabulary building, dictation, reading and listening comprehension and written exercises. Where appropriate, I also use hands-on activities that involve students creating things and group work. Many of these tasks are adapted from the textbook or specific unit to suit the student cohort.
<evidence>
Focus Area 2.2 - Content selection and organisation
As a language teacher, much of the content we teach is pre-selected and ability-appropriate within the textbook. It is up to us to choose which parts are relevant to the outcomes we have set out to achieve. Our outcomes are also dictated to us by the International Baccalaureate Organisation, as we offer a Middle Years Program. The nature of IB units also gives more freedom outside the textbooks to create exciting units and tasks, while still using the textbook to support vocabulary and grammar development.
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Focus Area 2.3 - Curriculum, assessment and reporting
A backwards planning approach allows you to see where you need to end up, and then to plan what you need to teach them to get there. Having the assessment task prepared at the beginning of a unit also allows the students to see what path their learning will take during that unit. Working at an IB school allows me to learn comprehensive backwards planning and task design, and utilise a variety of methodologies to create an engaging curriculum. Student feedback via an online survey has consolidated that I have been successful with this, this year.
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Focus Area 2.4 - Understand and respect Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people to promote reconciliation between Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians
In 2013 I was part of the Aboriginal Education team, providing literacy support to students at risk. In this role I developed different relationships with students, as I was with them in class to assist them with their work, not as a teacher. They responded to this well and generally worked with me. As well as providing in-class support with their assessments, I would at times take them out of class in small groups and give them extra practice in spelling, grammar, writing structures for relevant genres and build lateral thinking skills with word puzzles and games.
As part of the team, I was also involved in meetings where student achievements and needs were discussed and implemented. This included finding and getting students into reconciliation congresses, leadership training sessions, women's initiatives and the AIME mentoring program.
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Focus Area 2.5 - Literacy and numeracy strategies
As an EAL/D teacher explicit literacy strategies are a key part of the curriculum. This is particularly so with New Arrivals Program, as you are teaching the language from the very beginning; including phonics, letter combinations, pronunciation and sometimes handwriting.
-literacy for learning
-EALD levels PD
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Focus Area 2.6 - Information and Communication Technology (ICT)
As a language teacher, I often prefer students use workbooks and handwriting in class. However, a number of tasks during a unit will utilise their technologies - laptops, smartphones, etc. Students have the option of practicing spelling words online as well as submission of work. I am progressively moving towards an online assessment system and making steps to initiate a 'flipped classroom'.
<evidence>
I use a wide variety of strategies every lesson. These include (but are not limited to), questioning, vocabulary building, dictation, reading and listening comprehension and written exercises. Where appropriate, I also use hands-on activities that involve students creating things and group work. Many of these tasks are adapted from the textbook or specific unit to suit the student cohort.
<evidence>
Focus Area 2.2 - Content selection and organisation
As a language teacher, much of the content we teach is pre-selected and ability-appropriate within the textbook. It is up to us to choose which parts are relevant to the outcomes we have set out to achieve. Our outcomes are also dictated to us by the International Baccalaureate Organisation, as we offer a Middle Years Program. The nature of IB units also gives more freedom outside the textbooks to create exciting units and tasks, while still using the textbook to support vocabulary and grammar development.
<evidence>
Focus Area 2.3 - Curriculum, assessment and reporting
A backwards planning approach allows you to see where you need to end up, and then to plan what you need to teach them to get there. Having the assessment task prepared at the beginning of a unit also allows the students to see what path their learning will take during that unit. Working at an IB school allows me to learn comprehensive backwards planning and task design, and utilise a variety of methodologies to create an engaging curriculum. Student feedback via an online survey has consolidated that I have been successful with this, this year.
<evidence>
Focus Area 2.4 - Understand and respect Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people to promote reconciliation between Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians
In 2013 I was part of the Aboriginal Education team, providing literacy support to students at risk. In this role I developed different relationships with students, as I was with them in class to assist them with their work, not as a teacher. They responded to this well and generally worked with me. As well as providing in-class support with their assessments, I would at times take them out of class in small groups and give them extra practice in spelling, grammar, writing structures for relevant genres and build lateral thinking skills with word puzzles and games.
As part of the team, I was also involved in meetings where student achievements and needs were discussed and implemented. This included finding and getting students into reconciliation congresses, leadership training sessions, women's initiatives and the AIME mentoring program.
<evidence>
Focus Area 2.5 - Literacy and numeracy strategies
As an EAL/D teacher explicit literacy strategies are a key part of the curriculum. This is particularly so with New Arrivals Program, as you are teaching the language from the very beginning; including phonics, letter combinations, pronunciation and sometimes handwriting.
-literacy for learning
-EALD levels PD
<evidence>
Focus Area 2.6 - Information and Communication Technology (ICT)
As a language teacher, I often prefer students use workbooks and handwriting in class. However, a number of tasks during a unit will utilise their technologies - laptops, smartphones, etc. Students have the option of practicing spelling words online as well as submission of work. I am progressively moving towards an online assessment system and making steps to initiate a 'flipped classroom'.
<evidence>