To observe a child replacing rhyming words in a poem during the literacy hour and compare to the national curriculum.Details of setting:Child in a small group within a year 2 class of 27
Cache Diploma in Child Care and Education
OBSERVATION -2
Method: Free description
Date: 30th November 2004
Aim and / reason for observation:
To observe a child replacing rhyming words in a poem during the literacy hour and compare to the national curriculum.
Details of setting:
Child in a small group within a year 2 class of 27
Immediate context:
In the literacy hour in a small group of six children working independently on task.
Time observation started:
.50 p.m.
Time observation finished:
2.30 p.m.
Adults present and their role:
Teacher, student
First name and gender of child/children being observed:
'T' male
Age:
6.8
Any other relevant information:
Supervisors signature......................................
Date................................................................
Cache Diploma in Child Care and Education
OBSERVATION -2
Free-description
T is sitting at a table he has his pencil in his left hand and is tapping it gently on the book in front of him.
T sits back in his chair and looks towards the child on his left. T looks down, opens his book and runs his right hand over the page T begins to write, he writes the date using his left hand. T then closes the book and begins to flick the pages.
T puts the book down on the table in front of him. He opens it and looks towards the child on his right (N)
T > N, "I don't know which to do"
N whispers something to T, T looks down and begins to write in his book he writes, to the sandy desert.
T looks up towards the teacher who is with another child on the table.
T draws a line through the words sandy desert and writes snowy mountins.
T turns to N and taps her on her shoulder.
T > N, "Nothing rhymes with mountains"
T is running his finger around the outside of his book and following his finger with his eyes.
T runs his fingers under the words he has written and says them quietly. He then writes where there is rabbits.
T puts his right hand in the air as the teacher approaches the table T draws a line through the last sentence he wrote.
T leans his face on the palm of his left hand and is chewing on the side of his fingers. His right hand is still in the air.
T wipes his hand down the front of his sweatshirt as the teacher comes to his side.
The teacher reads his sentence out loud and gives some examples of descriptive words which T could use at the end of his sentence which would make it easier to find rhyming words for.
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Cache Diploma in Child Care and Education
OBSERVATION -2
T writes to the mountains steep, he then points to the words with his index finger of
his right hand and quietly says the words.
T is holding the ...
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T wipes his hand down the front of his sweatshirt as the teacher comes to his side.
The teacher reads his sentence out loud and gives some examples of descriptive words which T could use at the end of his sentence which would make it easier to find rhyming words for.
2
Cache Diploma in Child Care and Education
OBSERVATION -2
T writes to the mountains steep, he then points to the words with his index finger of
his right hand and quietly says the words.
T is holding the pencil in his left hand and chewing on the end of it. T puts his right hand in the air. The teacher comes to his side.
T > teacher "I don't know what rhymes with steep"
The teacher gives examples of words which could be used.
T is nodding and is chewing on the nails of his right hand he turns to N
T > N "Can you help me?"
N leans over T's book and reads the sentence.
N > T "it's got to end in a word that ends in eep"
T > N "Shall I put where the snow is deep?"
T is smiling N nods and says "very deep"
T writes where the snow is very deep.
T reads the sentence he has just written. He then leans down very low to his book with his head down and is writing and whispering to himself after a few minutes t looks up, he has written:
Gold horse,
Magic horse
Carry me away to the mountains steep
Where the snow is very deep.
T sits back in his chair and puts up his right hand. The teacher comes towards him, T puts a line through the word very, and he is smiling.
The teacher reads the start of the poem.
Teacher > T "That's a good start"
T is still smiling he puts his head down and begins to draw, he keeps his head down while he draws and colours in his picture, only looking up to select another crayon from the centre of the table.
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Cache Diploma in Child Care and Education
OBSERVATION -2
The teacher instructs the class to finish the sentence they are on and bring their work to the carpet.
T stands up and pushes his chair underneath the table using both hands. He picks up his book and is waving it in front of his face as he walks towards the carpet area.
T sits down and crosses his legs he is holding the book with both hands close to his chest.
When the teacher asks who would like to read out their work T places his book on the floor in front of him, he sits upright with his right hand straight up in the air and his index finger on his right hand on his lips.
T is not chosen to share his work.
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Cache Diploma in Child Care and Education
OBSERVATION -2
Evaluation
Before my observation had begun T had played an active part in the teacher's whole class teaching session. T had been able to read the poem and find the rhyming words within it.
An aim of the national curriculum, Programme for study - English key skills 1 is:
8) Speaking - b. Reading aloud and reciting
2) Listening - f. Identify and respond to sound patterns in language (e.g. alliteration, rhyme, word play)
(National Curriculum, P.45)
T proved to be able to meet these aims during the whole class teacher's session.
The aim of the activity for T's group was to think of a rhyming sentence to replace the original sentence in John Foster's poem, Black horse, Magic horse.
National literacy strategy - Year 2 term 1, Text level work - writing composition
2) "To use simple poetry structures and to substitute own idea's, write new lines."
T showed an understanding of the task, he was aware of what needed doing but thinking of rhyming words proved to be very difficult for him.
T asked for help from the child next to him and needed help and encouragement from the teacher.
This links with Vygotsky's theory:
"Children can have better ideas and do better thinking when an adult or child who knows more is helping them"
(T.Bruce, C.Meggitt, 2002, P.99)
Vygotsky called this The Zone of Proximal Development.
During the observation T began fiddling with his book and flicking the pages when he was unable to think of what to write.
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Cache Diploma in Child Care and Education
OBSERVATION -2
Evaluation
When he received individual direction from the teacher he concentrated on the task until he had completed it.
Bruce and Meggitt state that:
"Children concentrate best when they have an adult who is helping them"
(T.Bruce, C.Meggitt, 2002, P.89)
An aim for the national curriculum, programme for study English Key stage 1 is:
2) Listening - d) to listen to others' reactions
e) Ask questions to clarify their learning
T clearly met these aims during my observation as he asked the child at the side of him for help and the teacher. He also asked the child next to him if he should write the sentence he had thought of, I believe he did this to clarify his understanding.
After T was given examples of words he was able to construct a sentence which rhymed.
T's reading of the poem was accurate, His spelling of the words were spelt correctly except mountains which he spelt 'mountins' which was phonetically plausible. His writing was clear and correctly formed.
Comparing these findings to the national curriculum attainment targets it would appear T is at level 2 for both reading and writing, an average stage for a child to reach at the end of key stage 1.
Attainment target 2: reading
Level 2 - Pupils' reading of simple texts shows understanding and is generally accurate.
Attainment target 3: writing
Level 2 - Pupils writing communicates meaning in both narrative and non-narrative forms. Ideas are developed in a sequence of sentences. Simple monosyllabic words are usually spelt correctly, and where there are inaccuracies the alternative is phonically correct. Letters are accurately formed and consistent in size.
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Cache Diploma in Child Care and Education
OBSERVATION -2
Evaluation
During the plenary T put his hand up and was eager to be chosen to read his work to the class. Although he wasn't chosen his actions showed he was proud of achievements and pleased with what he had accomplished.
I would recommend that during activities like this a rhyming dictionary would be made available to the group this would encourage T to look for the words himself and not just ask for the words to be told to him.
Games such as rhyming snap and rhyming eye spy within a small group would help T to develop his vocabulary of rhyming words.
During a game of rhyming snap I would encourage T to recognise the words which rhyme sounding them out as I read them and this would build up his vocabulary of rhyming words and consolidate the knowledge he already has.
During I spy T would be more challenged. I would encourage T to think of a rhyming word for what he could see: e.g. I spy with my little eye something that rhymes with lake...........................cake.
This would encourage T to think about more than just one rhyming word to go with another, and I would encourage T to use the environment to build up his rhyming vocabulary. On my turn I to guess I would try to come up with other words and not always say the obvious answer in an attempt to extend T's rhyming vocabulary.
I think a free description observation was the best observation to use as it gave a full clear picture of what was happening. I wrote up the notes quickly to ensure details were not forgotten. A checklist may have observed that T managed to find 2 new rhyming sentences but it would not have recorded how much support was needed or enough detail to evaluate my findings.
7
Cache Diploma in Child Care and Education
Personal learning
Through this observation I have gained knowledge of the national curriculum's aims, values and purposes. I have also reached the national literacy strategy and seen where it fits into the national curriculum. I have seen how relevant the zone of proximal development is in practise today and gained knowledge of the literacy hour. I have also learnt about the benefits of using a free description observation and how important it is to record everything that is seen in order to get a clear picture.
Before my observation I had not worked with T and did not have any idea of his ability although I was aware he was in the higher ability group within the class, doing the observation has given me a clear indication of the varying abilities within the class as I am used to working with the lower ability groups.
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Cache Diploma in Child Care and Education
Bibliography
Bruce, T Meggitt, C. 2002. Child Care and Education . Hodder and Stoughton
The National Curriculum - Key stage 1 & 2
The National Numeracy Strategy KS1 & KS2 . 2001. Ref DFES 0500/2001
