Aleks

Guarded Reading

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How do / Nihao / ‘ello!

Miss Aleks and I were sent to Shenzhen last week. In a rather odd way, it happened just as Guangzhou had one or two cases of modern day Black Death, COVID-19. The coronavirus just won’t go away. So, to be safe, face masks, hand-wash and direct transport was arranged. In-out, and quiet areas for dinner: Nepali food and Vietnamese pho made up for average lunch options.

Day one started little after nine in the morning. It finished around six o’clock (due to homework). Day two was similar. There was no real time to add to my end of semester student comments at T.W.I.S. Notes were scribbled and presentations listened to in quick succession. First up was the energetic Nicole Ren, from Scholastic in Beijing. Considering her flight arrived late the evening before, she did not lack vim. Before entering the Grand Mercure hotel conference room, I was assigned the number 1. That meant I was on the first table. Aleks chose a random number too. She was despatched somewhere near the rear of the room. There were at least a dozen tables. The bum-numbing seats did not make a difference in positioning. The screen was visible and speakers had been installed.

Setting up a balanced literacy programme

Day 1: Balanced Literacy in Action Word / Intro & implementation: Setting up Your Balanced Literacy Program. Understand appropriate materials for each components of Balanced Literacy. Understand components of Balanced Literacy Approach. Key stages of Literacy Development and appropriate texts for Early (D-1) and Transitional (J-N) readers. LEXILE Reading Framework: Assess Reading Levels and Find the Right Book for students. Shared Reading: Comprehension & Shared Writing. Demo: Explain the before-, during-, and after sections of a Shared Reading lesson. ldentify how comprehension skills, word study, and writing fit into a Shared Reading lesson. Workshop: Set instructional foci and deliver a shared reading session. ·Guided Reading (I): Teaching Comprehension With Response Formats.

Video observation: Explain the before-, during-, and after- sections of a Transitional. Guided Readina lesson. ldentify instructional foci and phases of a GR session.

Day 2: Study & Writing Workshop / Guided Reading for Early and Transitional Readers

Focus: Conduct small-group Guided Reading lnstruction including use of Literacy
09:00 – 10:30 .Understand appropriate materials for each components of Balanced Literacy. Centre activities and classroom management approaches. Plan, implement and
manage differentiated small-group GR instruction within a Balanced Literacy approach
to Early and Transitional learning in English for all students. Explore differentiation in
·small-group instruction, use of groups, and managing literacy centres.
Students
Session 2 Guided Reading Lesson Planning (!): A Deeper Dive With Word Study
(90 mins)
· . Introduction & Discussion:
10:40-12:10
·Understand the Place of Phonics and Spelling in Word Study·Teach Word Study During A Guided Reading Lesson

·Quick and Easy Activities for Word Study
Apply the word solving strategies to figure out words: Cover the ending / Use known
parts / Chunk big words / Break down contractions / Use analogies
Session 3 Writina About Reading: Exploring Types of Writing With SRP
(80 mins) · . Specific structures, devices and features of each type of writing.
14:00-15:20 . First step toward essay writing – understanding textual structure.

.Demo: The before-, during-. and after- sections of a Guided Reading lesson with . Demo: From reading to writing – How Modelled, Shared, Guided Writing
support respondina to text.
quided reading session.
.Workshop: Set instructional foci and select teach points. ·Discussion: How writing workshops support students’ writing development.
Session 4 Launching the Writing Workshop: Planning a Trait-Based Writing Lesson
Guided Reading (U): Teaching Reading Strategies With Graphic Organizers
(80 mins) .Demo: before-, during:, and after- sections of a Guided Reading lesson with . Demo: Observe the trainer carrying out a lesson to give you a model of what
15:30 – 17:10
nonfictional text. identify how graphic organizers support academic reading in a quided instruction looks like in action and the inspiration to develop your own
reading session. trait-based lesson plans.
·Discussion: Explain how comprehension skills fit in a GR lesson: Connect / Predict/ Question / Determine importance / Infer / Visualise / Evaluate / State and support . Discussion: ldentify the Writing Process; Blend writing traits and processes within a
opinions trait-based writing lesson.
Assignment Round-up of Day 1 Round-up of Day 2
(15 mins)
Homework activity: Reflection:
GR fiction lesson plan How am l going to implement GR in my classes?

Each session started with goals and an overview.

Xiexie / Thank you kindly / Ta’ra for now.

(Unpublished notes from 2021)

Everything’s Electric

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There used to be a time when I’d book things to look forwards to, places to go and events to see with family and friends. It’s been a long time since I’ve seen live music in an arena, music Hall or outdoor concert. If it wasn’t for tribute bands and variety acts around Dongguan, I’d have heard nil by ears.

Going home brings new opportunities. Many challenges and worries. But, as I dodge COVID-19 with the substandard Sinovac vaccination, I’ll grab some other up-to-date and tried and tested formula within a week of the ferry berthing in Kingston-upon-Hull.

Dock in Hull. First steps on English soil in a fraction beneath three years away from the U.K. Get to Manchester. Take Mum to Arcade Fire. Wander off to Gulliver’s a few days later to hear the sounds of Lael Neale (5/9). Get down to Cardiff, home of F.I.F.A. 2022 World Cup Qatar-bound Wales. Give our Liam Gallagher and The Charlatans a listen (15/9). Wait until November for Idlewild (20/11) followed by Florence and The Machine (22/11). Slot in the football at the Etihad, home of Manchester City, and seek out some comedy. And, ideally some track cycling.

“I think he’s coming home again.” – C’mon You Know lyrics, Liam Gallagher

A little further ahead it seem possible to witness the comedy talent of Henning Wehn in Stockport Plaza (18/2/23) and
Stewart Lee at the Lowry, Salford (31/2/23) with Mum and Paul.

Independence and life will hit like a brick in the face. The next steps will be clearer. I still don’t actually know where I’ll be sleeping for the foreseeable future in Blighty. My fear of becoming homeless is closer than ever. That green and pleasant land of Brexit and Conservative destruction is crumbling like the White Cliffs of Dover. It’s going to be hard to get by, but a positive mental attitude is on its way. With Panda. At least I’ll be a little entertained. Providing I can get by with extortionate gas, electric, water and council taxes feeding the fat cats.

Of course, after two weeks on crutches (with two to four more expected, provided I heal), looking forward is more important than ever. This loose cast and elevated legs daily are trying and testing my patience. I’m teaching myself resilience. Still, it could be worse. Much worse. I’ve known two friends to lose their mother in the last two years and that’s a horrible experience to witness others suffer.

A slippery apartment, wet floor tiles outdoors, puddles, whizzing electric bikes, phone zombies who don’t look up whilst walking, dog owners who can’t shuffle their poodle left a little and vomit puddles in the elevator make going to work difficult. That and showering on one leg. One leg outside as I dance, shuffle and avoid slips, trips and falls. Things broken don’t just include my right foot. 120kg of mass moving at gravity – assisted speed onto chairs, bed frames and stools generates a fair crack of sound. The crutches don’t grip moisture. Dongguan is all about the humidity these days. And heavy rain.

My second visit to the Songshan Lake Tungwah Hospital (东华松山湖医院) radiology department via the emergency department and with the help of Dr Li (李医生, orthopedic department) went okay. No huge progression after a week. Carry on with this, that and the other. Time is a healer. Thanks to Maria and her boyfriend, and Peter for accompanying me the initial time and at the sequel. The very professional hospital have been most helpful this academic year at T.W.I.S.

C’mon You Know is Liam Gallagher’s umpteenth foray into music. The former Oasis member and brother of Noel has mixed some soulful pop with bite and some catchy lyrics. It’s decent enough if you’re into indie and rock, with the usual shade of 90s and The Beatles thrown in for good taste. It definitely sounds like it should be at home on festival stages and in front of stadium crowds.

Still, I enjoyed chicken with the quad of Alice, Keisel and Laura yesterday. Panda has been walked by all three and 7 others this last two weeks. We’re having a few bumpy times but he’s still a happy doggy. Thanks go Benny, Jaime, Mr D, Nem and Aleks, Alice, Keisel, Charif, Daisy, and Maria for walking Panda. He really appreciates it too. Especially, the 5.30am walks… and the runs! Thank you kindly.

They’ll be better days.

All subject to change.