An Online Workshop for Classroom Teachers K- 6

Presented by Deb Sukarna

This online workshop will detail how each component of a Writers Workshop is organized.

We all want to maximize our teaching time by organizing for learning in a structured and manageable way. It is the structure that allows for flexibility and differentiation as we interact and respond to students. The key to this is an independent routine that helps students to self- regulate, as they learn how to reflect and help themselves throughout the writing process. If we want our students to develop metacognitive strategies then we need a writing culture that encourages and supports this.

During our online workshop Deb will cover:

Getting Started

• What is the Australian Curriculum and current research telling us?
• The beliefs underpinning how we organize for learning
• Are we ‘doing writing’ or actually teaching the writer?’
• Introduction to Writers Notebooks – the key to an independent routine!
• How to shape thinking into meaningful purposes for writing
• Harnessing thinking from Inquiry units, Language Experience, Investigations
• The importance of oral language

Classroom Organization – Kindergarten to Year 1; Year 2 to Year 6

• Structure of a Writing session – every minute is a treasure!
• Establishing expectations and routines so we are not dependent on the teacher.
• Organization that reflects developmental writing needs
• Clarifying independent Writing Routine at each level and expectations
• Classroom Resources that make a difference
• The place of Focus Group Teaching – needs based.
• Importance of teacher monitoring – systems in place.

Conferences

• Who is doing the talking?
• The key to improving writings
• Structuring conferences in a manageable way
• How conferences vary from Kindergarten to Year 6
• A scaffold to help teachers prepare for conference
• Monitoring students through conference folders.

Please Note

Our online workshops are highly practical and interactive with ample opportunity for questions.

Handouts will be provided by email prior to the workshop.

The day is well structured with appropriate breaks to ensure there is no techno-overload! Confirmation and online instruction will be provided prior to the seminar

Participant numbers are strictly limited so be sure to enrol quickly!

Completing ‘Writers Workshop’ will contribute 5 hours of NSW Education Standards Authority (NESA) Registered PD addressing 2.1.2, 2.2.2, 2.3.2, 2.5.2 from the Australian Professional Standards for Teachers towards maintaining Proficient Teacher Accreditation in NSW.

Register a Group & Save

Register 5 or more delegates and pay $210 per person

Seminar Program

Gather Online 8.45am – 9.00am

Zoom Workshop 9.00am – 3.00pm

An Online Workshop for Classroom Teachers K- 6

Presented by Deb Sukarna

Planning an Effective Spelling Program

If we are to teach Spelling well, then we need to understand how children learn how to spell, based on current research. Children need to be metacognitive and learn how to help themselves as Spellers. Whilst we have Spelling sessions, it is critical that there is a connection between these and actual writing time. Teachers will be introduced to a repertoire approach to the teaching of Spelling and a simple structure for spelling sessions will be outlined. A K-Year 6 Spelling Menu will be provided which  will assist teachers  with planning for effective teaching of spelling.

During this full day online workshop Deb will discuss:

•  The importance of classroom practice reflecting current literacy research
• Understanding English Orthography – implications for teaching phonics and spelling
• Word inquiry based on an understanding of how English orthography works
• Understanding threads of spelling knowledge that children need to draw on
• Understanding how kids learn to spell – pattern by pattern not word by word
• Explicitly teaching kids to be strategic spellers
• Key principles for guiding teaching and spelling
• A framework for planning –using a spelling menu
• Structure of a Spelling session
• Connecting what is taught in spelling to student writing – the reasons we teach spelling!
• Creating hands on resources for students
• Spelling lists – which ones ? why? how?

Please Note

Our online workshops are highly practical and interactive with ample opportunity for questions.

Handouts will be provided by email prior to the workshop.

The day is well structured with appropriate breaks to ensure there is no techno-overload! Confirmation and online instruction will be provided prior to the seminar

Participant numbers are strictly limited so be sure to enrol quickly!

 Register a Group & Save

Register 5 or more delegates and pay $180 per person

Seminar Program - AEST

Gather Online 8.45am – 9.00am

Zoom Workshop 9.00am – 3.30pm

An Online Workshop for Classroom Teachers K- 6

Presented by Deb Sukarna

Monitoring and Improving Student Learning

This session will build professional knowledge on how children develop as writers and outline key indicators of development.  We need to be clear as to what constitutes development in writing, so we are gathering evidence and monitoring progress in a systematic way. Teachers will be provided with a Writing Analysis template that allows for more detailed assessment on different aspects of student writing - meaning, text structure, language, vocabulary, mechanics. A set of Writing Indicators and additional strategies are also provided for beginning writers.

 During this full day online workshop Deb will discuss:

• Assessment and evaluation; purposes, viewpoints, whole school practice
• What do we need to be looking for?
• Developmental stages in writing – how they inform us
• The need to go beyond Progression Points
• Learning how to analyse children’s writing
• Improving how teams moderate writing
• Practical and manageable assessment strategies
• Monitoring progress in a systematic and manageable way
• Building teacher confidence in reporting to parents

Please Note

Our online workshops are highly practical and interactive with ample opportunity for questions.

Handouts will be provided by email prior to the workshop.

The day is well structured with appropriate breaks to ensure there is no techno-overload! Confirmation and online instruction will be provided prior to the seminar

Participant numbers are strictly limited so be sure to enrol quickly!

 Register a Group & Save

Register 5 or more delegates and pay $180 per person

Seminar Program

Gather Online 8.45am – 9.00am

Zoom Workshop 9.00am – 3.30pm

A Window into Comprehension

An Online Workshop for Classroom Teachers K- 6

Presented by Deb Sukarna

This seminar will provide teachers with a scaffold for Analysing Text Response.  It will help clarify what we are teaching and looking for, as students read, write and view texts. It is critical that any assessment of text response occurs within a variety of contexts. Having purposeful reading conferences with strong student voice, allows us insight into their thinking and their ability to elaborate on their understandings verbally.

Readers Notebook provides a collection of student written responses to texts including creative responses such as character monologues, writing of songs, illustrations etc – all of these are part of the rich data we can gather on student comprehension. We need consistent and clear indicators of developing comprehension to inform our planning and teaching.

• What are we looking for in student text response?
• Clarifying comprehension – understanding the importance of metacognition
• Importance of Teacher modelling – practical ways to build confidence
• Ways to improve and vary quality of text response – comprehension
• Varied contexts for developing student text response – authentic data
• A practical scaffold to help teachers analyse text response
• Strengthening Reading Conferences – building student voice to respond and discuss
• Strategies to improve independent reading – helping students help themselves

Please Note

Our online workshops are highly practical and interactive with ample opportunity for questions.

Handouts will be provided by email prior to the workshop.

The day is well structured with appropriate breaks to ensure there is no techno-overload! Confirmation and online instruction will be provided prior to the seminar.

Participant numbers are strictly limited so be sure to enrol quickly!

Register a Group & Save

Register 5 or more delegates and pay $180 per person

Seminar Program - AEST

Gather Online 8.45am – 9.00am 

Zoom Workshop 9.00am – 3.00pm 

Getting the BUZZ in our Writing Sessions!

 An Online Workshop for Classroom Teachers of Years 2 - 6

Presented by Deb Sukarna

We can maximize our teaching time in Writers Workshop by organizing for learning in a structured and manageable way. It is the structure that allows for flexibility and differentiation as we interact and respond to students. The key to this is an independent routine that helps students to self-regulate, as they learn how to reflect and help themselves throughout the writing process. If we want our students to develop these metacognitive strategies, we need a writing culture that encourages and supports this – how we give feedback to students is critical to a Writers Workshop.

• What is the Australian Curriculum and current research telling us?
• The beliefs underpinning how we organize for learning
• Are we ‘doing writing’ or actually teaching the writer?
• Introduction to Writers Notebooks – the key to an independent routine
• Harnessing thinking from Inquiry units, Language Experience, Investigations
• Structure of a Writing session – every minute is a treasure!
• Establishing expectations and routines so writers are not dependent on the teacher
• Classroom Resources that make a difference
• The place of Focus Group Teaching – needs based
• Importance of teacher monitoring – systems in place
• Structuring conferences in a manageable way
• Conferences are the key to improving writing – feedback that helps children to help themselves
• How conferences vary from Year 2 to Year 6
• A scaffold to help teachers prepare for conference

Please Note

Our online workshops are highly practical and interactive with ample opportunity for questions.

Handouts will be provided by email prior to the workshop.

The day is well structured with appropriate breaks to ensure there is no techno-overload! Confirmation and online instruction will be provided prior to the seminar.

Participant numbers are strictly limited so be sure to enrol quickly!

 Register a Group & Save

Register 5 or more delegates and pay $180 per person

Seminar Program - AEST

Gather Online 8.45am – 9.00am 

Zoom Workshop 9.00am – 3.00pm