APST Standard 3: Plan for and implement effective teaching and learning

3.2 Plan, structure and sequence learning programs

3.3 Use teaching strategies

During my last practicum experience I was required to plan and sequence the learning of an English Unit Plan for Foundation Year. The unit plan, aligned to the Australian curriculum and was adapted from the supervising teachers Curriculum to Classroom Assessment (LINK). The English unit plan, ‘Exploring Jack and the Beanstalk’, required students will listen to and engage with a range of literary and non-literary texts with a focus on exploring how language is used to entertain through retelling events and then prepare a spoken retelling by drawing events in sequence and writing simple sentences. 

I ensured through my planning and sequencing that this Unit of work also aligned to the Australian curriculum achievement standards for foundation year (LINK) (ACARA, 2022). When planning and sequencing this unit of work I depended upon several teaching strategies. The age-appropriate pedagogy approaches allowed me to shape my point of view and practice when implementing and teaching the unit to the students. Based on the developmental age of Foundation year, I found Inquiry learning, play-based learning and direct teaching/instruction (LINK) were the most effective and engaging approaches to use (Queensland Government, 2023). I also implemented a differentiated instructional approach of the gradual release and acceptance of responsibility model (Victoria State Government, 2019). This model follows a sequence of, ‘teach, practice and apply’ and I was able to scaffold the learning to the students through a ‘I do, we do, you do’ approach (Victoria State Government, 2019).

The students completed the ‘Exploring Jack and the Beanstalk’ booklets (LINK) that aligned to the unit plan through three phases. Part A, Recall and discuss a story, The students and teacher read the story of ‘Jack and the beanstalk’, the teacher asked questions about the story to implement inquiry thinking, whole class dramatized exploration of story, students identify, draw and label characters and things from the story on front cover of booklet and then complete story map. Part B, The retell planner, The whole class explored innovating an event and changing the conclusion of story. The students then worked from ‘Jack and the beanstalk story planner’ to innovate an event from the story to change and change the ending as a result of changed event. During Part C, the students retold the story  to a small group of peers using their booklet for prompts, then answered questions from peers and teachers about likes/dislikes of texts, objects, characters and events. Then finally the whole class completed a dramatized exploration of story with innovated event as a whole class.

The students were able to successfully complete the English Unit plan (LINK) and tasks and their work demonstrated their current academic level. With my supervising teacher I was able to review the students work and gain an understanding of moderating and marking process. All of the student’s work was successfully aligned to the Australian Curriculum and fulfilled areas of the achievement standard and I was provided with positive feedback (LINK) on the successful of my planning and sequencing and use of teaching strategies.