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Task Summary
The students were involved in a Literature Circle where a small group of 'like-ability' students gathered together to discuss Parvana by Deborah Ellis in depth. This strategy was used weekly with an expectation that all students came ready to participate in the group. At this stage of the year the students facilitated the discussion themselves with all playing one of the following roles; Discussion Director/Questioner, Summarizer, Word Wizard, Plot Twister and Illustrator. Events and characters in the book, the author's craft, or personal experiences related to the story were discussed and students both prepared for and reflected on the session using Google Docs.
Duration: 16 minutes 17 seconds
Transcript
Level 6 English
Due to the nature of this task, and the prominent use of discussion, both the Reading and Viewing mode and the Speaking and Listening mode are explicitly addressed throughout.
Reading and Viewing achievement standards (extract only)
This example provides evidence of student achievement for:
... understand how the use of text structures can achieve particular effects and can analyse and explain how language features, images and vocabulary are used by different authors to represent ideas, characters and events. They compare and analyse information in different texts, explaining literal and implied meaning. They select and use evidence from a text to explain their response to it.
For more information, please see: Victorian Curriculum F–10: English - Level 6 - Reading and Viewing
Speaking and Listening achievement standards (extract only)
This example provides evidence of student achievement for:
... listen to discussions, clarifying content and challenging others’ ideas. They understand how language features and language patterns can be used for emphasis. They show how specific details can be used to support a point of view ... contribute actively to class and group discussions, using a variety of strategies for effect.
For more information, please see: Victorian Curriculum F–10: English - Level 6 – Speaking and Listening
Video segments with annotations against achievement standard extracts
Annotations which have italics are from the book, Parvana by Deborah Ellis, Allen and Unwin Publishers, 2002
Duration: 1 minute 31 seconds
This segment includes students who can:
Reading and Viewing
Support responses with evidence from the text or prior knowledge.
Predict subsequent plot lines as the book series continues.
Demonstrate comprehension through the analysis of the characters and storyline.
Speaking and Listening
Discuss events, provide opinions and make predictions about what may happen by posing questions.
Duration: 4 minute 9 seconds
This segment includes students who can:
This segment includes students who can:
Reading and Viewing
Provide clear and sequenced responses which are justified with reference to prior knowledge and logic.
Analyse the text for inferential meanings.
Speaking and Listening
Engage in an evidence-based discussion, responding to questions which require predictions of the character’s choices and priorities.
Refer to others’ comments to agree or pose an alternative point of view.
Duration: 3 minutes 2 seconds
This segment includes students who can:
Reading and Viewing
Explore and discuss vocabulary within the story to understand how the author has used language to achieve a particular style and generate a range of emotions for the reader.
Use evidence to support analytical and evaluative comments.
Refer to specific sections of the text to detail literal and inferential meanings.
Provide a contrasting point of view to deepen the understanding of the group.
Analyse character’s emotions and experiences.
This segment includes students who can:
Reading and Viewing
Generate a summary as a text-processing strategy to collate, interpret and analyse content and language.
Read a complex story, recall information and combine different aspects to consolidate understanding.
Identify the key topics and themes within a detailed and complex text.
Duration: 4 minute 22 seconds
This segment includes students who can:
Reading and Viewing
Recall information and consolidates comprehension by generating an alternative plot.
Create an imaginative plot while maintaining similar style features to the author and maintaining a logical sequence of events and believable setting.
Demonstrate an understanding of how the writing style creates atmosphere and meaning.
Duration: 2 minute 31 seconds
This segment includes students who can:
Reading and Viewing
Use illustrations as a text-processing strategy, highlighting key events and action.
Attempt to capture the imagery created by the author with illustrations.
Speaking and Listening
Explain the significance of each aspect of the story selected for illustration.
Planning the next stage of student learning
When planning the next stage of the teaching and learning program, focus on the following skills and knowledge:
- Understand how language is used to evaluate texts and how evaluations about a text can be substantiated by reference to the text and other sources (VCELA368)
- Understand and explain how the text structures and language features of texts become more complex in informative and persuasive texts and identify underlying structures such as taxonomies, cause and effect, and extended metaphors (VCELA369)
- Compare the ways that language and images are used to create character, and to influence emotions and opinions in different types of texts (VCELT372)
- Discuss aspects of texts, including their aesthetic and social value, using relevant and appropriate metalanguage (VCELT373)
- Use comprehension strategies to interpret, analyse and synthesise ideas and information, critiquing ideas and issues from a variety of textual sources (VCELY378)
Teachers are reminded to attend to the Speaking and Listening learning needs of their students. For example:
- Identify and explore ideas and viewpoints about events, issues and characters represented in texts drawn from different historical, social and cultural contexts (VCELT393)
- Reflect on ideas and opinions about characters, settings and events in literary texts, identifying areas of agreement and difference with others and justifying a point of view (VCELT394)