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PhD (Arts Ed), MTeaching, MMus (Perf), BMus, BMedSci (Hons)
DipModLang (German), ZMP (German) DELF B2 (French), Churchill Fellow
Standard 1
Know Students & How They Learn
GRADUATE
Demonstrate knowledge and understanding of physical, social and intellectual development and characteristics of students and how these may affect learning.
PROFICIENT
Use teaching strategies based on knowledge of students’ physical, social and intellectual development and characteristics to improve student learning.
HIGHLY ACCOMPLISHED
Select from a flexible and effective repertoire of teaching strategies to suit the physical, social and intellectual development and characteristics of students.
LEAD
Lead colleagues to select and develop teaching strategies to improve student learning using knowledge of the physical, social and intellectual development and characteristics of students.
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1.1 Physical, social and intellectual development and characteristics of students
1.1 Evidence and Annotation
PROFICIENT: Use teaching strategies based on knowledge of students’ physical, social and intellectual development and characteristics to improve student learning.
ARTEFACT 1A: Disappearing text poetry recital
In a class at QASMT where I taught a Year 9 German class in 2023, the challenge was to engage a large number of students in a short period of time. One strategy I used was Gianfranco Conti's idea of "disappearing text" and I applied it to poetry memorisation and recital. All students had to recite the poem at least once during the term, but they could choose their own level. Level 'zero' was with no supports (ie: completely from memory), and Level 5 was with no text missing at all (ie: no memorisation required). If they could pronounce the poem correctly at Level 5, they received a pass. We visited and revisited this activity regularly, with occasional new poems being added for those who wanted more of a challenge.
The activity had also generated an extraordinary amount of excitement in the classroom at a previous school (at all levels from 7 to 9) and the energy with which the students (particularly the boys) fought to be next was surprising. A Year 8 class of previously disengaged students began to ask, towards the end of term, whether they would be penalised for "having another go." Thus, the goal of engaging the students had been achieved. One parent wrote to tell me that she wished I had started at the school earlier because her son would have chosen to continue German if this had been the case.
The accompanying pdf is a poem that also drills the two different kinds of past tense in German.
GRADUATE
Demonstrate knowledge and understanding of research into how students learn and the implications for teaching.
PROFICIENT
Structure teaching programs using research and collegial advice about how students learn.
HIGHLY ACCOMPLISHED
Expand understanding of how students learn using research and workplace knowledge.
LEAD
Lead processes to evaluate the effectiveness of teaching programs using research and workplace knowledge about how students learn.
1.2 Understand how students learn
1.2 Evidence and Annotation
PROFICIENT: Created Year 10 French Curriculum at IES College using research (especially that of Gianfranco Conti) and collegial advice (especially of curriculum coordinator) to engage a new cohort of Year 10 students from disparate backgrounds. See Artefact B.
ARTEFACT 1B: Course Creation in Language
In my first semester at QASMT I was responsible for creating the course for Year 11 French B while it was being delivered, as it had never been taught at the school before. As the only teacher on the staff with experience of taking students successfully all the way through to their final exams in French B, I was appointed Subject Coordinator.
In addition to IB subject coordination, I have created a course to align with the the Years 7-10 Curriculum for ACARA. The accompanying evidence is three units of work constituting a semester-long course designed by me for the Year 10 entry students at IES College. It is aligned with the Australian Curriculum but had to be designed carefully to cater for students with no background knowledge of French as well as those with some background. The aim was to equip novice language learners with the skills required to succeed in Ab Initio French the following year. The three units are: Phonetics (mastering the sounds of French), Grammar for Students of French (understanding the structure of language in English and French) and Introduction to Francophone Culture.
The course was approved by ACARA, and I taught one full round of the course.
Teaching Performers how to perform, Bonn, Germany
GRADUATE
Demonstrate knowledge of teaching strategies that are responsive to the learning strengths and needs of students from diverse linguistic, cultural, religious and socioeconomic backgrounds.
PROFICIENT
Design and implement teaching strategies that are responsive to the learning strengths and needs of students from diverse linguistic, cultural, religious and socioeconomic backgrounds.
HIGHLY ACCOMPLISHED
Support colleagues to develop effective teaching strategies that address the learning strengths and needs of students from diverse linguistic, cultural, religious and socioeconomic backgrounds.
LEAD
Evaluate and revise school learning and teaching programs, using expert and community knowledge and experience, to meet the needs of students with diverse linguistic, cultural, religious and socioeconomic backgrounds.
1.3 Students with diverse linguistic, cultural, religious and socioeconomic backgrounds
1.3 Evidence and Annotation
PROFICIENT: Designed and implemented teaching strategies in language classes that help students master sounds in German that are more difficult for sinophones (for example) than they are for anglophones.
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Artefact 1C Past tense formation and poetry memorisation
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This piece of evidence is a companion piece to Artefact 1A. Before the poetry recital, the text required working out and differentiation of two distinct past tenses. The multiple workings of the texts, as well as the differentiated levels (and choice available to students of their level of memorisation), and the repeated listenings and corrections (during others' reciting) in class helped the pronunciation of students from a variety of linguistic backgrounds.
GRADUATE
Demonstrate knowledge and understanding of research into how students learn and the implications for teaching.
PROFICIENT
Structure teaching programs using research and collegial advice about how students learn.
HIGHLY ACCOMPLISHED
Expand understanding of how students learn using research and workplace knowledge.
LEAD
Lead processes to evaluate the effectiveness of teaching programs using research and workplace knowledge about how students learn.
1.4 Strategies for teaching Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students
1.4 Evidence and Annotation
PROFICIENT: Use teaching strategies based on knowledge of students’ physical, social and intellectual development and characteristics to improve student learning.
ARTEFACT 1D: Log of hours tutoring in the Smith Family Catch-Up Tutoring Program for ATSI students
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To the right is a log of the hours (across semester one, 2022) that I spent tutoring a student of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander background as part of the ClassCover Smith Family catch up tutoring program in 2022. This tutoring program lasted for one semester, and the training involved was intensive and of long duration. Below is a statement of service for this work.
ARTEFACT 1E: Statement of Service ClassCover
GRADUATE
Demonstrate knowledge and understanding of strategies for differentiating teaching to meet the specific learning needs of students across the full range of abilities.
PROFICIENT
Develop teaching activities that incorporate differentiated strategies to meet the specific learning needs of students across the full range of abilities.
HIGHLY ACCOMPLISHED
Evaluate learning and teaching programs, using student assessment data, that are differentiated for the specific learning needs of students across the full range of abilities.
LEAD
Lead colleagues to evaluate the effectiveness of learning and teaching programs differentiated for the specific learning needs of students across the full range of abilities.
1.5 Differentiate teaching to meet the specific learning needs of students across the full range of abilities
1.5 Annotation and Evidence
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PROF: Created a task to allow students to differentiate learning for themselves and select their own level. Feedback from parents and observations of students confirmed the success of the task.
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EVIDENCE: See artefact 1A and annotation.
GRADUATE
Demonstrate broad knowledge and understanding of legislative requirements and teaching strategies that support participation and learning of students with disability.
PROFICIENT
Design and implement teaching activities that support the participation and learning of students with disability and address relevant policy and legislative requirements.
HIGHLY ACCOMPLISHED
Work with colleagues to access specialist knowledge, and relevant policy and legislation, to develop teaching programs that support the participation and learning of students with disability.
LEAD
Initiate and lead the review of school policies to support the engagement and full participation of students with disability and ensure compliance with legislative and/or system policies.
1.6 Strategies to support full participation of students with disability
1.6 Evidence and Annotation
At IES College I adapted an assessment task for a student with multiple learning difficulties (see below, Artefact B). The student was unable to follow and execute complex instructions, and even fairly simple instructions when they are involved in individual/independent research, or writing tasks of any type. He was, however, extremely motivated when it came to memorising poetry. I adapted the assessment task so that he could have some success in the year 10 course I had created.
ARTEFACT 1F: Alternative Task in French for Student with ASD and ADHD
This piece of evidence is an alternative task I created in 2023 for a Year 10 student who is not capable of reading a task sheet closely and following instructions. On the other hand, the student showed great interest in memorising and writing poetry in French. Instead of creating a dialogue with a set of criteria, paying attention to idiomatic language, grammar and spelling, the student memorised a 4-verse poem in French and recited it to the class with only one error. No other student managed to achieve the same level of memorisation in as little time. Inspired by his success of learning the poem, he also elected to write his own poem and recite it to the class. While this was less successful as a learning task, it was important to acknowledge his initiative and creativity.
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The poem "Pour toi, mon amour" is by Jacques Prévert (Gallimard, 1949), and is an excellent vehicle for teaching the passé composé tense with both avoir and être as the auxiliary.
REFERENCES
Prévert, J. (1949). Pour toi, mon amour.
In Prévert, Paroles, Editions Gallimard (Folio).
This task also satisfies APST standards 1.5,