Why did you choose to submit this item?
I chose this topic because I thought it would be valuable to the students to connect a genuine desire to improve the environment with their writing. This activity makes learning more exciting and shows the students how to apply different writing methods depending on how you want to get your message across. I want to continuously think of creative ways to engage the students in literacy, and this activity would do just that.
Course concepts:
The lesson allows me to incorporate the 6+1 traits approach while engaging the students in something that doesn’t feel like work. It will enable the students to apply their writing and challenge them because other people will see it. They must form opinions and then convince others to see it the same way as the students. As Lynch et al. (2017) explain, the approach “provides a manageable framework to teach the essential elements of writings” (p.104). Having a framework to guide me through the teaching process of writing will help me organize my teaching to cover the traits. Incorporating a multi-model climate campaign using the 6+1 traits approach also establishes the recommended conditions for effective writing. Lynch et al. (2017) suggest that the teacher is responsible for developing an atmosphere where students would want to read and write and where they are comfortable sharing their writing. They also explain that providing conditions where the students are writing for actual purposes empowers the students. (p.105) A climate campaign to engage the students would be an excellent way to incorporate students writing for a purpose that interests all the students.
Course goals
What is literacy? What does it mean to see literacy as a social practice or multiliteracies?
Saskatchewan.ca (n.d.) describes literacy as “the set of knowledge, skills, practices and behaviours that allow all of us to interact with each other.” Alberta Education defines literacy as “the ability, confidence and willingness to engage with language to acquire, construct and communicate meaning in all aspects of daily living.” Teaching literacy is not just teaching students how to read and write; it involves understanding, creating, and interpreting so we can communicate by various means. Because literacy is incorporated into everyone’s daily lives, it is a social practice. Our confidence to communicate, interact, write and read all hinge on our comfort with literacy. Proving students with the tools and strategies to build on their literacy skills will help them thrive in their environment as communicators.
How can I use the Saskatchewan K-8 ELA curriculum and curricular resources?
The Saskatchewan curriculum and resources are the starting point when creating a multi-model campaign like the one listed as our activity. The curriculum provides the outcomes and indicators that should be achieved throughout the ELA lessons in each grade. An advantage of creating a multi-model campaign is that we can incorporate several outcomes and indicators into the lesson(s). As the students develop the campaign and, depending on their passion for their learning, they may not realize they are learning. Also, the curricular resources help teachers narrow their search in their program development because some excellent resources are provided. It highlights what grades the resource would apply to and provides the teachers with free access. Using these provided resources should be top-of-mind whenever a teacher is unit or lesson planning.
How has your thinking changed?
My thinking has changed through the knowledge I have gained about literacy. I used to think it simply meant reading and writing. Your confidence has a significant impact on your ability to communicate. Providing the students with the appropriate tools and keeping them motivated to learn about literacy will continue building on their confidence by strengthening their abilities. This multi-model campaign has expanded my mind to think outside the box for other ways students can develop their literacy skills through passion and interest.