Sharon concludes by addressing punctuation challenges with Year 4 students, using the protocol's fluency rubric to provide specific language for strategy development. She reassures teachers that even brief, focused conferences make significant differences in students' reading development. These conferences inform whole-class instruction when common issues emerge across students. The process teaches students to identify problems, apply strategies, and self-regulate their reading. By recording strategy goals on Reading Calendars and Anchor Charts, students develop into strategic readers who know which techniques to apply with increasingly complex texts throughout their critical Years 3-6 development.
Part 4: Implementing Conferring in the Classroom
Sharon briefly mentions two Year 4 students who struggle with punctuation, affecting both their fluency and comprehension. She explains how the protocol's fluency rubric provides specific language to identify and address these issues, such as "not adhering to punctuation, stress and intonation." During conferring, Sharon models proper phrasing and has students practise immediately with their own books, creating strategy goals they can continue independently.
The conversation shifts to practical implementation in classrooms. Sharon reassures teachers that conferring doesn't require perfection and encourages them to start with just one aspect of the protocol, such as fluency. She emphasises that even brief, focused conferences can make significant differences in students' reading development.
Phil and Sharon discuss how these short conferences inform whole-class instruction. When teachers notice similar issues across multiple students, they can develop targeted mini-lessons addressing these common needs. The conferring process mirrors the structure of effective mini-lessons: observe, model, teach, practise, and reflect.
They highlight the broader impact of conferring beyond specific reading strategies. Students learn a process for identifying problems, applying strategies, and self-regulating their reading. The conferences make thinking visible and concrete, especially when strategy goals are recorded on Reading Calendars or Anchor Charts where students can reference them daily.
Sharon concludes by emphasising how conferring contributes to developing strategic readers who continually grow in their abilities. The Year 3-6 period represents an enormous time of reading growth, and effective conferring ensures students develop the tools they need for increasingly complex texts, building readers who know which strategies to apply in different situations.
RESOURCES
BLOG
JOIN TEACHIFIC NOW AND SAVE!
FURTHER INFORMATION
Tune in to "Teacher's Tool Kit For Literacy," a free podcast where accomplished literacy educator Sharon Callen and her team share valuable insights and tips. With over 30 years of experience, they provide strategic learning solutions to empower teachers and leaders worldwide. Subscribe on your favourite platform for exclusive literacy learning content. Apple, Spotify, Google, YouTube
Have questions or feedback? Reach out to us directly at admin@cuelearning.com.au