Literacy is the ability to read and write in a way that lets us communicate effectively and make sense of the world. The development of Inuktut literacy skills is an essential part of preserving Inuit culture and language. Strong literacy skills also support personal growth and self-esteem, and they provide students with opportunities to contribute to their communities in new ways.
Inuktut literacy skills are not developed in exactly the same way as in other languages. That is why it is so important for students in Nunavut to develop strong Inuktut literacy skills in a program designed speci cally for Inuktut.
Inuktut Titiqqiriniq
Inuktut Titiqqiriniq is a comprehensive, holistic Inuktut literacy program that was created in Nunavut by Nunavut educators, linguists, and language consultants. This program recognizes the unique nature of Inuktut and helps students develop their Inuktut literacy by including:
•A variety of instructional tools
• Resources for teachers and for students
•Tools for creating literacy-rich environments (including literacy centres)
•Tools for monitoring student progress
•Support for promoting literacy at home and in the community
In Inuktut Titiqqiriniq, instructional tools refer to the teaching techniques that teachers use to instruct students. An example of an instructional tool is guided reading. See page 3 of this resource for more information about instructional tools.
The balanced literacy approach to instruction
Inuktut Titiqqiriniq uses the balanced literacy approach to literacy instruction. This approach is a proven method of teaching literacy skills and considers all aspects of literacy development. By using a variety of instructional tools, teachers help students develop skills in all areas of literacy. Different students have different needs, and the balanced literacy approach allows teachers to provide learning opportunities for all students.
In the balanced literacy approach, students receive direct instruction in whole-class and small-group settings. They also have the opportunity to apply what they have learned by working independently and with other students. Once the teacher has directly instructed a skill, the students can use that skill independently, with teacher support. This way, students gradually take on more responsibility for their learning.
The balanced literacy approach used in Inuktut Titiqqiriniq identi es three core components of literacy learning: (1) reading, (2), writing, and (3) word study. Speaking and listening skills are addressed throughout the three core components. This resource will focus on reading instruction as it relates to the balanced literacy approach.
These resources support teachers in using best practices to provide a balanced literacy program:
Instructional tools of the balanced literacy approach
Read-aloud
The teacher reads a text out loud to students, modelling uent and expressive reading and providing the opportunity for students to enjoy a text.
Shared reading
The teacher and students read a text together.
Modelled writing
The teacher demonstrates a speci c riting skill or concept while the students observe.
Guided reading
The teacher meets with a small group of students who independently read books at their instructional reading level, with guidance from the teacher.
Independent reading
Students apply what they have learned in read-alouds, shared reading, and guided reading lessons to read texts independently, without guidance from the teacher.
Shared writing
The teacher and students work together to generate ideas to include in a piece of writing, and the teacher scribes, or writes down, the ideas.
Guided writing
The teacher meets with a small group of students who complete independent writing activities, with guidance from the teacher.
Independent writing
Students apply what they have learned in modelled writing, shared writing, and guided writing lessons as they complete a written task independently, without guidance from the teacher.
Word study
Students work on phonics, spelling, vocabulary, and grammar skills.
Learning to read
Reading involves making meaning from print. For students to become effective readers, they need to learn skills and strategies for:
Word recognition
This is the skill of identifying words in print. Recognizing words requires:
• Phonemic knowledge, or the understanding of symbol-sound relationships
• Decoding skills, or putting syllabics together to read morphemes and words with multiple morphemes
• Word analysis skills, or analyzing words for commonly used morphemes and morphemes that add meaning
• Quickly recognizing commonly used root word morphemes, morphemes that provide additional meaning, and words made up of single and multiple morphemes on sight
Comprehension
This is the skill of understanding what words, sentences, and whole texts mean. To develop comprehension skills, students need to:
• Understand how print works, such as knowing that they read left to right and top to bottom of the page
• Develop their vocabularies, or knowledge of different words
• Understand basic rules of grammar in Inuktut
• Understand characteristics of different types of text
• Understand the different purposes of reading, such as to be entertained or to learn about a speci c topic
• Develop skills for problem-solving unknown words, such as rereading the word or sentence
Fluency
This refers to the skill of automatically and accurately identifying and understanding ords at the same time. To develop uency, students need to:
• Develop a high level of accuracy in word recognition
• Read at a pace that allows for comprehension, so that the reading isn’t too fast to understand or so slow that they forget what they have already read
• Use proper phrasing and expression, so that the reading out loud sounds like conversational speech
• Begin to use strategies for word recognition and comprehension automatically, so instead of thinking about what strategy to use, they automatically use it
Students require daily focused and direct attention on learning to read, write, and communicate effectively during a scheduled literacy block and throughout the school day.
Question and answer
Question: What is a literacy block?
Answer: In Inuktut Titiqqiriniq, a literacy block is de ned as an uninterrupted period of instructional time devoted to the development of reading, writing, listening, and speaking skills. These skills are developed through guided reading, guided writing, independent reading, and independent writing sessions.
Following the recommendations in Inuktut Titiqqiriniq, teachers should schedule 120 minutes of literacy instruction daily, with the literacy block taking up 60–75 minutes of this instructional time. During the literacy block, teachers work with small groups in guided reading and guided writing lessons, while other students in the class work on independent reading and independent writing activities.
During the other 45–60 minutes of daily literacy instruction, the teacher uses other instructional tools. This includes word study instruction, shared reading, shared writing, read-aloud, and modelled writing sessions. Additional opportunities for independent reading and writing work can also be provided during this time.
The table below shows an example of how to schedule literacy instruction. This example is for students at the Emergent stage (Levels 8 to 11).
10–15 minutes
15–20 minutes
LITERACY BLOCK
75 minutes
Small-group instruction while the rest of the class works at literacy centres or on other literacy activities
Shared reading/ shared writing
Word study + printing
Guided reading (with 2–3 different groups of students) Independent reading Independent writing
Shared reading/ shared writing
Word study + printing
Guided reading and/ or guided writing (with 2–3 different groups of students) Independent reading Independent writing
Shared reading/ shared writing
Word study + printing
Guided reading and/ or guided writing (with 2–3 different groups of students) Independent reading Independent writing
Shared reading/ shared writing
Word study + printing
Guided reading (with 2–3 different groups of students) Independent reading Independent writing
Shared reading/ shared writing
Word study + printing
Guided reading (with 2–3 different groups of students) Independent reading Independent writing
Students move through a series of developmental stages as they learn to read. From one stage to the next, students learn to become more independent as readers by developing and applying skills and strategies for word recognition, comprehension, and uency.
Developmental stages of reading describe how students progress as readers. The stages are based on the experience, skills, and knowledge of the readers rather than on grade level or age.
At this stage, students are introduced to books and written language. They begin to develop knowledge of symbol-sound relationships from word study, shared reading, and guided reading lessons. Students learn that syllabics represent sounds and combine to form morphemes, and they rely heavily on pictures to read. Students begin to connect written words with spoken language and build their vocabularies. ᑎᑎᖅ
Early Emergent
At this stage, students apply their knowledge of reading left to right, recognize syllabics, and begin to recognize some commonly used words. Students can read books with simple sentences (usually with repeating word patterns), and they rely heavily on illustrations for word recognition and comprehension.
ᑎᑎᖅ
ᖅ ᖅ Emergent
At this stage, students begin to read longer sentences with fewer repeated word patterns. Students begin to use their word recognition skills to decode text, and they use illustrations for support with comprehension. Students begin to read simple dialogue and apply their understanding of basic punctuation to help with comprehension.
Developing
At this stage, students are beginning to read books that look more like “adult books,” with more complex sentences and fewer illustrations. It takes longer to read books so students need to recall what they read over a longer period of time. Students use their background knowledge and experience to understand text about the world outside of Nunavut.
See page 44 of this resource for information about independent and instructional reading levels.
Teachers of students at all developmental stages need to address different aspects of reading development. The sections that follow include information about:
•Foundational reading skills
•Reading strategies
•Teaching how language can be used in text
•Teaching the purposes of reading
•Teaching how text can be structured and organized
Foundational reading skills
Inuktut has a different structure from many languages. Teachers may use a slightly different approach when teaching students to read and write in Inuktut. The resources in Inuktut Titiqqiriniq use the same types of teaching methods that are used when teaching literacy skills in any language, but they acknowledge that sometimes the order in which things are taught or the focus of instruction at each developmental stage may be a bit different from other languages.
The teaching of reading strategies in Inuktut Titiqqiriniq is supported by direct instruction about:
•Symbol-sound relationships. See the box below about Nipittiavait Inuktitut.
•Word awareness. This includes developing an understanding that syllabics and nals ork together to form morphemes, and that ords can be made up of one or more morphemes. More than one word or one word with multiple morphemes can make a sentence.
•Vocabulary. This includes teaching students to recognize and understand commonly used morphemes and words, words that occur in a particular text that are necessary for understanding the text, and words that have more than one meaning.
Nipittiavait Inuktitut is a phonics and word study program that includes engaging and fun lessons that teach and reinforce students’ phonemic awareness, knowledge of symbol-sound relationships, spelling strategies, and the patterns of Inuktitut that students need to learn to become uent readers and riters.
At the earliest stages of development (Pre-reader and Early Emergent), there is a heavy focus on teaching symbol-sound relationships. Once students have learned all the sounds represented on the syllabic chart, they should be able to sound out any word that they come across.
As students master symbol sounds and become more familiar with how print works, teachers can focus more on word awareness skills and the building of vocabulary knowledge.
The syllabic wall cards from Nipittiavait Inuktitut are colour-coded to help students identify patterns in the syllabic chart.
Reading strategies
Students at all developmental stages need direct instruction about a variety of reading strategies. Teachers need to model and teach reading strategies and then provide plenty of opportunities for students to practise applying different strategies with a variety of text types.
ach reading strategy is rst modelled by the teacher in read-aloud and shared reading lessons, then practised by the students (with guidance from the teacher) in guided reading sessions, and nally applied by the students to hat they read independently.
The charts below outline the most common reading strategies that students at all developmental stages should learn about and practise with different types of texts.
Word recognition Strategy
Sounding out
Using the visuals
Chunking
Rereading
Reading on
Skimming
Description of strategy
Say the sounds represented by each syllabic, in the order in which they appear in the word. The sounds are put together to make morphemes.
Look at the visuals in the text for contextual clues.
Break a word into manageable parts (such as individual morphemes) instead of sounding out each syllabic separately.
Go back over part of a text that has already been read and use the meaning of the text to read an unfamiliar word. This is often used with the Reading on strategy described below.
ontinue to read hen encountering a dif cult or unknown word. Then reread the text and use the meaning of what you read to help you understand the unknown word. This is used with the Rereading strategy described above.
Quickly look at the text to get an overall impression of what it is about. Having this knowledge can help you identify and understand tricky or unfamiliar words more quickly.
Comprehension
Strategy
Comparing
Connecting
Consulting a reference
Visualizing
Determining importance
Inferring
Predicting
Rereading
Scanning
Self-questioning
Summarizing/ paraphrasing
Description of strategy
Think about the similarities and differences between what you know and what the text says.
Make connections to the text to clarify and deepen understanding. There are three main types of connections: text-to-self, text-to-text, and text-toworld. See the box on page 13.
Check a reference tool (such as a dictionary or wordbook) to con rm or correct your understanding of a ord.
Make an image in your head of what you are reading as you are reading it.
Make a decision about what is important information in a text and what is not. This will help with summarizing/ paraphrasing information (see below).
Interpret what is meant in the text by combining information about what is read with personal experiences. For example, read for what the writer means but does not say directly.
Use prior personal knowledge, knowledge of other texts, or knowledge of what has happened in the text so far to make a guess about what will happen next.
Go back over part of a text that has already been read and use the meaning of the text to understand an unfamiliar word.
Look quickly through the te t to nd speci c information. This is useful depending on the purpose of reading, such as reading a te t to ans er a speci c question.
Ask questions before, during, and after reading to check comprehension.
Reduce the amount of information in a text to the most important points.
Fluency
Strategy
Description of strategy
Adjusting reading rate Speed up or slow down the pace of reading, depending on what is being read.
Reading like talking
Practise reading familiar text out loud to make it sound the same as if you were speaking.
Making connections to the text
Text-to-self connections are personal connections that the reader makes between the text and his or her own personal experiences and knowledge. For example, a student may say, “
” (“This story reminds me of…”) or “
” (“I know about hunting ringed seals so I can understand this”).
Text-to-text connections are made when the reader is reminded of other things that he or she has read, other books by the same author, or other books that are a similar text type or about a similar topic.
Text-to-world connections are larger connections that the reader makes to the text, outside of his or her personal experiences or other texts. For example, a student may say, “
ᑎᒃᑯᑦ ” (“The search dog in the story makes me think about a news story I heard on the radio about a search dog.”)
Question and answer
Question: What are some activities that I can do with students to improve reading uency
Answer: Fluency is the ability to read text accurately, at an appropriate pace, and with expression. It is important because it connects to the skills of word recognition and comprehension. To help students improve their reading uency, teachers should provide opportunities for students to read the same text more than once. This can be done in a number of ways, including:
• Assisted reading. The teacher reads the text out loud to an individual student. Then the student reads the same text out loud. If the student has trouble reading a word, the teacher gives the word to the student immediately so as not to interfere ith uency. Reading uently is the focus, not decoding.
• Audio-assisted reading. Students listen to and then read out loud with an audio recording of a text.
• Buddy reading. lder students ho are struggling ith uency read books that are less challenging but appropriate for their younger reading buddies. Repeated readings of the same text can help the older student ith their uency and the younger student ith their comprehension.
• Choral reading. This activity can be done in a small group or as a whole class. The teacher assigns different parts of a text to be read out loud by one or more students. The whole text is read out loud more than once, with each group of students reading their assigned section in turn.
• Echo reading. This activity can be done in small groups. The teacher reads a text out loud. After the teacher reads each sentence, the students in the small group read the same sentence.
• Shadow reading. This activity can be done in small groups. The teacher reads an entire passage uently, then provides support and feedback as students in the small group read the same passage.
Teaching how language can be used in text
In addition to reading strategies, students need to learn about the different ways that language can be used. The more that students are exposed to texts that use different ways of telling stories or communicating information, the better they will understand what they read. This will also eventually help students learn to use different and interesting language in their own writing.
The different ways that language can be used are known as language devices. Some of these devices, which can be seen in books that are read by students at the early stages of reading development, include:
•Figurative language. This means describing someone or something by making a comparison to something else. For example, “ ᖅ
( oamie s am like a sh ).
•Flashback. This involves a story suddenly switching from the story’s present to show events in the story’s past. For example, in a story, Annie shows her grandchildren ho to make kamiit, and the story includes a ashback to hen she learned this skill as a child.
• Foreshadowing. This device is used to give the reader hints about what is to come in the text. For example, in a story, a child might be told to stay away from the oe edge even if he is tempted to go there. This could foreshado that the child ill go to the oe edge after being tempted by mysterious gures in the fog.
•Humour. This refers to describing something that is funny or expressing or describing something using language that makes it funny.
• erson a on This means giving human qualities to non-human objects or ideas. For example, in a story, the wind is described as “ ᓂ ᑯ ᖃ ᖅ ” (“…calling to Jayco, beckoning him to the shore”).
•Symbolism. A symbol is anything that can be used to represent something else. For example, “ ᑦ ᓂᕙ
” (“To Jonah, picking blueberries meant summer and going out on the land with his family to camp for weeks; it was freedom.”)
It is most helpful for students to learn about language devices in context, when they can see them used effectively. or e ample, students can see ho a riter uses a ashback to help the reader understand a character or the plot better.
Teaching the purposes of text
The teacher editions that accompany the student books in the guided reading program in Inuktut Titiqqiriniq highlight opportunities for teachers to instruct students about different language devices.
Texts are written and read for a variety of purposes. Identifying the purpose of reading will help deepen and extend the reader’s understanding of the text.
Some of the common purposes of reading are:
•Enjoyment
• To locate speci c information
•To understand new concepts
•To expand vocabulary
• To nd solutions to problems
•To learn how to do something
•To understand different points of view
Teachers can model how to establish the purpose of reading during read-aloud and shared reading lessons. Then in guided reading sessions, the teacher can prompt students to think about the purpose of reading a text before students begin reading. With regular practice, students will begin to automatically think about why they are reading certain texts.
Establishing the purpose of reading is connected to students learning how to monitor their own understanding as they read. The teacher editions that accompany the student books in the guided reading program in Inuktut Titiqqiriniq provide suggestions for how to guide students to think about the purpose of reading.
Teaching how text can be structured and organized
There are different ways to organize a text depending on the purpose and reading level of the text. As texts become more complicated at later developmental stages, students need to be taught how to read and understand different text features.
Some common features seen in texts include:
•Bullet points: Heavy dots that start each item in a list
•Caption: Text that accompanies a photo or illustration, often describing it or giving more information
• Heading: The title of a section of text
•Diagram: A drawing, which might represent information given in the text or add more information
•Glossary: A list of terms used in the te t and their de nitions
• Introduction: A short section of text that explains the content of the text to come
• Italics: Slanted text that shows that certain words or phrases are important; also used to indicate inner dialogue
• Map: A type of diagram that represents a location
•Sidebar: A short, separate section of text, in addition to the main text
•Table of contents: A list of the parts of a text (chapters or articles) and the page numbers on which they start
Text structures
Text structure refers to the patterns that are used to organize ideas and information in written text. It is important for students to learn to recognize these patterns because they will help them with comprehension. The teacher editions in the guided reading program provide suggestions for when teachers can use texts to instruct students about common text structures.
Some common text structures that students are exposed to at early developmental stages include:
•Compare and contrast: This text structure explains how two or more objects, events, or arguments are the same and different.
•Lists: This text structure shows a set of items that are related in some way. One type of list is a sequence that puts a set of items in order.
•Problem and solution: This text structure requires the reader to recognize the problem and identify the solution(s).
It is important to teach students about the features of text organization and text structure as they encounter them. Teaching students about text organization and text structure in theory (without using examples that they can relate to) may confuse students and will not be memorable for them. Shared reading and guided reading sessions provide good opportunities for teaching about text features as they occur in the texts that the students are reading.
Question and answer
Question: What do I do if one of my students doesn’t seem to be progressing?
Answer: If you have concerns about a student, it is important to determine if the student needs a speci c type of intervention. arly intervention is key to helping struggling readers. Frustrated readers often become reluctant readers and develop negative attitudes about reading that are hard to lose.
Ask yourself the following questions about the student:
• Are there any gaps in the student’s knowledge of symbol-sound relationships? If you are not sure, consider using the Symbol Sound Assessment found in the Nipittiavait Inuktitut Teacher Resource Level 2
• Is the student reading texts that are too hard?
• Is the student struggling in any other subject areas?
• oes the student have any hearing or vision dif culties that have not been properly accommodated?
• oes the student have a history of learning dif culties
You may wish to speak to your school’s learning coach or a school administrator if you are unsure about any of these questions. See page 53 of this resource for more information about working with reluctant or struggling readers.
The balanced literacy approach
To read is to make meaning of written text. The classroom is an important place for students to learn about reading and how to become effective readers. By using the balanced literacy approach to instruction with the resources in Inuktut Titiqqiriniq, teachers can teach students the skills and strategies associated with word recognition, comprehension, and uency that are required to become effective and con dent readers.
The four main instructional tools for reading in Inuktut Titiqqiriniq are:
Read-aloud • ᖃ ᖃᑎ ᓂᖅ
Shared reading
• ᑎ ᓂᖅ ᖃ ᓂ
Guided reading
• ᓂ ᖃ ᓂᖅ
Independent reading
The sections that follow outline the major components of each instructional tool that can be used to teach students about reading, including what each tool looks like in the classroom, what is needed to use each tool, and some considerations for planning lessons using each type of tool. Note that it is important to include frequent review of reading skills and strategies that were previously taught.
Question and answer
Question: How often should I use each reading instructional tool with my students?
Answer: It depends! Each of the four instructional tools used for reading as part of the balanced literacy approach to literacy instruction (read-aloud, shared reading, guided reading, and independent reading) should be used with students at all stages of development. The frequency and amount of time that teachers use each instructional tool depend on the developmental level of the majority of students in the class.
Students at the Pre-reader and Early Emergent stages of development need more teacher support with their reading. This means they will spend more time being taught with instructional tools that have higher amounts of teacher support (read-aloud and shared reading), and less time working independently in guided reading and independent reading activities.
As students progress to the Emergent and Developing stages, teachers continue to use read-aloud and shared reading as instructional tools, but students spend more time working independently, applying what they learned in these sessions.
Ideally, all the instructional tools will be used at some point each day. But keep in mind that these instructional tools are not limited to the literacy block. For example, read-alouds can be used in most subject areas, even math!
Read-aloud
A read-aloud is an instructional tool that a teacher uses to model e pressive and uent reading and to introduce new vocabulary. Although the teacher has a clear purpose in mind when doing a read-aloud with students, a large focus of the activity is to share a written text for pleasure, which will in turn help foster a positive attitude in students toward reading.
Key facts:
•Read-aloud is the instructional tool with the highest level of teacher support.
•This tool is typically used with the whole class.
•It is used in lessons that are as short as a few minutes with students at earlier developmental stages, and should not be any longer than about 10–15 minutes for students at later developmental stages.
•The teacher reads out loud while the students listen.
•The students are introduced to a range of text types that are usually beyond what they would be able to read themselves.
Classroom materials needed:
•An interesting and engaging written text, often a picture book or chapter book
Purpose
At early developmental stages, a read-aloud is used to develop students’ knowledge of print and how it works. At all developmental stages, a read-aloud is used to develop students’ understanding of a variety of written text types and to model expressive and uent reading. Te ts are often (but not al ays) beyond hat most students in the group would be able to read on their own.
There are two main reasons to use read-alouds with the class:
•To share an enjoyment of reading
•To demonstrate reading behaviours
The teacher should have a clear purpose in mind before beginning a read-aloud. Sometimes the teacher may focus more on enjoyment, and other times there may be more of a focus on modelling with a number of think-aloud statements. Or there may be a mix of both enjoyment and modelling.
How to use read-aloud
Think-aloud statements are explanations that teachers make out loud as they are reading. Teachers might explain a particular reading strategy or connection that they made as they were reading.
It is important to select a variety of texts for read-aloud sessions that are not beyond what students can understand and that are interesting to the students. This means that the students probably cannot read the selected texts on their own, but they can understand the text when it is read out loud. This will encourage students to make connections to the te t. Students at all stages of development can bene t from being read to daily.
Steps of a lesson using read-aloud
Preparation:
1. Select a book to read out loud. Consider books that explore students’ interests and expose students to different types of writing. When selecting texts, keep in mind the developmental stage of the majority of students in the class. Make sure that the books are not too long and are interesting enough to motivate and engage the students.
2. Scan the book. Look for different opportunities to discuss concepts or topics that are of interest to students. This may include important characters or identifying the problem in the story.
3. Plan follow-up activities (optional). Some texts work well with follow-up activities such as independent writing tasks.
4. Gather students. Find a space where everybody can sit comfortably and hear you as you read.
Lesson:
1.Preview the text. Show students the cover of the book and read the title. Introduce what the book is about. You may comment on why you chose this book (setting the purpose of reading) and model how to ask questions about the reading task. This is an important strategy to model because students are encouraged to do this when reading independently.
For
(“I am going to read this story about a boy who goes hunting with his dad for the rst time. I onder hat they are hunting. I onder ho the boy is feeling. I remember that hen I rst ent hunting, I as very nervous This book is an adventure story, and I know that a lot of students in this class like adventure stories.”)
2.Read the text. If the te t is short, try to read it uninterrupted the rst time through. This gives students the opportunity to think about what they are hearing and seeing in the text without prompting. Then you may wish to reread the text, this time pausing to ask students questions or let students ask questions. Remember that one of the goals of read-aloud sessions is to provide an enjoyable reading experience, so keep the tone of the discussion informal.
Note: If a read-aloud is used in a different subject area (i.e., not as a tool for reading instruction), you may wish to pause and engage readers in a discussion as you read through the te t the rst time, as the focus for the lesson will be different. If the text is longer, you may wish to pause occasionally as you read the rst time to check for students understanding or let students ask questions. Try to model expressive reading by paying attention to the punctuation in the text and using different tones of voice as you read. If you are reading the text over more than one session, you may wish to review what happened previously in the text before continuing.
3.Discuss the text. Remember that when read-aloud is used as a tool for reading instruction, it can show how reading can be an enjoyable experience. Keep this in mind as you ask questions about the book. Ask questions that are interesting but that students should be able to answer, and encourage students to think beyond the text. Provide positive feedback when students make connections to the text (connections to self, to other texts, or to the world).
4.Do a follow-up activity (optional). It is not recommended that a followup activity be completed every time you do a read-aloud with students. But occasionally, texts used in read-alouds work well for use in follow-up activities that further explore concepts addressed in the text. A text that is read out loud can also ork ell as a model for speci c riting conventions that are taught in modelled writing or shared writing lessons.
Shared reading
Shared reading is an instructional tool that a teacher can use to demonstrate reading skills and strategies. Students play an active role in the lesson by observing the teacher read and then reading along with the teacher. Shared reading lessons usually focus on skills and strategies that the teacher will address further with small groups of students in guided reading sessions.
Key facts:
•Shared reading is the instructional tool with the second-highest level of teacher support.
•This tool is typically used with the whole class, but it can also be used in small groups.
•It is used in lessons that last for about 5–10 minutes.
•The teacher models reading with text that all students can see, and then the teacher and students read together or take turns reading.
•There are often multiple readings of the same text.
Classroom materials needed:
•Written text that is large enough for all students participating in the lesson to see. Examples include big books, text projected on the wall or board, and text written on chart paper or the board by the teacher.
Purpose
At all developmental stages, shared reading lessons provide an opportunity to introduce reading skills and strategies to students. Then the same skills and strategies can be taught or reviewed with small groups of students in guided reading sessions but tailored to the reading level of the students in each group. Students are actively involved in a reading task in a comfortable environment because they can read with the support of the teacher and their peers.
How to use shared reading
Think about the focus of the lesson when selecting a text for shared reading. For example, if the purpose of the shared reading lesson is to note punctuation and how it affects the meaning of the text, the teacher should select a text that has a variety of punctuation marks.
The same text can be used for more than one shared reading lesson. For example, the same text could be used to teach about punctuation, and then used again to teach about story sequence. It is important, however, that students remain interested in the text and motivated to read.
Shared reading should be used regularly with students at all developmental stages. Students at the earlier stages of development bene t from participating in shared reading lessons every day.
Steps of a lesson using shared reading
Preparation:
1. Select a reading skill or strategy. Select a reading skill or strategy that will be the focus of the lesson.
2. Select a text. The text should be interesting to the students and work well for the instructional focus that was selected in step 1. The text should be big enough for all students to see.
3. Plan follow-up activities (optional). Some texts work well with follow-up activities such as independent writing tasks.
4. Gather students. Find a space where everybody can sit comfortably and see the text clearly.
Lesson:
1.Preview the text. Introduce the purpose of the reading task. If the text is a big book, show the cover, read the title, and show a few pages inside the book. Ask students to comment on what they see or notice and to make predictions about the text. If the text is projected or written on chart paper, introduce the topic and/or theme of the writing and ask students to comment and make connections.
2.Read the text. Read the entire text out loud to the students, modelling e pressive and uent reading. Then read the te t a second time and invite students to read along with you. In the earlier stages of development, point to each word as you and the students read the text together. If the text has any patterns or is predictable in other ways, let the students read without you when you get to the predictable parts.
3.Discuss the text. Lead a discussion that focuses on the meaning of what the students have read. Encourage students to make connections.
4.Focus on a reading skill or strategy. Once you and the students have read the text at least twice, identify and teach students the skill or strategy that you had identi ed as the focus of the lesson. or e ample, if the focus of the lesson was to identify morphemes that indicate singular, dual, and plural, have students nd e amples of each in the te t.
5.Do a follow-up activity (optional). The reading skills and strategies that are taught in shared reading lessons can be applied and practised at literacy centres, in guided reading sessions, or during independent reading and independent writing activities. Sometimes the text can be used in a whole-class follow-up activity. For example, if symbol-sound relationships were a focus of the lesson, then a possible follow-up activity would be for students to locate and rite do n all the ords in the te t that have a speci c symbol.
Guided reading
Guided reading is a key instructional tool that a teacher can use to target speci c reading skills and strategies with a small group of students who are at similar instructional reading levels. While the teacher works with the small group of students, the rest of the class works in small groups, in pairs, or independently on other reading and writing activities.
The instructional reading level is the level at which a student can read a text mostly independently but will occasionally need to ask questions and solve problems.
Key facts:
•Guided reading is the instructional tool with the third-highest level of teacher support.
• This tool is used ith small groups of students (ideally no more than ve students).
•The average length of a guided reading session is 15–25 minutes.
•Students read texts independently, but the teacher guides a discussion and encourages students to notice speci c things and use speci c reading strategies.
•Students are grouped together based on their common instructional reading level.
•The texts used in the guided reading session match the current instructional reading level of the group.
Classroom materials needed:
• A set of Inuktut guided reading student books, one for each student in the group
•The corresponding teacher edition for the set of student books
•Paper or notebook and pencil for teacher
•Paper or notebooks and pencils for students (optional)
•Board or chart paper and markers (optional)
Question and answer
Question: How do I keep track of what books each student has read?
Answer: ach stage-speci c resource binder has tracking sheets that can be used to help keep track of the books that each student has read.
Purpose
At all developmental stages, guided reading is used to provide students with the opportunity to practise using reading strategies and skills that have already been introduced in read-aloud and shared reading lessons.
The Uqalimaariuqsaniq Inuktut guided reading program is a progressive and sequential Inuktut reading program that supports students in their development as readers. For more information about this program, see the Reading section of the resource binders.
How to use guided reading
Students need to know how to work independently in the classroom before the teacher can begin running guided reading sessions. Depending on the developmental stage and grade level of the class, it may take more or less time to begin running guided reading sessions at the start of the school year. It is better to take the time to establish classroom expectations for behaviour and directly teach students how to work independently than to rush into guided reading sessions with the class.
For more information about how to run guided reading sessions in the classroom, watch the inservice videos called “ ᖃ
(“How to lead a guided reading session Part 1: Pre-reader”) and
(“How to lead a guided reading session Part 2: Emergent reader”). These videos are available on the USB drive in the ᒃ ᑦ
(Inuktut Titiqqiriniq: Overview) resource binder.
Once the instructional reading level of each student has been established (see the box on page 30), guided reading groups can be formed. It is important to keep groups manageable by not making them too big. There may be more than one group of students reading the same te ts, but do not combine groups, as this ill make it dif cult to provide individualized attention to each student.
Guided reading is used to practise reading skills and strategies that have been taught already in whole-class lessons (such as read-alouds and shared reading) and is not typically used for teaching new reading skills and strategies. After reading the text, the teacher instructs the students further on word study skills or writing activities. The teacher editions provide suggestions for instruction.
Question and answer
Question: How do I determine a student’s instructional reading level before I start guided reading sessions with my class?
Answer: There are two main ways to determine a student’s instructional reading level:
• If the student is new to the Uqalimaariuqsaniq Inuktut guided reading program, use the Uqalimaariuqsaniq Placement Guide. For more information about the Uqalimaariuqsaniq Placement Guide, see the ᒃ ᑦ ᑎᑎᖅ
(Inuktut Titiqqiriniq: Monitoring Progress) resource binder or watch the inservice video called “ᐊ
ᑦ” (“How to use the Placement Guide”). OR
• If the student is not new to the program, consult the student’s Inuktitut Student Literacy Portfolio for information about his or her instructional reading level the previous year. See page 42 of this resource for more information about the Inuktitut Student Literacy Portfolio. You can also speak to the student’s previous teacher.
If after doing a Reader Report it is determined that a student is ready to move on to the next level of books, he or she may need to be moved into a guided reading group with a different group of students. Remember that students must be able to read and understand books at the current level to move on to the next level.
Note: Reader Reports are available for Levels 4 and up. For Levels 1–3, see the ᒃ ᑦ ᑎᑎᖅ
(Inuktut Titiqqiriniq: Monitoring Progress) resource binder for support. For more information about Reader Reports, see page 41 of this resource.
Assessment books are levelled books that are used with a Reader Report. Assessment books are identi ed by a yello band across the top of the front cover with the word “ ᑎ.“ Assessment books are used for monitoring progress and do not have matching teacher editions.
Steps of a lesson using guided reading
Preparation:
1.Select the guided reading group to work with. After deciding which guided reading group you are going to work with, review any notes or observations that you had recorded about the students in the group from previous sessions.
2.Select the student text. Based on the instructional reading level of the guided reading group, select the levelled student text in the Uqalimaariuqsaniq Inuktut guided reading program. Read through the student text to familiarize yourself with it.
3.Review the teacher edition. Look through the corresponding teacher edition for the student text that the group will be reading. Take note of any teaching tips, reading strategies, vocabulary, and suggested follow-up activities. Review the suggested sequence of steps at the beginning of each teacher edition.
4.Plan the follow-up activity (optional). It is not necessary to do a follow-up activity every time you meet with a group. But there are many opportunities to reinforce or extend students’ learning provided in each teacher edition.
Lesson:
1.Have students preview the text. Talk with students about the format, subject, and themes of the book. You may wish to pre-teach challenging or unfamiliar vocabulary. Have students look through their books before they begin reading.
2.Set the reading task. Some books can be read in one guided reading session. Levelled books for students at later developmental stages are longer and will require more than one guided reading session to complete. Make sure that students know what they are supposed to be reading and are expected to nish in the guided reading session.
3.Have students read independently. Students should read independently and out loud (but quietly). Listen to individual students read and record your observations. It is important not to correct students or tell them the answers. Instead, support students as they read by giving them hints, reminding them of important reading strategies, and encouraging them to persevere.
4.Discuss the text. After the reading, prompt a discussion to extend students’ understanding of the text. Suggestions for discussion are included throughout each teacher edition but should only be used after the students have nished reading the assigned amount of text for the guided reading session.
5.Review a reading skill or strategy. Review one or two reading skills or strategies to review with the group after reading. Each teacher edition has suggestions tailored to the student text.
6.Do a Word Work activity. Word study skills are an important part of developing reading skills. Each teacher edition contains at least one suggestion for a short and simple Word Work activity.
7. Do a follow-up activity (optional). Each teacher edition has a suggestion for a follow-up activity that can be done after reading the assigned text in the session.
Note: Although the number and description of steps vary slightly between different developmental stages, all guided reading sessions follow a similar structure.
Things to look for each time you use guided reading:
• Is the text at the appropriate reading level for the group?
• Do any of the students seem as if they are ready to read books at the next reading level?
• Are students reading independently and trying to problem-solve unknown text on their own?
• Do students participate in discussions?
• Do students ask questions about their reading?
• What reading strategies have been taught in whole-class and smallgroup lessons that students are now using independently?
• Do students remain on task when reading independently?
Independent reading
Although teachers do not directly instruct students when students are reading independently, independent reading is still considered to be an important instructional tool when using the balanced literacy approach. The focus of this tool is for students to be in charge of their own reading and to read texts for enjoyment. This includes the students self-selecting texts, reading quietly or silently to themselves, and working through any challenges presented by the texts.
Key facts:
•Independent reading is the instructional tool that does not use any direct teacher support.
•Students read independently, without assistance from the teacher or their peers.
•Sessions should, as much as possible, be uninterrupted.
•The teacher may meet with students to check for comprehension after the students have been reading independently.
•After reading, students may be provided with the opportunity to respond to the text, either by discussing what they have read with their peers or the teacher or by completing a simple reader response activity.
Classroom materials needed:
•A range of reading materials that represent the different reading levels of students in the class
•An organizational system that allows students to select from a variety of texts at their independent reading level
Purpose
The independent reading level refers to the level of a book that a student can read without any teacher support.
Independent reading provides the opportunity for students to independently practise the reading strategies and skills that are taught during read-aloud, shared reading, and guided reading lessons. Students read texts for enjoyment and have the opportunity to select texts that match their interests. Students can also reread texts that they have previously read to increase con dence and achieve success in reading independently.
How to use independent reading
Schedule time each day for students to read independently. Students at the earlier stages of development need direct instruction about how to select level-appropriate texts to read. It is important to establish clear routines and expectations for behaviour during independent reading sessions.
Ideally, students should select books that are at their independent reading level. Students should also be encouraged to select a variety of text types. Even if students have few reading skills, they can still read independently. Students can look at the illustrations to see the story or get information.
Monitoring progress
Students move through developmental stages as they learn to read and become more pro cient as readers. It is important to monitor student development to identify each student’s instructional reading level, strengths, and areas for improvement. This allows for the creation of achievable goals and ensures that students continue to progress as readers.
Note: The Uqalimaariuqsaniq Placement Guide is not considered a tool for monitoring student progress but instead is a one-time placement tool used only to determine a student’s instructional reading level. This information helps teachers form guided reading groups. See the
(Inuktut Titiqqiriniq: Monitoring Progress) resource binder for more information about how to use other methods to monitor student progress.
PLACEMENT BOOK B
Four methods for monitoring students’ progress as readers as they move through the developmental stages are:
•Observations
•Discussions with students
•Reader Reports
•Inuktitut Student Literacy Portfolio
Observations
As a method for monitoring progress, observation can be used in almost any situation to gather information about students. Information about students’ progress that is gathered from observations is often recorded with anecdotal notes or on a checklist
An anecdotal note is a short, factual description of an observation that is recorded at the time the teacher made the observation. A checklist is a list of reading skills, strategies, or behaviours that can be checked off as the teacher notes them being used by students.
There are two types of observations:
Informal observations are not planned. They happen when a teacher makes a note about a reading skill, strategy, or behaviour that a student successfully uses. For example, a teacher notes a student rereading a sentence to check for understanding or looking to the picture in the text to clarify and extend his or her understanding.
Formal observations are planned. The teacher has decided which reading skill, strategy, or behaviour to observe. For example, in a guided reading session, the teacher may decide to look for evidence that the student understood the text by asking questions about what the student read.
Discussions with students
Conversations with students can provide valuable information about their development. These conversations can be either planned or unplanned.
Planned discussions with students often take the form of either a conference or an interview.
A conference is a conversation with a student one-on-one, in small groups in a guided reading session, or with the whole class. Conferences provide the teacher with the opportunity to ask students questions about their comprehension skills, their understanding of te t structures and speci c reading strategies. The teacher determines a clear focus for the conversation prior to the conference but does not have a set of speci c questions prepared beforehand.
Conferences help teachers build relationships with students and provide teachers with information about reading skills, strategies, and behaviours that they may want to monitor or follow up with direct instruction.
Interviews differ from conferences in that interviews almost always happen one-on-one with a student, and the teacher usually has a set of questions prepared that will lead the conversation.
Unplanned conversations with students happen throughout the day. Teachers may take anecdotal notes about speci c skills, strategies, or behaviours that they ould like to follow up on in shared reading or guided reading sessions based on these conversations.
Reader Reports
A Reader Report is a tool that is used speci cally to determine if a student is ready to progress to the next reading level in guided reading sessions. Reader Reports are used with student assessment books that have been created for each level. Assessment books are easily identi ed by the yello band across the top of the cover.
To use a Reader Report, the teacher selects the ction or non- ction assessment book and the corresponding Reader Report form. The teacher can follow the instructions for the Reader Report in the resource binder and on the form, which leads the teacher and student through a series of steps.
How to Use Reader Reports
book—one for each student
• Pencil INSTRUCTIONS
Setting Up
1. Before sitting down with the student, ensure that you are familiar with these instructions, the assessment book you will be using, and the matching Reader Report form.
2. Choose a quiet place away from other students. Fill in the student’s name, your name, and the date on the summary page of the form. Invite the student to sit with you so that you can assess his or her reading. Note: ou ill ll out one Reader Report form for each student.
3. Read the script below.
(Today you will be reading a book out loud and independently. For the reading of this book, cannot answer any questions or give any hints.
4. Ask the student the follo ing questions to make him or her feel comfortable:
• What books do you like to read?
• Who are your favourite characters in the books that you like?
What are some other things that you like to do? Note: It is not necessary to record these answers.
For more information about Reader Reports, see the
(Inuktut Titiqqiriniq: Monitoring Progress) resource binder or watch the inservice video called “
” (“How to use the Reader Report”).
Inuktitut Student Literacy Portfolio
The Inuktitut Student Literacy Portfolio is a tool that provides a method for teachers, principals, other staff, and schools to track and communicate each student’s progress over the course of one school year. The portfolio can be used to store samples of student ork, checklists, teacher and student re ections, and other notes about a student s literacy learning.
For more information about the Inuktitut Student Literacy Portfolio, see the
A literacy-rich environment involves both a wide variety of literacy materials (like books, labels, posters, and magazines), as well as opportunities to practise literacy skills in different ways. A literacy-rich environment is important for all aspects of literacy instruction.
One of the biggest challenges with reading instruction is delivering a literacy program that encourages all students to develop a lifelong interest in and enjoyment of reading. Establishing a learning environment in which all students can feel successful includes attention to both the physical classroom environment and the activities and atmosphere of the classroom.
Build a classroom library
A classroom library should include a variety of text types, such as books, magazines, pamphlets, and other written materials. Students can practise reading different types of texts. They can get experience reading visual elements such as charts, graphs, and illustrations and see how these elements can support written text.
Reading levels are an important consideration when building a classroom library. There are two types of reading levels to keep in mind: independent reading levels and instructional reading levels. It is very unlikely that all students in a class will be able to read books at the same level.
The independent reading level is the highest level at which a student can read easily and uently, ith high accuracy in ord recognition and comprehension. Books at this level are appropriate for independent reading. All students should ideally be able to nd books in the classroom library at their independent reading level.
The instructional reading level is the highest level at which a student can make meaning of what he or she reads, but needs some assistance. Accuracy in word recognition is less than at an independent reading level, but the text is not so hard that the student becomes frustrated. Books at this level are appropriate for use during guided reading sessions or other instances when a student is practising his or her reading skills.
Students are more likely to interact with books, spend more time reading, and become more positive about reading when they have access to interesting and level-appropriate reading materials. Books in a classroom library should be organized so that students can use the books independently. This includes ensuring that the bins, baskets, or bookshelves used to store books are placed at a child-friendly height.
Include print on walls and resources
Labelling classroom resources and displaying word walls, vocabulary posters, and other reading materials supports students and encourages them to speak, listen, read, and write in a variety of ways.
Promote a culture of reading
Reading should be presented to students as not just something they have to do at school, but as something they can enjoy and make part of their everyday life. Reading can serve a number of purposes (see page 16 of this resource) and should be seen as both enjoyable and important for learning. Students who have not had a lot of exposure to books at home may not easily see the value of reading. Some ways to show students that reading is valuable include:
•Letting students “catch” their teacher reading, which helps promote reading as a lifestyle
•Sharing preferences for the types of books that the teacher likes to read or sharing what the teacher has learned from written texts
•Including a variety of interesting-looking texts on topics that matter to the students in the classroom
•Celebrating students’ reading successes with regular positive feedback, using an encouraging tone
•Visiting the school library if there is one available and partnering with older students to do reading activities
•Demonstrating the practical side of knowing how to read (for example, to read recipes, instructions, etc.)
Provide choice
Providing opportunities for students to choose their own texts will encourage students to think about the types of books that they enjoy reading. Teachers can provide positive feedback when they notice students reading things that they typically do not choose to read.
ᑎᑎᖅ ᖅ ᑦ Literacy centres
Literacy centres are areas in the classroom that provide opportunities and materials for students to complete speci c reading, riting, listening, and speaking activities. These activities reinforce the literacy skills that students learn in teacher-directed lessons such as read-alouds, modelled writing activities, shared reading and shared writing activities, and guided reading and guided writing activities.
Literacy centres play an important role in reading instruction for two main reasons:
• Literacy centres can be created speci cally so that students practise and apply what they have learned about reading in read-alouds, shared reading, and guided reading lessons.
•Literacy centres provide the rest of the class with meaningful literacy-learning activities while the teacher works with a small group of students in guided reading (or guided writing) sessions.
There are two types of literacy centres:
•Temporary literacy centres are centres that are set up to practise a very speci c skill or concept and are only available for a short period of time. There are suggestions for temporary literacy centres included in the Inuktut Titiqqiriniq resource binders.
•Permanent literacy centres are centres where the main purpose stays the same but the content changes throughout the year.
In this section, you ill nd e amples of permanent literacy centres that focus on reading.
For more information about literacy centres, please see the resource
(Inuktut Titiqqiriniq: Literacy Centres).
When setting up literacy centres in the classroom, consider the following:
• The centre should provide practice for skills and content that the students have already learned in read-alouds, shared reading, and guided reading lessons (or modelled writing, shared writing, and guided writing lessons).
• New centres should be introduced gradually, one at a time. Students should understand the expectations and purpose of a centre before a new centre is introduced. This means that it can take several weeks to establish a successful rotation of literacy centres in the classroom.
• Students should be taught where the materials needed for each centre can be found. Ensure that students return materials to the correct location when they are done.
• Students should be able to work independently or together with other students at the centre (with minimal teacher guidance).
Literacy Centres
Big book centre
Purpose
Materials
Activity
This centre allows students to read both familiar and unfamiliar books in a big book format to:
• Practise reading words from left to right, top to bottom, and page by page
• Get a close look at the different features of ction and non- ction te ts
• Practise applying reading strategies learned in read-aloud, shared reading, and guided reading lessons with books in a different format
A variety of big books that students have read in shared reading lessons and big books that students have not read before
In a space established for reading big books (usually a large open area on the oor or on a rug), students select big books to view and read.
Independent reading centre
Purpose
Materials
Activity
This centre allows students to learn about and read a variety of texts independently. Students can practise the reading skills that they have learned in read-aloud, shared reading, and guided reading lessons.
A variety of ction and non- ction te ts, ith a range of reading levels, in different formats
In an area that students can sit comfortably (on the oor ith cushions, on chairs, or on a rug), students select materials to read independently.
Listening centre
Purpose
Students can enjoy books that may be beyond their independent reading level, and they are e posed to uent and expressive reading.
Materials player or computer, headphones, audio les ith matching texts
Note: Audio les for many books are available on the USB drive in the Inuktut Titiqqiriniq resource binders.
Activity
Students use headphones to listen to a story that is read out loud, and they follow along with the corresponding written text.
Students to Read in Inuktut
E-book centre
Purpose
Materials
Activity
Students can enjoy books that may be beyond their independent reading level, and they are e posed to uent and expressive reading.
omputer or tablet, headphones, e-book les
Note: -book les for many books are available on the USB drive in the Inuktut Titiqqiriniq resource binders.
Students use headphones as they listen to e-books while they look at and read the text.
Reader response centre
Purpose
Materials
Activity
This centre allows students to respond to what they have read in read-aloud, shared reading, guided reading, or independent reading sessions. The centre incorporates reading and writing skills.
Paper or notebooks, photocopied worksheets, writing utensils, book (optional)
There are different ways of responding to a text,including:
• Drawing or writing about a favourite part
• Drawing or writing to show an interesting fact learned from the text
• Writing an alternative ending to a story
• Answering a question provided by the teacher about the text
• Writing a book recommendation
ᑎᓂᒃ ᐊ ᓂᖅ
Teaching reluctant readers
A student ho nds reading dif cult often just needs more time and practice to develop reading skills and strategies. But sometimes there are other reasons that a student may get frustrated or not want to read, and it is important to identify what those reasons are.
Some questions to ask when working with a frustrated or reluctant reader include:
Is the student trying to read text that is beyond his or her instructional reading level in guided reading sessions or beyond his or her independent reading level when reading independently?
A student’s instructional reading level refers to the reading level at which a student can read the text mostly independently but will occasionally need to solve problems. A student’s independent reading level refers to the reading level at which a student can read the text without teacher support.
If students are repeatedly presented with texts that are too hard, they are likely to feel frustrated and discouraged, and this can affect their motivation. Providing appropriately levelled books that are interesting to the students (depending on the reading task) is a key component of running a successful literacy program in which all students are provided with the opportunity to succeed.
Is the student provided with text that he or she is interested in reading?
One consideration when building a classroom library is the personal interests and reading preferences of the students in the class. Students begin to develop strong preferences about the types of books that they like to read very early on, and making an effort to accommodate the students’ interests when building a classroom library can go a long way toward motivating young readers.
Does the student seem to be struggling with word recognition skills, comprehension skills, or both?
If students are struggling with their decoding skills, they will have trouble reading words accurately as they are written. This may indicate that there is a gap in knowledge of symbol-sound relationships. You may wish to do a Symbol Recognition Assessment, which is included in the Nipittiavait Inuktitut teacher resources.
If students are unable to answer questions or participate in discussions about what they have read, they may need to work on strategies that assist with comprehension. The students may need to work on building their spoken and written vocabularies, which includes developing the bank of words that students can recognize on sight and exposing students to new words in a variety of contexts. This also may involve teaching and re-teaching reading strategies that speci cally address comprehension (see page 12 of this resource).
d he s den e er en e d l es w h read n as s n re o s rades
If there is a pattern of academic dif culties ith a student, it can be useful to kno what strategies previous teachers used that worked and didn’t work. It is also important to identify if a student has an ILP (Individualized Learning Plan). Look at the student’s Inuktitut Student Literacy Portfolio or speak to his or her previous teacher to nd this information.
Is the student struggling with learning or managing his or her behaviour in general?
If a student is having dif culty in more than one subject area, there could be a more general underlying issue that needs to be addressed. This may include social issues at home or at school that are preventing the student from learning. Or it may indicate a problem with learning in general that requires attention. Speak to your school administrator or learning coach if you have concerns about a student’s ability to learn.
Have the student’s hearing and vision been tested recently?
Changes in hearing or vision can impact a student’s ability to learn and participate meaningfully in lessons. Consider checking with the student’s parent or guardian to see if he or she has noticed anything unusual about the student’s hearing or vision.
How developed are the student’s oral language abilities and vocabulary in Inuktut?
If students’ oral language abilities and vocabularies in Inuktut are not strong, this will have a considerable impact on their ability to read and write in Inuktut. Providing different opportunities for students to develop their oral language skills will have a positive impact on their reading and writing skills.
How can I support students who have low attendance or limited exposure to books at home?
The timing of the literacy block and literacy instruction is an important consideration. Try to avoid scheduling essential literacy instruction for rst thing in the morning or after lunch to help prevent latecomers to school from missing important lessons. Providing a positive classroom environment and clearly demonstrating the purpose and enjoyment associated with reading will help motivate students who have limited exposure to books.
