Classroom Inquiry of Teachers from School of Science and Technology, Singapore
Classroom Inquiry of Teachers from School of Science and Technology, Singapore
Ms Christine Lam, EL Teacher, first observed how her Lower Secondary students found critical reading of literary texts challenging. They had difficulties answering inferential and evaluation questions based on given texts. She wanted to help them develop their critical reading skills. She was also keen to enhance their awareness of the nuances of meaning-making through the language used in literary texts. Ms Han Siu Yin, HOD/EL, was excited over an opportunity to support Christine in helping her students. She encouraged her colleagues from the EL Department, Ms Christine Lam and Ms Jasvindar Pal Kaur, to embark on a classroom inquiry after attending the Classroom Inquiry for English Language and Literature Teachers course in 2022.
The three teachers, with support from Dr Caroline Ho, Lead Specialist/EL, investigated how the use of selected reader roles from the Four Resources Model (Freebody & Luke, 1999) affected their students’ critical reading skills. The teachers were motivated to present their findings after seeing the impact of the intervention on their students’ learning and worked with Caroline to co-present their findings at the 2024 RELC International Conference.
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Highlights of the teachers’ reflections on their learning:
Han Siu Yin: I value the collaborative learning CIELL provided to learn from self, learn from others and also to learn with others. We were encouraged to share our initial inquiry questions with each other. This provided an opportunity for us to learn from one other as we provided feedback to sharpen the inquiry questions. ELIS course facilitators provided valuable input on our efforts and enhanced our understanding of the overall inquiry process.
Christine Lam: In verbalising my thinking as I engaged with texts, I modelled strategic critical reading skills and demonstrated how to navigate the complexities of language. Students developed a better understanding of how to critically evaluate and analyse texts on their own using the Reader Roles. The insights my students gained from my own engagement with texts as I articulated my interpretations of word choice and discussed the implications of different linguistic choices were invaluable for them.
Jasvindar Pal Kaur: This classroom inquiry has reinforced my conviction in inquiry as a means for teachers to develop specific competencies and explore new strategies. Inquiry facilitates teachers’ professional learning and growth as we examine our classroom practice and consider the impact of what we do on our students’ learning. It is important to identify a focus area for the inquiry that is aligned with our learners’ needs. This ensures the relevance of the inquiry in a specific teaching and learning context.
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Listen to podcast episodes to hear teachers’ personal accounts of conducting classroom inquiry. |
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