Online discussion

The online discussion is an integral component of Literacy online - Stage 2.

You can access the online discussion at any time via the Discussion link at the top of each page.

It enables those taking part to:

• contact fellow participants
• reflect on the course content
• ask questions of each other, and the course mentor
• provide feedback
• share experiences
• reflect on issues to do with literacy learning and teaching.

Participants in previous courses have found regular reading of, and responding to, collegial online discussion a great professional learning experience. Those who get most out of online courses are often those who interact most regularly in this way.

The discussion group to which you have been linked is a closed discussion group, available only to those directly involved in this course.

To enter the discussion group you will need a username and password which your course coordinator will provide.

During the first week of the course, you will need to log on to the Discussion board and post a message to introduce yourself and give some general information about your school/class context.

Over the first two weeks of the course, you will need to contribute to at least 2 of the Background Information Discussion board topics:

Planning and programming

Reflect on which documents have already in the past, or those you think will have, the most impact on your teaching and why.

Classroom practice

Reflect on what components you currently include in a literacy session and how they are similar or different to those suggested in the readings.

Work samples

Consider the various types of work samples used to assess the 3 strands of English. Reflect on the variety of work samples you use as part of your current practice and how they may relate to or differ from the models shared above.  

Assessing and recording

What processes do you currently find valuable in undertaking effective assessment and in recording assessment information?

During the final week of this module, you will need to contribute to the Discussion board topic –

The Teaching and Learning Cycle

After accessing the information provided, reflect on your current practice, considering what phase of the cycle is a strength for you, what phase might be a focus for further development and what reasons you have for this thinking.