Purpose

This online professional learning provides teachers with an understanding of the verbal reasoning skills involved when reading and comprehending texts.

This professional learning is part of the Focus on Understanding texts suite. It is designed to strengthen teacher understanding of the complex cognitive processes involved in reading, and how to explicitly teach these components across all key learning areas.

Who should participate?

Year 3 to 10 teachers

Mode of delivery

Blended learning - a mix of self-paced and facilitator-led learning

Content

This blended learning course includes 3 self-paced modules and a facilitated session:

• Module 1: Comprehension, verbal reading and the mental model. Self-paced (1.5 hours)
• Module 2: Selecting a text for verbal reasoning. Self-paced (1 hour)
• Module 3: Preparing the text for verbal reasoning. Self-paced (1 hour)
• Module 4: Preparing the students for verbal reasoning in the classroom. Facilitated session (5 hours) - See MyPL for sessions details

Completing this blended learning course will help you to:

• consider the complex metacognitive processes involved in reading comprehension and understand the importance of building a mental model to support understanding
• explore the National Literacy Learning Progression and the Text selection appendix to understand the crucial role you play in selecting the most appropriate, high challenge text to support verbal reasoning

• develop skills in strategic planning and preparing a text for verbal reasoning
  explore the cognitive load associated with verbal reasoning and develop strategies to prepare students for verbal reasoning

• develop skills in the explicit teaching of verbal reasoning skills through authentic discussion and strategic questioning including Questioning the Author.

2025 dates

Dates will be available in Term 1.

Contacts

If you have any questions, contact literacy.numeracy@det.nsw.edu.au.