Professional Learning
Over the past week, I followed two literacy-assessment-based topics on X (formerly Twitter) and a blog; both focused on phonological awareness and assessing fluency. One of the most significant areas I learned was phonemic awareness interventions. A post highlighted a quick yet effective strategy for improving phonemic awareness by incorporating movement. For example, students clap each phoneme they hear in a word, enhancing auditory and kinesthetic learning. This approach fits perfectly with young learners who often benefit from multi-sensory activities.
The second piece of knowledge I took away was the importance of fluency progress monitoring. A blog post discussed how frequent reading fluency assessments, even in kindergarten and first grade, provide key real-time insights into a child's development. Teachers can adjust instruction earlier by regularly checking fluency rates rather than waiting until more significant gaps appear.
I would "push" into my classroom by integrating more kinesthetic activities when teaching phonemic awareness, such as clapping for phonemes and encouraging students to "hop" for each syllable they hear. For fluency, I plan to start using brief, consistent progress monitoring to better inform my instructional decisions and tailor support for each child.
Additional Research
After reading about these topics, I spent about an hour researching more strategies for teaching phonemic awareness and fluency. While the initial posts were highly informative, I needed a deeper understanding of the specific techniques used in fluency assessments, so I turned to some additional articles and academic resources. Specifically, I was interested in how fluency rates develop over time and how to adapt the assessments for early childhood students who may not yet be reading independently.
I was satisfied with the information I found on social media regarding phonemic awareness because it was actionable and clearly explained. However, additional reading was necessary for fluency assessment, especially to understand better progress-monitoring tools and how they align with larger literacy goals.
Digital Community
I found a vibrant digital community around literacy assessments, particularly on X and specialized blogs. I can see myself becoming more engaged with this community with more time. Many experts share strategies and resources that can help improve student learning through fresh, research-based approaches. The posts I encountered were practical and often included suggestions that could be applied immediately in the classroom.
Although I didn’t actively participate in conversations this week, I see the potential for collaboration and support. Being part of a community like this could enhance my teaching by providing new ideas, resources, and support when tackling challenges, such as when students struggle with reading fluency or phonemic awareness.
Personal Preferences
Using social media for professional development fits nicely into my busy personal and professional life. I appreciate the flexibility of learning independently and accessing ideas from educators worldwide. Unlike face-to-face professional development, social media provides more immediate and continuous learning opportunities. I still value in-person sessions for the deeper discussions and hands-on learning they offer.
A blended approach is best for me—regularly using social media to gather new ideas and strategies and attending face-to-face workshops for more in-depth exploration and practice. Social media makes staying current and reflecting on teaching practices easy, but nothing replaces the richness of life and in-person professional growth.
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