Direct Instruction and Explicit Teaching

One of the things I have been busy with since recovering from COVID-19 was co-facilitating a DepEd Teacher Training organized by Center for Educational Measurement, Inc. The past four session leaned heavily on theories on language and literacy teaching, especially the psychology and nature of reading. Tonight, we had a session on Direct and Explicit Instruction. I have a group of teachers I monitor, supervise and learn from. Most of them are very new to the ideas we are discussing in the training. Speaking for myself, I am also learning new things and re-learning strategies to teach literacy for students in the K-12 levels.

Here are my five takeaways from the session tonight.

1. Teachers are instructional designers. The framework known as Gradual Release of Responsibility is useful in designing instruction geared towards student agency. In this framework, the teacher is leader, model, guide and companion in the student's learning journey.

2.  Language forms a key role in discourse. Discourse has two kinds namely, Primary and Secondary. The former is discourse that happens at home and in the immediate environment of the child while the later is discourse that occurs in school and in formal instruction. Already, the difference in language acquisition exist between the two. Teachers need to recognize these two kinds of discourse to be able to design instruction that is appropriate and helpful to the child and his/her family.

3. Predicting. Questioning. Clarifying. Summarizing. These are the Fab 4 in strategic learning. These strategies can be taught in isolation or through integration. 

4. There are five principles of Direct Instruction namely, Conspicuous Strategies; Mediated Scaffolding; Strategic Integration; Primed Background Knowledge; and Judicious Review. Of the five, I am most challenged to apply Judicious Review in my teaching practice. I think I need to do more research and to try this our in my tutorial sessions.

5. Learning and re-learning takes a while. The first step is to try. The second step is to continuously do. The third step is to document. The fourth step is to reflect. Last is to take action.

Next session, we will be looking at lesson plans and how these principles can be applied.

Finding Grace in Every Day: A Webinar on Companionship with CLP Teachers

Finding Grace in Every Day: A Webinar on Companionship with CLP Teachers

by Zarah C. Gagatiga, reader, writer, wondering wanderer

The goal of this webinar is to share with CLP teachers my life experience as a TIA stroke survivor and how this life changing event made me seek grace in every waking moment of every day. I will be sharing some tips for survival and activities that have sustained me since then with the hope that, my witnessing will be a source of inspiration to others. In return, I only ask for prayers of health and wellbeing for me and my family namely, Domeng my husband, Nico and Zoe, our young adult kids.

Priming Activity: Read the following posts.

The Big Reveal: My Stroke of Luck

My Stroke of Luck: Trying to Make Sense of It All

My Stroke of Luck: On the Road to Recovery

A Year After My Stroke of Luck

After reading, gather your thoughts and feelings and follow these instructions to move on to the next phase of the session.

3-2-1 Response (Sanacore, 2012)

1.      Write 3 important details that struck you, disturbed you or resonated with you.

2.     Write 2 questions about the texts/posts you have read. You can also ask 2 questions to the writer.

3.     Write a summary of what you have read.

4.     Choose any of the 3-2-1 responses and place them on our JamBoard. This is the link to the Priming: Finding Grace in Every Day JamBoard.

5.     Is there something that moved you to action from this experience? If yes, take note of it and that will be your ENTRANCE PASS to the webinar.

Webinar Proper

Type in the chat box your Entrance Pass

1.      Music Map c/o Teacher Val “Nico” Gagatiga (20 mins)

2.     Finding Grace in Every Day (30 mins)

a.     Grateful for Me – Mindfulness, Grace and Gratitude

b.     Loving Hands – Sensing, Perceiving and Valuing

3.     My Heart Today (Asynchronous Activity) (10 mins)

 

Prepared by Zarah C. Gagatiga on April 19, 2021

On Reading Aloud and Storytelling (2/2)

In the event of being with two different groups of people who are interested and eager to learn and relearn skills in storytelling and reading aloud, I consider myself fortunate to learn from them too. 

From the TSP volunteers, I realized how our search for meaning and goodness in this world can be actualized in volunteer work. I look back at the young professionals I met a week ago and I am still touched by their hope and their sincerity to help TSP reach its goal of people empowerment through books and reading. From the DepEd K-3 teachers in Pangasinan, I am reminded once again of the values of grit and patience. The Filipino public school teacher is up against challenges bigger than herself or himself. It will take a lifetime to change the system, but it is enough to be able to inspire and affect one person. 

Feeling young and energized with TSP volunteers!

I see the goodness in Rey Bufi and his wife, Grace, the parents and founder of TSP. I admire the resilience of Teacher Ara for continuing on and doing a thankless job. Organizing people and mobilizing them is not an easy task, but they do it anyway. This is the grace I take away from leaving Biñan once in a while. I meet authentic people who, despite limitations, persevere to make a difference in their communities.

Specifically, I discovered how tenuous our connection is with our folk literature and local knowledge. Pangasinan is showing signs of progress, but my conversations with teachers there reveal gaps in the use of their mother tongue and in telling stories from their culture and history. Exposure to different forms of literature is an area of growth as well. Both groups, TSP volunteers and K-3 teachers were fascinated at the folk tales I used as samplers for storytelling. Comments like “ganun pala yun”, “ay pwede pala” were aplenty. 

DepEd Superintendent Balderas explains that reading is comprehension.

The scarcity of books and resources was a clamor of both groups. I resolve to include one or two activities for materials creation next time I do a workshop. As a librarian, I will echo and share this concern. Hopefully, any of my advocacy group could pick from there and help bridge children to books they so badly need to engage in.

More Musings on My Journey in Mother Tongue Based Instruction

I often integrate Mother Tongue Based Instruction in my storytelling workshops and reading skills teaching for teachers and librarians, especially if the venue is in the province or in the regions. I got this insight while being a part of Sa Aklat Sisikat's team of facilitators and trainers (circa 2006 - 2016). Of the trainings I had, four remarkable experiences stood out:

1. the 2012 IASL Regional Conference in Bacolod because that was where school librarians saw the importance of oracy and oral tradition in language development and that, by conducting read aloud sessions and storytelling, librarians and libraries contribute to language acquisition and development; 

2. the Storytelling Workshop in Cagayan Valley, Tuguegarao because, participants created their own story flash cards in Ilocano, Ibanag and Itawis; 

3. the Naga Workshop by EDUCO and ADARNA HOUSE where teachers and librarians created mini-books and they wrote their stories in Bicol Rinconada;  

4. the Storytelling Workshop I had in Mindoro last May 2018 because, I met Teacher Ann Lee Masongsong who learned the mother tongue of the Mangyans so that she could teach them.

 5. the recent Story Creation I had in CDO as organised by the NLP because, it was the first time I used the Language Experience Approach in teaching mother tongue, as subject and skill. I first heard of LEA in UPD, in Dr. Hermosa's class, saw it used by Sa Aklat Sisikat Master Trainers and I was inspired to use it with Zoe who was, at that time, a struggling reader. 

         
But, in retrospect, it is Teacher Dina Ocampo who allowed me to run a workshop on Storytelling where I was able to use the Tandem Telling Technique during the Summer Institute of Linguistics 2009 teacher training. I learned of this technique back in 2002 when I attended the Storytelling Congress in Singapore.

Filipino Librarian of the Month: Arvin Delen of the DepED Oriental Mindoro

Arvin Delen holding a copy of A Tale of Two Dreams

The blog's Filipino Librarian of the month is Mr. Arvin Delen.

Mr. Delen is 27 years old from Leuteboro II, Socorro, Oriental Mindoro. He finished elementary education at Leuteboro Elementary School in 2003 and secondary school at Leuteboro National High School in 2007. He graduated from the Philippine Normal University (PNU) Manila as scholar (Trinidad M. Albarracin Scholarship) with the degree of Bachelor of Library and Information Science (BLIS) last March 21, 2012. He took Librarian Licensure Examination last November 3-4, 2012 and Licensure Examination for Teacher last September 25, 2016. His first job was in Don Bosco Technical College as High School Librarian for almost a year.

He met a vehicular accident in  2013 thus, he stayed at home for almost 2 years. Once fully recuperated, he applied to the DepEd Division of Oriental Mindoro as Librarian II, where he is serving as Division Librarian up to the present.

1. As a Division Librarian in the DepEd, enlighten us on the nature of your work and community involvement in Oriental Mindoro. 

As Division Librarian, one of my tasks is to manage, maintain and monitor uploaded catalogue of materials in the LRMDS Portal. The LRMDS Portal is a web based catalogue and repository of learning, teaching and professional development resources. It functions as a clearinghouse. That is, it provides information about the location of resources (hardcopy and soft copy) and allows users of the system to access directly digitized versions of resources that are published and stored within the LR Portal repository. But, this portal is still in the process of upgrading the system and as Librarian, I only provide technical assistance and identify the needs of the division Library Hubs and Learning Resource Centers.

2. What has been the most challenging experience you had, so far? How did you overcome the challenge? 

The most challenging experience I had was my accident last June 6, 2013. I overcome the challenge by praying and believing that everything happens for a reason and (that) I can survive.

When it comes to my job right now, the most challenging part was the acceptance of the culture shock I experienced during my first year in working here in DepEd. I overcome this by simply being me and to get along with everyone. And also, being happy and loving my work. I pray always.

With Arvin Delen (L) and Karol Manalaysay (R), Alice Panares and Bernadette Solina-Wolf
Standing are public teachers of Oriental Mindoro 

3. As a Division Librarian, how are you helping the Indigenous Peoples (IP) in Mindoro? 

As a division Librarian, I am helping our IPs here in Mindoro by visiting and knowing their needs when it comes to reading materials. It is very challenging for me because sometimes there is no allotted budget for them for their reading materials. I have to be very versatile and ask for help from other stakeholders and other institutions which can give support for them.

4. Why Library and Information Science (LIS)? 

Library and Information Science for me is a God’s will. It is His profession for me. This profession helped me to flourish as an individual. It is very important because libraries provide scientific services and fullfil social needs. It is essential in our society because human skills can be developed without any formalized training for some. Moreover, LIS is vitally important for development. Therefore, librarians, libraries, and library associations, as well as information systems, all play a role in fostering creativity, innovation, and dealing with people's needs and expectations.

Thank you and God bless!!! ☺

Teacher Training in Mindoro: Bernadette Solina-Wolf, Teacher Trainer

1. What are your top 3 most memorable experience of the DepEd Mindoro Or. Teacher Training? 

For me, there were so many highlights in the workshop which made me realize the importance of book illustrators/writers to interact with teachers especially those in the provinces. 

 My most memorable was listening to the Hanunuo dialect in the tandem storytelling session of Zarah and Teacher Nesla.  It was both fun and moving because all the participants of the workshop got so engrossed in the storytelling and when the Mangyan teacher got so self-conscious after doing so well in her version of storytelling, all the teacher/participants would encourage her to go on by singing the Hanunuo lullaby in chorus.  It was all so spontaneous and uplifting to experience.

Another most memorable experience was meeting Teacher Annie Lee who teaches Mangyan children in the hinterlands of a place called Labo and took time to study the Buhid-Bangon dialects and write stories (with Filipino text) for both Mangyans and Tagalogs.  I do hope her stories get published!

My third most memorable is not to a specific person but that of the teachers as a whole---their open-ness to learn Zarah Gagatiga's storytelling techniques, Alice Panares' creative writing exercises and even understand the technicalities of illustration was really what any facilitator would wish for!

2. What are your non-negotiables when illustrating a picture book or children’s story book?

I was thinking hard on this.  A non-negotiable thing happens when everything has been agreed upon from the very start---the compensation, the manuscript and upon approval of the studies or what we call comprehensives--the final art.  It is not that as an illustrator, you'd want to have your way and period. It is just in my view, to allow the creative process to flow unhindered after all is discussed. Any change of storyline should be from the very start. When the final art is presented, that's it. Final.It has been studied through. Non-negotiable. Or else, it becomes more expensive.

3. Why nut art or bao art? How did it came to be? 

 NutArt or the my artworks in the bao was an idea presented by my husband Michael.  He said that the coconut shell is really under-estimated.  All the Filipinos can think of it as uling/charcoal.  Of course, souvenir shops do have items out of coconut shells but to use it as a canvas has been overlooked.  Michael thought of the porcelain plates in Europe where exquisite artworks are painted on them.  So why not have a Filipino version of those porcelain plates? He also developed a particular stand for the bao so the whole thing is really hand-made/home-made in every sense.  And then he said it should be named NutArt short for (coco)NutArt. So German. So no-nonsense.  

4. How to buy your books and acquire your bao art?

The STARS Kindergarten books can be availed or ordered in any Precious Pages Bookstores. Other books can be had online via my other publishers LG&M/Vibal and Bookmark Inc.

I have also a blogspot of the Nutart where you can see samples of what I have had produced so far. http://nutart.blogspot.com. 

I actually do them on commissions so email me at : mbw.vph@gmail.com

Teacher Training in Mindoro: K-3 Teachers Read, Write, Tell and Draw Stories

Oriental Mindoro K-3 Teachers Learn to Write & Draw Storybooks in DepEd Workshop

By Joy Solina

“Ito ang pinaka-da best sa dami ng mga na-attendan kong training!” raved a participant
from the 40 Kindergarten to Grade 3 teachers who attended DepEd’s first workshop
on book evaluation and design with storytelling and illustration last May 5 and 6, 2018
in Roxas, Oriental Mindoro.

“There might be a part 2!” program host and DepEd Librarian 2 Arvin Delen
told the trainers at the end of the highly successful workshop.

Sponsored by the DepEd Learning Resource Management Office of Oriental Mindoro led by
Superintendent Malou Servando and Lampara Publishing
House, the Division Training workshop on Managing Resources: Book Evaluation
and Book Design for Filipino Children with Storytelling and Book Illustration based on
Philippine Culture equipped teachers on how to evaluate a book, use existing children’s
books to promote reading, and create their own storybooks based on their particular
needs and local culture.

L-R: Arvin Delen (DepEd Division Librarian), trainers Zarah Gagatiga, Alice Panares, Bernadette Solina-Wolf and
Karol Manalaysay (Project Development Officer, DepEd Oriental Mindoro)

Its powerhouse trainers were art educator and curriculum reviewer Alice Panares from the National Commission on Culture and the Arts, multi-awarded children’s book author and storyteller
Zarah Gagatiga, and Ilustrador ng Kabataan founding member and established children’s book illustrator Bernadette Solina-Wolf. For 1.5 days, they taught the teachers techniques in storytelling, writing,
and illustrating their own stories in highly interactive sessions at the Kamayan Penthouse Resort
in Dalahican, Roxas, Oriental Mindoro.

Also present were the three teachers from San Teodoro Central School,
Oriental Mindoro who won the 2017 National Competition for Storybook Writing for Kindergarten
to Grade 3 Teachers for their originally written and illustrated book, “Si Tamaro at ang Kagubatan.”

They are Eleonor Q. Bicol, Mary May Rolaine S. Alvea, and Ginalyn S. Deniega.

Teachers Eleanor Q. Bicol, Mary May Rolaine S. Alvea and Ginalyn S. Deniega

DepEd organizers Arvin Delen and Project Development Officer 2 Karol Manalaysay
encouraged participants to share what they learned with other teachers and expressed
their desire to see Oriental Mindoro teachers win again in the next national storybook
writing competition.

Teacher Training in Mindoro : Tandem Telling with Teacher Nelsa

Last weekend, I was in Mindoro to run a two day workshop for K-3 teachers in the DepEd. In the next few days, I will be sharing this experience to you all, my dear readers, because we had a blast with the public school teachers there. Also, there were many learning experiences gained from working with DepEd Mindoro Oriental that are worth trumpeting out loud.

For the meantime, here is a short video clip of my tandem telling with Teacher Nelsa, a member of the Hanunio Mangyan community.

Imagine! Play! Wonder! Storytelling Workshop 2017: 10 Reasons Why This Workshop Matters

Imagine! Play! Wonder! Storytelling Workshop by Zarah C. Gagatiga from Zarah Gagatiga

NCTED 2017: Teaching Tech and Thinking Skills (2 of 2)

Here is part 2 of the post on the NCTED 2017 experience I had two weeks ago. Part 1 can be read through this link. For this blog post, I am sharing what the teacher participants in my workshop, Media in the Time of Social Media, came up with during discussions and group activities. There were many ideas that came up so I took the chance of writing them all down. We called it, Teacher's Idea Box.

I did ask permission from them for this blog post. Thank you, teachers!

Teacher's Idea Box

1. Create a Media Log. Digital natives write diary entries about their digital lives.

2. Know your tech tool for thinking, teaching and learning.

3. Reading corners never go out of style.  Design an attractive reading corner where digital natives can read books.

4. Involve parents in the teaching and learning experience. Open avenues where parents can give valuable feedback of their child's progress when at home or with the family.

5. Encourage students to use social media by posting reflections, highlights and questions they had during class.

6. Make use of hashtags that are relevant to the learning experiences and activities in the classroom.

7. Provide students with constant feedback on their use of technology, specially on their communication skills and how they relate to others in an online environment.

8. Schedule a time and space where students can play around with tech tools, integrated them with subject related activities and allow them to explore and curate content online.

Do you have something to add or share? Feel free to post a comment!

NCTED 2017: Teaching Tech and Thinking Skills (1 of 2)

Congratulations to Woohoo Learning Lab for successfully staging the first National Conference on Technology in Education (NCTTED) last week amidst two typhoons. I missed day but made it to days 2 and 3 of the conference. I missed the research presentations and the panel on technology in education but, thanks to Schoology and the NCTED website and Facebook page, catching up on missed sessions was possible.

Being at the conference was a reunion of sorts with friends in the teaching and book industry and former colleagues from Xavier School. I met new friends too, teachers who registered in my session on Media in the Time of Social Media. Indeed, the experience was fun, nostalgic and life affirming.

So here now is my list of "take away" from the NCTED.

1. Using technology in education is equal to sound pedagogy.

2. Teachers are lifelong learners and must be given the support to grow in their context and environment.

3. Quoting Fr. Johnny Go, "A culture of what ifs is grown by a leadership of why not?"

4. Important terms: Assessment of learning. Review and selection. Evaluation. Curation. Collaboration. Empathy. Innovation. Critical Thinking. Creativity.

5. There exist a gap between the boomers, the gen Xers and the millennials. Of course. But, if possible, bridging programs or initiatives that fill in gaps need to be set up by the government and non-government organizations.

6. Question: Advances in technology cost a lot. What happens to the have-nots if they could not keep up or are not given access and opportunities to learn and use technology?

7. Content is king. Context is QUEEN (Insert: Ms. Universe wave).

8. Formative assessment is crucial to learning achievement and progress. Where technology plays a role in formative learning is applied in differentiation or differentiated instruction.

9. The effective use of technology in education involves a lot of time spent on discussions with peers, colleagues, school leaders and students - even parents. Talk. Talk. Talk. My take: LISTEN. Listen. Listen.

10. Learning in the age of the digital  natives require teachers to take on different roles: a sage on the stage; a guide on the side; an architect of learning environments. In the best interest of your students, when are you a sage, a guide and/or an architect of learning?

These are all for now. Part 2 to follow as I share the Teacher's Idea Box which participants in my workshop came up with.

National Conference on Technology in Education: INNOVATED 2017

I am deeply humbled to be in this roster of passionate educators. I will be running a workshop on Media in Social Media that will cover Media and Information Literacy Skills and Web 2.0 Technology in teaching and instruction.

Join over 300 educators in shaping the future of education. The National Conference on Technology in Education: INNOVATED. September 12-14, 2017, SMX Convention Center Manila. 

Zooming in on the Relearn Literacy Session on Media and Information Literacy, you will find three topics on MIL: search strategies, understanding media, social media and smart strategies in navigating Web 2.0, and teaching Media and Information Literacy.

BPI SHAPE - YGOAL Project: Source Book on Personal Development for Senior High School

Personal Development and Entrepreneurship Resource Books  

Apart from writing stories for children and academic papers, I also write training manuals and teaching modules for teachers. In the past, I have done this kind of writing project with Ayala Foundation and Sa Aklat Sisikat (SAS). My years as trainor for teachers and workshop facilitator in storytelling gave me the hands-on experience in creating training modules. I was also fortunate to work with brilliant master trainors who I considered as my mentors.

When YGOAL came along with a proposal to write a source book cum training module for Senior High School teachers, I considered accepting the project. It was a source book on Personal Development and much of its content is based on the DepEd SHS Curriculum. The risk taker that I am, I said yes.

Rounding up a young team of librarians who can write and create content, we set forth on the journey, along with YGOAL people, Yani Alonto and JR Demacais. What proved to be a challenging journey was peppered with moments of insight, learning and reflection.

The writing team I worked with was made up of Darrel Marco, Ann Grace Bansig, Mennie Ruth Viray and Audrey Anday. They are amazing! While each of us has a module to write, at the home stretch, we worked as a team by pitching in work for a co-writer and team members when content and deadlines loom like Dementors on our path. Each librarian-writer made a contribution in the development of the modules, from content, validation, training design and facilitation. I am so proud of the team! As librarians, we were able to flex our professional muscles to become content developers. With a keen eye on research and skills on Information Literacy, we were able to create a new set of knowledge based on standards and prescribed criteria.

Yani Alonto as project leader is such a positive force to work with. His work experience as a teacher helped us understand the bigger task at hand and the details required for each module. He is patient and respected our artistic moods as writers. We were writing a training manual, yes, but enough creativity was given to us so we can give our best to the project. He also gave us enough time for research and development. This made the writing pretty much a manageable endeavor.

The "by line" gives you a good feeling.

As for myself, I can say that I enjoyed working on the project because, as a high school librarian, I can see my students in the modules I worked on. Teenagers may come from varied demographics, but a common thread binds who they are regardless. They are young people on the road to self discovery. As a writer of the training module, I had to provide activities for teachers to use that will allow these young people to gain confidence in themselves, within a designed environment that is kind and compassionate, fair and good.

Finally, the project ended with a Training of Trainors (TOT) in two high schools: one in Laguna and one in Taguig. I look forward to phase 2 of the project. This is the real test of the modules for teachers will be using them as part of their teaching arsenal. Then, we will know how to further improve this!

Live Blogging: Teaching with the Web

My workshop on Web Enhanced Teaching is on going. It is sponsored by Phoenix Educational Systems Inc. to further assists subscribing clients in the use of World Book Online. Participants are teachers and librarians from private schools. But, I am pleasantly surprised that seven librarians from the Quezon City Public Library are likewise here!

Right now, teachers and librarians are working on the tasks I gave them. Each group is involved not only in exploring World Book Online but in the discussions in their groups. Earlier, I moved around to see how each group is doing, working and exploring web channels in World Book Online (WBO). Some encountered connection problems; others had difficulty navigating the web channels; a good number of the teachers have gone beyond the given task and explored the contents, activities and interactive feature of WBO.

I am looking forward to the sharing of each group. This is where feedback, insight and an awareness of processes the group underwent are revealed. Completing the task is important, but knowing the steps and evaluating if the steps led to a good product is a practice of information literacy skills.

For this workshop, I designed it in such a way that inquiry and discussion are fused together. The questions came from me for each task assigned and participants discuss it among themselves. In the big group discussion, participants are will be encouraged to express insights and ask more questions.

How to Promote Reading in Scenarios with No Books

The title of the blog entry came from a query by Neni Sta. Romana Cruz. I few months back, as she was preparing for a teacher training workshop, she sent an email to all her contacts who are involved in literacy education. As I am one of the recipients of the email, I replied to her several times to answer the question and give some tips. A few weeks after, I found my  name in an (How To Love To Read Without Books ) article written by her in the Philippine Daily Inquirer. She wrote about her experience of facilitating the workshop among public school teachers in Marikina. It was an inspiring piece.

I am posting in the blog the specific points and tips I sent her in the hope that many more teachers and librarians find encouragement in designing environments that promote literacy.

Maybe you can start with speaking and listening activities, then transition to writing and reading activities. I do this a lot in my storytelling workshops: Ask participants about local stories of and about their province or city. I have always wondered why there is no Alamat ng Sapatos from Marikina :) Stories of local heroes, origins of places, urban legends, ghost stories, disaster stories (like floods, and the Marikina fault line) are story prompts. Have them think about these stories for 10 mins. I use background music while they think and recall stories. Then, each member of the group will simply tell the story from memory while the rest listen. No judgment on grammar or language rules. The objective is simply to recall a story, tell it and listen to others tell theirs.

A wonderful thing happens when some participants would write down their story of choice and read from their "codigo". 

I would then ask participants to write their stories. For those who wrote their stories ahead of the others, they edit and polish. Later in the workshop, they go back to the written stories, work in pairs to make books or story flashcards. Of course, the final presentation is reading aloud and storytelling :) At the end of the session, they have instructional materials produced for classroom use. 

 Here are not really foolish things you may consider putting in your workshop:

-have participants look around the workshop venue and list words that begin with letter A or any particular letter of the alphabet. 

- arrange the words in alphabetical order / put on an Alphabet Wall 

-or put the words together in dictionary/pictionary format

- if there are no books, then newspapers or old magazines perhaps are available? 

- cut out words and pictures and create mini-booklets with themes like: Mga Gamit sa Paaralan / Ang Aming Bahay / Mga Alagang Hayop / Mga Paboriti Kong Pagkain

-what about reading from mobile phones? Have a session simply on reading text messages and the contexts of these messages passed on to another. 

I think, with little books or none at all, the opportunity to create them so that reading can happen presents itself.

Klasrum Adarna Workshop: All for the Love of Reading Baguio Edition

Last March, I was at the ISO in Ateneo De Manila Univeristy for the Klasrum Adarna Workshop  Developing A Genuine Love for Books and Reading. The Adarna Dream Team brought this workshop to Baguio City last Saturday, May 10 2014. There were only forty two teachers, compared to the eighty five participants in the Manila workshop, but all forty two of them went out of their way to give their one hundred and one percent in all the activities.

At the start of the workshop, I asked them to introduce to me a side of Baguio City I have not known or discovered yet. They were game! The Adarna Dream Team and I were treated to a mini-cultural show of Cordillera culture. Teachers sang songs, chanted and danced in traditional folk songs and music. This energy fueled us to finish the workshop with a bang.

Following the original design of the workshop, the Baguio teachers put forth well written book reviews; artful drawings of the folk tale of The Legend of the Cashew Nut; an artistic story theatre presentation of Father Rat Finds a Midwife; and insightful reflections from Lit Circle activities and worksheets. As my "pabaon" I shared with them activities and reading promos on digital reading. On both workshops, I observed that very few teachers engage themselves in this medium. Kids and teens are so immersed in the digital environment. I wonder what teachers are doing to reach out to them through technology.

At the end of the workshop, the Baguio teachers gave me a standing ovation.

I ate a lot of humble pie that day.

One teacher took my hand in a firm handshake and said, "You are very inspiring. Thank you for the wonderful ideas you shared and the positive attitude you displayed".

I thanked her back and replied, "It is in teaching others where in I learn so much, about one's self and about others too. Thank you for allowing me to facilitate this workshop here in your school."

This experience of teaching and learning never ends. It grows!

On Learning Disabilities

SEMINAR-WORKSHOP ON LEARNING DISABILITIES
October 7 – 8, 2011
College of Education Training Center

Rationale
Learning disability (LD) is a condition where a person (across ages) has difficulty in learning academic tasks in spite of an average or better mental ability. Persons with LD have deficits that slow down higher cognitive processes and result in specific learning problems in particular academic areas. The LD persons can be helped to develop to their maximum potential using specific teaching methods and strategies under conditions of the zone of proximal development.

Understanding and working with persons with LD are still at infancy in the Philippine Educational system. There is a need to help teachers from elementary, secondary and even tertiary levels in understanding LD and learning strategies to help them fulfill their potential.

General Objective
To deepen teachers, guidance counsellors, parents and tutors’ understanding of learning disabilities, how these impede academic performance and to develop teaching strategies in helping these learners

Specific Objectives
At the end of the two day seminar-workshop, the participants shall have:

• understood different kinds of learners, their abilities and learning styles;
• identified impediments to learning;
• learned strategies in teaching different kinds of learners; and
• developed appropriate materials to assist in their learning

Speakers include Dr. Letticia Penano-Ho, Clinical Psychologist; Dr. Randy Pe Benito, Neurologist; Prof. Portia Padilla, Reading Specialist; Celani Trajano and Michelle Agas, Reading Clinicians.

For inquiries call Sarah Labrador @ 7242038 or send SMS to 09398178594.

Live Blogging: Books for Tots Program

National Bookstore Foundation Inc. partnered with the United Iriguenos for the Book for Tots program to distribute books to 40 public schools in Iriga, Camarines Sur. The program is in its third phase of implementation and training of teachers is the thrust for this year. With the influx of donated books for the past two years, teachers need more support in effectively using the books in the classroom.

When the organizers contacted me for a two-day workshop, I recommended my friend, Cynthia Villafranca to work with me in developing modules for the two day training.

I gave a session on Reading theories and cognition this morning. But, before my input on the topic, there were words and messages of inspiration that went around.

Mr. Larry Lee, president of United Ireguenos, delivered a welcome message in the mother tongue. I was like listening to my paternal grandfather. It made me teary eyed as he spoke of the importance of books and reading and that these two remain basic tools for empowerment. He mentioned about the association's goal of giving back to their kababayans at home. Mr. Lee is based in Washington DC but visits the Philippines periodically for the book donation project with National Bookstore Foundation.

Right now, the teachers are working on setting up their classroom library. We will soon close the session and have the wrap up. Tomorrow, they will have more activities on Reading techniques and strategies to be used in the classroom. 

Children's Books as Instructional Materials

In the recently concluded Teacher Training Workshop of the Sa Aklat Sisikat (SAS) Foundation at UP Diliman, teacher participants eagerly listened to their group facilitators (GFs) during a session on the Framework of Reading. The GFs presented one activity each for Pre-reading, During Reading and Post Reading.

These activities help in establishing a purpose for reading; arousing schema; making connections; building meaning; and creating constructs. What's cool is that local books by Filipino writers for children are used in the program. There's more to these books than mere enjoyment. These books can be used as instructional materials too.


GF Rommel shows the cover of The Crying Trees to his group. He is a public school teacher of Kalawaan Elementary School, Pasig City. He's been with SAS since 2006.


GF Cynthia explains the many values embedded in the book, Alamat ng Ampalaya. She shares how research into writing stories and a side trip to the back story of a book help in understanding the story as a whole. Cynthia teaches Reading-Grade 7 at the Grade School Department of Miriam College. She is a writer and moderator of Merry Pens, the school newspaper of Miriam Grade School.


GF Mariecar enunciates the beautiful play of words and symbols in Bruhaha! Bruhihi!. Mariecar is the coordinator of CENTEX (Ayala Foundation), a program for public school students who are identified as gifted.

Was it ever the author's intent to write stories for use in the classroom? I don't think so. A book is one of the best instructional materials in town. Textbooks, however, are another story.

Highlights From the PESI Differentiated Instruction Workshop

Another successful teacher training workshop!

The Differentiated Instruction workshop I had with clients of Phoenix Educational Systems Inc. was a blast! The teacher participants were energetic and participative. Surprisingly, there were librarians in the audience too. I met Jackie and Marci from St. Mary's School, Caloocan. Both are school librarians who read my blog! I'm so glad to meet them, readers of my blog, in the flesh!

L-R Jackie, Me and Marci

My workshop consisted of two parts - input session and workshop session. It is during the first part where I discuss theories and content. In the second part, workshop activities are done and presented. For this teacher training workshop, I gave an input on the basics of differentiated instruction with a focus on strategies and techniques. The main strategy in focus is PESI's Dramatic Learning.

Teachers were divided into small groups. Each group were given different activities to do and to present afterwards. Activities were taken from the Dramatic Learning Package of World Book Online. The picture below shows one group did a skit on The Country Mouse and The City Mouse. The other groups did poster making activities, vocabulary and grammar, venn diagram and news reporting.


A teacher holds up the poster they did to illustrate the difference between city life and country life. A lot of cooperative learning took place as each member in the group assumed roles. They came up with good outputs. They were so engrossed on their projects. I'm so proud of them!



The activities likewise gave the teachers an opportunity to use World Book products like the WB Encyclopedia, Online resources, dictionary, almanac and other fact books. This teacher reads the World Book World Mythology series in line with their group assignment to retell the myth of Prometheus and his gift to man.



As expected, teachers in the higher levels (grade 6 to high school) presented a more serious piece. This group worked and rocked a scene from Prometheus Bound ala reader's theatre. The lead was portrayed by Teacher Bryan, a big voiced guy who teaches high school English in Arellano University.


I'll be posting more photos in the coming days because the teachers were eager to see their projects online. We'll keep you posted! They really rolled up their sleeves and delivered! PESI gave them a week's freebie on trial to use World Book Online and its resources. Bags and umbrellas were also raffled off. Needless to say, all of the teachers went home happy!