This unit applies to education support work in a variety of contexts and work is to be undertaken with appropriate guidance, support and supervision by a nominated teacher or other education professional

ELEMENT

PERFORMANCE CRITERIA

1. Identify what readers do when they read

1.1 Identify general skills and knowledge required by readers to make meaning of texts

1.2 Identify various genres that may be read

1.3 Identify reading process according to teacher-specified guidelines and the level of student abilities

1.4 Identify the purposes for which readers read

2. Select appropriate texts for student readers

2.1 Select texts for specific purposes according to criteria developed by teachers

2.2 Select texts under teacher direction according to students' ability

3. Implement a reading support program

3.1 Implement a reading program as directed by the teacher

3.2 Use running records or other agreed systems to record students' reading as directed by the teacher

3.3 Maintain student confidentiality at all times

4. Support student reading program

4.1 Develop reading support strategies to meet individual student needs in consultation with teachers

4.2 Implement support procedures for readers in accordance with reading program and teacher guidelines

4.3 Support students' reading ability according to program guidelines and report progress regularly to teachers

4.4 Use support procedures to encourage the development of self reliance in students

This describes the essential skills and knowledge and their level required for this unit.

Essential knowledge:

The candidate must be able to demonstrate essential knowledge required to effectively do the task outlined in elements and performance criteria of this unit, manage the task and manage contingencies in the context of the identified work role

These include knowledge of:

Policy, procedure and legislative issues affecting performance as education support workers

Understanding of the support required by developing readers and a range of strategies that can be used to encourage independent reading

Roles and responsibilities to education support workers and teachers in providing reading support to students

A range of effective communication strategies for use with students and teachers

Essential skills:

It is critical that the candidate demonstrate the ability to:

Be empathic and culturally sensitive when responding to students

Use literacy of a level that supports the identification and collation of reading materials as directed by teaches

Complete a sequence of tasks with direction and support from the teacher

Interpret information from written and/or verbal directions

Undertake simple research to identify appropriate texts and record information as appropriate

Problem solve with respect to choosing an appropriate response, identifying problems, selecting an effective solution

Communicate with active listening skills, give clear directions and/or instructions, frame questions to elicit thoughtful responses, express an opinion, suggest improvements to strategy/methods for assisting/supporting students and teachers

Manage time to provide support to learners as guided by teachers

Work in a team (e.g. consultation with the teaching team and other education support workers on workplace procedures and new approaches to accommodate individual student requirements)

In addition, the candidate must be able to effectively do the task outlined in elements and performance criteria of this unit, manage the task and manage contingencies in the context of the identified work role

These include the ability to:

Identify what readers do when they read

Select texts appropriate to teacher and student needs

Implement a reading support program as directed by the teacher

Maintain and complete required records accurately

The evidence guide provides advice on assessment and must be read in conjunction with the Performance Criteria, Required Skills and Knowledge, the Range Statement and the Assessment Guidelines for this Training Package.

Critical aspects for assessment and evidence required to demonstrate this unit of competency:

The individual being assessed must provide evidence of specified essential knowledge as well as skills

This unit could be assessed either on the job or off the job through an appropriate workplace simulation for a range of age groups and a range of conditions over a number of assessment situations

Access and equity considerations:

All workers in community services should be aware of access, equity and human rights issues in relation to their own area of work

All workers should develop their ability to work in a culturally diverse environment

In recognition of particular issues facing Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities, workers should be aware of cultural, historical and current issues impacting on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people

Assessors and trainers must take into account relevant access and equity issues, in particular relating to factors impacting on Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander clients and communities

Context of and specific resources for assessment:

This unit can be assessed independently, however holistic assessment practice with other community services units of competency is encouraged

Assessment requires access to a range of opportunities defined in the Range Statement, including:

appropriate workplace where assessment can take place

simulation of realistic workplace environment for assessment

relevant school/centre policy, protocols and procedures

educational materials

Method of assessment:

In cases where the learner does not have the opportunity to cover all relevant aspects in the work environment, the remainder should be assessed through realistic simulations, projects, previous relevant experience or oral questioning on 'What if?' scenarios

Assessment of this unit of competence will usually include observation of processes and procedures, oral and/or written questioning on Essential knowledge and skills and consideration of required attitudes

Where performance is not directly observed and/or is required to be demonstrated over a 'period of time' and/or in a 'number of locations', any evidence should be authenticated by colleagues, supervisors, clients or other appropriate persons

The Range Statement relates to the unit of competency as a whole. It allows for different work environments and situations that may affect performance. Add any essential operating conditions that may be present with training and assessment depending on the work situation, needs of the candidate, accessibility of the item, and local industry and regional contexts.

General skills and knowledge required by readers to make meaning of texts may include:

Ability to comprehend and use the language systems of the texts

Ability to access the text (visually, physically, Braille etc.)

Knowledge that specific texts types have their own generic structure

Understanding that all texts convey information

Understanding that texts are created and read for specific personal, social, scientific, cultural and aesthetic purposes

Ability to understand the purposes of reading:

to enjoy

to appreciate

to critically evaluate

to reflect on texts to develop greater understanding

for research

to gain information

to compare ideas and/or theories

to obtain instructions/directions

Genres of texts may include:

Literary texts - characterised by the aesthetic use of language and the imagination to explore understandings about human experience though real and imagined (including virtual) worlds

Examples of literary texts include:

narrative picture books

novels/e-books/sort stories

poems (ballads, lyrics, sonnets)

plays/drama

song lyrics

biographies/autobiographies

feature films

Everyday texts - those associated with education, leisure, work, family, and daily life:

factual texts/reference books/dictionaries

DVDs (feature films)

web-linked computer games

personal email/on-line discussions/SMS messages

letters/reports

catalogues/advertising

Mass-media texts - those produced in a variety of paper and electronic media for a mass audience:

television programs

newspaper stories

magazine features

radio talkback

television news

feature films

web pages

Reading process may include:

Using cues - we get cues from:

Within ourselves:

our language abilities

our knowledge and attitudes

within the text

knowing what makes sense (meaning - semantics)

knowing the way things are said (grammar - syntax)

Within the words:

knowing the word by sight

working out how to day the word

phonics -sounding it out

structural analysis - breaking it up into parts

Non-visual information:

knowledge of words - e.g. meanings and correct usage

knowledge of language - e.g. sentence structure, grammar

Visual information:

print/starting point/direction of reading

illustrations/diagrams/tables/photographs

Predicting - meaning; selecting cues

Checking - sampling text

Confirming - if the reading makes sense

Correcting - if the reading does not make sense by:

rethinking

rereading

integrating - (fitting the new knowledge with prior knowledge to confirm understanding)

Purposes for which readers read may include:

To access information

To enjoy a specific use of words (poetry, description)

To appreciate new perspective

To confirm understanding

To obtain instructions/directions

To enjoy

To fire the imagination

To be able to discuss the texts with others

For social purposes e.g. signs, invitations, advertisements

Running records refer to:

Running records are a means by which a record of a student's reading may be captured through the use of a specific set of symbols that can be quickly noted by the listener

The use of running records by education support workers may not be desired by all teachers

Education support workers would need to learn the system of symbols, practice until their use is automatic and determine with the teacher/s how this record-keeping tool should be used

Teachers undertake evaluation of students' reading of the texts and may use a running record made by an education support worker to inform the evaluation

Support strategies for use by those listening to reading should be used in the following order and may include:

1. Encouraging self-correction

2. Use of context clues

3. Reading on

4. Re-reading

5. Sounding out

Procedures for supporting beginning and developing readers (determined by ability, not age) may include:

Introduce the text:

student chooses from a range of teacher-selected texts, made available for reading and re-reading with support and independently

The first reading:

education support worker reads the text

education support worker and student share responses to the text

The second reading:

education support worker and student read together

student may 'take off' on his/her own

Supported reading:

student attempts to read independently

education support worker becomes a listener

education support worker waits and observes

education support worker gives clues and supports the student's use of strategies such as re-reading, self-correction, reading on, using phonetic elements

Procedures for supporting developing readers may include:

Stage 1

Introduction:

student chooses from a range of teacher-selected texts, made available for reading and re-reading with support and independently

discussion of subject matter, author, type of text

Setting the scene:

education support worker and student read together

discussion of vocabulary, characters, setting and relevant facts to confirm understanding

Shared reading:

education support worker and student read together

education support worker and student read alternate pages or alternate paragraphs

Independent reading:

supported reading (using support strategies detailed above)

frequent discussion of text

Stage 2

Silent reading:

education support worker and student read section of text silently

education support worker and student discuss their understanding of the passage

Suitable texts for beginning readers may include the following attributes:

Both fiction and factual texts

Topics within the experience and culture of the student

Uncluttered page layout with consistent placement of text -helps focus on print

Diagrams/illustrations support the text - aids prediction

Familiar signs and/or advertisements

Rhythmical language and repetitive structure

Short time-line required to finish

Texts for beginning/developing readers may include the following attributes:

More complex vocabulary and sentence pattern

Topics cover wider field - sometimes outside the student's experience

real life and imaginative books, articles and digital texts, traditional tales from other cultures and non fiction

longer timeline

direct speech

illustrations support text but don't carry story and diagrams/photographs support factual text

text encourages the learner too use all cue systems - graphophonic (letter/sound relationships), semantic (meaning) and syntactic (sentence structure)

Increased sentence length; more text per page; paragraphs

Factual texts and picture books for older beginning readers may include the following attributes:

Strong relationship between text and illustrations/diagrams/graphics

Amount of text on each page suitable for reader

Topics of interest relate to students chronological age

Amount of text in whole book allowing frequent re-reading supporting the practice required to build confidence, knowledge of core words and feeling of success

Vocabulary familiar through own use or discussion, thus aiding prediction

This unit contains Employability Skills