Critical thinking about our authentic audience.

I created a document where the students record who their target audience is and the rationale for choosing that audience. The document also has links to their writing for that particular genre. 

Reading the comments by the students highlighted the lack of authenticity for choosing their target audiences. I reflected on whether the writing tasks themselves are authentic enough for students to feel there should be a specific audience and a purpose to their writing. I am also reflecting on how I can make the writing tasks more interactive and fun for the students. 

Screen shot of what the document looks like.

Target audience rationale document

Response and feeling hopeful.

The student who sent their argument writing to the Prime Minister received an automated reply. Although it was an automated reply it still brought hope that there is the possibility the letter will be read by the Prime Minister herself. This is what its all about. Our group focus, my teaching as inquiry. Responses from our authentic audience. Watch this space!

Argument writing about the Fenchurch Liquor Store

After discussions all the students in the group identified who they were addressing their argument writing to. One of the students decided to send her argument writing to the Prime Minister of New Zealand RT Honourable Jacida Adern. When asked about the rationale behind the choice of audience the student replied they would like to hear the views of the government about the issue.

Here is the letter which was sent to the Prime Minister.

RT Honorable Jacinda Adern

New Zealand Prime Minister

Dear Prime Minister,

My name is ____. I am from Glenbrae School which is a small school in Glen Innes. Our community is a small community. We have kindergartens, primary schools and colleges in our area. We have been writing argument writing and have decided to focus on an issue which is in our community. The issue is the liquor store which is very close to our school.

Liquor store sells and advertise alcohol. When we walk past the liquor store everyday, we see the signs advertising alcohol and some inappropriate images sometimes. It is not good for little children to be exposed to alcohol signs everyday. We also often find bottles in the footpath and sometimes bottles are smashed on our playground when we come to school after the weekend.

The liquor store is also close to the local college. Some of the college students are already 18 and can buy alcohol. While it is legal for them to buy alcohol, they should not be drinking while they are suppose to be focusing on school work. Some under 18 can even ask adults to buy alcohol for them which is not good.

Alcohol causes a lot of issues in the community such as fights, loud noises, car accidents and many more. The police will have to come and sort problems out with drunk people. Alcohol is not good for a community who are trying to live in peace and safety.

The alcohol store is also serving a lot of parents who would rather drink alcohol than buy food for their children. This is reality for many families in our community. The store is open to very late and the parents buy alcohol and would go and buy more when they run out because the store is so close to home.

Prime Minister would the government be able to help with this issue in our community? Some of our group members are writing to the owner himself to relocate his shop or turn the liquor store into another shop.

I hope you can offer some advice about this issue.

Kindest regards

Group teaching

As we are a Manaiakalani school our teaching approach involves the use of digital devices such as netbooks, Ipads and computers.  All students in Room 7 have netbooks. In my target group six of the students have a netbook of their own which they use while two use the class computer for their work. 

I use Google slides to upload student work. The students can access the slides from the class site. The use of the class site is valuable as the students are able to access their work from home or anywhere where they have access to the internet. 

Below is the slides for the Ihimaera group which displays the genres they  have been writing and what we have been discussing as a group in our group discussions.