Professional learning

Q: Our school is in the process of targeting writing achievement for students in Years 1 through to 8. Students in my Years 5 and 6 class who were below or well below the writing standard at the end of their previous year have been targeted as a focus group for improvement. These students need to have their achievement accelerated. What strategies do I need to put in place to ensure that this acceleration can happen? Can this accelerated improvement be sustained over a long period?—Lanie Moore, Years 5/6 homeroom teacher, Reefton Area School

This is the first of two articles about student inquiry and curriculum integration. These articles aim to help educators to consider the ideas about learning that underpin different integrated and inquiry approaches and their fit with ideas in The New Zealand Curriculum. This first article (Part A) defines student inquiry and curriculum integration and then explores the characteristics and origins of five different integrated and inquiry approaches that are used in schools.