Pre Reading


	Old Fashioned Teaching		Modern Teaching
	Focus is on the quality of the teaching.		Focus is on the quality of children's learning.
	Teaching by lecturing, telling, copying, rote learning, and lots of testing.		Teaching by demonstration, with children actively involved in the doing (hands on experience), and encouraging risk taking, exploration, experimentation, and self assessment.
	One size fits all - closed tasks.		Individualised and open ended.
	Focus on skill development and acquiring knowledge, and committing it to memory.		Focus on acquiring a range of skills and strategies to locate, document and retrieve information, using it to achieve your purpose, solve your problem, or to re-think your position.
	The subject matter to be learned is most important.		The learning experience for the child is more important than the immediate subject matter.
	The teacher decides content prior to meeting the learners, regardless of their individual abilities or interests.		The teacher knows what outcomes are required and involves students in planning to achieve those outcomes, beginning from their current knowledge base.
	The Learner is dependent upon the teacher for what, when, how, how much, where to learn. It is the norm to do only as much as required.		The Learner is in control of his/her own learning, having a degree of flexibility and choice about the circumstances; is generally more motivated and therefore rehearses more, practices more, does more, more often.
	Students use Technology to enhance the presentation of their work.		Students use Technology to acquire information, enhance their learning, and expand their ability to learn anything, independently.
	Teachers hold the power, and maintain strict discipline over students, teaching them to be quiet and obedient. Students work in an atmosphere of fear, with punishment decided by the teacher.		Teachers involve students in setting up their own classroom rules and guidelines for behaviour, including rewards and consequences. They are responsible to the group for their behaviour. Students work in an atmosphere of co-operation and collaboration, knowing that appropriate consequences for their behaviour are already established, agreed upon, and displayed.
	Emphasis on what to learn.		Emphasis on establishing a climate in which children can learn best.
	Many students play safe and actually avoid learning because of fear of embarrassment or failure.		All students are motivated to participate and learn because there is an acceptance of risk taking and learning from mistakes.
	Student's work is thoroughly marked away from the student; a grade and/or a comment is given; and the student corrects his/her work in own time. More errors equals more work! Time lag between the doing and the finding of errors.		Student's work is 'marked' or 'conferenced' by the teacher and student together, focusing on certain elements only and deliberately ignoring others. Teaching occurs as needed but is focused on one or two elements which the student is close to mastering; and the student sets new learning goals around this element.
	Some children really succeed, most children cope, but a few totally under-perform and know that they are failures.		All students have the opportunity to achieve to their potential, with many extending their learning beyond the basic requirements, and no child is made to feel like a failure at any time.
	All children are taught the same things at the same time and in the same way.		Learning experiences are structured for different learning styles. Learning tasks are open-ended and allow the child to work at their own level, with appropriate outcomes negotiated for individuals.
	Some will be successful but some will fail. That's the way it is! Life is tough!		Learning experiences are set up in more open ended ways so that every child experiences success, every time!
	Belief that children must be motivated to learn by using punishment for not succeeding; or rewards such as ticks, stars, lollies, praise, etc. for what they know or do. (eg. 10/10 for a spelling test, learning times tables, neatest handwriting, or 100% for maths). These are external rewards and they are always won by the same children. Note: Not receiving these rewards is also seen as a negative, compared to what others receive.		We now know that every child wants to learn, and that they are motivated by recognition, or 'feedback' for their effort. (eg. appropriate feedback sounds like: 'You worked so hard on this, and I can see that you are working on improving your spelling, handwriting, maths, etc.') This is 'intrinsic' feedback which is natural or internal, as it recognises the abilities within every individual to maintain control over, and extend their own learning.
	Students are motivated by competing successfully on tests and are rewarded for high scores.		Students are motivated to work both individually and collaboratively with others to achieve their learning goals, and are rewarded for their participation, their effort, and their results.
	Raising Readers is based upon modern approaches to teaching and learning.
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