This term in Melip2 Esol, my class and I focused on four key activities that helped us improve our English reading, writing, speaking, and thinking skills. These activities included Reciprocal Reading (RR), CARR values, creating a Family Tree, and learning about the 3-level questioning strategy. Each task gave us the chance to build different language skills in an interactive and engaging way. Through these activities, we learned how to better understand texts, ask deeper questions, talk about our personal backgrounds, and share ideas with others. It was a productive term that helped us grow both as learners and as communicators.
CARR VALUES
We had a class discussion about our school values, which are represented by the acronym CARR: Commitment, Achievement, Resilience, and Respect. We spent an entire period exploring the meaning of each value and why they are important in our school community. After the discussion, we were split into a small groups. Each group was randomly assigned one of the four CARR values to focus on. Our task was to either describe or act out what our assigned value means and how it can be demonstrated in everyday school life.
For example, my group received the value Respect. We worked together to define what respect means—such as treating others kindly, listening when someone is speaking, and valuing different opinions. Then, we prepared a short presentation to share our understanding of respect in class. This activity helped us reflect on how these value shape a positive learning environment and how we can apply them in our daily behaviour.
3-LEVEL QUESTIONING STRATEGY
We read the story KA Kite Bro, by Willie Davis. The first thing we did is read the story carefully. While reading, we found some words that we didn’t know. After finding some unfamiliar words, we looked up
their meanings in a dictionary or online. Then, we translated them into our first language. This made it easier to remember the new words and connect them to what we already know.
Next, we used the new words in our own sentences. This helped us practice using the words correctly. For example, when I learned the word manuhiri (which means “visitor” in Māori), I wrote a sentence like, “My manuhiri came early to the party.” Doing this made me feel more confident using new words in real situations.
FAMILY TREE
During Week 3, our class learned about family trees. We focused on learning the names of different family members, such as uncles, aunties, grandparents, cousins, and other relatives. First, our teacher explained what a family tree is and why it is important. A family tree shows how people in a family are related to each other.
After that, each student made their own family tree. We wrote the names of our family members and showed how they are connected. It took us two class periods to complete our family trees because we had to think carefully and make sure everything was correct.
When everyone finished, our teacher picked partners for us. We sat with our partners and talked about our family trees. We explained who the people are in our families and how they are related to us. It was a fun activity because we got to learn more about our classmates and their families.
RECIPROCAL READING
During the term week 6, my class and I focused on an activity called Reciprocal Reading. It is a group reading strategy that helps us understand texts better by working together. In this activity, we were split into small groups of four. Each person in the group had a special role: the Predictor, the Clarifier, the Questioner, and the Summarizer.
In my group, I took on three roles during different sessions — I was the Predictor, the Questioner, and the Clarifier. When we started the activity, our teacher gave us a book to read. Before we began reading, the Predictor (me, in this case) had to guess what the book might be about, based on the title, pictures, or any clues we could find. We talked about what we thought the topic was and what might happen in the story.
After predicting, we began reading the book together. Once we finished reading, it was the Clarifier’s job to explain any difficult or confusing words or parts of the story. Then, the Questioner asked questions about the book, such as “What happened?”, “Why did the character do that?”, or “What was the main idea?” Finally, the Summarizer gave a short summary of the whole story.
This activity helped me improve my reading and thinking skills. It also helped me become more confident when speaking and sharing ideas in a group. I enjoyed working with my classmates and learning from each other. Reciprocal Reading was one of the most useful and fun activities we did this term.