When it came time to reflect upon the actions that had occurred in the cycle, the researcher made the following comments.
I tried modelling a text by writing on an overhead transparency - and 'talking through' the steps I was undertaking. During my 'talk', I included questions. I was very pleased with the response of the students. They automatically helped.
To assist the modelling process, I used a 'rights of consumers' chart that I had on the classroom wall. This helped to ensure the validity of the argument or complaint.
I feel the class is responding well to the correct use of the sequence of teaching genre.
It's a pity that so many students are ill. It's really hampering progress.
It was apparent that there were signs of improvement. However, the researcher reported that, at this stage, these had mostly occurred in the affective area. This was evident with comments such as: 'I was very pleased with the response of the students'; and 'I feel that the class is responding well'.
The actual improvement in the students' writing performance was not easily ascertained owing to a lack of indicators of performance. The researcher was still in the process of composing the set of outcomes that she expected students to attain. Possibly, it was too early in to expect sizeable gains. Kemmis and McTaggart (1988) comment on this by saying:
... you should remember that the situation, as it was before you introduced the changes, was structured on a set of premises which are different from the ones you have worked on.
A revised plan was developed. On this occasion, the facilitator found himself needing to make fewer contributions. The researcher believed that written outcomes, composed by her, were important in the process and that they should form part of the second cycle. The second stage evolved in the manner shown in Figure 3.