At Kinglake Primary School, English is recognised as being an integral part of daily life. We aim to develop children’s skills in thinking, speaking and listening, reading and writing. These skills are integrated into all areas of the curriculum.
Typically, a literacy session across the school begins with a whole class focus, where the teacher may model reading or writing skills. The children may then work in small groups or independently, practising or consolidating skills which are aimed at their own level of understanding. The literacy session concludes with a share time where children have an opportunity to verbalise their learning.
Links between reading, writing and speaking and listening are an intricate part of the literacy program. Children are given daily opportunities to develop a variety of speaking and listening skills; articulation, organising thoughts, public speaking and using a confident voice.
Students are exposed to a variety of texts during literacy sessions which develop children’s literacy skills such as comprehension, reading strategies and reading fluency. In addition, library sessions and ‘take home’ reading material supports the development of these skills as well as fosters confidence and enjoyment of reading.
Literacy is a strategic and comprehensive approach to teaching English. During literacy sessions at Kinglake Primary School, the students work in small groups of like abilities where texts and activities are strategically matched to the students’ individual learning needs. Due to the rapid nature of learning in these formative years, the program incorporates frequent monitoring and assessment of children’s progress, and the teaching focus changes accordingly and independent learning goals.
Writing sessions are aimed at developing children’s knowledge and purpose of writing. Via structured and explicit teaching children begin to understand the process of developing their ideas into a published piece. Simultaneously the foundations of word knowledge, spelling, grammar, and handwriting are laid. Whole class, individual and small group activities covering such things as phonics, phonemes and simple spelling and grammar rules are developed to meet individual learning needs.
At Kinglake Primary School parent participation is seen as an integral and valuable component of the Literacy Program, where with the guidance of the teachers, parents are given the chance to work with small groups or individual children reinforcing concepts and guiding their learning.
Our prep students are engaged in the Little Learners Love Literacy approach which is an explicit, multi-sensory approach to learning to read. Little Learners Love Literacy focuses on 'phonemic awareness and alphabet knowledge' giving students the skills they need to read, spell, and write with confidence. This sequential approach is developed from evidence-based literacy research. In Years 1 to Year 6 students are involved in the Soundwaves spelling program which incorporates the systematic teaching of spelling each week and the inclusion of personal words.
Little Learner Love Literacy is a new approach that has been introduced this year with ongoing professional development for staff. The approaches ensure there is consistency and continuity in the development of literacy skills throughout all levels. We are committed to ensuring our students are fully engaged in their own learning and our data continues to reflect the success of these approaches.
To view the Victorian Curriculum Standards please visit the link: