Language Rich Classrooms

Language rich classrooms at Albany are multi-sensory and include:

• Text in different forms/fonts e.g. print and electronic books, examples of writing across the curriculum by adults and peers, with access to a range of text types.

• Literacy progression charts and tools are available to be accessed in the classroom and are used in Literacy programs to provide a common language. They are sourced from the Albany English Long Term Plan and include:

o Albany Writers pencils, toolbox and exemplars.

o Reading Comprehension cards.

o Oral Language Progressions

o Spelling Progressions

o Handwriting Progressions

• A set of age and level appropriate reference texts e.g. dictionaries, thesaurus.

• Access to technology and relevant electronic resources to support learning.

• Children actively engaged in sharing, questioning, discussing, processing information, debating and critically evaluating.

What does an effective Listening, Reading and Viewing programme look like?

At Albany Primary School students have the opportunity every day to “making meaning” of ideas or information we receive by listening, reading and viewing across the curriculum.

• Shared class session with teacher modelling, the learning intention (WALT) is informed by identified needs and shared with the class and success criteria is co constructed.

• Guided group sessions may follow on from the shared experience.

• Flexible groupings are formed for a specific instructional objective to cater for diverse literacy needs.

• The learning intention (WALT), informed by identified needs, is shared with the guided groups.

• In reading students read, respond and think critically through the task.

Initially pupils “learn to read” then “read to learn” throughout their time at Albany Primary school.

What does an effective Speaking, Writing and Presenting programme look like?

At Albany Primary School students have the opportunity every day to “create meaning” for themselves and others by speaking, writing and presenting ideas across the curriculum.

• Shared class sessions with teacher modelling, the learning intention (WALT) is informed by identified needs and shared with the class and success criteria is co-constructed where appropriate.

• Guided group sessions may follow on from the shared experiences.

• Flexible groupings are formed for a specific instructional objective to cater for diverse literacy needs.

• The learning intention (WALT), informed by identified needs, is shared with the group.

• In writing students construct or recraft their own texts by thinking, discussing and writing their way through the task.

In Years 1-3 the focus is on learning to write, whereas in Years 4-6 the emphasis shifts to writing a variety of texts that are purposeful and express meaning across all the learning areas. At each year level the learners will be exposed to and explicitly taught a range of text types, while strengthening previous learning. Refer to Albany Primary School’s Long term Planning.