Literacy

Lara Lake Primary School holds dear certain teaching and learning principles which constitute effective English instruction. They include:

• We aim to foster of love of reading and literature in the students of Lara Lake PS where they will become lifelong readers

• We teach English every day, in the morning where possible

• We teach ten hours of English per week

• We ensure that all classrooms have a classroom library comprising of a variety of factual and fiction texts that suit all reading abilities

• We ensure that there is a structured Reading and Writing hour that utilises whole, part, whole approach with a focus for learning that is made clear to students. We incorporate reading aloud, shared reading, independent reading and purposeful small group reading activities

• We make the lesson focus explicit so students understand exactly what is being covered and why and we explain the criteria needed to be successful

• This learning intention will be based on the Victorian Curriculum and needs of the students

• We understand the learning needs of all students based on ongoing assessment and plan to teach at point of need

• We allow for sustained daily Independent Reading within a Reading lesson

• All students participate in individual conferences with their teacher where personal reading goals are set depending on needs identified

• We read to children daily – books, poems, rhymes, chants

• We always incorporate a reflection time in the lesson where success criteria are reviewed

• We plan to teach explicitly the strategies of comprehension

• We have a vocabulary rich classroom

• We provide many opportunities for oral language development; speaking and listening

• We engage students in a variety of purposeful writing activities daily including Independent writing time

• We begin each writing session with Modelled or Shared Writing with an explicit focus for learning

• We plan to explicitly teach grammar, spelling and punctuation

• We foster a word consciousness in our students and provide opportunities for students to investigate spelling

• We use writing rubrics and proficiency scales to provide a structure for the writing of each text type

• We allow time for students to choose what they would like to write to fulfil a purpose and provide a structure to follow to publish their work

• We encourage creativity and individuality from our writers