Literacy



overview

Literacy skills are taught in all subjects across the College. Additionally, all students in Years 7 – 9 (mainstream) at Manor Lakes College (Secondary) participate in 1 hour per week of targeted literacy lessons.

Students who are in the Enrichment program participate in alternative co-curricular learning.

Students are grouped into 3 levels of ability groups, based on teacher feedback, NAPLAN results and report data. The levels are:

  • Decoding

  • Comprehending

  • Inferencing

The different groups each have a slightly different focus, which provides targeted support for students’ particular literacy requirements. These groups are reviewed each term and adjusted according to student performance and need.

In literacy lessons students participate in learning activities designed to improve their spelling, reading fluency and comprehension, and writing skills

Key strategy 1

smart spelling approach

As students progress through school, they are asked to read increasingly complex informational and graphical texts in their courses. The ability to understand and use the information in these texts is key to a student’s success in learning. Successful students have a repertoire of strategies to draw upon, and know how to use them in different contexts. Struggling students need explicit teaching of these strategies to become better readers.

key strategy 2

reading strategies

As students progress through school, they are asked to read increasingly complex informational and graphical texts in their courses. The ability to understand and use the information in these texts is key to a student’s success in learning. Successful students have a repertoire of strategies to draw upon, and know how to use them in different contexts. Struggling students need explicit teaching of these strategies to become better readers.

key strategy 3

quars - Question / Answer relationship

The question–answer relationship (QAR) strategy helps students understand the different types of questions. By learning that the answers to some questions are "Right There" in the text, that some answers require a reader to "Think and Search," and that some answers can only be answered "On My Own," students recognize that they must first consider the question before developing an answer.

key Strategy 4

literacy in the home

We expect students to read for 15-30 minutes per day.

Research has found that when students read daily for at least 15 minutes, this leads to improved academic performance.

You can support your child in their reading by setting aside dedicated reading time each night.

You can talk to your child about what they have read, read together with your child, or encourage them to keep a reading journal where they write a summary of what they have read.

Online resources
There are some great websites that children can be encouraged to use that will help with their literacy: