English News

,Week 8

Mrs Hill has registered our school for the MS Readathon for the month of August, register your student here  https://www.msreadathon.org.au/fundraiser/stpatricksprimarysutherland 

There is a free t-shirt for anyone who signs up and other prizes for your fundraising efforts.

We will have prizes for the students who read the most amount of books for the month of August and also for those students who raise the most amount of money for MS!

Multiple sclerosis is a neurological condition that affects more than 25,000 Aussies. It is a progressive condition that affects the central nervous system and interferes with nerve impulses from the brain, spinal cord and optic nerves. MS affects people differently, common symptoms include challenges with vision mobility and speech however many are often invisible. There is no cure or cause, however, there are treatments available to help people live well with the condition.

St Patrick’s Public Speaking Competition 2024

Learning to be an effective public speaker is one of the most empowering and rewarding goals a child can pursue during their school journey. The benefits of learning to speak confidently in public at a young age, can pay huge dividends as students develop into adults. Public speaking is an important life skill that any one of us can be called upon to use at various times in our lives. 

Public Speaking is the process of speaking to a group of people in a structured, deliberate manner with the intention to inform, persuade or entertain an audience. It has a significant place in the K – 6 English Syllabus and interweaves reading, speaking and listening skills: an integral part of  a child’s overall literacy development. 

Next term our students will have the opportunity to participate in a new Sutherland Shire Network Public Speaking Competition. The competition will consist of four rounds: 

1. Class

2. Grade 

3. Stage 

4. Interschool (Finals) Round. 

NB: The final interschool round is only for students in Stages 2 and Stage 3. 

Expectation for Participation (all students are required to participate)

• Present a prepared speech that they have written - parents may assist with preparation, however, the speech should predominantly be the child’s own work.
• Adhere to set presentation guidelines. 
• Present an engaging and entertaining speech. No technology or props can be used and students are to present an oral speech - not a song, dance or movement/drama routine as part of their speech.
• Students will be scored against an assessment rubrics. Points will be awarded for the matter, method and manner of the speaker. 
• Students are expected to listen to one another and be a good audience member
• Try their hardest, do their best and above all else, enjoy the experience!

Explanation of Rounds

Teachers will address the skills of public speaking as part of their Term 3 English programs. All classes will be exploring speaking and listening, self-expression and creativity in literacy to help build students’ public speaking skills. 

Teachers will also provide support to their class in writing their first speech, and students will be asked as part of their homework to continue polishing and practising their speech in readiness for their short presentation. Information regarding each of the rounds are listed below.

Round 1 - Class Round

All students are required to present a speech to their class during Week 3. The length of the speech for every round is as follows:

Kinder 1 minute

Yrs 1 & 2    1-2 minutes (warning bell at 1 ½ mins).

Yrs 3 & 4    2-3 minutes (warning bell at 2 ½ mins).

Yrs 5 & 6   2-3 minutes (warning bell at 2 ½ mins).

Students must choose a topic from their class topics list. The topics for each grade are listed below. 

Round 2 - Grade Round

Two students from each class will progress through to the Grade Round. These students will be required to present a prepared speech for this round as they did for the class speeches using new topics provided by teachers. 

This round will take place during Week 6 of Term 3. 

Round 3 - Stage Round

If your child is selected for the Stage Round, they will be given a new list of topics to choose from. Students in the finals from Yrs 3-6 will also be required to present a short 60 second-90 second impromptu speech for a topic given to them on the day. The finals will take place during Week 9 of Term 3. 

Round 4 - Interschool Finals 

The two top students from Stage 2 and Stage 3 will be invited to present at the Sutherland Shire Network Interschool Finals. These students will be presenting both a prepared speech as well as an impromptu speech. An overall winner and runner up will be announced for each Stage by special guest adjudicators from the local Catholic Colleges (in our case, De La Salle and OLMC).

Topics for Round 1 - Class Round

Years 3-6

Soundwaves Spelling - Years 3-6

Years 3-6 will be covering units:

Week 8: Unit 17 

Week 9: Unit 18

Kim Hill 

Years 3-6 English Coordinator

K-2 Phonics Update 

Kindergarten   

Week 6:  Consolidate  e  u  r  rock, sock, rag, red, tug, get, sum, gum mud, mug

Week 7:    b  h  f  bun, rub, fun, him, fin, bed, hot, bib, bus, hat, fat

Year 1  

Week 6: oa:  oa  ow  o_e   loat, throat, groan, toast, coach, blow, glow, crow, snow, smoke, broke,  drove.

Week 7:  Consolidate  oa:  oa  ow  o_e   

Year 2

Week 6: oo:  oo u oul  book,  cook,  shook,  hook,  wood,  good,  look,  looking, would, could, should.

Week 5:  e:  e ea  ai  ie  a:  red,  bed, fed, held, sent, bread, head, dread, better, pepper, reckon, plenty.

Click on the link below for an informative video on orthographic mapping. This is the ability to read and write fluently, retrieving words from their long term memory. They will orthographically map words through practise and repetition with sounding out words using a systematic synthetic phonics approach.

Kate Gill

K-2 English Coordinator