READING

This fortnight, our Prep students have continued to develop their early reading and spelling skills through a variety of engaging learning experiences. Students have been building their knowledge of letters and sounds, with a focus on the new sounds /l/, /k/, /u/, /b/ and /j/. They have practised identifying these sounds, linking them to their letters, and applying this knowledge during reading and writing activities.

Students have also been expanding their bank of Tricky Words, learning to recognise and read the words were, has, his, and her automatically to support reading fluency and confidence.

Throughout our reading and spelling sessions, students have been practising strategies to help them become successful readers and writers, including blending sounds to read words, segmenting sounds for spelling, and applying their growing knowledge of letters and sounds in meaningful reading and writing tasks.

It has been wonderful to see students' confidence continue to grow as they take on new learning challenges. We are very proud of the enthusiasm, persistence, and effort our Prep students are showing as they build the foundations for lifelong reading and writing success.

WRITING

Over the last two weeks in Writing, students have been developing their handwriting, spelling, and early writing skills through a range of engaging learning experiences. Students have been practising correct letter formation using our sky, grass and dirt lines, focusing on starting letters in the correct place, forming them accurately, and ensuring they sit correctly on the line. These foundational skills are helping students become more confident and fluent writers.

Students have also been learning to write simple CVC (consonant-vowel-consonant) words by identifying and recording the sounds they can hear in words. Through activities such as sound boxes, finger tapping, and oral segmenting, students have been strengthening their ability to hear beginning, middle, and ending sounds before representing them in writing. In addition, students have been practising reading and writing tricky words, building their recognition of words that cannot always be sounded out.

It has been fantastic to see students growing in confidence and independence when writing words and recording their ideas. We are very proud of the persistence, effort, and enthusiasm they are demonstrating as they continue to develop their writing skills.

MATHS

Over the past two weeks, Prep students have been developing their number knowledge and place value understanding through a range of engaging, hands-on learning experiences. Students have been practising representing numbers to 20 using different materials and matching numerals to collections, helping them make connections between a number and the quantity it represents.

Students have also been exploring the concepts of one more and one less for numbers to 20. Through games, number tracks, and practical activities, they have been learning to identify the number that comes before and after a given number, strengthening their understanding of counting sequences and number patterns.

In addition, students have been comparing and ordering collections and numerals, discussing which quantities are greater than, less than, or equal to one another. They have also been placing numbers from 0–20 on number tracks to develop a stronger understanding of number order and the position of numbers within a sequence.

It has been wonderful to see the confidence and enthusiasm students are showing during Maths lessons as they continue to build strong foundations in early number concepts.

INTEGRATED

Over the last two weeks in Integrated Studies, students have been exploring the topic of Magical Memories and learning about how people can share stories from the past. Through class discussions and picture story books, students have developed an understanding that memories are special events and experiences that we remember from our lives. They have been sharing personal memories and learning to include important details such as who was involved, what happened, where it occurred, when it happened, and why it was special.

Students listened to stories including The Remember Balloons and Wilfrid Gordon McDonald Partridge by Mem Fox, which helped them understand how memories can be connected to special objects, photos, and keepsakes. Through these texts, students learnt that objects from the past, known as artefacts, can help us remember important events and tell stories about our lives.

As part of our learning, students reflected on special memories and created drawings to represent significant moments from their past. They also began thinking about special objects that help them remember important events and celebrations. This week, students had the opportunity to bring an artefact from home and confidently share the story behind it with their classmates. It was wonderful to see students practising their speaking and listening skills while learning more about each other's families, experiences, and special memories.

We have loved hearing the meaningful stories our students have shared and thank families for supporting this learning by helping students select and bring in their special artefacts.

RESPECTFUL RELATIONSHIPS

Over the last two weeks in Respectful Relationships, students have been learning about inclusion, kindness, and problem-solving. Through stories, discussions, and collaborative activities, students explored how their words and actions can affect the feelings of others and why it is important to make everyone feel welcome and included.

Students listened to stories such as *Strictly No Elephants* and discussed what it means to be a good friend, ow it feels to be left out, and ways we can include others during play and learning. They shared ideas about how kindness, fairness, and respect can help create a positive classroom environment where everyone feels valued and safe.

Students also participated in the "Picnic Problem-Solving Game," where they worked together to solve everyday problems. Through these activities, students learnt that problems happen to everyone and that there are many different ways to find solutions. They practised identifying problems, discussing possible solutions, and thinking about how their choices can help others.

It has been wonderful to see students demonstrating empathy, teamwork, and thoughtful problem-solving as they continue to develop important social and emotional skills. We are proud of the kindness and respect they show towards one another each day.

HOME LEARNING

Reading

practise recognising and saying the sounds: m, s, t, a, p, i, f, o, r, c, d, h, e, n, g, l and k, b
practise saying the letter names for these letters
read simple CVC words such as map, sat, tip, sip, fat
read aloud to a family member, pointing to each word as you read
complete take-home readers each night and record in reading diary
use the InitiaLit eLibrary for additional reading practice
practise tricky words regularly e.g. I. the, my, a, is, was, you, to, they, that, said, are, he, she, me, we, be and were

Writing

practise writing the letters: m, s, t, a, p, i, f, o, r, c, d, h, e, n, g, l and k
focus on correct letter formation while saying the sound aloud
write simple CVC words that have been practised in reading e.g. mat, cat, sat, sit, fit, tip
practise writing their name independently

Maths

practise counting from 0–20
recognise and name numbers 0–20
practise writing numbers 0–20
count small collections of objects (e.g. toys, blocks, household items)
Number Formation 0 - 20

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