LITERACY

What a huge year we have had in literacy so far - in particular our reading lessons- and it is far from over! Teachers and students alike have been digging deep into implementing the instructional model for reading in our classrooms. But what does this mean for your child?

As soon as your child arrives at school and the roll has been marked, we waste no time in getting stuck into our mini lesson. This is critical to our reading instruction, and yet another reason why we should all strive to beat the bell! 

The teachers have worked tirelessly this year on upskilling their knowledge base so that they can deliver succinct and informative lessons based on one key component of reading. All classrooms follow a very explicit learning intention for the week, and students are able to self-monitor their progress for this against a set success criteria, allowing them to know what they should be working towards and how to take their learning further at all times. 

Once the mini lesson has drawn to an end, it’s time for the students to get stuck into some independent learning. This is their opportunity to independently apply their knowledge and really dig deep to show what they are capable of, and as I visit classrooms around the school it never ceases to amaze me just how smart the students are here at EEPS. 

But it doesn’t stop there! While the students are independently working, the teachers will gather together a small group of students and teach another mini lesson based off student needs, ensuring your child is receiving timely instruction at the point of need. How great is that? 

Everyone then reassembles to revise what we have learned during the session, and again to self-assess our own learning. Effective teachers use two-way feedback to gather information about a students’ understanding of their lesson, to assist students to advance their own learning, and to verify the impact of their own practice. Such a lot going on in so small an amount of time! 

Students are also encouraged to get in some independent reading practise in our instructional model too. We are all very aware of how important reading to oneself can be to develop independent reading skills but also a passion for reading. Giving students the opportunity to choose their reading material from vast classroom libraries has been paramount in helping to foster a love of reading with even the most reluctant readers. 

If you get the chance, make sure to ask your child about what they have been doing in reading this week. I’m sure you will be just as stunned and amazed by what our students are capable of as we all are!