Learning and Teaching
Premier's Reading Challenge
Thank you to all the students who participated in the Premier's Reading Challenge this year.
90 students were registered this year and 1198 books were read in total. The challenge ends tomorrow, September 7.
Please take note of the following:
- October: Online Honour Roll featuring a congratulatory video to be published on the Challenge website
- November: Certificates issued to early childhood services managers, school principals and home based settings for distribution.
Literacy and Numeracy Week
This week is National Literacy and Numeracy Week. Due to recent school events such as 100 Days of School and Book Week, we did not formally celebrate this week. If you are interested in some everyday ideas and tips for helping your child develop literacy and numeracy skills, below is a link from the Department of Education and Training.
MATHEMATICS AT GALILEE
Jane Ferris
jferris@gsmelbournesth.catholic.edu.au
Number Intervention with Year 2
This term, I am fortunate to be working with a number of children in Year 2. The children are currently learning about:
- forward and backward number word sequences, developing skills in the range to 1000
- addition strategies for numbers up to 10
- the concept of place value in 3-digit numbers.
The children use various ‘settings’ (materials) to support them, gradually developing mental strategies as their confidence, knowledge and skills grow. As we progress through the programme, the range of numbers in each area will increase and we will establish firm links between addition and subtraction. The children learn in a relaxed and enjoyable space, using games to support new learning.
Parent Training in Number Intervention
Early next term, on October 9 (9-10am), we will be holding a training session for parents interested in working with children in Number Intervention. We currently have a small group of dedicated parents who work regularly with children from Prep to Year 2. The results of their intervention are clearly to be seen in the progress of the fortunate children with whom they work.
Number Intervention training provides parent helpers with clear, simple guidelines to work with children, usually individually, occasionally in pairs. Parents are given a step-by-step programme to follow, as well as materials to support learning in each area. In the junior grades, we focus on forwards and backwards number word sequences and early addition and subtraction strategies.
Current parent helpers and learning support officers will be available at the training sessions to discuss their valuable experiences and to lend support where needed. In the words of Anastasia Kritikos (parent helper since 2016), ‘All you need is to love working with children!’ The work is straightforward and guided – you don’t need to be a Maths whiz!
We hope to see you on October 9. If you can’t make it on that day, but would like to be a part of the programme, please let me know via email, so that an alternative date can be offered.
Thank you again to our fabulous parent helpers. You really make a difference and we appreciate you very much!
LEARNING SUPPORT AT GALILEE
jferris@gsmelbournesth.catholic.edu.au
As you are aware, we have a variety of programmes running in the school aimed at assisting students in specific areas of the Victorian Curriculum. Some students are supported by intervention specialist teachers, through Reading Recovery and Number Intervention. Others work with Learning Support Officers in Spelling, Reading, Number, Speech-Language Development, English as an Additional Language and Social Skills.
Through these programmes, children are supported in developing particular skills. Usually, a child will be involved in a particular programme for a given period of time, often a school term. His/her involvement in a programme is based on assessment data and referral by the classroom teacher. Ongoing assessment is implemented to monitor each child’s progress and to determine future intervention strategies, if required.
Next week, I will be working with classroom teachers and learning support officers to select children for Term 4’s intervention programmes. Children currently in a programme will be assessed and might continue into Term 4. Letters will be sent out on CareMonkey to inform you if your child has been selected for our any of our programmes. Please respond for our records. If you would like to discuss any of the support programmes for which your child has been selected, please contact me at my email address (above).