Literacy

MS Readathon  

This year, Vermont Primary School will be participating in the MS Readathon, a fundraiser that has been supporting people living with Multiple Sclerosis (MS) for 45 years. The MS Readathon combines the joy of reading with the mission of making a difference in the lives of those affected by MS. The event runs throughout the month of August.

If you would like your child to participate in the MS Readathon and represent Vermont Primary School, you can register by following these steps:

1. Visit the Readathon website: https://www.msreadathon.org.au/join/vermontprimaryschool
2. Select ‘Register’
3. Click ‘My children to read’
4. Fill in the contact details of a parent/guardian
5. Enter your child’s details and add Vermont Primary School
6. Follow the prompts until registration is complete

Please remember not to include your child’s surname. Only their first name, or first name and surname initial, and their grade are required (e.g., Jimmy S 2JH).

If you have any questions regarding this year’s MS Readathon, please feel free to contact:

John Hoskin (john.hoskin@education.vic.gov.au)

Writing for Different Purposes

At school, students are learning that writing isn’t just something we do in English lessons- it’s a vital way we communicate in everyday life. This week at VPS has been a great example of that in action. Our Year 3 students created informative pieces about locations around Australia to share knowledge with their peers, while our Year 5 students tried to persuade others to buy their items at the Market Fair. 

Writing has many different purposes: to inform, to entertain, to persuade, and to explain. When teaching writing, we focus on helping students understand why they are writing. Knowing the purpose allows them to make better decisions about structure, tone, and language. 

What Are the Main Purposes for Writing?

Children learn to write for several key reasons:

To Entertain - through stories, poems or imaginative pieces.

To Inform - by writing reports, recounts, or fact sheets.

To Persuade - such as writing advertisements, letters, or opinion pieces.

To Instruct - using clear steps in procedures or how-to guides.

How You Can Help at Home

Here are a few simple ways to support your child’s understanding of this at home:

• Write for a Real Reason: Encourage them to help write the grocery list, label containers, or write a message in a card.
• Make It Purposeful: Ask them to write a short story to read aloud to a sibling or family member, or help them write instructions for a favourite game.
• Talk About the Why: When reading together, discuss why the author wrote the piece. Was it to inform, entertain, or persuade?

Fortnightly Segments 

Writing Challenge

If your child enjoys their writing and is keen to write for enjoyment at home, below is a prompt that you could ask your child to write about. 

If you could invent anything, what would it be? How could it benefit people? 

Comprehension Question 

This fortnight’s questions are:

• How does this book relate to your life or the world around you? 
• What is the author's purpose? Why do you think he or she wrote the book?