Learning and Teaching

RESPONSE TO INTERVENTION

Following 3 weeks of data analysis, student learning assessments, and phonological awareness assessments conducted with some students, intervention began last week on Monday 13 February! 

We thank Zarah, intervention teacher, for her continued passion and commitment to the intervention program, and supported by Katie McClue, assistant principal. 

46 students in years one to four will have access to small group intervention this term, following analysis of learning data and assessments. Students in years five and six will have access to in-class support from Zarah, and some parent and grandparent volunteers who have a teaching background also! Our preps will join the intervention program from term three, as has always been the case here at Wembley PS, to enable them to settle into school and be exposed to learning and teaching in their classrooms, before identifying further supports. 

The voluntary RTI timetable and program is being developed in consultation with Zarah, Katie, and the volunteers, and will be shared in our next newsletter.  

Zarah has also passed on a range of assistive learning technologies and tools to students in years 1-6, to use in the classroom, such as: 

• decodable reading texts
• c-pen assistive reading pens
• iPads with downloaded software and apps
• Nessie dyslexia program subscriptions, which assist students in accessing learning.

Zarah is also supporting and advising teachers on strategies to support student learning within the classroom. 

NAPLAN 2023: DISABILITY ADJUSTMENTS

Information was sent out to families of our Year 3 and Year 5 parents on Wednesday February 15 regarding test adjustments. 

Adjustments can be made for students who either: have a formal diagnosis, a potential diagnosis that is under investigation, or who have significant needs that fall outside of these two categories, and where the student receives regular and formalised adjustments in the classroom as part of their everyday learning. 

The Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority (ACARA), who are responsible for Naplan, have strict guidance and protocols around the provision of adjustments, and they range from Extensive Adjustments, such as the provision of a Braille print test format, through to Supports Provided Through Differentiated Teaching, such as reminders to keep focused, or consideration about where a student is sitting in the classroom. The most common adjustments we find ourselves arranging each year are extra time and rest breaks. 

If you believe that your child should receive an adjustment for Naplan this year, we ask that you first read through the specific communication, sent out via Sentral on Wednesday February 15, to ensure you are well informed about eligibility, the types of adjustments available and finally the process. Secondly, we then recommend that you reach out to your classroom teacher, or Katie McClue (Assistant Principal Years 3-6) via the school office (wembley.ps@education.vic.gov.au), with some background information. 

Parents may find visiting the associated Naplan webpage helpful:

Additionally, the detailed Sentral communication also provided information regarding the process of withdrawing a child from sitting the Naplan tests. If you feel that this may be applicable to your child, please access the Sentral notification and then reach out to Katie McClue on the email address provided above. 

As a reminder: the following dates will apply at Wembley Primary School, for both Year 3 and Year 5 students: 

CURRICULUM DAY

This Wednesday 22 February the teaching staff undertake the second of their Curriculum Days for the year. 

The Curriculum Day is focused on the 6 +1 Traits of Writing, connecting with our School Strategic Plan goal of: To maximise learning growth and achievement for all students. 

Since commencing our current School Strategic Plan in 2019, we have had a strong focus on improving Writing - including our approach to Curriculum, Instruction and Assessment.

In 2020 we began by reviewing our pedagogical practise, and undertook a series of professional learnings on the Writer's Workshop, which is now the pedagogical framework from which we teach the majority of our writing lessons. At the same time we expanded our implementation of the Smart Words spelling program from our trial classes in the upper school, all the way down to our Prep classes, who will start this year. 

We now commence the final step in our writing journey; embedding the 6 +1 Writing Traits within our curriculum, instruction and assessment. The 6 +1 Traits of Writing are an identified set of traits that are known to exist in high quality pieces of writing. The traits were first formally identified by a group of educational researchers, working out of Education Northwest in Oregon, in the 1980's. From this research, the body of work that we now recognise as the 6 +1 Traits of writing was born. 

The 6 +1 Traits are: Ideas, Organisation, Voice, Word Choice, Conventions, Sentence Fluency and Presentation. Presentation was added as the '+1' at a later date, and remains as a '+1' rather than the 7th trait, as it only applies to published work.

The traits are predominately used as a set of criteria to assess writing and to inform student feedback and goal setting; in turn they signal what aspects of writing educators need to prioritise teaching. They provide a common language and consistent set of vocabulary for all stakeholders to discuss the art of writing. 

At Wembley, we have redesigned our Essential Learnings in line with the Writing Traits, and ensured that all aspects of the Victorian Writing Curriculum are accounted for within these Essential Learnings. All students from Prep - Year 6 will now have Essential Learnings in writing with common titles: 

As we implement this work in the classroom, we will update you further - informing you in greater detail about the content of your children's Essential Learnings in writing, as well as how we intend to share learning progress with you, via Markbook. You can expect to read another update in our next newsletter. 

HOCKEY CLINICS

Over the past two weeks, students in Years 1-6 have participated in a hockey clinic at school. We would like to congratulate all students for showing persistence and respect during these clinics, demonstrating exemplary behaviour. Thank you to the Footscray Hockey Club (including some past students) for running the clinics for us!

DIGITAL HEALTH AND CYBER SAFETY INCURSIONS: YEARS 3-6

This year, Wembley has partnered with ‘Inform and Empower’, a digital health and cyber safety organisation, to deliver termly incursions to Years 3-6.

Incursions will run in the form of live-streamed sessions, with opportunities for real-time interaction throughout, coupled with pre and post incursion tasks. Teachers will also have access to resources for continued learning throughout the year. Classroom teachers will be present with students to support and facilitate key learnings and engagement.

In 2023, Wembley will subsidise all incursions through Inform and Empower, including an online parent information session on Thursday of week 9, March 23rd at 7:30pm (more information to come).