LITERACY

Writing in the Early Years

Our teachers, especially in the junior school, use a range of different stimuli to spark the beginning of the writing process for their students. These include pictures, class discussion, questions, videos, storytelling and real life experiences. In the case of our Preps last week, Mrs Bakas and Miss Di Mieri used the Circus Circus production as a prompt for their writing sessions. They modelled the oral language structures and scaffolded the students to record their own ideas using known high frequency words and their knowledge of letter/sound relationships. Take a look at some of the independent work from our preps...

While writing together, children and adults engage in different writing behaviours. The following behaviours are grounded in the gradual release of responsibility model (Duke & Pearson, 2002; Fisher & Frey, 2013; Pearson & Gallagher, 1983) which sees the role of [teachers] as initially leading writing experiences (modelled writing), and gradually decreasing responsibility as children start to share (shared/interactive writing), and eventually create texts with very little support (independent writing).

(DET, 2020).

SMART Spelling 

In Years 2 and 3 we have introduced a new spelling program called SMART Spelling. This is an explicit approach to teaching spelling patterns and rules that allows our teachers to feel confident that they are providing their students with the tools necessary for writing success. Miss Lowry, Miss Ascenzo and Ms Monteleone all undertook some professional learning in the last few weeks of Term1 and begun implementing this practice into their Literacy block daily this term. So far we have has some great feedback from the students. Check out what they had to say below.

SMART Spelling incorporates both the systematic teaching of spelling each week and also personal words. We teach in patterns as much as possible, so teachers choose a range of words (from simple to complex) from a suggested list in the manual. Students are then guided to choose from that list, to meet different needs. Teachers use their strong professional knowledge they gain in the course to give meaningful feedback to students about their spelling in writing, teaching at the point of need.

(Michelle Hutchison)

Write4Fun

Here is one of our entries for the competition. Good luck Alannah F (5B)!!!

The Room Of Wishes 

I ran as fast as I could wondering what was going to happen! ‘Run quickly!!’ I whispered to Max, ‘I know!’ he replied. We continued running from the wolf until we stopped at a big fence. We are only two little dogs. This fence was too big for us to jump. ‘We have to dig our way through’ Max said. ‘I don’t know, it's pretty thick!’ I cried with worry. ‘Come on we have to do this, would you rather be eaten or dig a big hole?’ I looked back at the wolf chasing us then I turned around and started digging, digging like never before. When we had finally gotten through the other side of the fence we were relieved. ‘What is this place’? Max questioned. We both stared at a wall with a door in the middle. On the other side was the end of the door. ‘That’s so weird, just a wall with a door that leads to the other side of the grass?’ Max questioned. We pushed on the door but we couldn’t see anything because a bright light was glowing. We walked in and saw a mysterious genie sitting on a blanket. ‘I see you have come into the Room of Wishes’ it said in a creepy voice. ‘Umm hello my name is Rover and this is my older brother Max’ I described. ‘Yes I know, didn't you have a dream about a goat dancing on a moon?’ ‘HA HA HA!!!!’ Max bursted out laughing. ‘Wait how do you know about that?’ I asked. The genie looked at us with delight “I take care of your dreams. Sometimes animals like you get all crazy during the night and start attacking each other because they get scared in their dreams. In this place anything is possible. You can do anything you think of just close your eyes and think of something you wish to do’. ‘Woah!’ me and Max jinxed. Then I closed my eyes and.. ‘WAIT I forgot to tell you guys you only get one wish’ Genie said. Max and I looked at each other and whispered some ideas we could use for our wish. When we decided what our wish was going to be we spoke up.  ‘Okay we know what our wish will be. We want to be free from all animals who want to eat us and live a safe and happy life!’ we said with joy. The genie looked at us with surprise in his eyes. Finally he answered, ‘Okay your wish is granted.’ the genie said ‘YAY!’ I squealed. “You may now go to your new home where it will be safer! And it's in a private place where you can’t be interrupted!’ Genie said. ‘Best day ever!!!’ I squealed.

The End!!