Teaching and Learning

Week 1 Newsletter item

Learning at Caulfield Primary School 

Presented by our School Improvement Team Leaders

Olivia Gibson (Literacy English Learning Specialist)

Asami Onda (Numeracy Learning Specialist)

Takako Morita (Bilingual Leader)

We are excited to introduce a regular “Learning at Our School” feature in our school newsletter. Each edition, one of our curriculum leaders will share insights into teaching and learning across the school, highlighting what students are exploring in the classroom and how we support their growth. 

This edition is about English Literacy.

Evidence-Informed Reading Instruction with Dr Lorraine Hammond

Last week, I attended a Professional Learning day led by Dr Lorraine Hammond, an academic and researcher who works with schools across Australia taking up explicit instruction. The day focused on high-quality reading instruction and what it looks like in practice. We explored the effective use of explicit teaching and instructional routines, building consistency across literacy blocks and strengthening lesson design to support all learners.

A key focus was on approaches that monitor and improve student reading outcomes, alongside practical examples from schools at different stages of their Science of Learning journey. It was both affirming and inspiring, reinforcing the strong explicit teaching approaches we already have in place at our school.

In particular, the emphasis on systematic sequencing and planning reflected our current practices, such as phonics instruction in the early years and the use of morphology in Years 3-6 to support spelling. Strategies like daily review to promote retrieval of previously taught knowledge, explicit vocabulary instruction and creating regular opportunities for student responses in lessons were also highlighted.

The session also reinforced the importance of Cognitive Load Theory in designing effective learning environments that maximise students’ capacity to focus. Overall, the day was a valuable opportunity to reflect, refine and feel proud of the evidence-based practices we continue to embed in our classrooms at CPS.

Olivia Gibson (Literacy English Learning Specialist)