Literacy

Little Learners Love Literacy has Landed at OOPS 

While explicit teaching of phonics is not new at Old Orchard, this year the Preps have begun learning through the Little Learners Love Literacy program. This approach supports the explicit teaching of phonics through a carefully structured sequence, enabling students to immediately apply their knowledge to read and spell words. This method is known as systematic synthetic phonics. 

Each week, students are introduced to two new sounds. Every sound is represented by a character, brought to life through the engaging storybook Milo’s Birthday Surprise. Our Prep students have thoroughly enjoyed meeting each character and are eagerly anticipating Milo’s Birthday Party once all alphabet characters have been introduced. Each lesson follows a consistent structure: revise, teach, practise, apply, and assess. 

Our lessons begin with Ally Alligator, who “speaks” only in sounds. Ally helps students develop their phonemic awareness by encouraging them to listen to, identify, and manipulate sounds in words. During this stage, previously learned sounds are reviewed using their corresponding characters, and students practise blending sounds to read familiar words. 

In this stage, a new sound and character are introduced. For example, this week students met Leo Lion and explored words that begin with the /l/ sound. 

A highlight of this session is “Super Spelling,” a collaborative activity where students identify sounds within words and use letters to spell them. This low-pressure routine encourages participation and builds confidence for all learners. 

Students then consolidate their learning by applying new sounds through a variety of engaging activities, including cut-and-paste tasks, Read–Write–Draw exercises, partner reading, and small group instruction with the teacher. 

Each lesson concludes with a brief review of the focus sound. Students enjoy interactive elements such as the “Sound Quiz,” where they test their understanding. For example, Nelly Numbat only likes things that begin with /n/—would she choose fruit or nuts? 

We are delighted with the enthusiasm our Prep students have shown towards this program and look forward to seeing their continued growth in literacy.