Dear Parents/Carers,

This week, during a school tour, I had the opportunity to discuss OLHC's two-year involvement in an exciting research project with Latrobe University. This project is a collaboration between the Australian Education Research Organisation (AERO) and the Science of Language and Reading (SOLAR) Lab at La Trobe University. Its goal is to understand how best to support educators in implementing explicit and systematic reading instruction in the early years (Foundation to Year 2) and ultimately improve students’ proficiency in reading.

The project provides teachers, teaching support staff, and leaders with online professional learning focused on the science of reading and the use of explicit and systematic early reading instruction. It also examines changes in teaching practices and students’ reading achievements over time.

Given the importance of this initiative, I thought it would be timely to share more details with our community. Our participation in this research project is a significant step towards enhancing our literacy education and ensuring that our students receive the highest quality instruction. We are proud to be part of this endeavour and look forward to seeing the positive impact it will have on our young learners.

At Our Lady Help of Christians School, we are thrilled to introduce the Little Learners Love Literacy program to our curriculum. This innovative program is designed to provide our youngest students with a strong foundation in reading through the use of synthetic phonics, a method proven to be highly effective in early literacy education.

Synthetic phonics is a teaching approach that emphasises the relationship between sounds (phonemes) and their corresponding letters or groups of letters (graphemes). Unlike traditional methods that often focus on recognising whole words, synthetic phonics teaches children to decode words by blending sounds together. This systematic approach ensures that students understand the building blocks of language, enabling them to read with confidence and fluency.

The Little Learners Love Literacy program aligns perfectly with the latest research in reading instruction, which highlights the importance of phonemic awareness and explicit teaching of phonics. By engaging students in fun, interactive activities, this program makes learning to read an enjoyable and rewarding experience. Children are introduced to sounds in a structured sequence, starting with the simplest and progressing to more complex sounds, allowing them to build their skills step-by-step.

One of the key benefits of the synthetic phonics approach is its ability to cater to diverse learning styles. Visual, auditory, and kinesthetic learners all find elements in this program that resonate with them. This inclusivity ensures that every child can succeed, regardless of their preferred learning style.

Moreover, the Little Learners Love Literacy program includes a wide range of engaging resources, from colourful storybooks to interactive games, all designed to reinforce the connection between sounds and letters. These resources not only support classroom learning but also encourage children to practice their reading skills at home, fostering a love of reading that extends beyond the classroom.

We are confident that the Little Learners Love Literacy program will make a significant impact on our students' reading abilities. By adopting the synthetic phonics approach, we are equipping our young learners with the tools they need to become confident, proficient readers. We look forward to seeing the positive outcomes of this program and celebrating the reading achievements of our students.

Kind regards

Rudy Vail

Principal

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