InitiaLit
(Reading and Viewing, Speaking and Listening and Spelling)
This year, Glen Waverley Primary School has begun a comprehensive, evidence informed approach to Reading, Spelling and Grammar with InitiaLit from Macquarie University. With this new approach we are focusing on improving fluency, comprehension and vocabulary in Reading along with grammar and spelling conventions in Writing.
In the classroom there are four main components to the lessons all Year Twos will undertake through Initial Lit.
Reading lessons- Students focus on comprehension and fluency with new vocabulary introduced and discussed every lesson. They complete a series of related learning experiences connected to the shared text on narrative and informative genres.
Storybook lessons- Students participate in a repeated reading of a rich, quality text, such as the Snail and the Whale, by Julia Donaldson and Pete the Sheep by Jackie French. With these texts, students discuss new vocabulary and sort words into nouns, verbs, adjectives and adverbs. Students participate in aligned task that unpack the characters within the text and the plot to build literal and inferred understandings.
Grammar-Students will be introduced to several grammatical concepts over the term. These include, identifying and appropriately using noun (proper and common nouns), pronouns and adjectives. Students will be encouraged to use them in their writing and speaking tasks.
Spelling- Students will continue to build their phonemic knowledge on sounds this term. They will explore spelling rules for digraphs, long vowels and learn "Tricky words” that do not follow regular spelling rules. Student’ will be encouraged to articulate the sounds and apply them to words within each lesson.
To support your child’s learning at home, you could:
- Ensure your child reads every day for 10-15 minutes from their school readers.
- Ask your child what their “Tricky Words” are for the week and test them on spelling these orally.
- Point out and discuss examples of nouns, pronouns and adjectives in books, signs and other reading materials.