Classroom connections
Group Learning at CJC
At CJC we run a range of small group sessions to further support students with their learning. This includes accelerating the learning of those who may have some gaps, and further challenging students who would benefit from being extended. Below is a window into just some of these extra programs and learning support which we are able to provide.
Year 3/4 Extension Maths Program - Eileen Brunton
Our Year 3/4 Maths Extension program has hit the ground running this term, with students taking part in the third round of the Maths Explorer competition last week.
In their group sessions, the students have the opportunity to experience more challenging work, with a strong focus on problem solving. They are given explicit teaching to further extend their mathematical thinking.
Read below what some Year 3/4 students have to say about being in our maths extension program.
Alicia
It gives us a challenge and it is really fun. It makes our brains really think.
Evie
It gives us a challenge we don’t get in class. It helps us to develop our maths.
Alfie
It’s really fun and we get to work together. When we go in here it really gets our brains working.
Quoc Tan
What I like is the maths questions we do, and that we have to solve them together.
Emeric:
I like how we work in groups and that we do extra maths.
Felix
Working in a group means we have to talk and work together, and solve the problem together. We all add something to the answer.
Noah
I like the challenge. It’s a good challenge because it’s harder for us. It’s never boring!
Sophie
I love doing the maths!
Naomi
I like that when we are in maths extension we are working in groups. Maybe other people will have different ways of doing it and you have to explain your own way. We learn from each other as well as from Mrs Brunton. She asks us questions which makes us think more about the way we have worked something out. Just getting an answer isn’t enough.
Mrs Brunton (just a little too old to be in a Year 3/4 group, so I get the pleasure of teaching this group).
What I love is how ‘chaotic’ these extension maths groups can get at times. Put a group of enthusiastic mathematicians together with some challenging problems, and you will hear plenty of discussion, debate, jumping in with solutions, arguing their point and sharing some incredible thinking. I agree with Noah, it is most certainly never boring! It is a privilege to work with these inspiring students.
Multisensory Structured Language (MSL) - Trudy Warman
As part of every session, we review the vowels (long and short sounds) and the sounds (phonemes) of each grapheme we have learned so far.
We practise handwriting, extend our knowledge of the words we are learning, spell, revise heart words and write a sentence or two. We even manage to get a little reading done. We pack as much learning as possible into each session to give our students the best possible support for their learning.
Here is a work sample from some of our junior students who have been enjoying our MSL program.
P-2 Literacy Group Learning - Lisa Hermelin
At CJC we understand that all students can learn to read and write.
They need the right tools, explicit teaching, practice and support to feel successful.
Our students engage with learning when they experience success. In our small groups of explicit instruction, all students practise spelling and reading.
English as an Additional Language (EAL) - Lisa Hermelin
The curriculum at CJC supports teachers to recognise students' existing languages and leverage them for learning English, new conceptual and cultural knowledge and skills.
The three pathways for EAL are based on early, mid and late immersion in English medium education and are not age-based.
The activities our students do are always play based as we work through the Victorian curriculum. This term the students have been immersed in learning about foods and all of the rich language around this topic.
