Director of Literacy Improvement

Dear Families, Students and Community Members,

As we move towards the end of our first semester for 2024, we have continued to implement Literacy strategies across a range of facets in the College. 

NAPLAN 

During Term 1, students in Years 7 and 9 completed their NAPLAN tests in Reading, Writing, Language Conventions and Numeracy. The test continues to be delivered digitally and with all students having practised this at least once before, the administration of the test ran smoothly. The digital format allows more accessibility for all students and allows the tests to be delivered in a clear and engaging manner. Full results are expected next term but early indications suggest that we have maintained high standards across both Year 7 and 9. This will also be the second year of the new results categories so will allow us to start measuring growth as well as overall results. 

SCIENCE OF READING 

We continue to implement Literacy strategies in line with a Science of Reading based approach, which draws on findings from cognitive science, linguistics, and educational research to inform instructional practices. Staff have been working with an external Literacy practitioner to upskill themselves on supports to benefit all of our students and take a consistent approach to Literacy across all Learning Areas. These supports include Knowledge Organisers, to ease the cognitive load for students and help them focus on application rather than memory and on a range of close-reading strategies to specifically adapt and apply reading skills to the needs of each discipline. This includes specific strategies to equip students to ‘read’ a range of texts; textbooks, study notes, videos and longer books so that all students can access the information they need to succeed in their classes.  

PAT-R TESTING

We continue to use PAT testing to provide further data to inform our teaching and help support our teaching to adapt to the needs of our students. Students complete these tests (PAT-Reading and PAT Numeracy) twice a year - February and October, which allows teachers to track their growth and pinpoint particular areas of strength and opportunity. This data works alongside our NAPLAN results, Teacher Judgment assessment results and our other forms of formative data create a holistic picture of each student and of our cohorts overall. This information serves as a valuable tool to better understand the needs of our students and to consistently reevaluate our curriculum and teaching strategies to be evidence based. If you are interested to see your child’s PAT testing data, please contact their English or Maths teacher. 

As always, we extend our gratitude to our school community of students, teachers and parents for their continuing efforts in equipping our students with the skills they need to be successful, not only at Mordialloc but in the wider community and into their futures. 

Jamie Towsey

Director of Literacy Improvement

Mordialloc College would like to acknowledge the traditional custodians of this land – the Bunurong/Boon Wurrung people of the Kulin nation, and pay our respects to their Elders, past, present and emerging. 

As a school and community, we are committed to a greater understanding and appreciation of Indigenous culture.