The month of August has been SUPER busy for the students (and teachers) at Park Ridge Primary School. Over the past few weeks we have held our Parent Teacher Interviews, Science Week Guest Speakers and Think Tank Expo, Book Week, an author visit from Morris Gleitzman, excursions to the Zoo for our Foundations, visits to the Police Academy for our Year 2s, and numerous sporting events such as Hooptime, District Athletics and Interschool Sport.

All these events mentioned above, provide our students with a well-balanced primary school experience, where they can lean into their talents as well as try new things. A big shout out to our Engagement and Culture team and all our teachers and ES staff who make these opportunities available for our students.

In an effort to continue to learning beyond the school day, I have included some tips and tricks to help our middle and senior school students with home learning. Speaking from personal experience of having two school-aged children at home, one in Year 5 and one in Year 6, any extra help and guidance for parents at home is surely a great thing.

How to build your child's literacy skills from Grades 3 to 6

Helping your child to read:

Here are some tips to encourage reading:

It is recommended that you continue to read together in the later primary years, even if your child is reading independently.
Take your child to the local library often so they can choose, borrow and renew books. Taking children to the library at the beginning of the school holidays encourages weeks of independent reading.
Look for non-fiction books on craft or activity topics that your child enjoys. Most libraries have well-stocked sections.
Encourage your child to borrow from their school library as well.
If your child likes an author, find another book or a series of books by the same author.
Encourage your child to read about their favourite author or illustrator on their website.
Introduce your child to reading different genres such as fantasy, science-fiction, action and adventure.
Introduce your child to reading different types of texts, such as poems, music lyrics, and short plays.
Encourage your child to read non-fiction. The newspaper or an online encyclopaedia might be a good start, but your child might also be interested in history books or autobiographies of their favourite sportsperson or celebrity.
Encourage your child to use a dictionary to look up words they might not understand.
Allow your child to play age-appropriate video games that require reading.
Encourage your child to join the Victorian Premiers’ Reading Challenge, which runs each year from March to September. Participating schools will register your child – otherwise, you can register your child for the Victorian Premier's Reading Challenge.
See also 'Creating a literacy-rich home' below.

Helping your child to write:

Here are some tips to encourage write:

As your child moves through primary school, they will begin writing longer creative pieces, writing in different genres, and exploring non-fiction and persuasive writing.

Some general tips to help with your child’s writing in these years include:

Continue to encourage them to write for everyday skills. This includes writing recipes, family messages, shopping lists and greeting cards.
Try to find a quiet time or place for your child to write. A flat surface such as a table, bench top or tray is helpful.
Provide stationery, such as coloured pens and pencils, and different coloured paper.
It is always helpful to discuss the writing topic with your child before they start to write. This will give your child ideas and confidence to start writing.
After discussing the topic your child is writing about, you may want to write down a few arguments or story plot points to help them. They can then expand on these points.
Encourage your child to write creatively in different genres, such as fantasy, realism, and adventure.
Encourage your child to write different types of literary texts such as poems, short plays or film scripts.
Use a book your child has read as a springboard into creative writing.
Persuasive writing will become a focus at school, particularly in high school. Encourage your child to write down their opinions and ideas about specific issues.
Encourage your child to edit their work for mistakes before they show you. They should also make sure the writing makes sense. Getting your child to read their work out loud is a good technique to find mistakes in writing.
Using a dictionary helps with spelling mistakes.
Using a thesaurus helps to expand your child’s vocabulary.

Team Kids News