Literacy - Helping your Child at Home

At Aspendale Primary School, children spend many hours each week building their literacy skills and understanding in the classroom. They develop their knowledge of letters, words, and sounds through phonics, word study, and vocabulary activities. Their reading skills grow through fluency practice with partners, exploring picture books, and participating in novel studies. They also strengthen their grammar and writing through sentence-level work, grammar lessons, and extended writing sessions.

Throughout this learning, teachers model new skills, guide students as they practise, and provide supportive feedback to help them improve. They also scaffold learning to ensure every child feels supported and can achieve their personal best.

Here are some helpful ways you can support your child’s literacy learning at home:

• Bring a positive attitude to learning: Show enthusiasm and curiosity about learning. Let your child see that learning is a lifelong adventure and encourage them to persist even when learning is hard.
• Stay connected with teachers: Keep in touch with your child’s teachers to stay informed about what they’re learning and how you can support them at home.
• Celebrate effort and encourage practice: Give your child chances to practise new skills and celebrate their effort and progress along the way.
• Create a supportive environment: Set up a calm, distraction-free area at home where your child can focus on their learning.
• Read together: Spend time reading with your child regularly. Talk about the story, characters, and themes to help deepen their understanding.
• Explore the world: Help your child build background knowledge by exploring a wide range of topics that interest them. Visit libraries, watch educational programs, ask questions, and try new experiences.
• Build critical thinking skills: Have conversations that encourage your child to explain their ideas, think through problems, and share their reasoning.