Literacy

InitiaLit

This year we will continue to be using a systematic synthetic approach to phonics. This will be achieved using our InitiaLit program, which students will be familiar with from last year. 

InitiaLit is an evidence-based whole-class literacy program providing all children with the essential core knowledge and strong foundations to become successful readers and writers. InitiaLit is a three-year program, covering the first three years of school (Foundation to Year 2)

For Level 1 students, there will be time to review sounds and tricky words taught in Term 1 at the beginning of this term. We want to reiterate how important it is that students are practising their tricky words and readers at home to consolidate our lessons.

The new concepts being covered this term are:

• new digraphs/oa/ as in boat, /ow/ as in snow, /y/ as in cry, /igh as in light, /ue/ as in glue, /ew/ as in grew, /ar/ as in star, /or/ as in fork, /ore/ as in snore, /ir/ as in stir, /ur/ as in surf, /er/ as in fern
• split digraphs - a_e 'cake', i_e 'bike', o_e 'bone'
• homophones
• revising adjectives
• verbs
• plurals - adding the suffix 's'
• Suffixes - 'ing', 'er'
• decoding 2-syllable words
• new tricky words

For Level 2 students this term, the introduction of new sounds, suffixes and new tricky words will take place. Students will also have a weekly spelling session to practise misspelled Grade1 words from their end of Term 1 test. These tricky words were also sent home (as in Term 1) with each student, with their misspelled words highlighted. 

We want to reiterate how important it is that students are practising these tricky words and their readers at home, at least 5 days a week, to consolidate our lessons.

The new concepts being covered this term are:

• new graphs, digraphs and trigraphs /ar/ as in star, /y/ as in puppy, /ey/ as in key, /ir/ as in stir, /er/ as in herb, /ur/ as in surf, /ou/ as in cloud, /ow/ as in cow, /ch/ as in school, /oi/ as in coin, /oy/ as in boy, /ph/ as in phone, /ear/ as in hear, /eer/ as in cheer, /air/ as in hair, /are/ as in care, /ear/ as in bear.
• suffixes ‘ing’, ‘s’ , ‘er’, ‘ful’
• suffix rule of - drop the ‘e’ add ‘ing’, and double the last letter add ‘ing’
• revision of spelling all tricky words from grade 1
• new tricky words - really, bought, alright, already, across, lose, build, tomorrow, through, surprise.

Writing

Our writing program will continue to use mentor texts over a series of 10 lessons to teach fundamental writing skills such as handwriting, spelling, text type, language orientation, grammar, pattern writing and author's purpose.  

Mentor texts are pieces of text we can hold up as examples of good writing. A mentor text could be a single sentence or an entire book. It could be something written by the teacher, a student, a published author or someone else entirely. This term, the children will be immersed in texts that cover the narrative, persuasive and recount genres.

Level 1 Mentor Texts for Term 2

• The Lighthouse Keeper's Lunch
• How Frogmouth Found Her Home
• Let's Get a Pup
• The Day the Crayons Quit

Level 2 Mentor Texts for Term 2

• The Day the Crayons Came Home
• Zoo
• Mr Huff
• Lottie and Walter
• Australia - Country of Colour