Literacy News

Literacy Update!

A big thank you to all the families who joined us for our recent Prep–Year 2 Parent Information Session. It was wonderful to see such a strong turnout and to share the exciting shifts we are making in our literacy journey. 

At Mother Teresa, we are committed to ensuring every child becomes a confident, fluent reader. To do this, we are aligning our teaching with the Science of Reading which is a body of gold-standard research that explains how the brain actually learns to read.

Below is a summary of what was covered in the session for those who were unable to attend.

From Levelled Readers to Decodable Texts

One of the biggest changes Prep-2 parents will notice is the shift in our home reading books. In the past, many schools used "Predictable Levelled Readers." These books often encouraged children to look at the picture or guess the word based on the context.

We have moved away from these in favour of Decodable Texts. 

• Predictable Readers: Rely on repetitive sentence patterns and illustrations. They often contain complex spelling patterns children haven't been taught yet, forcing them to guess. We do not want this!
• Decodable Texts: Specifically written to include only the letter-sound relationships (phonics) that the children have already learned in class. This is what we want!

Why the change? Decodables build "orthographic mapping" in the brain. Instead of guessing, children are forced to look at every letter and blend the sounds together. This creates a permanent connection between the sound and the written symbol.

Home Reading & Display Folders

In the session, we walked through the new Home Reading Routine. Your child will now bring home a display folder containing two Decodable Passages. (This will begin for Prep children on Monday 16th March.) These are designed for

success and should be read multiple times to build fluency. The folder needs to be brought back to school every Monday so your teacher can add in the next two passages for the week.

In addition to the passages, your child will also bring home 2-3 library books. These are books that your child has chosen themselves from the library. They can either be read by your child or you can read it to them. 

A home reading routine sheet has been included in the display folder outlining what you can do each night with your child. The yellow home learning diaries have also been sent home. These can just be filled in with whatever passage and/or book your child read that night.

Save the Date: Part Two!

We’ve only just scratched the surface! Please join us for our follow-up Maths and Reading Prep-2 information session where we will dive deeper into the world of Phonics and how we teach blending and segmenting in the junior classrooms.

• When: Monday 2nd March
• Time: 4:00 PM – 5:00 PM
• Where: Open Space (enter through reception)

We look forward to seeing you there as we continue to support your child's reading growth together.