Troy's learning news    

Preparing for learning for 2025

Most people know that the first few weeks of school are spent developing relationships through "getting-to-know-you" activities and setting classroom norms and expectations. After swimming lessons, we typically see more formalized, structured literacy and numeracy lessons begin for our students.

People often wonder, "How do teachers know where to start our students' learning?" Teachers use the curriculum to guide them, but just as important are the data sets we use to understand our students' strengths, as well as any gaps or misconceptions they may have.

We collect a range of data sets to help us assess where our students are and track their progress throughout the year.

This year, we have a range of literacy tests that assist us in many areas.

One of the first tests is PASM (Phonological Awareness Skill Mapping), which we use for our Reception and early-year students to assess the pre-reading skills they arrive at school with.

Other reading assessments include phonics progress monitoring, oral reading fluency testing, MAZE comprehension, Spelling Inventory, Brightpath writing assessments, along with mandatory assessments (NAPLAN and PAT-R).

These all provide useful information and allow us to re-test and track progress throughout the year.

Classroom teachers also continually conduct classroom assessments to monitor learning that occurs on a day-to-day basis.

These are things you could mention and inquire about at our learning conferences later this term.

If you have any questions regarding our literacy assessments, please come and speak to me or feel free to send me a message.