Curriculum in Focus 

Tutor Learning Initiative (TLI) program

I have had the absolute pleasure of working mostly with grade 5 students this term. We have organised small writing groups which focus on working toward producing a published text as well as students individual writing goals. Every session, students try their very best and it has been wonderful to see their confidence grow and goals being achieved. 

Having an additional teacher also means we can create smaller maths focus groups. We have been able to use assessment to identify students specific needs. We have had lots of fun in maths. 

Urban Upcycle Incursion

From all reports, students found our recent Urban Upcycle incursion really engaging. It was great to see all the creations in classrooms. Student were able to learn about the importance of reducing, reusing and recycling whilst be able to use their imagination to build all sorts of creations.  

Thank you

Rebecca Bradbury

Vocabulary and Reading

Vocabulary is all the words a person understands.

Vocabulary is strongly related to reading ability and school achievement in general.  

Did you know that beginning readers have increased difficulty reading words that are not already part of their spoken vocabulary?

Stages of word knowledge:

• I have never seen it, written it or heard it spoken
• I have seen it written or heard is spoken but I’m unsure about its meaning
• I vaguely know its meaning and can associate it with a concept or context
• I know the word’s meaning well enough to explain it to someone else

Children mostly learn new vocabulary through being read to and through explicit teaching.

“We have an obligation to read aloud to our children. To read to them things they enjoy. To read to them stories we are already tired of. To do the voices, to make it interesting and not to stop reading to them just because they learn to read themselves.” 

 Neil Gaiman (Author)

Thank you

Kerryn McKeon

Acting Learning Specialist (Literacy)