Literacy

Don’t get triggered, Life’s Lit!

Let’s get back to the basics

Low-stakes is where it’s at.

Words are, in my not-so-humble opinion, our most inexhaustible source of magic. Capable of both inflicting injury and remedying it.

Albus Dumbledore

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows

Writing and reading are essential for our ability to communicate and connect with others. At Wheelers Hill Secondary we encourage our students to work on their writing via low and high-stakes activities. This year in English from Year 7 - 9 we have used a Class Reader’s Notebook to motivate students and uncover their inner love for reading and writing.

At secondary school there is an expectation for students to write and create masterpieces for their final assessment each term. But how is this creating a love and appreciation for writing?

The freedom to write about what they enjoy is the best way to spark a student’s enthusiasm. Removing the pressure of marking and assessing work also creates a sense of comfort and brings back the delight students once experienced when writing as a child. We call this low-stakes writing, and throughout the semester we have taken our English students on a journey to reinvigorate their minds and feel confident in their writing ability.

This will continue through a student’s high school journey through middle years and senior years at Wheelers Hill, and we hope to see students discussing and sharing their work with each other.

Claire Hanley

Literacy Learning Specialist