Literacy - Reading
At Wangaratta West Primary School we explicitly teach children how to decode (read) and encode (spell) using an evidence-based scope and sequence, ensuring children develop literacy skills for future. In the junior grades we focus heavily on ‘learning to read’ with fluency and in the middle and upper grades we shift to a focus on ‘reading to learn’ with strong comprehension and understanding.
Reading.
We have a specific order in which we teach phonics skills, progressing from simple to complex, which will be followed throughout the early grades. Students will progress through the continuum as they master skills. While this skill will be emphasised in grades P-2, we will make sure all students have this necessary foundation. Students in grades 3-6 may need to practise these skills until they have mastered them and also continue with word study with more grammar and morphology (learning about word parts such as Greek and Latin roots).
Our students participate in 2 hours of daily literacy activities where our teachers link reading and writing skills through explicit teaching and expose our students to high quality mentor texts promoting rich, engaging conversations and targeted teaching opportunities through individual, small group and whole class tasks.
Our literacy block is very structured with clear routines, reducing the overall cognitive load on our students and integrates and embeds all components of the ‘Literacy Big 6’:
Oral Language
Phonemic Awareness
Phonics
Fluency
Vocabulary
Comprehension
