Literacy

“Independent reading, both at school and at home, builds successful readers. What’s more, the research shows that giving our students a say in what they read is the key. And from our experience, we also know frequent reading leads to becoming a proficient reader, which helps a child thrive personally and academically.” Scholastic Kids & Family Reading Report TM: Fifth Edition

Successful independent reading is the result of a well-executed balanced literacy program. It allows students the chance to practise the strategies they’ve learned through instructional practices such as; guided reading, shared reading, and teacher ‘read alouds’. Students are taught how to choose books that they can read and books that they want to read, these are called Just Right books. With appropriate just right materials, students build the skills they need to read on their own and this is why every classroom at Eltham Primary School has its own classroom library with an ever-increasing range of books for the students to choose from.

“Children can attain real understanding about spelling and can apply what they have learned if they are guided in a process of inquiry and discovery.” Diane Snowball, Spelling K-8

Using our systematic and synthetic approach to phonics as a base, our students can investigate words and sentence structures to discover how language and literature work (with patterns, generalisations and exceptions) in both reading and writing. Phonics instruction forms the bedrock of literacy development, empowering students with the essential skills to decode unfamiliar words and unlock the world of reading and writing. In addition to phonics, spelling, grammar, and punctuation are taught explicitly and systematically across all year levels. Students engage in regular, focused practice that incorporates visual, auditory, and kinesthetic strategies to reinforce correct usage and application. These skills are integrated into writing tasks, allowing students to apply their knowledge in meaningful contexts and develop confidence and accuracy in their written communication.