English

Lara Lake Primary School holds dear certain teaching and learning principles which constitute effective English instruction. They include:

• We aim to foster of love of reading and literature in the students of Lara Lake PS where they will become lifelong readers
• We teach English every day, in the morning where possible
• We teach ten hours of English per week
• We ensure that all classrooms have a classroom library comprising of a variety of factual and fiction texts that suit all reading abilities
• We ensure that there is a structured Reading and Writing hour that utilises whole, part, whole approach with a focus for learning that is made clear to students. We incorporate reading aloud, shared reading, independent reading and purposeful small group reading activities
• We make the lesson focus explicit so students understand exactly what is being covered and why and we explain the criteria needed to be successful
• This learning intention will be based on the Victorian Curriculum and needs of the students
• We understand the learning needs of all students based on ongoing assessment and plan to teach at point of need
• We allow for sustained daily Independent Reading within a Reading lesson
• All students participate in individual conferences with their teacher where personal reading goals are set depending on needs identified
• We read to children daily – books, poems, rhymes, chants
• We always incorporate a reflection time in the lesson where success criteria are reviewed
• We plan to teach explicitly the strategies of comprehension
• We have a vocabulary rich classroom
• We provide many opportunities for oral language development; speaking and listening
• We engage students in a variety of purposeful writing activities daily including Independent writing time
• We begin each writing session with Modelled or Shared Writing with an explicit focus for learning
• We plan to explicitly teach grammar, spelling and punctuation
• We foster a word consciousness in our students and provide opportunities for students to investigate spelling
• We use writing rubrics and proficiency scales to provide a structure for the writing of each text type
• We allow time for students to choose what they would like to write to fulfil a purpose and provide a structure to follow to publish their work
• We encourage creativity and individuality from our writers