ENGLISH

Our “Targeted Learning Groups” model embraces a differentiated approach so that all students learn at their point of need.

The study of English is central to the learning and development of all young Australians. It helps create confident communicators, imaginative thinkers and informed citizens. It is through the study of English that individuals learn to analyse, understand, communicate and build relationships with others and with the world around them. The study of English helps young people develop the knowledge and skills needed for education, training and the workplace. It helps them become ethical, thoughtful, informed and active members of society and plays an important part in developing the understanding, attitudes and capabilities of those who will take responsibility for Australia’s future.

The English curriculum aims to ensure that students:

  • Learn to listen to, read, view, speak, write, create, question, reflect and respond to increasingly complex and sophisticated spoken, written and multimodal texts across a growing range of contexts with accuracy, fluency and purpose.
  • Appreciate, enjoy and use the English language in all its variations and develop a sense of its richness and power to evoke feelings, convey information, form ideas, facilitate interaction with others, entertain, persuade and argue.
  • Understand how standard Australian English works in its spoken and written forms and in combination with non-linguistic forms of communication to create meaning.
  • Develop interest and skills in inquiring into the aesthetic aspects of texts, and develop an informed appreciation of literature.

Rosebud Primary School Beliefs and Actions

BELIEF Because learning is a consequence of thinking.      ACTION Every day we will see students reading, writing and talking more than the teacher.

BELIEF Because we believe in the gradual release of responsibility.      ACTION – Teachers will model just enough to show children how and why through mini lessons, enabling students to work independently that challenges them at their point of need. Teachers will monitor learning progressions and misconceptions and will ‘catch’ and then ‘release.’

BELIEF Because we believe students need time to practise what they are being taught.      ACTION – Students are involved in authentic literacy work, receive small group instruction where they are exposed to a range of genres and modes of texts and have time for sustained reading.

BELIEF Because we believe every learner needs targeted and concise feedback to grow and reach their full potential.      ACTION – Every day teachers will confer with students, look at the work they are creating, and give them timely, specific and relevant feedback. Teachers will facilitate collaborate reflections (as a whole group and with small groups) for students to make changes accordingly.

BELIEF Because we believe in assessment for learning.      ACTION – We value formative assessment and summative assessment. Formative assessment for the purpose of student feedback to ensure growth. Summative assessment for the purpose to reflect on practice, student learning and plot growth. We have a whole school approach to planning with consistent teaching strategies from Foundation to Grade 6. Our teachers use technology to enhance learning and provided engaging lessons. Differentiated instruction is provided to cater for all of our students. Two English specialist teachers are employed to provide intervention and extension programs for Grades 1-5. At Rosebud Primary School we promote a love for reading through the CAFÉ program.

C- comprehension A- accuracy F- fluency E –expanding vocabulary

Teachers get to know their students as readers through conferring. During this time goals are set and strategies about how to achieve these goals are discussed. Students choose ‘just right’ books to read during sustained reading times. We teach writing through the 6+1 traits model of instruction and assessment. These are:

  • V – voice (the author’s purpose
  • O – organisation (the internal structure of the piece)
  • I – ideas
  • C – conventions (e.g. punctuation/grammar)
  • E – excellent word choice
  • S – sentence fluency

THRASS (Teaching Handwriting, Reading and Spelling Skills) is used to teach phonemic awareness and spelling from F-6. It is a teaching tool based on the principle that, while there are 26 letters in the alphabet, there are 44 speech sounds (phonemes) in the English language. Students learn that there are 24 consonant and 20 vowel phonemes and these are represented on the THRASS chart with corresponding words and pictures. All students have their own THRASS chart, as well as large charts in every classroom.