Numeracy and Literacy

 
 

Jingili Primary School believes in a whole school approach to the teaching and learning of numeracy. We are a member of the Meaningful Maths coalition of schools.

We believe

  • Mathematics is a core subject and forms a regular part of the daily program.
  • The Australian Curriculum is the document that teachers will use for their programming.
  • Focussing on the sequence of New Zealand (NZ) Maths global stages through emergent (stage 1) to Advanced Proportional (stage 8).
  • Number is the major strand delivered in class programmes and is incorporated across the curriculum where possible to include everyday contexts.
  • All other strands will be delivered across each term and revisited regularly to consolidate student knowledge and skills.
  • High expectations and interventions are essential.
  • Students can achieve high standards given sufficient time and support.
  • Teachers can teach to high standards given the right conditions and assistance.
  • Teachers will engage in professional learning and be reflective in their practice.
  • Teachers will document their learning intentions so that the students will articulate their learning.
  • Modelling books will be incorporated as part of teachers and students mathematical resource.
  • All teachers will collaboratively plan with their colleagues of a similar year level.
  • Teachers will implement programs and focussed explicit teaching in response to deliberate and regular assessment and monitoring.
  • Students will be exposed to numeracy specific vocabulary derived from the Australian Curriculum and NZ Maths.

Teachers are expected to program and plan using documents including:

  • Australian Curriculum with NZ Maths
  • Meaningful Maths Portal
  • Progressive Achievement Test (PAT-M) electronic test – Years 1 – 6
  • Walker Learning Approach – Play Matters (Early Years)
  • Walker Learning Approach – Engagement Matters (Primary)
  • JAM assessment
  • GloSS assessment

Links to Resources Used:   http://nzmaths.co.nz/        http://www.australiancurriculum.edu.au/

Literacy

 
Jingili Primary School believes in a whole school approach to the teaching and learning of literacy.
 
We believe
• Building a community of confident listeners, speakers, readers and writers.
• Achieving enhanced wellbeing and connections through our daily reading and writing routines.
• Optimising student strengths, choice, imagination and creativity
 

Next term we are excited to be implementing a new program that will support our Early Childhood students to read and write successfully through a more phonics focused approach. This program is called Read, Write Inc (RWI). 

What is Read Write Inc? 

Read Write Inc (RWI) is a phonics program which helps all children learn to read fluently and at speed so they can focus on developing their skills in comprehension, vocabulary, and spelling. The program is designed for children aged 4-7 and can also be used as an intervention for students to 10 years of age.  

RWI was developed by Ruth Miskin and more information on this can be found at https://ruthmiskin.com/en/find-outmore/parents/

How will RWI be taught at Jingili Primary School?

RWI will be taught by all our Early Childhood teachers (T-2 including the 2/3 class) and SESAs who have all been trained in this program. It will be delivered across 4 days a week for one hour each day Monday through to Thursday. RWI is part of the full literacy program across the whole week. In non RWI sessions, students will be participating in shared reading and writing experiences using quality literature to expand their language comprehension and make deep connections across learning areas.   

The RWI program teaches phonics systematically and children are taught the sounds in a particular order so that they can quickly read and spell words. It gives children a hook to learn the sounds by using pictures in the same shape as the letters. The children learn to read and write sounds and then they are given a book to read with the spelling sounds they have already been taught. Children do not read books that contain spellings of the sounds that they do not know. This means they build confidence quickly. A love of reading is built through the cosy reading they do with adults; reading quality books, developing comprehension and listening to expression and fluency. 

All the children will be taught in groups with other children across the Early Childhood classes that are learning the same sounds as them. All children have been assessed and have been put in the relevant instruction group. These groups will be fluid throughout the year. This means students may move groups depending on what they know and have a different teacher other than their normal classroom teacher. Children will be assessed each term, informing the groups for the following term. 

Children practise reading the RWI story books in class until they can read them fluently. The levelled readers that you will have been familiar with in Transition, Year 1 and 2, will no longer be sent home. We are currently exploring the Oxford Owl eBook Library online for the student to then access eBooks to practise the stories they are reading in class. We will let you know when this is set up. 

Children will be encouraged to bring home cosy readers (REAL Quality Literature) for you to read to and with them. We ask all parents to read to and with their children.  

During Year 2/3, once children have completed the RWI program, they will progress to a comprehension literacy program with daily reviews to link their phonemic awareness and phonics knowledge. Students will take books home at their instructional level to continue practising their decoding and comprehension with more proficient texts. 

RWI works towards the word recognition strands of the reading rope.

Please see below how you can support your child with the Letter formation and what to say to help them write them.