LITERACY
Reading Together
STEPS - Literacy
What is Literacy about?
Literacy is about learning to use, create and enjoy the Literacy language in all its forms – oral, written and visual communication.
How is Literacy structured in the New Zealand Curriculum?
Literacy is structured into two interconnected strands:
Making Meaning | listening, reading and viewing.
Creating Meaning | speaking, writing and presenting.
Students need to practice making meaning and creating meaning at each level of the curriculum.
How is Literacy taught at our school.
We believe that our students need to practice making and creating meaning for the following purposes:
To Entertain
To Inform
To Instruct
To Persuade
We believe competency in Literacy is crucial for our students to access and succeed in other learning areas. As a result Literacy is a priority area throughout the school. Reading and Writing is taught daily, and spelling, handwriting and oral language is covered throughout the week.
Teachers will explicitly teach the necessary skills for students to work towards developing independence when making meaning and creating meaning from the Literacy language. Integration across the curriculum will provide a context for learning, when appropriate. Teachers will place an emphasis on building depth of understanding within each strand and mode (listening, reading, viewing, speaking, writing and presenting). Literacy programmes will become increasingly challenging to build on prior learning. Teachers will provide opportunities for all students to practice, consolidate and extend their understandings on a daily basis.
Students will be immersed in a literacy rich environment that provides motivation, quality teaching, modelling and celebrates their learning.
Students will be taught in ways that best cater for their specific learning needs as identified through a range of formative and summative assessments. Students that have been identified as not achieving will be catered for through support in Reading Recovery, Learning Support, IEP’s and support from appropriate outside agencies (Rt-Lit., RTLB, Speech and Language Therapy etc)
· Teaching and learning is supported by shared learning intentions
· Appropriate teaching and learning resources, equipment and games will guide and enhance the teaching and learning of Literacy
· Provide a balanced programme that addresses student needs, builds on prior knowledge and provides opportunities to use new learning within other contexts and/or learning areas
· Students will be accurately assessed and taught to meet their learning needs at the appropriate level
· At risk students are identified and are provided with appropriate support
· All classes will have enriching and productive learning environments and established routines and expectations
· Gaps in learning will be identified at all levels and appropriate programmes developed within the classroom
Literacy Websites to Support Your Child’s Learning in Reading
Click on any of the Website Names below to visit their site
Reading Eggs
Reading Eggs makes learning to read interesting and engaging for kids, with great online reading games and activities. Children love the games, songs, golden eggs and other rewards which, along with feeling proud of their reading, really motivate children to keep exploring and learning.
Enjoy helpful tips and activities to support your children’s learning and discover 250 eBooks.
East Coast Bays Library eBooks
A range of ebooks and online resources/magazines available.
How to Help at Home
Ministry of Education suggestions for parents and caregivers.
TVNZ Goodnight Kiwi Stories
Create an account and login to TVNZ on demand, to watch New Zealand stories online.
Starfall Phonics Learning
Helpful phonics activities.
Storyline Online
A library of videos with a range of celebrities reading pictures books aloud.
Sunshine Online
Sunshine Online will help your child learn to read and develop important skills as they become independent readers.
Epic
Access to thousands of books, videos and quizzes from leading publishers to help kids everywhere read, learn and grow.