Why Teaching Early Literacy is so Important

Research shows how important it is to take an explicit approach to the teaching of early literacy if students are to flourish. Together we can develop these early literacy skills as a vital foundation upon which to build further skills. Getting this right from the beginning is essential.

2020 marked the beginning of a review of the NSW Curriculum, starting with a focus on Kindergarten – Year 2. Syllabus writers, professional associations, academics, teachers and subject matter experts worked together to plan methodically what should be taught in NSW schools to give teachers and students more time to focus on the key learning areas and therefore to equip every student for success both at school and beyond. The new English syllabus (Kindergarten – Year 2) is due to be released in 2022 and implemented in 2023.

It will be structured and sequenced to highlight the connections across oral language (speaking and listening), reading (fluency and comprehension) and writing. We therefore find ourselves with a systematic, deliberate, explicit English syllabus – no longer leaving things to chance and not presuming children will pick up skills incidentally from immersion in whole language teaching. Queenwood is wellplaced to deliver this syllabus, as we already assess and differentiate for individual students, deliver structured phonics and invest heavily in professional development in this area for our experienced staff.

Oral Narrative

Through speaking and listening activities we develop expressive (spoken) and receptive (heard) language, recalling events and re-telling stories, predicting text, describing illustrations, learning songs, rhymes, poems, role play, understanding and effectively using increasingly complex vocabulary. Building oral narrative is a vital foundation to the reading and writing process.

Parents can offer support by promoting conversation: listen to and speak with your children; seize opportunities in the car, on walks, at mealtimes; ask questions and build on answers; and put away the iPhone, tablet and minimise screen time (now we’ve all returned to school!). Build comprehension through conversations about books, movies and shared experiences. Sing, learn poems, role play, encourage imaginary play, bake, encourage children to play cards, board and construction games. Give multistep instructions to children. Model well-spoken English.

Reading

Research shows that there are five key components of reading which should be explicitly taught. To move from ‘learning to read’ to ‘reading to learn’ all five elements must be mastered. This approach is referred to as Synthetic Phonics (synthesising or blending of sounds to make a word and enable children to read) and involves systematically teaching parts of words so that children can learn to read and write. The five elements are: Phonemic awareness (understanding that words are made up of sounds); Phonics (the relationship between sounds and letters); Fluency (automatically reading without the need to decode each word); Vocabulary building; Comprehension.

Reading researcher, Timothy Shanahan (2018) reminds us to ‘make sure children receive daily, explicit, systematic decoding instruction.’ Drew (2020) states, ‘When students understand how to read letters and sounds, they can then put together words.’

A wide range of decodable readers are used for the Queenwood early years home reading program. These books are written to practise specifically what has been taught during explicit, phonics instruction at School. A synthetic phonics approach recommends that children are exposed to quality literature every day. The daily Queenwood Just Read program rests on the premise that the more we read, the better our vocabulary and background >> knowledge – which is why this School initiative extends to the whole community, with parents and teachers as role models regularly demonstrating reading for pleasure and sharing the girls’ love of reading.

Parents can offer support by weaving reading into everyday routines at home. Read home readers as a matter of routine. Acquire books for your home –visit bookshops and libraries. Read aloud to all K – 6 children. Be seen as a ‘reader.’ Encourage children to inquire – find out from books. Follow instructions and recipes, look at letters and numerals, signs and posters in the environment.

Writing

Students create written texts based on their knowledge of the writing process (using modelled examples, word walls, lists, environmental print and texts read), utilising increasingly complex sentences, grammar, punctuation vocabulary, with varied sentence beginnings for effect. They practise correct formation of lower-case and upper-case letters with increasing legibility, fluidity and automaticity as well as digital technology (word processing). They understand and respond to texts through discussion and later creating texts using similar structures, intentional language choice and features appropriate to their audience and purpose.

Parents can offer support by encouraging their daughters to make lists, keep a diary, create signs, draft stories, write letters and party invitations (real life connections add authenticity, purpose and incentive to developing literacy skills).

Research shows how important it is to take an explicit approach to the teaching of early literacy if students are to flourish. Together we can develop these early literacy skills as a vital foundation upon which to build further skills. Getting this right from the beginning is essential.

Semester 2 2018 ƣ Silent reading trial for Years 7 – 11.

Semester 1 2019 ƣ Silent Sustained Reading (SSR) proposal presented to the Executive Team. ƣ Timetable adjusted to accommodate 20 minutes of daily SSR.

Semester 2 2019 ƣ Awarded Association of Independent Schools (AIS) research grant. ƣ Presentations to staff, students and parents. ƣ First data collection. ƣ Gifting of books to all staff.

Semester 2 2020 ƣ Interim Report to AIS submitted. ƣ Final data collection. ƣ Preparation for writing academic articles. ƣ Gifting of books to new Year 7 2021 students on Orientation Day.

Book talks in Senior School.

Semester 2 2021 ƣ AIS Research Symposium presentation. ƣ Project evaluation. ƣ Preparation of final Report for AIS. ƣ JustRead continues during remote learning (COVID-19). ƣ SSR rebranded as JustRead

Semester 1 2020 ƣ Dr Merga professional development (PD) to all staff. ƣ Launched JustRead. ƣ Formation of the Student Advisory Committee. ƣ Parent surveys and staff focus groups. ƣ JustRead continues during remote learning (COVID-19).

Semester 1 2021 ƣ New staff JustRead induction. ƣ Data analysis. ƣ Continued knowledge translation through conferences, presentations and articles. ƣ Gifting of books to all staff.