Literacy

Accelerated Literacy (AL) is an integral part of the KPPS literacy program.  All current staff members are trained in the implementation of this pedagogy.  We benefit from external support provided by a qualified literacy consultant.  Twice per term, the consultant visits our school to plan with teachers, observe practice and provide feedback on the use of AL pedagogy.

Accelerated Literacy is a pedagogy which makes explicit to students the ways of speaking, listening, viewing, thinking, reading, writing and spelling that are part of a literate discourse in western culture. Students are introduced to a highly literate text which provides a context within which students can learn literacy skills and understandings. It strongly supports teachers in offering a balanced literacy program, and provides a common language and framework for teachers and students to support a whole school literacy strategy.

The pedagogy is aligned with the aims and content of the Australian English Curriculum and Literacy as a General Capability.

Students begin their reading journey on the Reading Recovery levelled readers where there is a strong focus on word attack skills and fluency.  Once students reach level 26+ of the reading recovery books, they move to the online Literacy Pro Program. Literacy Pro requires students to choose books from their level in the school library.  Once these books are read, an online multiple choice quiz is completed.  The quizzes require students to demonstrate their understanding using a range of comprehension skills.

Throughout the reading process, students are explicitly taught skills essential for reading comprehension. 
These skills include: –  connecting  –  inferring  –  visualizing  –  synthesizing  –  predicting  –  summarizing  –  activating prior knowledge  –  skimming –  questioning  –  scanning

Students are encouraged to participate in the Premier’s Reading Challenge each year.

The Premier’s Reading Challenge motivates South Australian students from Reception to Year 12 to read books.

Students are rewarded for their participation and achievement by receiving Premier’s Reading Challenge certificates and medals

Students engage in writing daily and are taught explicitly how to write texts that persuade, inform and entertain. These include discussions, responses, expositions, reports, procedures, explanations, recounts, descriptions and narratives. Explicit writing instruction is often linked to the text students are studying through Accelerated Literacy.

A Writing Approach to Reading (WRAP) is a program designed for teaching literacy skills in an integrated way. WRAP develops a system of literacy skills by breaking down the complex reading and writing system into small units of understanding. By learning 70 phonograms, students are able to understand how English words are constructed. WRAP includes instruction in listening, speaking, spelling, reading, writing, handwriting and comprehension.
KPPS has adopted the WRAP program mainly for spelling as it builds skills in:
Phonemic Awareness
Phonics
Vocabulary
Spelling Rules
Grammar and Sentence Construction

Students are taught to effectively use expressive and receptive methods of communication – listening and speaking. Daily practice occurs throughout the curriculum. Children are taught the behaviours and skills of good speakers and listeners through games, presentations, role plays and circle time.

Students at Kirton Point Primary are heavily supported in literacy and numeracy on a daily basis by trained ssos.  Every class has sso support during the literacy and/or numeracy block.  During intervention sessions, students review concepts that they have been taught through a process similar to reading recovery.  Primary age students who require additional support may be involved in quicksmart literacy three times per week.  They practise literacy skills including word recognition and grammar to automaticity level and develop comprehension skills during the sessions.  Students with disabilities or who require additional support for speech and language may also receive help from external resource personnel such as DECD speech pathologists or occupational therapists.