Reading Update

To be functionally literate means to have the practical skills necessary to read, have some form of expressive communication and do simple math calculations that support personal and community development. From interpreting a bus timetable, applying for rental accommodation, job applications and keeping track of spending, functional literacy, or the lack of it, impacts all of us.

Our 2025 Annual Improvement Plan (AIP), available on the GSS website, outlines our intentions to formalise the collaborative teaching of literacy via explicit instruction across the school. Under the direction of our incredible teaching and support staff, literacy building lessons happen in many ways and the AIP focus provides opportunities for staff to share and build on our professional knowledge.

While we are busy researching, developing and delivering explicit literacy instructions in the classroom, there are other ways to support your child’s progress at home and when you are out and about. Speaking and listening remain important for vocabulary development as young minds sponge up new words and phrases to explain the world around them. Get creative with your descriptions or everyday items and routines and encourage your child to do the same. Non-speakers also benefit from imaginative wonderings in favourite texts or audio books and there will be lots to choose from depending on your child’s personal interest.

While out and about children love helping to get items off the shelf at the supermarket which also exposes them to new and familiar words. Can more confident readers write the shopping list? Celebrate success – if you can understand it, spelling is not as important as building our confidence and enthusiasm for reading and writing. At school, we focus on the sounds letters make in the early stages of reading rather than letter names so pick up a catalogue to take home and look through together. Can your developing reader identify the sound the item starts or ends with?  Older children may notice differences in brands and prices or want to read ingredient lists or check for allergens which leads to conversations that spark interest to learn more. Whatever your child’s personal interest, it is a useful resource to engage them in learning to read and express themselves.

Happy teaching and learning,

Jodie Sargeant

Expert Reading Team Leader

Jodie Sargeant

Expert Reading Team Leader