At PLPS our school has created a literacy curriculum that enables our students to become proficient and lifelong learners.
SPEAKING & LISTENING
Oral language is used, both informally and formally, to convey and receive meaning. Teaching strategies encourage development and demonstration of knowledge and awareness regarding the appropriate use of oral language for particular audiences, occasions and purposes, including body language, tone, volume and nuance. Active listening strategies and an understanding of the conventions involved with different speaking purposes, including daily communication and interaction, group discussions, formal presentations and speeches, storytelling and negotiating are also developed within the framework of our literacy learning.
READING
Our reading program involves students understanding, interpreting, critically analysing, reflecting upon and enjoying written and visual texts. It is our intention to expose our students to a wide variety and range of texts at all levels, incorporating a blend of literature and non-fiction material. Newspapers, magazines and texts associated with information and communications technology are also integrated into the learning program.
We encourage active engagement with the text and our purpose is to ensure that our students are judged on their capacity to make sense of and comprehend the material that they read. This capacity to understand the written word underpins our purpose for reading, whether it be for research, information or enjoyment and pleasure. At any time, the focus of our reading sessions at any level may include any of the below:
- helping students make predictions, sample the text, confirm or modify predictions and self-correct if required
- search for specific information in the text
- interpret and gather information through the analysis of illustrations
- use phonic knowledge to check predictions
- develop an awareness and knowledge of tools such as alliteration, rhyme, metaphor or similes
- interpreting aspects of the story including characters, setting, mood and the author’s style and intent
- formats and features of non-fiction and electronic communications and texts
WRITING
Our writing program encourages the students to conceive, plan, compose, edit and publish a range of texts for print and electronic purposes, across a range of genre. Our writing program develops and encourages the use of appropriate language for specific purposes, both formal and informal, to express, convey and represent ideas, issues, arguments and perspectives, events, characters and information. We also seek to develop a metalanguage to discuss language conventions and their use.