Bass Valley Primary School is a rural school situated between the Bass Highway and the small Coastal town of Corinella, on the land of the Bunurong/Boonwurrung people.
Literacy skills are critical for all learning, so at Bass Valley Primary School we use evidence-based methods to ensure all students succeed and thrive in this area. Students participate in a two hour daily session dedicated to teaching these skills.
Explicit and systematic teaching of fundamental knowledge and skills guides our approach to provide the best possible environment for all students develop the ability to read, write and understand the rules that govern the English language.
Teachers are currently being trained in Sounds Write to further develop an approach to teaching reading and spelling that is aligned with what the science states around literacy instruction. This approach recognises that reading is made up of 6 key areas:
1. Phonological Awareness
2. Phonics
3. Sight Words
4. Fluency
5. Vocabulary
6. Comprehension
For parents and community members interested in learning more about helping children to read and write, take a look at these free short Udemy courses from John Walker, a literacy expert who created the Sounds Write program:
When helping children to read, we encourage them to:
This infographic from Teach Starter is a useful summary of these strategies.