Sound waves
The sound waves phonemic approach uses a sound-to-letter strategy which
acknowledges that sounds can be represented more than one way in written form.
This synthetic phonics approach focuses first on the basic units of sound in
our language – phonemes. It then explores the letters that represent these
sounds and how they can be put together to form written words.
Sound waves enhances learning with strategies for reading, writing and
spelling. This way our students will gain a deeper understanding of how words
are structured.
As well as turning our students into super spellers, sound waves covers
the key language concepts they’ll need to become highly literate. These
concepts, including prefixes, suffixes, Latin and Greek roots, synonyms, homophones
and more, are woven into the student book activities for each sound unit.
Reading
At Bundaberg South State School teachers are focusing on the same comprehension skill each week. Teachers are explicitly teaching their children the skill in an “I
Do” lesson where the teacher engages the students in the skill and models it to
them. The next reading lesson is “We Do” where the teacher is working
with students to practice the skill and the last part of the reading sequence
is the “You Do” where students are independently reading using the
skill/strategy taught. At Bundaberg South State School our balanced
reading program looks like:
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Reading to students
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Modelled reading
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Language experience
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Shared reading
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Guided reading
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Book discussion groups
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Independent reading
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Daily – 10-15 minutes
To introduce how to use reading
comprehension strategies.
To model fluency.
To model text analysis.
To encourage an appreciation of
reading.
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To be completed throughout the term
as an ongoing activity e.g. innovation, cloze etc.
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20-30 minutes 4 days per week
To reinforce how to use reading comp
strategies and practise applying these.
To give feedback and practise fluency.
To give feedback and practise text
analysis.
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1 session per week (possibly during
library lessons)
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Daily – 10 – 15 minutes
To develop fluency and encourage an
appreciation of reading.
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Writing
At Bundaberg South State School the teachers use “The Writing Book” written by Sheena Cameron and Louise Dempsey to assist them in engaging students to become
proficient writers.
Teachers at Bundaberg South believe that we need to teach students to write because they have something to say. The teachers use the process of:
Before we write activities to engage students in the writing process and stimulate planning and clarifying ideas
As we write activities to develop writing skills and knowledge.
After we write activities so students are able to proofread their writing and receive feedback on their writing (celebrating success.)
Sightwords
Bundaberg South State School uses the Magic MIOOW words
consistently throughout the whole school. This commences in Prep and follows the students through to Year 6 with the expectations increasing at each juncture.