English Policy

Rationale
The development of literacy is central to the English curriculum.  Literacy involves speaking, listening, reading and writing.  The English Program should cater for all students regardless of ability or cultural differences. We offer a balanced curriculum with a strong emphasis on grammar, punctuation and spelling skills. In conjunction with tools such as Learning Technology, we aim to develop the necessary skills of critical literacy, research and effective communication. These aspects are taught in context and with purpose. We recognise and value the importance of a positive and supportive home/school relationship where the school community works towards a  shared literacy vision for our students. Essendon Primary School nurtures students as learners and communicators who speak with confidence and poise and read and write with enjoyment and purpose.
 
Goals
It is the goal of the English Program to provide the opportunity for all students to attain the outcomes for Level 4 or above Victorian Essential Learning Standards (VELS), at the completion of seven years education at Essendon Primary School.
Through the teaching of English it is expected that students will develop:

  • A lifelong love of reading
  • The ability to speak, listen, read, view and write effectively, with confidence, purpose and enjoyment
  • A knowledge of the ways in which language varies according to context, purpose, audience and content, and the capacity to apply this knowledge
  • A knowledge of the linguistic patterns used to construct different texts, and the capacity to apply this knowledge, especially in writing
  • A broad knowledge of a range of texts and a capacity to relate this to aspects  of contemporary society and personal experience
  • The capacity to discuss and analyse texts and language critically
  • A knowledge of the ways textual interpretation and understanding may vary according to cultural, social and personal differences, and the capacity to develop reasoned arguments about interpretation and meaning

Implementation
The following statements provide guidance for our curriculum planning and program development:
An English Co-ordinator, an Early Years Co-ordinator and Committee will be appointed each year to oversee the implementation of the English Policy and Program.
These documents will form the basis of the planning for the program:

  • English Victorian Essential Learning Standards (VELS)
  • Curriculum@Work
  • First Steps Reading, Writing and Spelling Developmental Continuums
  • First Steps Resource BooksEarly Years Literacy documents
  • Teachers will plan, teach and assess using procedures and strategies from the Early Years Literacy Program
    (P - 4) and the developing Middle Years Program  (5 - 6)

The components of the literacy program will be:

  • A daily structured classroom program additional assistance for students in need, eg. Reading Recovery for Gr 1 students at risk and small group intervention for other students.
  • Parental participation.
  • The daily classroom program should include a two hour literacy block that involves reading, writing and oral language each morning.
  • Teachers will participate in on-going professional development in Early Years Literacy, Middle Years Literacy and the First Steps program.
  • The Early Years Co-ordinator will run a 'Classroom Helpers' program each year to assist parents working in classrooms.
  • A home reading program will operate throughout the school.
  • The library will be used as a resource to nurture a love of literature and will complement the literacy program.
  • Moderation will take place in teams and between teams to determine student achievement and to assist planning for particular students.
  • All students will be placed on the First Steps Reading and Writing Continuums.
  • Teachers will assess students regularly to guide their teaching, using a variety of assessment procedures and identify those students in need of inclusion in Intervention and Extension programs.
  • Teachers will assess and report on student achievement against the VELS outcomes.

Evaluation
Teachers will use a variety of assessment strategies including:

  • Observation Survey
  • Running records
  • SEA (School Entry Assessment)
  • First Steps Continuums
  • Burt Word Test
  • Anecdotal records
  • Common Assessment Tasks
  • Checklists
  • DART (Developmental Assessment Resource for Teachers)
  • AIM (Achievement Improvement Monitor )

This policy will be reviewed in 2010.
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