Please find below an important update about our literacy programme and progressions

Term 2 2022

Over the past two years we have strengthened our literacy curriculum by implementing structured literacy pedagogy (evidence-based literacy practices) across the school.

Structured Literacy is an evidence-based approach that is grounded in the Science of Reading. As a school, we have partnered with Learning Matters and will be accessing the iDeaL platform to ensure our teachers are well supported with this transition and the approach becomes embedded and sustainable across our school.

In broad terms, structured literacy prepares students to decode words in an explicit and systematic manner. This approach not only helps students with a learning difference, but there is substantial evidence that it is effective for all readers.

Key differences from a traditional reading programme include the types of texts that are used, how instruction looks in the classroom and how you might support your child at home. This video provides a great overview of structured literacy at home and school.

Our reading programmes continue to use rich language, and a variety of texts which promote a love of reading and learning.

In order to align our practice with our assessment and reporting, we have created a new bank of structured literacy reading and writing progressions (your child’s goals as shown on HERO).

Teachers have been using their Term 1 assessments and knowledge of their learners to update these new progressions. These progressions will go live and be available for you to see this week.

What does this mean for you and your child?

You will see our previous reading and writing reports on your child’s HERO page alongside two new sets of goals. This is so that the previous record of progress and achievement remains visible.

Please note that while the format will look similar to the previous bank of goals, these have been strengthened by the addition of the structured literacy goals.

There may be gaps in your child's structured literacy goals at curriculum levels that have previously been fully achieved. This is because these concepts are a part of our new approach to teaching literacy and have not yet been taught. These gaps will be filled by teachers as part of their structured literacy teaching programmes.

While we transition to our structured literacy goals we urge you to focus on the progress dials rather than the graph/curriculum sub level. You will be able to see the progress your child is making by looking at the ‘recently completed’ section under the dials and the ‘level’ button to see a detailed breakdown of the goals your child has achieved (green), is working on (buff) and has yet to achieve (grey).

We are excited that the new addition of structured literacy progressions better reflects our teaching and learning programmes and the progress that your child is making.

Unpacking Progressions Based Reporting

Understanding the progression wheels

The progression wheels show you where your child is tracking in relation to the achievement levels of the NZ Curriculum. Curriculum achievement objectives have been broken down into smaller learning progressions which are taught within the classroom teaching and learning programmes. The literacy learning progressions for example, describe the specific literacy knowledge, skills, and attitudes that students draw on in order to meet the reading and writing demands of the curriculum.

As your child works their way through the set of goals the green circle will fill.

The circle may not be 100% complete before your child moves onto the next level meaning a child may be working on multiple curriculum levels.

By clicking on the level button you are able to bring up a complete set of goals for a curriculum level (part of a curriculum level set of goals shown in the image below).

The goals that your child is currently working on with their teachers are shown under the curriculum dials. These are regularly reviewed and updated by teachers as children progress with their learning.

• Green indicates goals that have been achieved.

• Buff indicates goals that your child is currently working on.

• Black indicates goals that are yet to be assigned.