English study is mandatory in NSW from Kindergarten to Year 12.
Students learn about the English language through written, spoken and visual texts of increasing complexity as they progress through their schooling.
An understanding of the English language is central to how we communicate and essential for intellectual, social and emotional development.
The study of English should develop a love of literature and learning and be challenging and enjoyable. It develops skills to enable students to experiment with ideas and expression, to become active, independent and lifelong learners, to work with each other and to reflect on their learning.
The focus areas for each stage support students’ growing knowledge and understanding in the areas of:
- Oral language and communication
- Vocabulary
- Phonological awareness (K-2 focus)
- Print conventions (K-2 focus)
- Phonic knowledge (K-2 focus) / Spelling (3-6 focus)
- Reading fluency
- Reading comprehension
- Creating written texts
- Spelling
- Handwriting (K-2 focus) / Handwriting and digital transcription (3-6 focus)
- Understanding and responding to literature
In the junior school much emphasis is placed on phonics, with a half hour phonics lesson conducted daily across Kindergarten to Year 2. As students move into primary, the focus moves to spelling lessons. Our youngest students use their acquired phonics knowledge to begin to write their own sentences independently. As students move through primary school, they gradually learn to write more longer and complex pieces, with attention given to more complex punctuation, vocabulary and themes.
Importance is placed on reading to students, as well as independent reading. When learning to read, students work with decodable readers (which include the spellings and sounds that they have learned in class). As students achieve mastery in decodable readers, emphasis is placed on reading a wide variety of texts independently. Students move on to reading chapter books, novels and picture books with more complex themes.
Reading together at home is one of the best ways that you can help your child to become a good reader and writer. For more tips, see the video below.
https://players.brightcove.net/6146050564001/default_default/index.html?videoId=6323862860112