ENGLISH @ CLAREMONT COLLEGE
“Literacy is the jump-off point from which all of life's successes take flight.” Lauri Fortino
English is used to communicate in both written and spoken form and we use language to build our view and opinion of the world. At Claremont, we firmly believe that developing a love of English in our students is vital in achieving success and connecting with our ever-changing world. The exploration and enjoyment of English is our priority, and lessons are taught daily across the school in an engaging collaborative environment.
The ‘Why’ behind our English practices at Claremont
At Claremont College, our collaborative teaching model allows us to cater to each individual student’s learning needs in English. Our Classroom Teachers and Learning Enrichment Teachers can differentiate the English content to enhance the learning experience for the full range of students, including those with special learning needs and/or high intellectual potential. During English lessons, students are grouped flexibly according to their needs and learning experiences are planned accordingly. We use evidence-based teaching programs and practices, and measure student progress and growth across the year.
What learning is essential in English?
- Language is represented in spoken and written forms and is a tool for communication that differs according to audience and purpose.
- Oral language competence provides a solid foundation for communication.
- Vocabulary knowledge influences the development of reading, writing and oral language skills.
- Phonic knowledge and phonological awareness are essential foundational skills for early literacy.
- Transcription skills of handwriting and spelling are important components of writing fluency and impact cognitive load when writing.
- Reading fluency refers to accurate and automatic word recognition and prosodic reading which impacts reading comprehension.
- Listening to and using literature can foster understanding of text structures and language forms and features, support reading comprehension, expand vocabularies and expose students to new concepts and ideas.
This is a rather cute but powerful TED Talk about reading from a young student’s point of view.
TED TALK The power and importance of READING by Luke Bakic-Pawlak
NESA (NSW Education Standards Authority) divides the Outcomes and Content in the Syllabus in Kindergarten to Year 2 in the following way, with the role and connection that Understanding Texts and Creating Texts have across all areas of English clarified.
NESA (NSW Education Standards Authority) divides the Outcomes and Content in the Syllabus in Year 3 to Year 6 in the following way, with the role and connection that Understanding Texts and Creating Texts have across all areas of English clarified as less defined in the Primary years.
“The more that you read, the more you will know. The more that you learn, the more places you’ll go.” Dr Seuss
Mrs Hannah Davis
Head of English
