Literacy at Meadowglen Primary School
Building Strong Communicators
Building strong foundations in English is a key priority at Meadowglen Primary School. Our Literacy program ensures students develop skills in:
- Reading
- Phonics and Word Knowledge
- Writing
- Speaking and Listening
Key Features of Our Literacy Program
- Two 50-minute Literacy sessions daily in every classroom, focusing on reading comprehension, writing, and oral language.
- A dedicated 25-minute daily phonics and word knowledge block in junior year levels, with explicit teaching of phonemic awareness, decoding, word building, and vocabulary development.
- Explicit teaching using a consistent instructional model.
- Whole class, small group, and individual instruction tailored to student learning needs.
- Ongoing assessment to track growth and personalise learning goals.
Our approach ensures students become confident, fluent, and engaged readers and writers, equipped with the skills to communicate effectively and enjoy lifelong learning.
Our Evidence-Based Approach
Our teaching is systematic, explicit, and inclusive, informed by the latest research in the Science of Reading. Instruction is structured around the key components of effective literacy:
- Oral Language: Developing vocabulary, sentence structure, and the ability to listen and speak with clarity
- Phonological Awareness: Understanding the sound structure of language, including syllables, rhyme, and phonemic awareness
- Phonics: Systematic teaching of letter-sound relationships
- Fluency: Reading accurately, smoothly, and with expression
- Vocabulary: Developing a wide and deep understanding of words and their meanings
- Comprehension: Constructing meaning from texts and understanding both literal and inferred content
These components are explicitly taught, practised, and continually assessed across all year levels to ensure each student progresses with confidence.
Reading
Students engage in structured literacy instruction, beginning with phonics and decodable texts and progressing to complex texts that build fluency, vocabulary, and comprehension. Senior students focus on reading to learn, analysing texts for structure, figurative language, and inference. Small group instruction and targeted intervention ensure all learners make strong growth.
Writing
Writing instruction is explicit, purposeful, and scaffolded. Students learn to write in a variety of text types for different purposes and audiences, focusing on:
- Planning, drafting, revising, editing, and publishing
- Spelling, grammar, sentence, and paragraph structure
- Text cohesion and writer’s voice
- Using mentor texts and rich vocabulary
Handwriting
Handwriting is emphasised in Foundation to Year 2 to support letter recognition, spelling, and writing fluency.
Speaking and Listening
Oral language is the foundation of literacy. Students develop skills through discussion, storytelling, presentations, and vocabulary-building activities, learning to:
- Listen actively and respond appropriately
- Use formal and informal language in context
- Share ideas clearly in group and individual settings
- Engage in structured discussions and presentations
Supporting Your Child at Home
Speaking and Listening
- Talk with your child daily about a range of topics
- Use both home language and English to support language development
- Involve children in everyday conversations such as cooking, shopping, and travelling
- Explore new vocabulary through community experiences such as visiting parks, libraries, and shops
- Tell stories together and encourage children to create their own
- Discuss current events with older children to build critical thinking skills
Reading and Writing
- Make books part of everyday life by visiting libraries regularly
- Create a special reading space at home
- Read aloud regularly to build fluency and comprehension
- Ask questions about stories and encourage prediction
- Provide writing materials and encourage meaningful writing such as lists, cards, and messages
- Encourage children to read their writing aloud
MGPS Instructional models
