At St Catherine’s, we are committed to providing literacy instruction that is inline with MACs Vision For Instruction which underlines the importance of a learning environment that prioritises explicit instruction and student participation. MACS – Vision For Instruction
Explicit instruction
Skilled in evidence-based practices, our staff are committed to a literacy approach that is responsive to new research through regular professional development in the key areas of literacy. Staff have a sound understanding of Cognitive Load Theory (Sweller, 2010) and its relevance in understanding how students learn and retain information. We use teaching methods and approaches that avoid overloading the working memory and therefore maximise the opportunity for learning to occur.
( Source: Oliver Lovell, Cognitive Load Theory in Action (John Catt, 2020), p19)
We optimise learning by using effective instructional routines and explicitly teaching with clear explanations and opportunities to practise in all areas of the reading and writing rope;
- Phonological awareness
- Systematic synthetic Phonics
- Morphology
- Fluency
- Vocabulary
- Comprehension
- Spelling
- Handwriting
- Syntax
- Text structure
( Scarborough, H. S. (2001). Connecting early language and literacy to later reading (dis)abilities:
Evidence, theory, and practice. In S. Neuman & D. Dickinson (Eds.),
Handbook for research in early literacy (pp. 97-110). New York: Guilford Press)
Full participation and engagement norms are an essential component of explicit instruction. Learning is fast-paced, engaging and interactive, allowing students to be frequently called upon in a variety of ways, such as using our mini whiteboard routine, pair sharing, thumbs up, thumbs down and reading along with the teacher.
(© 2019 Joan Sedita, Keys to Literacy.
Published in The Writing Rope: A Framework for Explicit Writing Instruction in All Subjects
(Brookes Publishing Company).)
All of our students are screened 3 times a year to progress and monitor reading skills and to ensure any students who may require additional support are identified early.
We are committed to closing the reading gap through effective screening, assessing and responsive teaching.