Category: Learning Specialist

Reading with children is not only a wonderful way to bond with them but also an essential activity that fosters their cognitive and emotional development. However, getting kids excited about reading can sometimes be challenging, especially in this digital age where screens compete for their attention. To make reading a joyous experience for both you and your child, here are ten tips and tricks that will make reading fun and engaging:

1. Create a Cozy Reading Environment:
Designate a special reading nook or corner in your home where you and your child can snuggle up with a book. Make it inviting with soft cushions and blankets to create a cozy atmosphere that makes reading time a cherished ritual.

2. Select Books Together:
Involve your child in the process of choosing books. Take them to the library or bookstore and let them explore different genres and themes. By giving them a say in the selection, they will feel more enthusiastic about the reading material.

3. Use Expressive Voices:
As you read, use different voices for the characters in the story. Get creative and animated with your expressions, making the characters come alive. This theatrical approach will captivate your child’s imagination and make the story more engaging.

4. Encourage Participation:
Encourage your child to participate actively while reading. Pause at strategic points and ask questions about the story, characters, or their predictions about what might happen next. This involvement will help them stay focused and develop critical thinking skills.

5. Incorporate Props and Visuals:
Bring the story to life by using props or visuals that relate to the plot. For example, if the story involves animals, have some stuffed animals ready for your child to hold while you read. This hands-on approach will make the reading experience more interactive and memorable.

6. Organize Book-themed Activities:
Extend the reading experience beyond the book by organizing related activities. For instance, if you read a book about pirates, create a treasure hunt in your backyard, or if it’s a story about baking, make cookies together. Connecting the book’s content to real-life activities will enhance their comprehension and enthusiasm for reading.

7. Make Use of Audiobooks:
Audiobooks can be an excellent addition to your reading routine. Play audiobooks during car rides or bedtime to mix up the reading experience. Hearing professional narrators can also improve their listening skills and pronunciation.

8. Start a Family Book Club:
If you have older children, start a family book club where everyone reads the same book and then discusses it together. This fosters a love for reading in the entire family and encourages healthy conversations about books and literature.

9. Celebrate Milestones and Achievements:
Celebrate reading milestones, such as finishing a book or reading for a certain number of hours, with small rewards or treats. Positive reinforcement will motivate your child to read more and enjoy the sense of accomplishment.

10. Be a Reading Role Model:
Children often imitate the behaviours of their parents. Demonstrate your love for reading by reading your own books or newspapers in their presence. Your enthusiasm for reading will be contagious, and they will be inspired to pick up books on their own.

Reading with children should be a joyful and engaging experience. By creating a positive reading environment, involving them in the book selection process, using expressive voices, and incorporating interactive elements, you can instil a lifelong love for reading in your child.

Have you noticed a change in the take home books that you are seeing? Maybe you are hearing the words Daily Review or Core Literacy.

If you are hearing these terms at home, that’s great!

At Beaconsfield Primary School we pride ourselves on high-quality explicit instruction, using research to guide our practice and gaining the BEST outcomes we can for our students. It is because of our passion for education that we are always seeking to learn how we can improve what we do.

Introducing Core Literacy!

Core Literacy is a structured approach to teaching the foundational skills that are required for successful, fluent reading and comprehension.

Multiple times each week our teachers provide targeted, explicit instruction on phonological awareness, phonics, decoding, reading fluency, writing fluency and opportunities for targeted guided learning in a high-impact, sequential and structured way.

These short, sharp activities support students to develop the skills of decoding and language comprehension, skills that are necessary to become successful readers, consumers and producers of text.

Each day students participate in Daily Review tasks to enable them to grasp new concepts and transfer new learning into their long-term memory. This structured review provides opportunities for multiple exposures to new concepts, revisiting of prior learning and opportunities to clarify students’ misunderstandings.

Daily review techniques minimise cognitive load as the routine is structured, predictable and sequential, therefore freeing up our students working memory to make space for important learning.

To support our Core Literacy program we have invested in bulk sets of decodable texts for use in the junior school area, you may have seen some of these books from Australian Decodables come home in your child’s satchel. They are beautifully illustrated and phonetically controlled to support the development of decoding skills in early readers.

In addition to these books, we have access to an online decodable library of fiction and non-fiction texts, providing our senior grades with access to high-quality texts to support the development of phonics knowledge and instruction across the whole school.

If you’d like to know more about Core Literacy, please ask your classroom teacher or myself.

Mrs Trott

Running Routines

Whether it is the schedule we follow each morning, our exercise regime, or a skincare ritual, routines are an important aspect of everyday life, and their value should not be understated. At Beacy, we have done a lot of research into the benefits of establishing routines in the classroom and the way that they can reduce the cognitive load on our students.

Cognitive load is the amount of mental energy and resources that are required to process and retain information in working memory. When the cognitive load is too high, the brain has to work harder to process information, leading to reduced capacity for attention, focus and memory. Naturally, we want our students to retain as much of what we teach in class as possible, so we strive to create routines in our classrooms to help reduce this load and give them the best chance of success.

Having routines in place can assist children in many ways:

1. Predictability – when children know what to expect, they don’t have to spend mental energy trying to figure out what’s going to happen next. This helps children feel more in control of their environment.

• Automaticity – as children become more familiar with a routine, the actions and expectations become automatic. They don’t have to consciously think about what they need to do which helps them focus on the learning.

• Time Management – routines provide structure and help children manage their time more effectively.

• Familiarity – routines provide a sense of comfort. Rather than expend energy figuring out what’s going on, they can focus on learning.

Each classroom has their own morning and afternoon routines, as well as clear guidelines for when they transition between lessons. This can help reduce students worrying about what is happening next and things can flow seamlessly. Teachers also often use familiar proformas and question prompts to help allow students to focus on what they are learning, rather than how they are actually completing an activity. Whilst initially the routines require some practise, the benefits are certainly worth it.

As you would know, having similar types of routines within your family at home can also positively impact your children in so many ways. The following can be products of having strong routines:

• Reduces stress and anxiety
• Helps develop good habits
• Supports self-discipline
• Improves sleep quality
• Helps children feel safe and secure
• Fosters independence
• Reduces the likelihood of negative behaviour
• Encourages family bonding

With so much going on in today’s world, the easier we can make things for our children the better.

Chris Jeffries

Learning Specialist – Engagement and Wellbeing

Student Engagement at Beaconsfield Primary School

At Beaconsfield Primary School we plan and provide for a range of opportunities and experiences for all our students. Our aim is to encourage our students to develop the following values and attributes:

• Critical thinkers and problem solvers
• Ability to collaborate with others
• Effective written and oral communication
• Able to use initiative
• Independence and adaptability
• Curiosity and imagination
• Being resilient

One way of fostering these attributes and values is through student engagement. Student engagement is more than just ‘the bells and whistles’ or ‘wow’ moments throughout our teaching, it is how actively involved and interested students are in their learning experience. It includes factors such as active participation in class, motivation to learn, and willingness to take on challenges. When students are engaged, they are more likely to retain information and develop critical thinking skills, leading to better academic performance and overall success.

Some strategies staff at Beacy use to engage their students:

• Vary instruction methods to cater to different learning styles.
• Incorporate interactive activities and games in the classroom.
• Encourage student collaboration and group work.
• Use real-life examples and current events to connect with students.
• Provide opportunities for student choice and autonomy.
• Use technology to enhance learning experiences.
• Make the value of the lesson clear.
• Provide feedback and recognise student achievements.
• Incorporate movement and hands on activities into the classroom.
• Create a positive and inclusive classroom environment.

How parents and carers can help their children stay engaged as learners:

• Focus on the learning strengths of your child and provide them with positive reinforcement by acknowledging their growth and achievements.
• Encourage active learning through things such as the use of puzzles, educational games or conducting experiments.
• Ensure your children get the correct amount of sleep each night.
• Helping them form routines around homework or nightly reading.
• Assist them to goal-set, both in and out of school.
• Stay involved with your child’s education by asking them about their progress and what they are enjoying at school.

When students are engaged at school, not only does it lead to better academic performance, it also leads to greater motivation, enhanced social skills, and improved self-esteem. As educators and parents, we can work together to give the children of Beaconsfield Primary School the best chance of being the optimum version of themselves.

Chris Jeffries

Learning Specialist – Engagement and Wellbeing