English aims to ensure that students:
- learn to listen to, read, speak, write, create and reflect on increasingly complex and sophisticated spoken, written and multimodal texts across a growing range of contexts with accuracy, fluency and purpose
- appreciate, enjoy and use the English language in all its variations and develop a sense of its richness and power to evoke feelings, convey information, form ideas, facilitate interaction with others, entertain, persuade and argue
- understand how Standard Australian English works in its spoken and written forms and in combination with non-linguistic forms of communication to create meaning
- develop interest and skills in inquiring into the aesthetic aspects of texts, and develop an informed appreciation of literature
Source: Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority (ACARA)
Literacy underpins learning in all areas of study and involves using listening, speaking, reading, viewing and writing in a wide range of situations.
Our English program is structured to educate and equip children with skills, strategies and understandings to become literate and articulate members of the community. We do this in partnership with parents and we recognise and celebrate our diverse cultural and linguistic backgrounds.
At St Joseph's, we have a full and balanced literacy block each day. The focus may move from spelling to writing, reading, oral language or grammar. Many classes have literacy learning centres which focus specifically on developing reading and writing skills.
Our teachers are committed to conducting regular reading assessments and use the information gained from this to support the students in improving their reading. In Years 4 to 6 the students have regular Guided Reading sessions where they have an opportunity to discuss and critically analyse a variety of text types.
