Happy New Year. I hope the new year has commenced positively for each respective family and that despite the uncertainty of the year thus far, 2022 brings happiness and good health for all.
It is with a great sense of enthusiasm and immense dedication that I write to the school community, indicating that throughout the 2022 academic school year that I will continue to fulfil the role of Head of Learning- English. I shall still lead through the role of Head of Instructional Practice; equally invested in both domains and enthusiastically invested in leading the wonderful team of English teachers at Penola Catholic College.
I am also extremely devoted to working alongside Mrs. Kasia Pliszka who will continue in her role as Head of English at the Glenroy Campus and together we shall collaborate, model and work closely with all English staff in order to provide each of the students entrusted in our care with the best possible opportunities pertaining to their studies of English. The vision for the English Department for the 2022 school year is as follows:
Cultivating a Reading Culture
A reading culture is an environment whereby reading
is championed, valued, respected, and encouraged.
Reading lies at the heart of the curriculum,
and it's of the upmost importance to a child's
personal, social, and academic success,
along with their health and wellbeing.
This vision shall be achieved by;
- Leaders and teachers as model readers
- Encouraging students to read aloud daily
- Staff shall foster independent reading practice
- Generate time to discuss books
- Collaborate and actively involve parents
Collectively we are dedicated in providing and generating a love of learning and a love for the written word for each student at Penola Catholic College. We pride ourselves on engaging our students with 21st century capabilities and a skill set through the rich English curriculum we offer and through the careful selection of texts we shall teach and study throughout the course of the year.
The 2022 school year promises to be a wonderful year ahead filled with positive learning and teaching moments that shall engage your child’s curiosity and interest in English. As parents, actively involving yourself and forming a collective partnership in your child’s learning journey is exceedingly beneficial. This can be strongly achieved through reading the allocated texts your child is expected to read. In turn, rich and plentiful conversations between both you and your child can take place, ultimately leading to further supporting and solidifying their understanding and engagement of elements within the given story.
I would like to make it explicitly clear that all students are to read their allocated English texts. This is not a negotiable request or task; however, a clear expectation.
Both Kasia and I will liaise regularly with all English staff across both campuses, providing ongoing support for both students and staff in order for each English classroom to be inquisitive in nature, drawing on a love for the written word. It is imperative that students are equipped to become confident readers and writers, developing a skill set in English that can be carried through all areas across the curriculum.
Finally, I draw your attention to ‘The Twelve Reading Strategies’ located below. These twelve reading strategies will assist in the home environment where students can draw to each of these strategies to assist with their understanding of a given text. These strategies help promote confident readers and provide for a deeper understanding of the written word. I encourage all parents and students to engage with ‘The Twelve Reading Strategies’ on a regular basis in the home environment to positively assist with reading for meaning.
The 12 Reading Strategies
When reading any text, there are a number of strategies you need to follow in order to really understand the author’s meaning. Here are twelve strategies good readers adopt when they read
Finding the main idea
The main idea of a reading passage is what the passage is mostly or mainly about. This should be able to be expressed in one sentence. If you can’t find the main idea, you won’t make much meaning out of the text.
Recalling facts and details
When you read, you will often come across facts and details. These facts and details tell more about the main idea and will be clearly stated in a piece of text.
Understanding sequence
Understanding sequence is about being able to follow the order of events in a piece of text. Texts may not always be written in chronological order, and so it is important to be able to use clues in the text to create a mental ‘map’ or timeline of when things occur.
Recognising cause and effect
A ‘cause’ is something that happens. An ‘effect’ is what happens as a result of (because of) the cause. This is an important skill in being able to identify the causal relationships between things in a text.
Comparing and contrasting
Sometimes when you read it is important to find out how things are similar or different. This is called comparing (similarities) and contrasting (differences).
Making Predictions
Often when you read you will find yourself making predictions about what will come later. Using information you know from the text, you will be able to make reasonable guesses/predictions about what is likely to happen.
Find word meaning in context
Often when you are reading, you will encounter words you are not familiar with. Rather than skipping over these, there are ways that you can use the context to help you figure out the meaning. This means looking at the words around the text (the rest of the sentence, or even a larger section of the text) to help you figure out what the unfamiliar word means.
Drawing conclusions and making inferences
When you read, many times you must figure things out on your own – the author doesn’t always tell you everything. You will need to use what you do know about the situation, to work out what you do not.
Distinguishing between fact and opinion
It is important to be able to tell the difference between fact and opinion, especially in persuasive texts, but in all sorts of other texts. A fact is something that can be proven, whereas an opinion is someone’s own personal belief, and is unable to be proven or checked.
Identifying Author's purpose
Writers always have a purpose or reason for writing. It is important to be able to identify what this is – is the writer trying to persuade you? Entertain you? Give directions? Explain something to you?
Interpreting figurative language
Sometimes, writers use language in a way that is not literal – the meaning of the words used is different to their usual meaning. Figurative language (similes, metaphors, personification etc) is a way for writers to paint a picture in the reader’s head and describe something in an interesting way. For example, someone who has told a secret might say, “I spilled the beans.” They haven’t literally spilled any beans – this is a phrase that means “I told a secret”. Being able to interpret figurative language is an important skill, particularly in areas such as language analysis, poetry and narratives.
Summarising
Summarising is an important skill, as it means you are able to identify the main points of a piece of text and express these in a succinct way.
I would like to take this opportunity to wish all students a brilliant year of learning and encourage all parents to actively support their child’s learning journey in 2022. All students are to immerse themselves in the wonders of reading and writing and to embrace all that the English classroom has to offer.
I close by sharing one of my favourite Shakespearean quotes- a quote that truly encapsulates the notion of achieving greatness for each and every learner.
“Be not afraid of greatness. Some are born great, some achieve greatness, and others have greatness thrust upon them.”
William Shakespeare, Twelfth Night
If you require any further information regarding the aforementioned, please do not hesitate to contact Mrs Kasia Pliszka or I at the college.
Sandra Harrison
Head of Learning - English