Initialit @ SCMS

At SCMS we are committed to ensuring that from the moment children begin school, they engage in exceptional learning in the subject of Literacy.  In 2020, we invested in a Reception to Year Two whole-class Literacy Program named, InitiaLit. This is a research initiative of Macquarie University which is based on 30 years of research undertaken by members of the MultiLit Research Unit. Since the inclusion of the program, we are observing our students thrive with their reading, writing, spelling and communicating skills.

Our Reception students begin each day with an ‘On the Mat’ session, where skills of reading and writing are explicitly taught to the whole class. The focus is on phonological awareness, tricky words, oral segmenting and letter and sound knowledge. Following the ‘On the Mat’ session, our students participate in a range of small group and independent activities which consolidate their learning. Finally, students engage in a Storybook session. This provides opportunities for students to develop oral language, vocabulary and comprehension. Our teachers monitor student process by regularly completing individual assessments.

Our Year 1 students complete a similar structure to our Receptions, but moving on from single sounds to diagraphs. Our teachers monitor student process by regularly completing individual assessments. Ensuring that students only proceed to the next sound or lesson when appropriate.

In Year Two the focus is on Comprehension, Spelling, Grammar and Writing. The students engage in a rotation of comprehension and fluency lessons, spelling lessons, storybook lessons, grammar lessons, writing lessons, reading groups and independent work. Our teachers monitor student progress by regularly completing individual assessments