Reading
Our Whole-School Approach to Teaching Reading
At our school, reading is taught through a carefully planned, developmental program that builds from year to year. Skills and concepts introduced in the early years are reinforced and expanded as students progress through the school.
How We Teach Reading
In every classroom, we employ a differentiated approach to reading, which means lessons are tailored to meet the unique needs of each student. Our teaching follows the Gradual Release of Responsibility model:
- I Do – The teacher demonstrates the skill.
- We Do – The teacher and students practise the skill together.
- You Do – Students apply the skill independently.
Daily Reading Instruction
Each day, students participate in a range of reading experiences designed to develop key skills, including decoding, comprehension, fluency, grammar, and understanding text structures. These include:
- Modelled Reading – The teacher reads aloud, demonstrating a specific reading strategy.
- Shared Reading – The teacher and students read together, with students joining in as they’re able.
- Guided Reading – In small groups, students with similar reading ability read a text suited to their level, supported by the teacher.
- Independent Reading – Students practise reading on their own using texts of their choice or at their reading level.
Accountable Independent Reading
At the start of each day, all students across the school spend 15–20 minutes in Accountable Independent Reading. This is a quiet time where students read books of their own choice, either for pleasure or to learn more about topics that interest them. The goal is to foster a love of reading, expand vocabulary, and build the stamina to read for longer periods.
Independent reading serves five key purposes:
- To motivate students to read about things they care about.
- To help students enjoy reading more, or at least like it a bit more!
- To build vocabulary and expose students to new ideas.
- To expand their knowledge of the world through both fiction and nonfiction.
- To increase their reading stamina and ability to tackle more complex texts.
During this time, teachers also meet one-on-one with students in reading conferences, offering personalised guidance and feedback.
Reading in Different Year Levels
Foundation to Junior Years
The focus is on learning to read. Children develop skills to decode (sound out) words and understand what they’re reading. The Phonics Plus program, which teaches students to spell, builds strong foundational skills in reading, spelling, and writing. Teachers support the teaching of reading through strategies such as guided reading, which helps students discuss and reflect on the story as they read, and builds comprehension skills.
Middle and Upper Years
Students continue to read independently, participate in whole-class reading activities, and also take part in Book Club. In these groups, students read the same novel and discuss deeper elements such as character, theme, plot, symbolism, and the author’s style. They respond to the text through discussion, writing, and creative activities that build critical thinking.
Using Rich Mentor Texts
Across all year levels, we use mentor texts—high-quality literature that models excellent writing and storytelling. These texts help students develop their reading, thinking, and writing skills by showing them what great writing looks like.
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