The NAPLAN-topping school that says phonics helped get it there

1 day ago 3

At Wheelers Hill Primary School, the subject connected phonics was settled years earlier this month’s announcement that each Victorian nationalist schools volition beryllium required to usage the explicit teaching method.

The 700-student schoolhouse successful Melbourne’s south-east says teaching phonics helped marque it the state’s champion performing authorities schoolhouse connected NAPLAN scores past year, with an mean people of 580.2.

Wheelers Hill Primary School pupils (from left) Adam, Clara, Akein and Hasti, each aged seven, amusement however they play a spelling crippled that uses hula-hoops.

Learning games astatine the schoolhouse usage hula-hoops, flash cards and whiteboards to assistance pupils commencement their speechmaking journey.

“It’s precise hands-on, and physical, which we find is large for each learners,” Wheelers Hill structured connection specializer Maddy Gallagher said.

The world results are clear, but Gallagher said the attack besides helped empower children to learn.

The schoolhouse introduced structured phonics successful 2017, starting with the preps and past adding connected different people each year. The rollout has been wide supported by parents.

Structured connection specializer Maddy Gallagher teaches phonics astatine Wheelers Hill Primary School.

Principal Michael Ramsey said parents valued their children’s achievement, but helium noted phonics besides needed to beryllium complemented with comprehension learning.

“Phonics isn’t the metallic slug to hole speechmaking problems due to the fact that … we request to beryllium teaching students to comprehend arsenic well,” Ramsey said.

He said his schoolhouse was caught off-guard erstwhile the authorities authorities announced that students from prep to people 2 would beryllium taught utilizing structured phonics arsenic portion of an explicit teaching attack to beryllium utilized successful each Victorian nationalist schools.

“The section needs to amended the mode successful which it consults schools, and a schoolhouse similar ours that is doing precise good and has a phonics attack was not consulted astatine all.”

The main said a “cut-and-paste program” would not beryllium due for schools due to the fact that it didn’t see differences and abilities of students.

Victorian Principals Association president Andrew Dalgleish said helium expected much in-depth consultation by the Education Department with schools connected nonrecreational learning enactment and different aspects of the caller policy.

Research showed a affirmative effect with phonics, but immoderate teachers remained passionate astir the balanced literacy approach, which teaches children to work utilizing the meaning of a connection arsenic a guide, helium said.

Dalgleish said helium didn’t similar the word “reading wars” due to the fact that the speech needed to travel the research.

“I deliberation it takes it to a conversational level that isn’t arsenic it should beryllium … what we request to beryllium doing is continuing that intelligence speech astir the research.”

An Education Department spokesperson said the phonics changes had been wide welcomed, including by schools and leaders successful the teaching profession.

“They bespeak the teaching practices already successful spot successful galore Victorian schools and are backed by the strongest probe evidence,” the spokesperson said.

Any schools that needed to set their practices nether the caller attack would person support, including ready-to-use acquisition plans and nonrecreational learning.

The Morning Edition newsletter is our usher to the day’s astir important and absorbing stories, investigation and insights. Sign up here.