English / Year 1 / Language / Phonics and word knowledge

Curriculum content descriptions

Use visual memory to read and write high-frequency words  (ACELA1821)

Elaborations
  • learning an increasing number of high-frequency words recognised in shared texts and texts being read independently, for example ‘one’, ‘have’, ‘them’ and ‘about’
General capabilities
  • Literacy Literacy
ScOT terms

Sight words,  Phonemes

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Words and pictures: last letter

Meet Di, an artist who paints phrases. Help Di paint three pictures by matching words that end with the same letter. Choose two words that have the same ending letter such as puppy and key. Select a third word to make a phrase, for example a puppy under a key. Watch as Di paints a picture of the phrase. This learning object ...

Interactive

Words and pictures: final letters

Meet Di, an artist who paints phrases. Help Di paint three pictures by matching words that end with the same two letters. Choose two words that end with the same letter pattern such as lamb and comb. Select a third word to make a phrase, for example a lamb under a comb. Watch as Di paints a picture of the phrase.

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Word and code complexity continuum

This diagram shows the gradual progression of skills that students need to develop so they can read and spell words with increasing complexity.

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Using decodable texts in the classroom

This infographic guides teachers on using decodable texts with students as part of your systematic synthetic phonics instruction.

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TrackSAFE Education Primary School Resources: Foundation, Year 1 and Year 2 English

This unit of work focuses on developing student understanding of the importance of being track safe and the key message 'Stop, Look, Listen, Think'. It builds students' familiarity with the vocabulary and key concepts related to rail safety and provides differentiated activities for writers at different stages of development ...

Online

The Oral Language Supporting Early Literacy pilot study

This teacher resource describes the Oral Language Supporting Early Literacy (OLSEL) pilot study sponsored by the Catholic Education Council of Victoria and implemented in eight schools in low socioeconomic status communities across Victoria. The resource is organised in nine sections: Summary, Target student group, Method, ...

Video

The Big Six: a whirlwind tour

This one-hour webinar recording provides an overview of the Big Six components of literacy (oral language, phonological awareness, phonics, fluency, vocabulary, and comprehension). It includes theoretical understandings and practical ideas for the classroom. It is the first in a series of eight webinars about the Big Six ...

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Teddy Rock's 'Twinkle, twinkle little star'!

Sing along with Buzz, Belle and Bop as they perform 'Twinkle, twinkle little star' in this animated music video. Then have some fun exploring rhyme and description as you create your own verse for this classic nursery rhyme.

Video

Teaching irregular words

This short video (4 minutes and 3 seconds) shows two teachers discussing why and how to teach irregular words (words that contain letter-sound correspondences that students have not yet learned) as part of a systematic synthetic phonics (SSP) approach.

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Syllabus bites: types of sentences

A web page resource with information, teacher guides and activities on types of sentences to support the Australian Curriculum in English K–10. It has detailed activities, links to resources and quizzes.

Interactive

SpellingCity - iTunes app

Learn and practise your spelling, grammar and vocabulary with 10 multimodal spelling games. Build customised word lists and test yourself on your spelling. SpellingCity is a companion app for the www.spellingcity.com website. Free when reviewed 7/6/15.

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SpellingCity - Google Play app

Learn and practise your spelling, grammar and vocabulary with 10 multimodal spelling games. Build customised word listsand test yourself on your spelling. SpellingCity is a companion app for the www.spellingcity.com website. Free when reviewed 7/6/15.

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Spelling generalisations

This document outlines spelling generalisations included in the Literacy Hub phonics progression and explains teaching points relating to each one that may be used to support instruction in your systematic, synthetic phonics aligned classroom.

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Smarter Schools approach to teaching beginning reading and spelling

This is a teacher resource about the Smarter Schools strategy successful implemented by 30 Catholic and independent schools in Tasmania to improve the progress of students in reading and spelling. The strategy uses mainly an oral language approach to teaching phonics and phonemic awareness in an integrated and systematic ...

Interactive

Sentence builder: prehistoric: tool

Help a caveman use a sentence builder machine to create past-tense sentences. Spin each rock to see a new word for your sentence. Choose words from five groups: when, who, what, where and setting.

Video

Say hello in Dharug

Watch this video to learn how to greet someone in the Dharug language, spoken by the Indigenous people of the Sydney Basin area. How do you say 'hello, how are you?' in Dharug? And what are the words for good and bad? Practise these phrases with Jacinta Tobin and then teach them to a friend or family member.

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Sample phonics worksheet - standard

This worksheet accompanies the sample phonics lesson for students who have progressed past the initial stages of their phonics learning.

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Sample phonics lesson slides - standard

This slide pack is a sample of a phonics lesson for students who have progressed past the initial stages of their phonics learning.

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Radio National: The 'H' wars

How do you pronounce the letter ‘h'? Why do you think there is more than one way to pronounce this letter? Watch this video to find out why some people may pronounce the letter ‘h' as 'aitch' as opposed to 'haitch'. If you'd like to learn more on this topic, visit this site.

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Q&A session: Making a start with a phonics progression and phonological awareness instruction

This recording of a 30-minute Q&A session supports schools in choosing and following a systematic synthetic phonics (SSP) progression, including phonological and phonemic awareness instruction.

Assessment

Progress monitoring tools Tracker Phases 16-20

This spreadsheet assists teachers to analyse the data collected in progress monitoring tools, to plan next steps for student learning. This file aligns with Phases 16-20 of the Literacy Hub phonics progression.

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Progress monitoring tools Phases1-5

These tools support teachers to monitor individual and whole-class student progress in Phases 1-5 of the Literacy hub phonics progression, and instructional notes for the teacher are provided. Each phase has a student reference page and a teacher marking sheet.

Assessment

Progress monitoring tools Phases 21-24

These tools support teachers to monitor individual and whole-class student progress in Phases 21-24 of the Literacy hub phonics progression. Each phase has a student reference page and a teacher marking sheet, and instructional notes for the teacher are provided.

Assessment

Progress monitoring tools Phases 16-20

These tools support teachers to monitor individual and whole-class student progress in Phases 16-20 of the Literacy hub phonics progression. Each phase has a student reference page and a teacher marking sheet, and instructional notes for the teacher are provided.

Assessment

Progress monitoring tools Phases 11-15

These tools support teachers to monitor individual and whole-class student progress in Phases 11-15 of the Literacy hub phonics progression. Each phase has a student reference page and a teacher marking sheet, and instructional notes for the teacher are provided.

Assessment

Progress monitoring tool tracker Phases 1-5

This spreadsheet assists teachers to analyse the data collected in progress monitoring tools, to plan next steps for student learning. This file aligns with Phases 1–5 of the Literacy Hub phonics progression.

Assessment

Progress monitoring tool template

This Word template assists teachers to create their own progress monitoring tools to align with a school's phonics progression.

Assessment

Progress monitoring tool Tracker Phases 11-15

This spreadsheet assists teachers to analyse the data collected in progress monitoring tools, to plan next steps for student learning. This file aligns with Phases 11-15 of the Literacy Hub phonics progression.

Assessment

Progress monitoring tool tracker Phases 6-10

This spreadsheet assists teachers to analyse the data collected in progress monitoring tools, to plan next steps for student learning. This file aligns with Phases 6-10 of the Literacy Hub phonics progression.

Online

Principals as Literacy Leaders Project

This teacher resource describes the Principals as Literacy Leaders (PALL) professional learning strategy aimed at strengthening the capability of school principals to bring about improvement in the reading abilities of students in low socioeconomic status and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities. The resource ...

Online

Primary English: models and modelling

These seven learning activities, which focus on 'modelling texts' using a variety of tools (software) and devices (hardware), illustrate the ways in which content, pedagogy and technology can be successfully and effectively integrated in order to promote learning. In the activities, teachers are provided with guidance about ...

Video

Phonological and phonemic awareness overview.

Literacy specialist Rebecca McEwan presents this webinar extract about phonological and phonemic awareness, and why it play an important role in phonics lessons.

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Phonological and phonemic awareness lesson activities

This slide pack is a practical resource for use in the classroom and includes teacher scripts and visual slides to support phonological and phonemic awareness instruction. It is ideal to use as part of your phonics instruction using a systematic synthetic phonics approach.

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Phonological and phonemic awareness lesson activities

Literacy specialist Rebecca McEwan presents this webinar extract about how to include phonological and phonemic awareness activities in your whole-class or small-group phonics lessons.

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Phonics progressions and phonemic awareness: coaching webinar questions

Literacy specialists Rebecca McEwan and Elaine Stanley present this question and answer session about using a phonics progression and developing phonemic awareness.

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Phonics progressions and phonemic awareness: Q&A webinar questions.

This extract of a Q&A webinar answers questions from teachers and school leaders about using a phonics progression and developing phonemic awareness.

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Phonics progression

This evidence-aligned phonics progression includes a sequence of letter-sound correspondences and phonics skills for development across Foundation to year 2.

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Phonics pair-game template

The pair games and activities in this document can be used as part of your systematic synthetic phonics program to encourage students to develop their phonics skills with peers during independent practice.

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Phonics lesson planner example and template

This Word document can be used to plan for the specific words and sentences teachers will use when teaching new phonics content. It includes a worked example of a completed lesson and a blank template.

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Phonics instructional model for reading and spelling

This documents includes information about a phonics instructional model for reading and spelling, it outlines the attributes of instruction, provides a lesson and review model, and a sample systematic synthetic phonics lesson that includes examples of skill application tasks.

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Phonics Fun 4 - iTunes app

Learn letter sounds and rime as you tap pictures and hear letter sounds. Match the letters and sounds to the pictures. Covers 9 letter sounds (a, e, i, o, u, qu, sh, z, v), 5 rimes (ip, ot, x, at, un) in 75 words. Free when reviewed 6/6/15.

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Phonemic awareness overview

This document outlines the continuum of phonological and phonemic awareness skills and provides evidence and advice on effective phonemic awareness instruction. It is essential information for teachers implementing phonics instruction using a systematic synthetic phonics approach.

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Phonemes and graphemes daily review

This slide pack provides recorded pure sounds for each letter–sound correspondence in line with the Literacy Hub phonics progression. It is ideal for use within phonics instruction using a systematic synthetic phonics approach.

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Personal timelines

This unit explores the concept and language of time and then moves to using sources to create a personal representation of the passing of time by exploring memory and creating a personal timeline.

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Patterns

This is a unit of inquiry made up of 12 learning sequences for year F in the English for the Australian Curriculum resource. Each learning sequence contains a series of resources, suggested activities to carry out with students and a post-activity reflection. This unit examines patterns in literature and language, with ...

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My day: Li: level 1

Help Li by selecting the best texts for different parts of his day. Choose the correct text in a range of activities such as helping Li make up his mind about which bus to take to school, and what to choose for a healthy lunch from the menu. This learning object is one in a series of six objects.

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Meeting Initial Needs In Literacy

This teacher resource is about the Meeting Initial Needs In Literacy (MiniLit) program and its trial with 22 Foundation and year 2 students in a NSW regional public school. MiniLit is an intervention program providing instruction to small groups of young children struggling with reading. The resource describes how MiniLit ...

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Little Stars - Word Wizard - iTunes app

Learn and practise spelling and word recognition, on your own or with a partner, in this space-themed game. Answer questions to move your rocket ship and earn stickers on the way. Includes over 150 CVC words. Free when reviewed 6/6/15.

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Letter planet: sh, ch, th

Help a stranded space traveller return home by filling three fuel tanks with words that have the same letter pattern. Select words with combinations of 'sh', 'ch' or 'th'. Read and listen to model words. Select similar words with the same pattern and place them in the fuel tank. Then construct sentences by putting words ...

Interactive

Letter planet: oo, ee, ai

Help a stranded space traveller return home by filling three fuel tanks with words that have the same letter pattern. Select words with combinations of 'oo', 'ee' or 'ai'. Read and listen to model words. Select similar words with the same pattern and place them in the fuel tank. Then construct sentences by putting words ...

Interactive

Letter planet: a, e, o

Help a stranded space traveller return home by filling three fuel tanks with words that have the same letter. Select words with 'a', 'e' or 'o' in them. Read and listen to model words. Select similar words with the same vowel and place them in the fuel tank. Then construct sentences by putting words in the appropriate order. ...

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Language, learning and literacy in the early years

This teacher resource describes the Language, Learning and Literacy (L3) program implemented in New South Wales public schools to address early disparities in children's language, reading and writing. Organised in nine sections: Summary; Target student group; Method; Results; Next steps; Lessons learned; Research base; ...

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Just like me: Sammy, Zeina and Dawit

Meet three children who like different things, Sammy, Zeina and Dawit. Choose your favourite things from several groups such as musical instruments, pets and places. Discover the children's favourite things. See if they match your choices. Notice that some of the children's favourite things are different to yours. This ...

Interactive

Just like me: Rose, Kaneisha and Sammy

Meet three children who like different things, Rose, Kaneisha and Sammy. Choose your favourite things from several groups such as musical instruments, pets and places. Discover the children's favourite things. See if they match your choices. Notice that some of the children's favourite things are different to yours.

Interactive

Jumbled Sentences 9 - iTunes app

Learn to construct sentences by dragging jumbled words into place. You can turn on sound to hear each word spoken and hear your completed sentences read to you. With each successful sentence, you earn virtual coins to buy virtual stickers for your collection. This is one of a series of nine apps. Free when reviewed 6/6/15.

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Jumbled Sentences 7 - iTunes app

Learn to construct sentences by dragging jumbled words into place. You can turn on sound to hear each word spoken and hear your completed sentences read to you. With each successful sentence, you earn virtual coins to buy virtual stickers for your collection. This is one of a series of nine apps. Free when reviewed 6/6/15.

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Jumbled Sentences 6 - iTunes app

Learn to construct sentences by dragging jumbled words into place. You can turn on sound to hear each word spoken and hear your completed sentences read to you. With each successful sentence, you earn virtual coins to buy virtual stickers for your collection. This is one of a series of nine apps. Free when reviewed 6/6/15.

Interactive

Jumbled Sentences 5 - iTunes app

Learn to construct sentences by dragging jumbled words into place. You can turn on sound to hear each word spoken and hear your completed sentences read to you. With each successful sentence, you earn virtual coins to buy virtual stickers for your collection. This is one of a series of nine apps. Free when reviewed 6/6/15.

Interactive

Jumbled Sentences 4 - iTunes app

Learn to construct sentences by dragging jumbled words into place. You can turn on sound to hear each word spoken and hear your completed sentences read to you. With each successful sentence, you earn virtual coins to buy virtual stickers for your collection. This is one of a series of nine apps. Free when reviewed 6/6/15.

Downloadable

Irregular words review

This slide pack can be used to help students review the irregular words they have already learned during systematic synthetic phonics lessons.

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Introduction to SSP - Module 4: features of a systematic synthetic phonics approach

This 23-minute professional learning video, presented by literacy expert Jocelyn Seamer, discusses the features of a systematic, synthetic approach to teaching phonics. It includes information on decodable texts, alphabetic code, and how to teach new sounds. The other videos in the series are; The research base of structured ...

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Introduction to SSP - Module 3: key understandings

This 13-minute professional learning video, presented by literacy expert Jocelyn Seamer, discusses key understandings of a systematic, synthetic approach to teaching phonics. It includes information on alphabetic code, sight words, blending and how to meet the needs of all children in the classroom. The other videos in ...

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Introduction to SSP - Module 2: framework for evidence-informed reading instruction

This 14-minute professional learning video, presented by literacy expert Jocelyn Seamer, discusses the framework for evidence-informed reading instruction. It includes information on the Simple View of Reading, Scarborough’s Reading Rope model and the Big Six of reading instruction (oral language, phonological awareness, ...

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Introduction to SSP - Module 1: the research base of structured literacy

This 13-minute professional learning video, presented by literacy expert Jocelyn Seamer, introduces the Science of Reading and explains the implications this body of research has for teaching reading. You will learn about the evidence base that supports the Science of Reading, Sweller's cognitive load theory and Dehaene's ...

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How to use decodable texts

This video provides a demonstration of how to use a decodable book. It is presented by literacy specialists Elaine Stanley and Rebecca McEwan.

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How to target decoding practice at point of need

This video provides an explanation of how to prepare students so they are ready to use decodable words and sentences to practise their phonics skills. It is presented by literacy specialists Elaine Stanley and Rebecca McEwan.

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Hey diddle diddle' sung by Teddy Rock

Watch and listen as Buzz, Belle and Bop perform 'Hey diddle diddle' in this animated music video. Then try to create your own sentences that include pairs of words that sound the same at the end (rhyme).

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Getting started with a phonics progression

This professional learning module explains how to use a phonics progression for reading and spelling, and outlines the skills required for phonological and phonemic awareness development. It contains a recording of a webinar, free downloadable resources and further professional reading. It is the first of seven modules ...

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Gardening verbs

Do you garden? The word 'garden' is both a noun and a verb. What other words in this video are both a noun and a verb? Can you think of some more gardening verbs?

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Free decodable texts

This document summarises some of the free online decodable texts for Australian classrooms available on third-party websites.

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Following an evidence-based phonics progression

Literacy specialist Elaine Stanley presents this webinar extract. She provides an overview of the key elements of a quality, evidence-based phonics progression and explains how to follow a phonics progression in your classroom.

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Fluency development slides

These example slides show a range of tasks for building fluency. The activities can be used for whole-class or small-group instruction, as well as for independent or paired practice.

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Fluency and progress monitoring

This self-paced learning module explains fluency at the letter-sound correspondence level, word, sentence and whole-text level, and explains how to use a progress monitoring tool. It contains a webinar, free downloadable resources and further professional reading. It is the fourth of seven professional learning modules ...

Video

Feathers, Fur and Fins: A song about sugar gliders

Do you know any songs about Australian animals? Listen to this song about sugar gliders performed by Don Spencer. Don sings a gentle song about a gentle character. Look at the features of the sugar gliders as they glide from tree-to-tree in the Australian bush.

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Feathers, Fur and Fins: A song about goannas

Goannas are a type of Australian lizards. Listen to the lyrics of the song performed by Don Spencer that asks lots of fun questions about goannas. Watch some goannas moving through the bush and looking for food.

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Feathers, Fur and Fins: A song about black swans

Discover a graceful Australian bird, the black swan. Watch the images (pictures) and listen to the lyrics (words) of the song by Don Spencer as he sings about the black swan.

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Explicit instruction of phonics - an instructional model Q&A

This Q&A webinar extract answers questions from teachers and school leaders about explicit instruction for phonics instruction.

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Explicit instruction for phonics overview

This video provides an overview of a phonics instructional model for reading and spelling. It is presented by literacy specialists Elaine Stanley and Rebecca McEwan.

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Explicit instruction for phonics - an instructional model: coaching webinar questions

Literacy specialists Rebecca McEwan and Elaine Stanley present this question and answer session about using explicit instruction principles within your phonics lesson.

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Explicit instruction for phonics - an instructional model

This self-paced learning module explains the principles of explicit instruction, and outlines an instructional model for reading and spelling, with practical guidance for implementation. It contains a webinar, free downloadable resources and further professional reading. It is the second of seven professional learning modules ...

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Dragon's jumble: dream: four parts

Help a dragon remember what happened in his dream. View four pictures from a recount. Place the pictures in the correct order. Choose sentences to match what is happening in the pictures. Add temporal connectives such as 'to begin with', 'after that' and 'last of all' to show the order of events. Watch an animation of the ...

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Describing household chores

There are several different types of verbs. In this video, most of the verbs are transitive verbs, which means they are action verbs with direct objects that receive the action. Identify the transitive verbs and the direct objects in the examples provided in the video.

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Demonstration of a phonics lesson

This video provides a demonstration of a phonics lesson using explicit instruction principles. It is presented by literacy specialists Elaine Stanley and Rebecca McEwan.

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Demonstration of a daily review

This video provides a demonstration of a phonics daily review using explicit instruction principles. It is presented by literacy specialists Elaine Stanley and Rebecca McEwan.

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Decodable words and sentences

This resource provides a bank of decodable words and sentences aligned to each phase of the Literacy Hub phonics progression to use as part of instruction or for independent student practice.

Online

Creating change as a literacy coach

This teacher resource describes how a literacy coach made a substantial difference to students' literacy achievements, teachers' involvement in literacy strategies and whole-school culture at Allendale East Area School in South Australia. Organised in nine sections: Summary; Target student group; Method; Results; Lessons ...

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Cooking verbs

Verbs used to describe different actions while cooking are many and varied. Learn some of them in this short Australia Plus video. What do you think is the difference between 'chop' and 'cut' and 'dice'?

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Cleaning verbs

When you tell someone you're cleaning, you're giving them a general idea of what you're doing. Some of the verbs mentioned in this video are more specific and can help you describe what you're doing in more detail. What are some other verbs that describe more generally what you are doing, and what are some verbs that can ...

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Choosing and using decodable texts

This self-paced learning module explains the process of orthographic mapping, how decodable texts support this process and how to choose quality decodable texts and use them in your classroom. It contains a webinar, free downloadable resources and further professional reading. It is the third of seven professional learning ...

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CEOWA early literacy intervention

This teacher resource describes the Catholic Education Office of Western Australia's (CEOWA's) successful Early Literacy Intervention strategy, which provides intensive daily individual reading and writing intervention for the lowest-achieving students in year 1. Organised in nine sections: Summary; Target student group; ...

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Bear and Chook by the Sea

This learning object is designed around a series of videos with Lisa Shanahan, author, and Emma Quay, illustrator, including a reading experience of their collaborative work, Bear and Chook by the Sea. Taken as a whole, this sequence of lessons is a Stage 1 unit of work that results in students working in pairs to produce ...

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BBC Bitesize: travelling pronouns - worksheet

This is a simple printable worksheet for students to complete once they have finished the interactive resource 'Travelling pronouns'. It consists of four sentences, each of which contains at least one pronoun choice to make. Students make their choices by colouring in their preferred option. This resource is one of a series ...

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Assessment and intervention for an SSP approach

This self-paced learning module outlines the specific areas of knowledge and skills that are assessed for a systematic synthetic phonics approach to teaching reading and spelling. It explains how this approach to assessment is helpful to identify student needs across the Response to Intervention framework. It contains a ...

Video

'This old man' sung by Teddy Rock

Watch and listen to Teddy Rock perform the nursery rhyme 'This old man' in this animated music video. Then have some fun with counting and rhyme as you create and perform new verses for the song.

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'Sing a song of sixpence' sung by Teddy Rock

Watch and listen to Buzz, Belle and Bop perform the nursery rhyme 'Sing a song of sixpence' in this animated music video. Find out where the king was, what the queen was doing and what happened to the maid. Have fun retelling the story.

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'It's raining, it's pouring' sung by Teddy Rock

Watch and listen as Buzz, Belle and Bop sing the nursery rhyme 'It's raining, it's pouring' in this animated music video. Next, see if you can think of some other things that might happen to the old man.

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'Incy Wincy Spider' sung by Teddy Rock

Watch and listen to Buzz, Belle and Bop perform the traditional nursery rhyme 'Incy Wincy Spider' in this animated music video. Use the rhyme, sung with a rock beat by Teddy Rock, to discuss, order and retell events.