At Holy Spirit Primary School Thornbury East, we are committed to supporting all children in developing strong literacy skills and becoming confident communicators.
Guided by the MACS Vision for Instruction and Vision for Engagement, our literacy program is designed to engage every student and includes:
- Strong foundations in the early years through the Phonics Plus program, a systematic and explicit phonics approach in the Junior School
- A daily two-hour literacy block dedicated to reading, writing, speaking and listening
- Ongoing assessment, including DIBELS and PAT Reading, to monitor progress and inform responsive teaching
- Intervention and extension groups to ensure students receive the support or challenge they need
- Rich literature experiences that develop comprehension, vocabulary, creativity and critical thinking
- Classrooms where students are encouraged to share ideas with confidence and clarity
Our approach is also guided by the Five Pillars of Literacy, ensuring students develop the essential skills required for lifelong learning:
The Five Pillars of Literacy
- Phonemic Awareness
Hearing and working with sounds in spoken words - Phonics
Connecting sounds with letters and spelling patterns - Fluency
Reading accurately, smoothly and with expression - Vocabulary
Building understanding and use of rich language - Comprehension
Making meaning from texts through thinking and discussion
Together, these pillars provide a strong foundation for students to become capable, confident and engaged readers and writers.