Learning
Literacy & Numeracy
At Langwarrin Park Primary School we are committed to improving student outcomes in Literacy from Foundation to Year 6.
At Langwarrin Park Primary School our literacy programs enable students to move between reading and writing, and involves them in speaking and listening experiences which support and extend their literacy learning and skills.
Students learn about reading and writing through the teaching and learning cycle. This close attention to text and image recognises the reciprocity between reading and writing, allowing students to be mindful as both readers and composers of texts and to explore the choices that real writers make.
The teaching and learning cycle (TLC) involves key stages which incorporate social support for reading, writing and speaking and listening through varied interactional routines (whole group, small group, pair, individual) to scaffold students’ learning about language and meaning in a variety of texts.
Literacy at Langwarrin Park Primary School is collaboratively planned with teams of teachers know as a Professional Learning Community, working together to design and implement learning opportunities based on the current learning needs of every child.
A TEACHING AND LEARNING CYCLE
Writing
The teaching-learning cycle is also based on the notion of having high expectations supported by strong scaffolding and explicit teaching. When writing, student activities are carefully ordered to build up students’ knowledge and abilities so that they can experience success.
In particular, the teacher:
- identifies the language demands of the task;
- explicitly teaches students the genres needed for success in schooling;
- is concerned with deep learning of content together with learning the language of the content area;
- makes explicit the learning intention and success criteria for each stage of the cycle;
- constantly assesses students’ progress at each stage of the cycle and responds to identified needs.
It is important for students to understand the particular purpose for writing, such as describing, explaining, recounting or persuading.
Students become familiar with how a text is organised. They learn that each genre is organised differently. The teacher helps students to identify the typical stages a genre goes through in achieving its purpose.
After that students become familiar with the key language features of the text so they can craft the text in terms of language choices. Students learn about language and about different kinds of images in order to answer such questions as Why that choice in that text? What is the effect of that choice on meaning?
A range of activities are used to support students’ writing. We focus on practices such as modelled, shared, guided, collaborative and independent writing.
We develop authors who not only craft stories, but who are able to write for a variety of purposes and literary demands.
“The more that you read, the more things you will know. The more that you learn, the more places you’ll go.” – Dr.Suess.
Read like a writer and write like a reader.
Reading
Through the teaching and learning model, we link reading and writing with a focus on good mentor texts and deep levels of comprehension. The structure of our reading sessions includes the Daily Five so every student is independently engaged in meaningful literacy tasks.
We understand that not all students learn to read easily and that reading is an extremely complex skill requiring consistent effective teaching. We ensure that our teaching and learning is based on evidence based practice and therefore we have recently moved to the introduction of the Little Learners Love Literacy program in the junior school. This program gives children the best possible chance of developing into fluent readers, writers and spellers.
Little Learners Love Literacy® explicitly teaches and practises phonemes (speech sounds), graphemes (print) and vocabulary (meaning) to build neural connections in the brain that are needed for automatic reading. The program addresses:
- Phonemic awareness (read more)
- Phonics (read more)
- Fluency (read more)
- Vocabulary and comprehension (read more)
- Explicit and systematic teaching – revise, teach, practise, apply and assess (read more)
- Writing – handwriting and spelling (read more)
Little Learners Love Literacy resources are created from the growing body of scientific evidence now referred to as “the science of reading”.
Our students have access to decodable readers both in class and as take home books. These books allow students to practice reading at home and at school.
We have a variety of online literacy supports such as:
Nessy
Australian Decodable Readers
PMeCollection
Literacy Pro
Our aim at Langwarrin Park Primary School is to develop learners who have a lifelong love of reading and writing.
PLC
Specialists
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Physical Education
Comprehensive PE and Sports Programs are offered at LPPS. Gross Motor Skills, hand eye coordination, physical fitness and skills associated with a diverse range of physical activities and sports are developed through the program. Through the students participating in the program, they will also develop good sportsmanship, greater self-esteem and confidence, tolerance, resilience, teamwork and leadership skills. Students will also develop an awareness of the importance of a healthy lifestyle and the range of recreational and sporting opportunities available to them both at school and in the wider community.
Foundation to Year 1 have two, half hour sessions of PE a week (Year 2, 1 hour session per week) with the focus on developing the fundamental motor skills – running, hopping, skipping, jumping, throwing, catching, kicking and striking. A gymnastics unit is included to develop balance, co-ordination, flexibility, strength and confident body movement.
In addition Foundation students also participate in a weekly 40 minute Perceptual Motor Program (PMP) session. This is a program where language is the key factor in providing the perceptual knowledge about the motor experience; thus reinforcing the language aspect in the classroom.
Students in Years 3 – 6 have a weekly hour PE session. Practical activities and minor games are designed to further develop Fundamental Motor Skills and their effective application in a game, basic offensive and defensive game strategies, as well as learning the importance of fair play, safe practises and co-operative involvement.
LPPS students participate in an extensive, sequential Aquatics Program for the seven years of their Primary education. In Prep – Year 4, the focus is on developing water awareness, water safety and stroke development in a pool. Implementing these skills in an open water environment is the emphasis in Years 5 and 6.
Bike Education in Year 4, Twilight Sports (Prep – Year 2), weekly Year level sport for Years 3 – 5, Interschool sport for Year 6, 2 x 2 Sports (which exposes the students to a variety of sporting facilities within the local community), an extensive House Competition involving lunchtime competitions, Athletics, Cross Country and Swimming carnivals as well as participating in Interschool sport at the District, Zone and State level are other programs the students at LPPS have the opportunity to participate in.
Through the Sports Program students can develop their leadership skills. House and Vice Captains (Year 6) assist with the running and organisation of House Carnivals, Lunchtime activities and sports equipment, whilst the Year 5 Sports Leaders are responsible for set-up and pack-up for Year 5 sport as well looking after class sports equipment.
Parental support and assistance is valued and much appreciated. It ensures the smooth and successful running of activities offered at the different year levels – PMP, Bike Education, Water Safety, Interschool Sport and House Carnivals.
Foundation
PE Program
Fundamental Motor Skills – running, hopping, skipping, jumping, throwing, catching, kicking and striking
Gymnastics, Minor Games
Sports Program
Aquatics
PMP
Twilight Sports
Year 1
PE Program
Fundamental Motor Skills – running, hopping, skipping, jumping, throwing, catching, kicking and striking
Gymnastics, Minor Games
Sports Program
Aquatics
Twilight Sports
Basketball Clinic
Year 2
PE Program
Fundamental Motor Skills – running, hopping, skipping, jumping, throwing, catching, kicking and striking
Gymnastics, Minor Games
Sports Program
Aquatics
Twilight Sports
Year 3
PE Program
Athletics, Jump Rope, Bombardment, Soccer, Netball, Tee Ball, Basketball, Minor Games
Sports Program
Year 3 Sport
Aquatics
House Cross Country, Athletics, Swimming
Interschool Cross Country
Lunchtime House Activities
Year 4
PE Program
Athletics, Fitness, Rounders, European Handball, Cricket, Hockey, Minor Games
Sports Program
Aquatics
House Cross Country, Athletics, Swimming
Interschool Cross Country, Athletics, Swimming
Lunchtime House Activities
Year 5
PE Program
Athletics, Fitness, Soccer, Netball, Touch Football, Softball, Triathlon, Minor Games
Sports Program
Year 5 Sport
Aquatics – Water Safety, Triathlon
House Cross Country, Athletics, Swimming
Interschool Cross Country, Athletics, Swimming
2 x 2 Sport
Lunchtime House Activities
Year 6
PE Program
Athletic, Fitness, Basketball, Football, Softlaccrose, Volleyball, Minor Games
Sports Program
Year 6 Interschool Sport – Winter and Summer
Aquatics – Water Safety, Surf’n’Sup
House Cross Country, Athletics, Swimming
Interschool Cross Country, Athletics, Swimming
2 x 2 Sport
Lunchtime House Activities
Visual Arts
Welcome to the Visual Art Program
At Langwarrin Park we run an extensive visual art program providing a range of experiences. The program is valued as an important part of the learning process in creativity and communication.
All students participate in weekly 60 min sessions in either of our fully equipped art rooms, the larger of the two offering the use of pottery wheels from year 5.
Children experience a wide variety of sequential activities exploring art elements and experimenting with an extensive range of materials and techniques.
Artwork is displayed throughout corridors, classrooms and the wider community.
Every Child is an Artist – Pablo Picasso
Performing Arts
‘All The World’s A Stage’ at LPPS!
From Foundation to Year 6, all students are exposed to a semester of Performing Arts classes each year. The program highlights the sequential development of skills in the elements of Dance and Drama. Classes take place in a purpose-built Dance Studio which has a wide range of props, costumes and multi media resources.
Aspects of the program include:
- Movement/ Dance
- Exercise/ Games
- Improvisation
- Mime
- Theatre
- Puppetry
At every year level, students are encouraged to share their skills and this regularly includes school assembly performances. Senior students have over a number of years been involved in the planning and presentation of a school based year level production or in a performance based experience highlighting an aspect of Performing Arts, provided by an outside company. In addition to our Dance Studio, students are able to rehearse and refine their presentations on our school stage.
Student interest in the Performing Arts has extended into the community. Over the years our students have participated in productions, both in Melbourne and more locally. They have also featured strongly in leading roles in annual productions at secondary schools.
Music
Great Singers and Musicians Start Here!
Each year, students at all levels participate in a semester of Music classes. During these classes, students participate in playing, singing, moving, creating and listening which develops and extends their understanding of the elements of music. The classes are sequential and emphasise a hands on approach. We are fortunate in having an extensive range of instruments and multi media resources which are annually reviewed and updated.
Foundation – Year 2
Students at these levels participate in vocal activities which feature patterns of familiar language, actions, and repeated instrumental patterns. They write and perform their own songs.
They use untuned percussion instruments including djembes to explore sounds and develop their understanding of beat. Simple rhythm patterns are learnt through listening then later recognised through written notation. They create and perform their own rhythmic sequences.
They use tuned percussion instruments (xylophones, metallophones, glockenspiels) to accompany known songs and to play simple melodies.
Sharing their music with others at assemblies and end of year class presentations develops their confidence as performers and their ability to reflect on their performances and those of others.
Year 3-6
Students expand their instrumental exposure to a range of different instruments which include descant recorder, ukulele, acoustic guitar, keyboard, bass guitar and the drum kit. They learn to interpret melodic notation, ukulele and guitar chord diagrams, guitar tab and drum kit notation.
As their musical skills develop, they have considerable agency over the way in which they work. They are able to form multi-instrumental or vocal groups or to work as soloists. They choose their material from a range of appropriate resources. They plan their own performances and are encouraged to share these with younger classes, at school assemblies, year-end presentations and on special occasions such as Open Nights.
Students who display a high level of ability and commitment are able to join the school Rock Band (drummers, guitarists, keyboard players and vocalists) and / or the Recorder Band (sopranino, descant, treble, tenor and bass recorders). Material for both bands is chosen by the students.
Past Students
Many of our past students have gone on to make music their career choice either as primary or secondary school educators, technicians or as successful musicians and vocalists with production companies such as PLOS and Panorama. Over the many years that our Extra Curricula Music Program has operated, it has been predominantly staffed by past students,
Extra Curricular Music
This program which caters for students from Years 2 – 6 provides additional small group lessons in keyboard, guitar, drums and singing. There is a charge for participation in these sessions as we need to pay our tutors, but the aim has always been to keep costs as low as possible. All students involved share their skills through class, assembly and end of year solo and group performances. The program has always attracted a large number of participants and lessons are conducted during school hours.
LOTE
Auslan is the new language which will be taught across all year levels at Langwarrin Park Primary School for one 50 minute lesson each week. “Auslan is Australian Sign Language, the native language of the Australian Deaf community, and is a visual-spatial, natural language with its own grammar and vocabulary. Auslan has linguistic elements, such as hand shapes (including orientation, location and movement), non-manual features (including eye gaze, facial expressions, arm, head and body postures) and fingerspelling. Auslan also has its own grammar, which is different from English. Auslan grammar is composed of precise hand shapes, facial expressions and body movements that convey concrete and abstract information.”
Why Study Auslan?
As a visual language, learning Auslan can:
- increase memory retention and motion processing
- stimulate brain development and mental flexibility
- increase enjoyment in communicating for both hearing and deaf children.
- create a more inclusive society
- it changes the way you think about the world
- Auslan will also be taught at Elisabeth Murdoch College from 2023, providing a pathway for students to continue learning this second language.
Jessica Cooper
LOTE Teacher – Auslan
Library
At Langwarrin Park Primary, all students attend a weekly borrowing session with their classroom teacher and a session in the ICT Lab.
Each student has a personalised barcode browser/borrowing card and may borrow from our extensive collection of Picture story, Fiction, Non-Fiction and Lexile levelled books. In addition, we offer a modern collection of student magazines to enjoy.
This vibrant space aims to inspire student reading and support classroom learning through regularly changing displays that reflect learning topics, personal interests, current events and the seasons. We aim to appeal to a wide variety of learning styles by providing displays rich in written words, pictures and interesting objects.
We appoint Year 6 Library Monitors, encourage students to add to our wish list and display student work in order to promote a sense of responsibility and of belonging.
We operate a state of the art library management system that allows staff and students to search our catalogue using intricate key words. Every student may access an individual student page to display their borrowing history, write a book review and reserve books. Take a look at our catalogue library.langwarrinparkps.vic.edu.au.
We welcome volunteers in our Library with a current Working with Children Check and this is another great way to be involved in our school community.
Premiers’ Reading Challenge
Each year all students are offered participation in the Premiers’ Reading Challenge. This program is supported by labelled shelves and books and promoted regularly at our Assemblies.
Scholastic Book Club
We promote Scholastic Book Club and offer 8 issues annually, which provides an opportunity for families to purchase books for home. Every issue offers books from $2. Payment can be made via the online Scholastic LOOP cashless ordering system.
Book Fairs
We hold two Book Fairs a year which are pop-up bookstores. Every sale from Book Club and Fairs earn valuable reward points redeemed in the form of new books and resources. The cycle of student motivation to read continues when they discover these new materials on our shelves.
National Book Week
Each year in Term 3 we celebrate National Book Week with an all school book character dress up Parade and Book Fair. This is a highlight in our school community and a real spectacle of colour, movement and celebration for literacy.
