Mount Keira Demonstration School relieving principal Vanessa May welcomes being at a school which provides the best literacy and numeracy strategies for its students.
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This year NSW primary schools will intensify their focus on literacy and numeracy, with the introduction of a new syllabus mandating the use of phonics when teaching children to read.
Amid concern about the impact of COVID-19 on students' academic progress, many schools across the three sectors are this year trialling a new kindergarten to year 2 curriculum involving a greater emphasis on phonics, or sounding out letters and letter combinations when students learn to read.
The curriculum will not be mandatory until 2023.
Mrs May was happy the school had been chosen to implement the new syllabus and provide feedback.
"Phonics is one of the areas that has an emphasis in the new syllabus document for English K-2," she said.
"The research both in Australia and overseas indicates that phonics is one of the critical components of reading, particularly in early years. For me as a teacher, the K-2 syllabus in English really highlights the critical components of reading.
"We know that oral language and communication is a very critical part of the early years teaching. It supports reading and writing. That is represented really well in this syllabus, in addition to phonic knowledge which also really helps support early readers."
Almost 1000 public primary schools will also gain an assistant principal who will be in charge of implementing the new curriculum, monitoring student progress in literacy and numeracy and ensuring teachers receive the training they need.
Under the first phase of recruitment which began in August, 927 teachers were hired to start in the new role in term one, and another 237 will be hired this term. Almost 350 curriculum specialists are expected to begin in term two.
"I'm looking forward to the new syllabus and excited about it," Mrs May said.
"At the end of the day teachers want to be teaching the most current and evidence-based practices in our classrooms to get the best outcomes for our students."
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Agron Latifi
Wollongong born and bred. I love reporting about the Illawarra region and have been doing it for more than 20 years. I've moved into sport recently after covering the education round for the last five plus years for the Illawarra Mercury. It's been a great pleasure.
Wollongong born and bred. I love reporting about the Illawarra region and have been doing it for more than 20 years. I've moved into sport recently after covering the education round for the last five plus years for the Illawarra Mercury. It's been a great pleasure.
