Foundation Curriculum

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Structured Literacy at ABS

For Year 0-3 In the junior classrooms, we use the Better Start Literacy Approach (BSLA). The Scope & Sequence can be seen linked below. It is based around a sequence of sounds and letter patterns. It teaches the students to be able to read small words in the beginning and grow into more complex spelling patterns as the approach continues. The books that are used throughout the BSLA approach are called the Phonics Plus series. They are designed so that the entire book is able to be decoded by the child. Generally, we don't send these books home as the plan for in-class use is very intense and reinforcement isn't needed at home. At home, you can support your child by allowing them the opportunity to access books, fostering a love for reading. There are several free online books (epic books) as well as the public library. When they are reading, allowing your child to get stuck on a word and try to sound it out themselves. If they still struggle, help them sound at the word, rather than just straight telling them the word.

More information on BSLA can be found  Here

For Year 3+ Once the students have completed the BSLA scope and sequence, they are usually in their 3rd year of school. From then, they begin on the colour wheel reading books, the level which they find themselves on can vary for each student. The types of books they are using may be colour wheel readers, junior journals or the school journals. More often, what they are reading will link directly to the unit of inquiry to allow learning to be integrated throughout all curriculum areas and the PACT goals they are working on. Alongside reading, every student is being taught letter sounds and patterns through a program called The Code. The Scope and Sequence can be seen through the link. This is a program that is very similar to BSLA, in that it follows a similar scope and sequence through letter sounds and spelling patterns. It is a progressive program that allows students the confidence to attempt spelling of increasingly harder patterns. Students begin at a level based on their individual needs. At home, you can support your child by engaging in conversation about what their current spelling pattern is and encouraging practice to use the same pattern. Like the juniors, giving all children the opportunity to access a variety of books will encourage their reading and love of literacy.