Literacy
Literacy at Deer Park West Primary School
At Deer Park West Primary School, high-quality literacy instruction is a core priority. We are committed to delivering evidence-based teaching that builds strong foundations in reading, writing and communication for every student.
Key features of our English program include:
Daily, structured literacy block:
All students participate in a minimum of two hours of explicit English instruction each day. This protected literacy time integrates reading, writing, oral language (speaking and listening), and vocabulary development.
Evidence-based reading instruction:
Our approach is grounded in the Science of Reading, incorporating explicit teaching of phonemic awareness, phonics, fluency, vocabulary and comprehension. In Foundation to Year 2, students receive daily systematic synthetic phonics instruction, supported by decodable texts to build accuracy and confidence.
Strong focus on language development:
Oral language is explicitly taught across all year levels, supporting students to become confident speakers, active listeners and effective communicators.
Explicit writing instruction:
Students are taught to write through a structured approach that includes modelling, shared practice and independent application, with a focus on sentence structure, text types, grammar and vocabulary.
Teaching aligned to the Victorian Teaching and Learning Model 2.0 (VTLM 2.0):
Our instructional practices are guided by VTLM 2.0, ensuring consistency and excellence across classrooms. Teachers use clear learning intentions and success criteria, along with explicit instruction, worked examples, guided practice and feedback, to maximise student learning and engagement.
Responsive teaching and differentiation:
Teachers use a range of whole-class, small group and targeted teaching strategies to meet students at their point of need, ensuring appropriate challenge and support for all learners.
Data-informed practice:
Ongoing assessment and progress monitoring inform teaching. Teachers analyse data to set clear learning goals, track growth and provide timely intervention or extension.
Commitment to excellence for every learner:
We foster positive reading habits, a love of literature, and the skills students need to succeed across all areas of learning.
Talk and interact with your child everyday. This will extend their language and listening skills, and help to grow their confidence with language.
Talk as much as you can with your child and engage them in conversation often (in your home language and in English)
Include your child when discussing everyday activities such as grocery shopping, gardening, cooking dinner, collecting mail from the mailbox, doing housework, and travelling in the car or bus
Outings can also provide a world of new vocabulary. Discussion during outings can enrich your child’s understanding of the world. Outings might include going to the park, the zoo, a shopping centre, museums, libraries and art galleries
Story-telling is a great way to extend your child’s language and listening skills, as well as expanding their imagination. Either you can tell the story, or encourage your child to tell the story
Encourage your child to tell you about what they did during the day at Kinder, Childcare or School. Ask them what activities they did, who they played with and what they enjoyed doing
As your child gets older, discuss the news and current events can enrich your child’s understanding of the world.
What can you do at home to support your child with Speaking and Listening?
What can you do at home to support your child with Reading?
Provide your child with access to a wide range of books, by borrowing books from our school library and from the local library. Deer Park Library is located next to Brimbank Shopping Centre
Organise a bookshelf to display your child’s books
Regularly talk with your child about what they are reading
Read aloud together with your child. Reading together will increase your child’s vocabulary, expand your child’s understanding of the world, and gives them confidence when using language. Reading aloud is also an important way to make the link between spoken words and written words.
Provide them with writing materials such as paper, notepads, pens and pencils, and encourage them to write for a range of everyday reasons such as practising writing their name, writing birthday cards, writing shopping lists or letters to friends and family
Encourage your child to read back their writing, pointing to the words as they read
Encourage your child to draw a picture or create something to match their writing