Literacy
Here at Taupo Intermediate we offer students a range of literacy learning experiences. Literacy is broken down into reading, writing, grammar, and spelling. Write that Essay is a major writing initiative that we, along with the Taupo Community of learning have invested in over the last 2 years and the results from this writing programme speak for themselves.
The programme is anchored in Dr Ian Hunter’s unique skill-based approach to the cross-curriculum development of writing ability. It delivers the total package: from award-winning online software through to expert professional development to cutting-edge diagnostic tools. It includes modules based around many different aspects of writing and tasks made and set by the teacher that directly relate to topics taught in class. www.writethatessay.org
Reading is generally integrated across our topics and themes for the term. All teachers run their reading programmes slightly different, but would all include a mixture of shared reading, reading to, reciprocal reading, and guided reading that focuses on specific comprehension strategies including visualising, inferring, questioning, evaluating, summarising, activating prior knowledge, and making connections.
We offer a visual language competition in Term 1 which usually consists of a poster, animated PowerPoint or movie based around digital citizenship. This allows the students to explore this vital topic early in the year. TIS Spelling Bee’s for Year 7 and Year 8 are held in Term 3, followed by the interschool Great Lake Spelling Bee. We run speeches in Term 3, which are usually persuasive arguments accompanied by a visual presentation.
Having laptops in the class allows students to read online as well as from journals and novels. It also means students and teachers can access a range of literacy learning experiences online including but not limited to:
Read theory https://readtheory.org/
Literacy planet https://www.literacyplanet.com/
Pobble 365 www.pobble365.com/
Literacy shed https://www.literacyshed.com/
Study ladder https://www.studyladder.co.nz/