| Literacy & Numeracy |
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Strengths of the Literacy Program
The small class numbers (maximum of ten students) and targeted curriculum result in student success. Students experience improved self-confidence in reading, writing, speaking and listening skills but especially in the area of reading comprehension.Students’ comments include:
The intention of literacy staff is always to move students through literacy classes with the aim of progress not stasis. Texts and learning tasks are carefully chosen to be relevant, engaging and appealing to reluctant readers while providing educational challenges appropriate to the student’s needs and abilities.
Highlights
Literacy classes are fun; students benefit from team-teaching and cross curricula activities such as reading and writing activities linked to Food technology classes conducted by both their food technology and literacy teachers.
Strengths of the Numeracy Program
The numeracy program at Williamstown High focuses on the understanding, and application of the mathematics that a person requires for work, study and everyday life. These goals are meant by a small student to teacher ratio (max of ten students) which results in individual student-teacher relationships in mathematics. Students experience improved self-confidence in all of the topics covered. Students develop tools necessary to solve everyday problems.
Student’s comments include:
The intention of the numeracy program is to follow the same curriculum as all other maths programs at Williamstown High. The difference is that students will have adapted material to meet their individual learning needs.
Highlights
Numeracy classes have a fun, engaging atmosphere. Students benefit from small class sizes and engaging material. Students confidence and skills in mathematics are supported.
Pedagogy
Educational research indicates that successful numeracy and literacy outcomes for students are best addressed in the middle years. For this reason the above programmes at Williamstown High School have been designed to focus on the middle years, based at the Bayview site.The literacy needs of senior students on the Pasco St site are catered for in year nine literacy classes and VCE Foundation English which is offered at year ten. Taking a VCE subject at year ten allows students who may feel they are low achievers to gain the kudos and status associated with VCE. This generally leads to improved self-confidence and performance. It also allows students who may find time management a problem to do one less subject at year 11, thus giving them the opportunity to “get some runs on the board” prior to VCE at year 11 and 12.
The success of the programmes are important to the school for the following reasons:
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