MACKAY: PLD's Whole School Literacy Strategy

MACKAY: PLD's Whole School Literacy Strategy

Event Details

MACKAY: PLD's Whole School Literacy Strategy: What to teach? When to screen? How to cater for the range in ability?

PLD’s structured synthetic phonics (SSP) approach is one of the evidence-based approaches recommended by AUSPELD. Presented by Diana Rigg (the founder of PLD) this full day workshop outlines the explicit instruction of phonics, decoding and spelling along with time efficient tracking of student performance that informs the targeted teaching. 

Each attendee will receive a complimentary copy of PLD’s scope and sequence for Preparatory to Year 6. This is PLD’s best selling resource ‘Phonic and Sight Word Sequence' and is valued at over $70.00.  This resource is central to establishing a whole school approach and consistency across year levels and across classrooms. The book provides phonic concepts for Preparatory to Year 6 along with phonemic (and phonological awareness) skills, spelling rules, spelling words, high frequency words, placement tests, term reviews, guidelines for explicit teaching and screening options which can then be plotted on to Excel/Google tracking sheets. This book can be viewed in full online by clicking on the link and then the cover: https://pld-literacy.org/product/phonic-and-sight-word-sequence/

Created to have a broad appeal, this workshop is relevant to all primary school staff involved in literacy learning:  School leaders, Literacy Coordinators, Literacy Support Staff, Preparatory- Year 6 teachers and assistants. The outcomes for the day have been divided into different areas highlighting the key areas addressed for each person registering. 

School Leaders, Literacy Coordinators and Literacy Support staff will gain:

• an understanding of the practical characteristics of high performing primary schools based on the research of Emeritus Professor William Louden (2015).
• clarity on how to coordinate the whole school approach so that teachers operate more effectively within the classroom.
• the evidence behind SSP and insights into what effective explicit teaching looks like in junior, middle and upper primary classes. 

Preparatory staff will gain: 

• clarity on the importance of Preparatory and how to deliver strong outcomes within this important time in a student's schooling.
• an understanding of how students typically learn to decode 1st, spell 2nd, write 3rd.
• Clarity on the 2 core skills that facilitate decoding, the 3 core skills that facilitate early spelling and the range of skills that facilitate writing.
• options for time efficient pre-literacy tracking (semester 1) followed by time efficient early literacy tracking (semester 2). 
• ideas on how to teach pre-literacy, reading, spelling and writing in an early childhood manner so that early literacy learning is systematic, successful and enjoyable.

Year 1 & 2 staff will gain:

• an understanding on how to deliver 30 minutes of structured synthetic phonics instruction within a literacy block. 
• clarity on catering for the range in ability evident within every junior primary classroom.
• improved skills related to phonic dictation (as a medium to facilitate the transfer of phonic concepts being taught into written work).
• an understanding of the termly assessments that report progress and also establish the targeted teaching groups for the next terms teaching. 
• options for poor readers, spellers and writers. 

Year 3, 4, 5 & 6 staff will gain:

• an understanding on how to deliver 20 minutes of structured synthetic phonics instruction within a literacy block. What is ‘word attack’? (i.e. decoding and spelling skills), and how do we teach it within the context of a potentially significant range in student ability.
• clarity on how to meet the needs of students operating at a junior primary level while also meeting the needs of the age appropriate or advanced students with a phonic-based approach that focuses upon word meanings and opportunities to transfer concepts into writing. 
• an understanding of the termly assessments that report progress and also establish the targeted teaching groups for the next term’s teaching. 
  options for poor readers, spellers and writers. 

Diana Rigg is an Educator and Speech Pathologist and the Founder of PLD Promoting Literacy Development. Ba. Arts (Ed), BaEd, CPP-Dyslexia (UK), MaEd, MaSpPath. 

Diana is a teacher, speech pathologist and a parent. Diana combines postgraduate education and speech pathology qualifications with an understanding of the education system. Diana's work aim is to educate and equip those working with 3-11 year old children with specialised techniques, programs and assessment tools. This provides a platform for an innovative and practical approach to literacy. PLD has been recognised as a recommended SSP (Structured Synthetic Phonics) program nationally by AUSPELD. PLD was also recognised by Professor Louden (2015) in his 'High Performing Schools' research paper for the WA Department of Education. In both 2018 and 2019 PLD was awarded the national award, Primary Publisher of the Year, voted by Australian teachers. 

How to Register

1.    Online: for instant confirmation, click the green Register Now button below to register and pay online. (Individuals and Schools)

2.    Invoice: Download the Workshop Registration Form to pay via credit card (preferred) or EFT. (Schools only)

Important Notes? 

1. Payment is required prior to the date of the Professional Development Workshop in order to secure attendance and is not refundable.  
2. For information on our Cancellation and Transfer Policy, please ?click here. 
3. This workshop contributes to the 10 Queensland College of Teachers continuing Professional Development Requirements. You will receive a certificate on the day of event.  
4. Certificates will not be issued to participants if a School / Organisation has not finalised payment by the day of the Workshop. Once payment has been finalised, the certificate will be emailed to the participant.