Literacy at Mayfield State School
At Mayfield State School, our literacy approach is grounded in evidence-based practice and aligned with the Australian Curriculum and departmental guidance on teaching reading and writing. Our program reflects a structured literacy model and operates within a Multi-Tiered System of Supports (MTSS), ensuring that every student receives high-quality Tier 1 instruction, with additional Tier 2 support or extension provided as needed.
Across all year levels, students engage in explicit, systematic teaching of reading and writing skills, supported by carefully selected resources and ongoing assessment to monitor growth.
Prep – Year 2
The early years of schooling are critical in developing strong foundations in reading and writing. In Prep to Year 2, Mayfield State School implements a structured synthetic phonics approach to reading instruction.
To support this, we use Decodable Readers Australia as a key classroom resource. These decodable texts align directly with the phoneme–grapheme correspondences students are explicitly taught, allowing them to apply and consolidate their phonics knowledge in connected text.
Our daily literacy block includes explicit instruction in:
Oral language development
Phonemic awareness
Systematic synthetic phonics
Handwriting and letter formation
Vocabulary development
Reading fluency
Reading comprehension
Students regularly participate in shared and dialogic reading with their teacher. Through guided discussion and modelling, teachers support students to build a collective mental model of the text, strengthening comprehension, vocabulary, and understanding of language structures.
Reading instruction is delivered through the lens of the Australian Curriculum, using departmental guidance to ensure alignment with current research and policy directions.
Students who require additional support with foundational skills receive targeted small-group intervention, while students ready for extension are provided with additional opportunities to deepen and broaden their literacy skills.
Years 3 – 6
In Years 3 to 6, literacy instruction continues through a structured daily literacy block with explicit teaching of:
To support structured spelling and vocabulary instruction, we use Spelling Success in Action. This resource supports students to understand word structure, spelling patterns, and morphological knowledge in a systematic and cumulative way.
Students continue to engage in shared and dialogic reading experiences with their teacher, exploring both contemporary and classic texts. Through guided discussion, questioning, and text analysis, students develop deeper comprehension and strengthen their ability to interpret and respond to increasingly complex texts.
Writing instruction includes explicit teaching of narrative, informative, and persuasive genres, with a focus on building sentence complexity, cohesion, and vocabulary precision.
Students requiring additional support receive Tier 2 small-group intervention alongside core classroom instruction. Student progress is monitored regularly using school-based assessments and screening tools to ensure steady growth and timely intervention.