English

At River Gum Primary School, we support every child to become a confident reader, writer, and communicator. Our English program is guided by the Victorian Teaching and Learning Model (VTLM) 2.0, with a strong focus on explicit teaching, practice, and feedback.

Synthetic Phonics

We teach reading and spelling through a multisensory synthetic phonics approach. We use the Department of Education’s Phonics Plus program alongside the Orton-Gillingham Multi-Sensory Structured Language (OG MSL) approach. This structured, step-by-step method helps students understand how sounds and letters work together, building confidence and success early.

A Knowledge-Rich Approach

Across all year levels, we use high-quality texts connected to Humanities and science topics. This helps students build their knowledge of the world while strengthening their reading and writing skills in meaningful contexts.

Scarborough, H. S. (2001). Connecting early language and literacy to later reading (dis)abilities: Evidence, theory, and practice. In S. Neuman & D. Dickinson (Eds.), Handbook for research in early literacy (pp. 97-110). New York: Guilford

How We Teach (VTLM 2.0 in Action)

  • Explicit teaching – clear modelling and guided instruction
  • Practice – regular opportunities to apply new skills
  • Feedback – ongoing support to meet individual needs

What Students Learn

  • Reading – accuracy, fluency, and comprehension
  • Writing – sentence structure, vocabulary, and purpose
  • Speaking & Listening – confident communication and collaboration

At River Gum, we are committed to building strong literacy skills so every student can thrive at school and beyond.

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