All lessons taught at Pormpuraaw State School are explicit and follow the methodology of consolidation first (the warm–up) before each lesson.
The Consolidation occurs at the beginning of each lesson. This 15—20 min warm–up is designed to revise previous concepts covered and move this learning from short term, to long term memory. This improves the automaticity and ability to quickly recall facts needed to tackle different areas of the curriculum.
- Suggested consolidation
- Rote learning
- Interactive whiteboards/flashcards
- Chanting
- Games
- Rhymes and jingles
- Mnemonics eg. every good boy deserves fruit
- Computer games such as Mathletics
- Mental maths activities
- Timetables/facts
When teachers work through the traffic light model the colours clearly indicate to students the expectation for them at that point of the lesson.
This part of the process is also very important as it reflects on the learning that has taken place and provides students with an opportunity to review the lesson - guided by the teacher.
THRASS
At Pormpuraaw State School, we use the Teaching of Handwriting, Reading and Spelling Skills (THRASS) methodology for teaching spelling. It is important to note that this should be embedded into all of your teaching, not just spelling lessons but also to teach comprehension, reading and writing skills. When teaching spelling, it is important to remember that meaning is paramount. For this reason, meaning must be taught while teaching spelling.