English

At our school, we believe that English is the foundation of all learning. To ensure every child becomes a confident reader and writer, we use an Explicit Instruction model. Our educators follow a "gradual release of responsibility," guiding students through a three-step process:

I Do: The educator models the skill.

We Do: We practice the skill together as a class.

You Do: The student applies the skill independently.

Our Reading Program

Our reading curriculum focuses on five core pillars to ensure all children are able to read.

Phonemic Awareness & Phonics: We teach children to identify the distinct sounds in speech and map them to letters, allowing them to decode and read words accurately.

Fluency: As children gain confidence, they practice reading with speed, accuracy, and expression to bridge the gap between "sounding out" and true understanding.

Vocabulary: Teachers explicitly model and define new words. Through rich discussion, children learn to experiment with sophisticated language in their own reading and writing.

Comprehension: This is the ultimate goal of reading. By processing vocabulary and sentence structure, children learn to move beyond the words on the page to truly make meaning of a text.

Writing

Writing is a complex skill that is explicitly taught. At St Gabriel’s we teach children the necessary writing skills needed while
fostering a deeper understanding, enjoyment of, and appreciation for the writing process

Handwriting & Keyboarding: We explicitly teach letter formation with a focus on correct entry and exit points. In Years 3–6, children also develop essential keyboarding skills.
Spelling & Morphology: In Prep–Year 2, spelling follows our phonics sequence. In Years 3–6, we introduce morphology, where children explore how prefixes and suffixes change the meaning of base words.
Sentence Structure: We teach children how to craft grammatically correct sentences to express their ideas clearly.
The Writing Process: Teachers guide children through planning, drafting, and revising, providing constant feedback to help them grow.
Text Structures: We teach the specific structures of different writing styles so children can write effectively for any purpose.

Literacy Enhancement
We are committed to every child's success. Literacy Enhancement is provided for children who require further support. These children work in small, focused groups to strengthen their understanding of core literacy concepts

English

Our Reading Program

Writing

Writing is a complex skill that is explicitly taught. At St Gabriel’s we teach children the necessary writing skills needed while fostering a deeper understanding, enjoyment of, and appreciation for the writing process

Handwriting & Keyboarding: We explicitly teach letter formation with a focus on correct entry and exit points. In Years 3–6, children also develop essential keyboarding skills.

Spelling & Morphology: In Prep–Year 2, spelling follows our phonics sequence. In Years 3–6, we introduce morphology, where children explore how prefixes and suffixes change the meaning of base words.

Sentence Structure: We teach children how to craft grammatically correct sentences to express their ideas clearly.

The Writing Process: Teachers guide children through planning, drafting, and revising, providing constant feedback to help them grow.

Text Structures: We teach the specific structures of different writing styles so children can write effectively for any purpose.

​ Literacy Enhancement We are committed to every child's success. Literacy Enhancement is provided for children who require further support. These children work in small, focused groups to strengthen their understanding of core literacy concepts

Writing is a complex skill that is explicitly taught. At St Gabriel’s we teach children the necessary writing skills needed while
fostering a deeper understanding, enjoyment of, and appreciation for the writing process

Literacy Enhancement
We are committed to every child's success. Literacy Enhancement is provided for children who require further support. These children work in small, focused groups to strengthen their understanding of core literacy concepts