Welcome to Year 2
English
Mawson Primary promotes a balanced literacy approach to teaching English with integrated inquiry units providing authentic contexts for learners to develop and use language.
The individual literacy learning needs of students are catered for through differentiation. A variety of strategies, resources and support mechanisms are used to scaffold student success and allow every student to achieve.
The skills needed to become a proficient reader, writer, speaker, listener and viewer are taught explicitly across all areas of the curriculum. We use quality literature, both fiction and non-fiction, as a platform to explicitly teach and model using reading strategies to the students.
Spelling, grammar and punctuation are an important part of our literacy sessions and opportunities to teach these are purposefully planned in authentic contexts. In Year 2, these are taught in the context of a ‘Big Book’ and/or using quality literature, as well as practised within our writing sessions.
We encourage student ownership over what they read and teach them how to select suitable books to read.
Proficient writing skills underpin all forms of communication and are of paramount importance. At Mawson Primary we foster a love of literature and language by engaging in the enjoyment and appreciation of all forms of literacy.
Year Two students engage in Literacy Learning each morning between 9-11.00am.
Maths
The Year 2 Mathematics program is built around developing a strong understanding of content and knowledge of Number and Algebra, Measurement and Geometry and Statistics and Probability. Teaching and learning experiences at Mawson Primary provide students with opportunities to explore concepts in various ways and encourage student collaboration and investigation. The four proficiency strands Understanding, Fluency, Problem Solving and Reasoning, as outlined by the Australian Curriculum - Mathematics are integrated into these experiences.
Through effective maths teaching, we develop the numeracy capabilities that all students need in their personal, work and civic life, and provide the fundamentals on which mathematical specialties and professional applications of mathematics are built. The Australian Curriculum - Mathematics guides our teaching and connections are made between Content Descriptors where appropriate. We utilise a range of quality curriculum resources and high impact strategies to support the delivery of the Australian Curriculum.
Based on our knowledge of how students best learn Mathematics, we use a Balanced Numeracy approach. This framework includes 5 - 10 minute warm up activities, whole class explicit teaching, differentiated group work and whole class reflection. Students explore Mathematics within real world contexts to strengthen their learning. Within all Mathematics lessons there are opportunities for students to construct meaning from direct experiences by using manipulatives, problem solving and through conversations.
Integrated Inquiry
Throughout the year we will be integrating the subject areas of HASS (Humanities and Social Sciences), Science and the Arts to teach integrated inquiry units. The inquiry units provide students with a ‘big idea’ focused on a topic that is relevant to them. It supports students to engage with their world and apply knowledge to explore concepts that are relevant to them. It gives them opportunities to make connections across a variety of themes and ideas. Students will engage in higher order thinking, active problem-solving and research.
General Capabilities
The general capabilities play a significant role in the Australian Curriculum in equipping young Australians to live and work successfully in the twenty-first century. The general capabilities encompass knowledge, skills, behaviours and dispositions. Students develop capability when they apply knowledge and skills confidently, effectively and appropriately in complex and changing circumstances, in their learning at school and in their lives outside school.
General capabilities are taught, together with curriculum content, to encourage students to become confident and involved learners, as well as effective communicators.
Useful Resources
Information for Parents: The Australian Curriculum-Years 1&2
Reading Eggs - Use your login available from your teacher
Matific- Use your login available from your teacher