A new teacher kit is set to improve literacy and numeracy skills of Prep to Year 2 students across Queensland over the coming years.
The Early Start kit is a resource designed to help schools and teachers to monitor progress in literacy and numeracy.
One of our key commitments at the last state election was to provide $26 million in extra funding for literacy and numeracy programs over four years. The Early Start kit is an example of how we are working hard for Queensland families and delivering on that promise.
The Newman Government is committed to achieving better student outcomes by revitalising Queensland’s education system, and fixing the mess left by Labor.
The new Early Start kits are just one of the many initiatives that will help the great teachers around Bundaberg and the Burnett to boost student literacy and numeracy outcomes in our schools.
The Early Start process involved teachers spending one-on-one time with new Prep students to determine their individual circumstances and then to tailor teaching to meet their needs.
Children entering Prep have a diverse range of skill levels. For example, some may have had little experience with books while others might already be reading.
This kit is not for grading or comparing students, it’s designed to help teachers and schools determine the best way to develop each child’s literacy and numeracy skills.
It is an optional resource, with schools being able to decide whether it will support teaching and learning activities already in place.
Research shows that the early years of schooling, from Prep to Year 2, are a critical time for the development of children’s literacy and numeracy skills and in turn these are crucial for their future learning.
The Newman Government will continue to support schools and teachers, and ultimately achieve better student outcomes in these vital early years.
The kit will be sent to all Queensland state primary schools, special schools and schools of distance education, ready for implementation with new Prep students in Term 1 next year.
Later phases will capture data and monitor progress at the end of each year level from Prep to Year 2, allowing teachers to modify curriculum or resources if necessary.
For more information on the Early Start kit visit: http://education.qld.gov.au/strategic/advice/earlychildhood/early-start.html