What is Literacy about?

Literacy is about learning to use, create and enjoy the Literacy language in all its forms – oral, written and visual communication.

How is Literacy structured in the New Zealand Curriculum?

Literacy is structured into two interconnected strands:

Making Meaning  |  listening, reading and viewing.

Creating Meaning  |  speaking, writing and presenting.

Students need to practice making meaning and creating meaning at each level of the curriculum.

How is Literacy taught at our school.

We believe that our students need to practice making and creating meaning for the following purposes:

• To Entertain

• To Inform

• To Instruct

• To Persuade

Useful Sites:

• StepsWeb : Easy to use web-based literacy programme that the school has paid a subscription to.

• Kiwi Kids News: A child-friendly news site that helps students practice reading while staying informed about New Zealand and world events.

• Storytime (Radio New Zealand): A collection of audio stories for children and teens, with some readings by well-known New Zealanders accompanied by the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra.

• Poetry Box: A website from author Paula Green, filled with poems by and for children.

• National Library of New Zealand: Offers a variety of resources for at-home reading, including the Books and Reads tool and Pasifika dual language resources. 

General educational and literacy websites

• Storyline Online: Features actors reading children's books aloud.

• National Geographic Kids: Explores wildlife, nature, and science through articles, images, and videos.

• Reading Eggspress: An online reading program for ages 7–13 with interactive activities and e-books.

• Starfall: Offers a range of activities for early literacy, from alphabet basics to reading skills.

• International Children's Digital Library: A collection of online books from around the world.

• Britannica Library Kids: An interactive online encyclopedia with safe and accurate information for primary-level students.

• StudyLadder: Provides lessons, activities, and games for literacy, math, and science.