BSLA - Better Start Literacy Approach

BETTER START LITERACY APPROACH

This year, we are introducing ‘The Better Start to Literacy Approach’ (BSLA) to teach early literacy in our junior classes at school. It is an integrated approach to support children’s early reading, writing and oral language success. The Better Start to Literacy Approach has been developed to make close links between the way a child naturally learns to speak, and the written language.

This approach improves efficiency in learning and promotes a self-teaching approach. Children are taught phonological awareness including identifying letter/sounds, segmentation of decodable words, blending of sounds and manipulation where children can apply their skills to a range of new words.

Traditional approaches to learning to read and write that rely on memorisation of sight words are not used in this approach. High-frequency words that are not decodable are learned through repetition and frequent exposure in early texts. Our neurodiverse and young learners can feel successful from the beginning of their schooling because they will learn how to break and make words at the phoneme level. It’s a bit like a code breaker!

This approach provides an inclusive learning environment where all children can succeed and continue to develop first language skills alongside English. Whānau engagement is critical to the success of this approach. Practical support on how best to help at home is provided through information sessions and weekly letters home. This approach has been extensively trialled in schools across New Zealand and has been proven to be successful in maximising children’s opportunities for early literacy success. We are excited to monitor the success of this approach within our school.

Evidence-Based Literacy Teaching

The Better Start Literacy Approach, is an integrated classroom literacy approach for Years 0-2 classrooms to support children’s early reading, writing and oral language success. It incorporates vocabulary development using quality children’s story books, structured teaching of critical phonological awareness skills and letter-sound knowledge through fun, game-based activities, activities making explicit links to the reading and spelling context, and structured small group reading sessions using the new Ready to Read – Phonics Plus early readers series. The Better Start Literacy Approach follows a phonics scope and sequence that is used in the class and small group reading teaching.

Monitoring Assessments

The Better Start Literacy Approach incorporates carefully designed monitoring assessments focused on critical early skills known to influence reading success. This includes letter-sound knowledge, phonological awareness, oral language, word reading and spelling, and connected text tasks, specifically designed to monitor children’s literacy growth in their first year of school, and provide specific direction for teaching at the class and individual level.

Whānau Engagement

Whānau engagement is a critical component of early literacy success. The Better Start Literacy Approach also includes whānau workshop materials and other supporting content such as letters to parents and strengths-based reporting, to facilitate whānau-school partnerships and maximise childrens’ opportunities for early literacy success.