From the Learning Team

Super 6 Strategies 

The 2023-2025 Strategic Plan of the College lists a number of priorities the College is currently working towards achieving. Outcome 3.2 states that the College will develop a culture of a shared responsibility for literacy. As part of this process, our Literacy Teachers Ms Quinlivan and Ms Wampfler have been engaging staff in a Professional Development course on utilising the Super 6 Reading strategies to improve our students effective reading techniques.  

Staff have undertaken learning around the 6 reading strategies and each KLA has then selected 2 to specifically embed into their teaching programs and assessment tasks. Posters of the 6 reading strategies are also being placed into every classroom. To assist you in supporting your son’s literacy, an explanation of each of the 6 strategies is below. Encouraging your son to utilise these in his reading at home whether that be novels, as part of his internet research for school, or just reading current news articles, these strategies will assist him in better understanding what he is reading and better interpret inferred information in a text.  

The Super 6 strategies are below. The following has been taken from a Department of Education website, located here. 

HSC Trial Exams

Year 12 are moving closer to their HSC Trial exams which are now only 6 school weeks away. Please remind your son that his preparation should be well underway. Two things that we have encouraged students to utilise as part of their preparation is Active Recall and Spaced Reputation. Both techniques are evidenced based ways to improve knowledge retention.

Active Recall – rather than read study notes, students should be trying to recall the information before reading. This is best utilised using a physical or digital flashcard that reminds them of the nature of the syllabus dot point. The student then tries to recall what the notes say, and then reads the notes to confirm as much as they could remember.

Spaced Repetition – Students should study in smaller portions over many days, rather than long sessions the night before their exam. As time progresses the space between study of the same material can be stretched out, encouraging the students to retain more information over a long period of time.

Finally, a good study space that is free from distractions and ensuring they take short breaks regularly, will further maximise their study. 25:5 is considered the most optimal time balance. For every 25 minutes of study, they should take a short 5 minute break: drink some water, do some light physical exercise before resuming their study.

We wish them the best of luck as they approach the final school-based assessment before embarking on the HSC examinations.