Eumundi State School’s Homework Policy is aligned to Education Queensland’s Policy Statement:
Homework (PDF, 615KB).
Our policy aims to ensure:
a consistent and effective implementation of homework occurs throughout the school — including a consistent approach to the amount of time students are to spend in completing homework
the amount of homework is balanced to allow sufficient time for family, recreation, community and cultural activities .
Eumundi teachers set homework that:
is clearly related to class work
is varied and modified to individual learning needs
consolidates, revises and/or applies students’ classroom learning
develops students’ independence as a learner
is monitored by the teacher.
With reading being a major focus for the school in 2021, all year level homework is designed to prioritise reading.
As a school community we believe that it is important to encourage our children to read, enjoy reading and talk about their reading as much as possible. Therefore, reading is the core component of the homework expectations in each year level.
Homework may include other tasks or project-based activities that align to a unit of learning, or other essential literacy and numeracy skills.
Year level expectations
Parents will receive an overview from class teachers of the specific year level guidelines and tasks, and students will have these expectations outlined by their teacher.
General homework guidelines for Prep–Year 2
Up to 15 minutes per night.
Reading - students receive reading book packs from their teacher. Teachers may include a reading log or reflection tool to help monitor the reading completed at home.
Additional tasks that build literacy skills such as oral language may also be included.
General homework guidelines for Years 3-4
- Up to 20 minutes per night.
- Reading and a reading log used to help monitor student’s reading. Teachers will help select texts appropriate for student learning needs (these will generally be either book packs or school library books).
- Literacy and numeracy tasks related to class content.
General homework guidelines for Years 5-6
Up to 30 minutes per night.
Reading and a reading log used to help monitor student’s reading. Where required teachers will help select texts appropriate for student learning needs.
Assignments / projects that link with and support classroom content.
Reading homework and routines – tips for parents and families.
For all students
Encourage your child and support them to select texts they are interested in reading.
Encourage multiple reading of the same text – encourage focus on fluency and expression.
Give them time to browse libraries and shops to consider choices they might make.
Try and model reading aloud for your child every now and then. Demonstrate expression in reading, and express some thoughts about what you have read.(This might even include reading from the newspaper on the weekend!).
Make reading part of a routine that is looked forward to, for example, it could be mum or dad’s special activity before bedtime.
Discuss the conventions of print, such as which way to hold the book, the left to right arrangement of text and where you find the title; or navigating a website page; or referring to information in a magazine.
When reading aloud to young learners, use animation in your voice - change your voice for different characters or make sound effects.
Tips for parents of students who are still learning to read (decode words in texts)
- Repeat some sentences for children and ask them to repeat using similar expression as you.
- Read words for and to children who aren’t sure how to ‘sound it out’ (If your child hasn’t figured out the word, tell them the word. This can help avoid frustration).
Tips for parents of students who are reading to learn (able to decode words in texts)
Ask your child to complete a word or phrase. Completion prompts are often used in books that rhyme or books with repeated phrases. Ask the child to complete a phrase such as 'Not by the hair of my …….'
Ask your child details about what happened in the story. Ask your child what the characters did.
Ask your child to tell what is happening in the picture.
Point to something in the book and ask your child a wh- question (what, where, when, why, how).
Ask questions that relate something in the story to your child’s life.
Researched strategies for you to try (Dialogic Reading)
Dialogic reading is children and adults having a conversation about a book/text as they are read it together.
The aim of dialogic reading is to encourage as much talking by the child about what they read/see/think as possible.
An interaction sequence such as this 'Prompt Evaluate Expand Repeat' (PEER) may help:
Prompt the child to say something about the book (P)
Evaluate the child’s response (E)
Expand the child’s response by rephrasing (E)
Repeat the prompts to make sure the child has learned from the expansion (R)
Example of a PEER sequence
Adult and child looking at the front cover of a book with a fire engine on it;
Adult: What’s this? Pointing at fire truck (the prompt)
Child: Truck
Adult: That’s right (the evaluation)
Adult: It’s a red fire truck (the expansion)
Adult: Can you say ‘fire truck’? (the repetition)
YouTube example of Dialogic Reading
Sometimes you can read the written words on the page and then prompt the child to say something.
For many books, you should do less and less reading of the written words in the book each time you read it - leave more to the child!
Children will enjoy dialogic reading more than traditional reading as long as you:
Mix up the prompts with straight reading.
Vary what you do reading to reading.
Follow the child’s interest.
Don’t push children with more prompts than they can happily handle.