Teacher blog by SARAH NGUYEN

All about me (introduction)

s223057168 — 2025-07-10 04:02:42 UTC

Hello to all the families and teachers,
My name is Sarah, and I am a new teacher joining the school for my first year of teaching. I am thrilled to embark on this new journey with everyone and look forward to seeing where it takes me.

A little bit about myself. I am ethnically Vietnamese, and in my spare time, I love reading fictional novels such as Fourth Wing by Rebecca Yarros. This book encouraged me to join a book club so I could connect with other readers and share my thoughts and opinions.

It has also inspired me to write my own short stories, which I continue to create in my spare time.

Lately, one of my favourite things to do is journaling. I find it’s a great way to express myself. When I travel, I like to carry a small word search book with me. I find word searches both challenging and fun; therefore, having them with me gives me something to do.

Understanding expanded noun groups

s223057168 — 2025-07-14 12:08:32 UTC

References:

Freeman, C., & Vass, C. (Year). The heartbeat of the land. Scholastic Australia.

Thomas, D., & Thomas, A. (Eds.). (2022). Teaching and learning primary English. Cambridge University Press.

Spelling Sequence

s223057168 — 2025-07-28 11:42:10 UTC

The NSW Spelling Sequence stage 2 is focused on the sequence structure of five-week blocks of learning, which requires around 90-100 minutes of spelling instruction. A weekly phonological, orthographic, and morphological focus is provided within the first four weeks of each block (NESA, 2022). During the fifth week, revision and consolidation are required to revise the words. As stated in NESA (2022), the focuses are listed in columns in the order they appear in the syllabus and are intended to be taught simultaneously. The resources provided are a key terminology table that lists and defines spelling terminology needed to understand when teaching spelling. Another key resource given is a suggested instructional sequence for the spelling table for teachers to follow when teaching spelling. This is given as a guide to teach students how to spell different words. The tables also show demonstrations and examples of how words would be taught. For example, when looking at phonological, orthographic, and morphological aspects, the word disapprove would be split as (dis)approve.

Matrix:

Derivational suffixes: -ly and -y

Short-ly

Creep-y

The game created is a spelling sequence game that involves players coming up with a word starting with the final letter of the previous word. This game is highly effective, as it is achievable yet requires critical thinking to complete. To extend the game, students could be asked to count the syllables in each word they generate, as an understanding of phonics supports accurate spelling (Ljungdahl, 2019). Using a spelling sequence to support word learning becomes integral when engaging in this activity.

References:

State of New South Wales (Department of Education). (2023). English – Stage 2 – Instructional sequence – Spelling [PDF]. NSW Department of Education. https://education.nsw.gov.au/content/dam/main-education/en/home/teaching-and-learning/curriculum/english/documents/english-s2-spelling-instructional-sequence.pdf

Winch, G., Johnston, R. R., March, P., Ljungdahl, L., & Holliday, M. (2020). Literacy: Reading, writing and children’s literature (6th ed.). Oxford University Press.

Parent Newsletter

s223057168 — 2025-07-29 11:38:33 UTC

Reference:

Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority. (n.d.). Literacy: Listening, speaking, interacting sub-element. Australian Curriculum. https://www.australiancurriculum.edu.au/f-10-curriculum/general-capabilities/literacy?element=0&sub-element=LSLiS

There's a monster in your book !

s223057168 — 2025-08-06 10:11:52 UTC

Reference

Fletcher, T. (2017). There's a monster in your book. Puffin Books.