VELS Level 1 and 2

• Early language development - before school – Includes information on how children learn and begin to understand language. It includes links to resources for teachers including a video transcript for professional learning (Wells, Snow et al)
• Victorian Essential Learning Standards - Stages of Learning: Laying the foundations – Includes information on the key characteristics of students as they progress through the particular stages of learning.
• Victorian Essential Learning Standards English domain – Includes introduction to the English domain, learning focus statements and standards at Levels 1 and 2 in the dimensions of Speaking and listening, Reading and Writing.
• Zone of Proximal Development & Scaffolding – Describes in detail the theories of scaffolding from Vygotsky, Bruner and Rogoff and includes a professional learning activity (Vygotsky, Bruner, Rogoff)
• Teacher scaffolding in the classroom – Identifies two types of scaffolding: ‘designed in’ and ‘point of need’, their benefits and how to use them effectively.
• Language and learning – Includes research from Halliday about the relationship between language and thinking/knowing and learning (Halliday)
• Developing literate language – Uses the recount of six-year old Suzy to illustrate the differences between written and spoken-like language in developing literate language (Christie, Clay and Wells)
• Repertoires of language – Explores the repertoires of language - the knowledge of a language required to attain literacy and includes a professional learning activity (Gee, Halliday and Snow)
• Oral language and schooling - Speaking and listening – Examines the theory of Gordon Wells that oral language is a crucial resource in student learning and literacy development. These concepts are explored through two teacher activities (Wells)
• Learning to read – Examines key theories about reading from the theorists: Marie Clay, Luke and Freebody and John Munro and includes a professional learning activity (Clay, Luke and Freebody, Munro)
• Comprehension – Includes a definition of comprehension and related foundational skills and processes. It also explores how vocabulary, world knowledge and purposes for reading affect comprehension (Brown, Palincsar, Pinnell, Pressley)
• Systematic teaching of phonics – Examines Wray’s theory on the teaching of phonics and the recommendations from the National Inquiry into the Teaching of Literacy 2005 on the teaching of phonics and includes a professional learning activity (Wray)
• Oral reading fluency – Defines the term ‘fluency’, looks at the theory behind it and provides links to additional reading material on the subject (Chall, Kuhn, Rasinski, Stahl)
• Selecting appropriate texts to support literacy learning – Deals with the process of selecting appropriate texts for Levels 1 and 2, the characteristics of the texts, text and genre structure and the factors which influence text selection and includes a professional learning activity (Anderson, Freebody)
• Learning to write – Examines the complex process of writing with consideration of audience and purpose and includes a professional learning activity (Clay, Munro)
• Reciprocal relationship of language – Outlines the reciprocal relationship between oral language, reading and writing which underpins effective literacy learning and teaching and includes a professional learning activity (Clay)
• Literacy demands within the Victorian Essential Learning Standards – Highlights the literacy demands within the following domains:
  • Health and Physical Education
  • Interpersonal Development
  • The Arts
  • Mathematics
  • Information and Communications Technology ICT (Level 2 only)