Strengthening Transitions from ECE to Primary School: My 2025 Inquiry

I am incredibly fortunate to step into the role of an Across School Lead in 2025, a position that allows me to expand my reach and deepen my impact within the Manaiakalani cluster. 

Over the past few years, I have gained invaluable experience in structured literacy, curriculum integration, and early learning transitions. 

This year, I am eager to build upon this knowledge by working collaboratively with Phase 1 teachers to refine the transition process from early childhood education (ECE) to primary school. 

Additionally, I aim to support teachers implementing the new literacy curriculum, with a particular focus on aiding outlier students in Phase 2 and 3. 

My passion for education also drives me to work alongside beginning teachers, ensuring they incorporate more hands-on experiences and curriculum integration into their practice. Especially now with two new curriculums. Year 0-8 Mathematics and statistics Learning Area

Reflecting on 2024: What Worked? 

Last year, my focus was on working closely with two ECE teachers to create a seamless transition process. We implemented structured literacy approaches and targeted tier 2 interventions to support early learners. The data we gathered was phenomenal—students who participated in these transition initiatives showed greater confidence, engagement, and accelerated literacy development compared to those who had not. 

Some key successes included: 

• Enhanced Oral Language development: Pre-schoolers who engaged in structured literacy activities had a stronger foundation for reading and writing upon starting school. 
• Stronger relationships between ECE and Primary Schools: Regular communication between ECE educators and primary teachers allowed for better understanding of each child’s strengths and needs. 
• Whānau Engagement: Parents and caregivers felt more informed and involved in their child’s transition, making them active partners in their learning journey. 

The Focus for 2025 Building on last year’s successes, my inquiry for 2025 will take a more structured and data-driven approach. 

Key areas of focus will include, but are not limited to, the following:

• Refining Transition Frameworks: Developing a clear, consistent transition plan that can be adapted across different ECE settings and primary schools. 
• Expanding Collaboration: Strengthening relationships with more ECE centers and increasing professional learning opportunities for educators on both sides of the transition. 
• Incorporating Neurodiversity Supports: Recognising the increasing number of neurodiverse students, I aim to explore specific strategies to support these learners from the very start of their schooling journey. 
• Tracking Long-Term Impact: Gathering data not just on immediate school readiness but also on how these transition practices impact students in their first year and beyond. 
• Supporting Beginning Teachers: Working alongside beginning teachers to support their growth in incorporating hands-on experiences and curriculum integration into their practice. By providing mentoring and professional learning opportunities, I aim to ensure they feel confident in supporting a diverse range of learners, especially as they engage with the transition process and literacy development.

Why This Matters

The first years of schooling lay the foundation for lifelong learning. A positive transition experience helps children develop confidence, resilience, and a love for learning. By refining and expanding transition practices, we can create a school environment where all tamariki feel safe, supported, and ready to thrive.

Working with outlier students is crucial because it ensures that those who may be at risk of falling behind receive the targeted support they need to succeed. These students can benefit from tailored interventions that help bridge gaps in their learning, ensuring no child is left behind.

Furthermore, upskilling ourselves as educators is essential, particularly with the introduction of two new curricula. As we navigate these changes, it's important that we are equipped with the knowledge and skills to implement the new frameworks effectively, ensuring that all students, including outliers, benefit from high-quality teaching and learning. By focusing on building our capacity to support diverse learners, we can create an inclusive environment where every child is given the tools they need to succeed.

I’m looking forward to seeing how this inquiry unfolds in 2025 and the impact it will have on our learners. If you’re an ECE educator, primary teacher, or whānau member interested in being part of this journey, I’d love to connect and share insights!

You can find my booking page below. Feel free to share this with your school and SLT. I’m excited to connect and collaborate.

Tania Botha

taniab@glentaylor.school.nz

The Syntax Project - NZ version that aligns with our curriculum

I found this on Facebook this morning. I am so excited to share this amazing resource with teachers 

This was the message by Sarah Peck on the Primary teachers page:

Kia ora koutou, not sure how many of you use the Syntax Project for a sentence-level writing resource but here is the scope and sequence with NZ Year level equivalents added. All of the slideshow resources that support the scope and sequence can be found at https://ochre.org.au/ac/the-grammar-project/. You will need to register for (free) access.

The materials are designed for NZ Year 0 (NE) to Year 7, however I think if you have older struggling learners that still need sentence level writing teaching, learning, review and practice then you'd potentially still get a lot out of what's on offer. The Syntax Project work has been developed by Australian teachers, for teachers, and is underpinned by work from The Writing Revolution, and the Morphology Project references William Van Cleave's work.

Here is the link:

Grammar Project NZ

We have been using The Syntax in our team and we could see significant progress in 6 months.

Take a look at some of our writing:

 

 

Achievement Report for BSLA Data (Year 0-3)

This report reviews the progress and achievement of Year 0-3 students at Glen Taylor School in the Better Start Literacy Approach (BSLA). Focusing on literacy areas like phonemic awareness, letter knowledge, vocabulary, reading comprehension, oral language, and writing skills, the data tracks Year 0-3 students' development throughout Term 4. The assessment data shows significant progress in these core literacy skills, highlighting both strengths and areas where further support can help. The graphs included reflect the progress of students who completed both the baseline and 10-week assessments, focusing on skills they were not yet proficient in at the start.

BSLA Tier 2 Students: Initial Phoneme Identity 

I'm so excited about the progress our Tier 2 students are making in picking up those initial phonemes! A bunch of them have hit or are super close to the target level, which is awesome to see. The jump from baseline to progress check shows that our current approach is really clicking for most of the group.

A few students have made some smaller gains, so I'm keen to keep supporting them with another 10 weeks of Tier 2 instruction in a small group. With just a bit more time, I think they’ll get there.

For the few students whose scores haven’t budged much, I’m looking forward to trying a more one-on-one Tier 3 intervention. I’m hopeful this will give them the extra boost they need with phonemic awareness.

And lastly, for the students who didn’t have a progress check, it’s because they already nailed it at baseline—they were hitting the target from the start! It’s been so rewarding to watch this progress unfold, and I can’t wait to see where we go from here!

BSLA Tier 2 Students: Letter-Sound Recognition

The data on Tier 2 letter-sound recognition shows great overall improvement with both Set 1 and Set 2 sounds. A lot of students made awesome gains from baseline to the progress check, which really shows that our current Tier 2 support is helping them build those letter-sound skills.

Some students made smaller steps forward, so I think an extra 10 weeks of targeted Tier 2 group work will help solidify the progress they’ve made so far.

Students Meeting Proficiency: Most students hit the proficiency target of 6 out of 8 on the progress check, showing they’re ready to move on to Set 2!

Students Not Yet Proficient: A few students have made progress from their baseline scores but haven’t quite reached the goal of 6 yet. With some extra practice and focused support in letter sound recognition, they’ll be in a great spot to meet the standard soon!

The Set 2 Letter Sound Recognition report shows that most students started with varied baseline scores below the target, indicating a need for continued support even though they had mastered Set 1. After receiving Tier 2 interventions, however, most students demonstrated strong improvement, with many now close to or meeting the target of 17 sounds. This progress suggests that Tier 2 support is effectively boosting their recognition skills. A number of students have now achieved proficiency and appear ready to move on to more advanced phonics skills. For those who haven’t yet reached the target, continued Tier 2 support should help them meet their goal before advancing further.

The baseline assessment revealed that only a few students met the proficiency target in phoneme blending, showing that most initially struggled. After Tier 2 intervention, however, there was substantial improvement, with many students making significant gains and reaching or nearing proficiency. The progress check results highlight a large increase in phoneme blending scores across the group, indicating that the intervention effectively boosted students’ skills. While most students progressed well, a few still require additional support to meet proficiency. Next steps include focusing proficient students on advanced phonics and reading skills, while providing continued Tier 2 or individualized support for those still working toward the target.

Embracing the Power of Qualitative Data

Reflecting on Writing Progress with the Syntax Project and Targeted Instruction

As an educator, one of the most rewarding aspects of my job is witnessing the growth and progress of my students, particularly in their writing abilities. Over the past eight weeks, I have implemented several targeted teaching strategies, including the Syntax Project, BSLA (Best Start Literacy Approach) Tier 1 whole-class instruction focused on phonological awareness, and Tier 2 small group reading instruction. These strategies have yielded impressive results, demonstrating the profound impact of qualitative data in understanding and enhancing student learning.

The Role of Whole-Class Instruction

The whole-class phonological awareness lessons gave my students a solid foundation in literacy. By focusing on key phonics skills and using the Syntax Project, I saw big improvements in their writing, especially when it came to writing dictated sentences. The structured Taumata 2 lessons really helped many students progress faster than I expected.

I noticed that the clear instructions, along with fun activities, helped students pick up phonics concepts more easily. This better understanding showed up in their writing, as they started using their phonics knowledge to build sentences. With improved spelling, my students are now more confident expressing their ideas and showing their creativity in their writing.

Intensive Tier 2 Small Group Instruction

While the whole-class lessons built a good foundation, the small group Tier 2 reading sessions gave extra support to students who needed it. My small group, working at the same Taumata 2 level, made faster progress because we focused on phonics and phonological awareness before starting new books.

This focused instruction let us break down reading and writing into smaller steps. By working on specific skills like decoding, blending, and segmenting, the students felt more prepared to tackle new texts. Not only did their reading fluency improve, but their comprehension and writing got better too. From what I saw in class and heard from the students, their engagement and confidence really grew.

The Power of Component Breakdown

Breaking down literacy lessons into smaller, manageable parts has made a big difference for my students. This focused approach helped them master 12 phonics readers in just eight weeks. From their feedback, it's clear they feel more confident and excited about both reading and writing.

Students have said they feel more sure about writing accurate and expressive sentences, and they’ve been eager to share their work and talk about how they’re improving. The insights I gathered from class discussions and individual reflections really showed how this focused teaching has boosted their skills and confidence.

Conclusion

Looking back on the last eight weeks, I’m so proud of how far my students have come. The progress they’ve made, backed by the feedback I’ve seen in class, has been amazing. Using a mix of the Syntax Project, BSLA whole-class lessons, and small group reading sessions has worked really well to boost their literacy skills. By focusing on phonological awareness and giving them targeted support, my students have not only become better at reading and writing but also gained the confidence to express their ideas.

As I keep reflecting on what’s working in the classroom, I’m reminded of how important it is to adapt my teaching to where the students are in their learning. This experience shows me that with the right support, every student can thrive as a confident reader and writer.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            In week 2, I'll be diving into my assessments for the 10-week BSLA program. I'm really looking forward to seeing what the data reveals about my students' progress!                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                               

Impressive Writing Growth with The Syntax Project

I’ve seen remarkable progress in my students’ writing skills since introducing The Syntax Project. This free, accessible platform, grounded in the concept of colourful semantics, has been a game-changer for our young learners.

What is Colourful Semantics?

Colourful semantics is a method that breaks sentences down into parts, each represented by a different colour. For instance, the "Who" (subject) could be one colour, while "What doing" (the verb) is another. This visual approach makes sentence building more straightforward and fun for children, helping them better understand sentence structure. It’s especially useful for younger students as they get to grips with the basics of grammar and sentence creation.

My Approach to Using the Syntax Project
I began using the Syntax Project by focusing on oral exercises. Students first talk through sentences, identifying key parts like who is doing what, and where it’s happening. This has laid a strong foundation for understanding how sentences work. Now, we’re moving on to having students write these sentences on whiteboards as a warm-up before their regular writing lessons.

Examples of Student Progress
Here are a few of the fantastic sentences our students have been forming with photos we used. the students had to look for photos they like:

• "The cat is jumping over the fence."
• "A boy is eating his lunch at the park."
• "The dog is running after the ball."

While these sentences may seem simple, they represent significant progress for our students. The colour-coding technique has really helped them grasp the structure of a sentence and visualise their thoughts clearly.

I am excited to see how their writing continues to improve as I incorporate the Syntax Project into more of my lessons. The best part is that this valuable tool is available for anyone to use, offering a fantastic way to enhance writing confidence and ability.

If you’re looking to strengthen your students' writing in a fun and effective way, we highly recommend trying The Syntax Project!

Here are some creative ideas I thought of trying this term to reinforce what we have been learning:

1. Sentence Dice

You can use custom dice with different coloured sides representing the parts of the sentence:

• One die for Who (Orange): possible subjects like "The cat," "My teacher," "A boy."
• One die for What doing (Blue): verbs like "is running," "is jumping," "is reading."
• One die for What (Green): objects like "a ball," "a book," "the cake."
• Optional dice for Where (Purple) and When (Yellow).

Students roll the dice and, based on the result, create a sentence. You can vary the dice to create simple or more complex sentences depending on the students' skill level.

2. Interactive Story Mats

Set up story mats where students physically move through different stations based on colourful semantics. Each station represents a part of the sentence:

• Station 1 (Orange) is the "Who" station: Here, students can choose from pictures or figures of different subjects (people, animals, etc.).
• Station 2 (Blue) is the "What doing" station: Students pick an action or verb from a list or use action cards.
• Station 3 (Green) is the "What" station: They choose an object or something related to the verb (e.g., a book for "reading").
• Station 4 (Purple) is the "Where" station: They pick a location (e.g., park, library, home).

Students then "walk through" the stations, creating sentences as they move from one to another. This physical, kinesthetics activity engages both their minds and bodies, making sentence-building more memorable.

3. Sentence Relay Race

For an energetic class activity, organise a sentence relay race:

• Divide the class into teams. Each team has a set of colour-coded cards (Who, What doing, What, etc.).
• The first student from each team runs to a designated area to pick up a "Who" card and bring it back. They must say the subject aloud (e.g., "The dog").
• The next student in line runs to pick a "What doing" card (e.g., "is barking").
• The relay continues until the sentence is complete, and the first team to finish building a complete and correct sentence wins.

This game gets students moving and thinking quickly, reinforcing their understanding of sentence components in a dynamic way.

A fun variation from my colleague Ella Hazleman at Glen Taylor School! Using plastic coloured balls adds a hands-on element to the relay race. Here’s how you might adapt Ella Hazleman’s version:

Ella's Colour Ball Relay Race

1. Preparation:
   Set up buckets or containers at a distance from the teams. Each container will have coloured balls corresponding to different parts of a sentence (e.g., Orange for Who, Blue for What doing, Green for What, etc.).

2. Rules:
   Each student runs to the buckets, grabs a ball of the colour their team needs, and runs back to their team. The team must work together to use the balls to create a sentence based on the colour coding. For example:

   • Orange ball = Who (e.g., "The dog")
   • Blue ball = What doing (e.g., "is barking")
   • Green ball = What (e.g., "at the cat")

3. Objective:
   The first team to collect all the coloured balls and form a complete, correct sentence wins!

Supporting Neurodiverse students

I recently attended a workshop at Somerville School about helping students with autism in regular classrooms. One important point was that 1 in every 5 students is neurodiverse, including conditions like ADHD, dyslexia, dyspraxia, and autism. This inspired me to find five simple ways to support these students in my classroom.

1. Offering Frequent Praise and Positive Reinforcement

I make it a priority to give regular, specific praise for the effort students put into their work. I try to encourage them during tasks instead of just praising the final result. This helps students, especially those with ADHD or anxiety, feel more confident and valued in their learning.

To support students with ADHD, I avoid negative labels and focus on building self-esteem by understanding the reasons behind their behaviours. I emphasise emotional regulation and self-control, use whole-class discussions to encourage understanding, and apply strategies that support both emotional and academic success.

2. Highlighting Students’ Strengths

Instead of only looking at what students find hard, I try to find their strengths, like creativity, problem-solving, or unique thinking. Recognising these strengths helps students feel more confident and ready to face challenges.

To help them succeed, I set clear deadlines and allow for breaks and movement to keep them focused.

3. Breaking Down Large Tasks into Small, Manageable Steps

I’ve started breaking tasks into smaller steps to make them easier in a whole class setting. Instead of having students do a big project all at once, we work on it step by step and use visual aids to help them. This makes it less overwhelming, especially for students with autism or challenges with executive functioning.

4. Creating a Sensory-Friendly Environment

After the autism workshop, I made some changes in the classroom to help reduce sensory overload. I took down extra decorations from the walls and created a quiet corner where students can go if they feel overwhelmed. These changes have really helped students who are sensitive to sensory input.

5. Collaborating with Support Teams

I’ve been in regular contact with parents and specialists who work with my students. I talk with special education teachers, occupational therapists, and speech therapists to better understand how to support each child. Working together like this has been really helpful in making sure we help our students succeed.

I would love to hear your strategies for supporting neurodivergent students! Please share your ideas so we can work together to help these students thrive. Your tips and experiences are greatly appreciated!

Inquiry focus :Literacy and the journey so far

My inquiry has evolved this year to focus more on the children who have transitioned from Kindergartens and Early Childhood Education (ECE) settings.

Some of the tamariki have not yet mastered their foundational skills, so my inquiry centers on how I can ensure that all my students achieve these foundational skills as soon as possible, specifically looking at literacy.

Below, you will find my Professional Growth Cycle and the work I have undertaken so far. As you will see, this journey is ongoing, and I will be continuing to develop in this area.

I am really looking forward to see how the data on BSLA has progressed. Especially my Tier 2 target group.