Structured Conscious Literacy - Backed by science
We deliver our own.
Summit Point School Founder Rebecca Elias trained in the Orton-Gillingham system, globally recognised as the gold standard of multi-sensory literacy teaching.
Rebecca has adapted this framework from 1-1 or small group models to a whole-class instruction model that is explicit and systematic, delivered each day, and adapted for our New Zealand context. Students at Summit Point receive reading, writing, spelling and word study instruction through our Structured Conscious Literacy (SCL) approach, which develops a greater understanding of language-based skills in an explicit and systematic manner.
Our daily SCL lessons provide an opportunity to master literacy and language-based skills necessary for life. Our structured approach breaks reading and spelling down into small lessons, building upon knowledge step by step. Direct instruction, repetition, and guided practice are given, and a systematic assessment is undertaken before new material is introduced.
Learners master one skill before moving to the next. Students learn to identify consistent rules and patterns to decode and encode words independently. Building upon the development of skills, common prefixes, suffixes, and word roots (both regular or transparent) are also taught. Irregular sounds, or spellings that do not follow a reliable symbol-sound relationships (Outlaw Words) are taught in separate lessons and practised each morning, as well as at home.
Individualised instruction meets a student’s needs, and is based on careful and continuous assessment, both informally (through observation) and formally (through standardised measures).
Enrichment & Intervention
These classes are designed to provide more intensive, one to one, or smaller group work. Our diagnostic approach allows our Literacy teachers to carefully monitor individual student progress, quickly identifying those that require more intensive support. SLDs work on a continuum, with a percentage of our students experiencing more severe and persistent difficulties. If an individual student is not responding to our SCL Instructional lessons, more intervention is given.
Co-occurring difficulties impinging on progress may be a result of additional and sometimes more complex neurological profiles such as Expressive and Receptive language delays, Auditory Processing Disorder, executive functioning deficits, anxiety, and ADHD.
Testimonials
"We were desperate to help our son’s self-esteem and confidence. Enrolling him at Summit Point restored his belief in himself."
"Being encouraged to demonstrate his knowledge using educational technology has helped remove barriers to my child’s learning and made him less anxious about tests and assessment."
"The teachers at Summit Point go above and beyond to nurture the different learning styles of students."
"Rebecca supported us to understand our child’s strengths and challenges and find a way to foster his love of learning."
"We have been working with Summit for almost a term and my word, our daughter has come a long way since she started at the school."
"It’s a hard decision sending your child to a ‘special’ school, but now we’re out the other side, we realise how much our daughter needed the attention and environment that Summit Point offers."
"Her time at Summit gave our daughter the space and time to learn at her own pace, be recognised for her talents and participate in the running of the school."
"Graduating from Summit, our child is a confident learner and has a range of strategies which have helped her transition to high school."