Instruction through AVID in the Primary school comes in the form of WICOR strategies;
“When efforts are structured cooperatively, there is considerable evidence that students will exert more effort to achieve, build more positive and supportive relationships, and develop in more healthy ways.”
David Johnston and Roger Johnson 1999
W – Writing. Writing to learn promotes clear thinking across the curriculum and develops writing skills for life
I – Inquiry. Inquiry engages all students with their own and others’ thinking process as well as developing intrapersonal skills
C – Collaboration. Collaboration brings personal responsibility and respect to the classroom and builds interpersonal skills that are used throughout life
O – Organisation. Organisation in all areas of life that is both mental and physical, on the part of students and teachers. This develops self-responsibility and active learning
R – Reading. Reading to learn increases content literacy and prepares students for progress throughout their education as well as lifelong literacy skills
Collaboration is a key component in the Primary school and also in AVID’s instructional methodology. Collaboration – the “C” of WICOR, allows students to learn from, support and appropriately challenge another to expand their own understanding and views. Collaboration is essential for student success, as it entails experiencing the challenges and opportunities associated with a diversity of perspectives and working style which can deepen metacognitive thinking, accelerate learning and broaden perspective.
A collaborative classroom at SCBC is an intentional environment in which collaboration and social development are infused into academic content. In collaborative-rich classrooms, student collaboration goes beyond conventional cooperation and compliance, as students become invested, caring members of a learning community. Students in years 3 to 6 are explicitly taught these skills through fun and engaging games, activities and tasks. These skills are then intentionally and purposefully woven into all lessons and learning experiences both within and outside of the classroom by staff trained in AVID.