Australia Association for Research in Education
Literacy teaching
READING, part five: why teachers must have more than this year’s model of literacy
Noella Mackenzie and Martina Tassone explore structured literacy, whole language and balanced literacy. This is the fifth post …
Now grammar is back again. And again. And again.
It was with some surprise that we recently read newspaper reports that ‘Grammar is back’ in NSW schools. …
We all love a good story (and you can join in)
The role of story for humankind is a given: we live storied lives. Reading rich literature is always …
Over 180 literacy educators voice their concerns over Dan Tehan’s expert task force on reading
This open letter voices the concerns of over 180 literacy educators on the composition (and implied terms of reference) of the “expert task force” created to advise the Australian Government on the teaching of phonics and reading. In his press release of 15th October 2019, the Federal Minister for Education, the Honourable Dan Tehan, announced …
New research shows what makes a difference in teaching literacy and why ‘evidence-based’ is not enough
Public discourse about schooling generally assumes that it’s in crisis. The script goes something like this: There’s a problem and it’s big – really big! Test results show us Australia is going downhill and teachers need to be accountable. There are ‘evidence-based’ solutions but teachers are not using them. If they did, literacy standards would …
The power of reading aloud: not just for babies and little children
A recent study on children’s reading found that fewer children are reading for fun. Worse, as children grow up the less they read for fun. Does it matter if children don’t read for fun? They are (sort of) reading on devices and mobiles and using social media anyway. And isn’t this mostly for fun? I …
Learning to write in Year 1 is vital: new research findings
By the time children are eight they can spend up to half their day at school involved in a range of lessons that require them to write. Consequently, children who struggle with writing can be seriously disadvantaged. My colleagues and I decided to investigate what was happening with the teaching and learning of writing in …
Do Australian teachers have poor literacy skills? Let’s look at the evidence
Australians have been sold the idea that our primary school teachers today have poor literacy standards, not only …
This is how Australian teachers are taught how to teach children to read: not just phonics
There is a lot of misinformation out there, as well as ill informed commentary, about how we prepare teachers to teach reading and writing in Australian schools today Of course you have heard the argument that teachers do not teach phonics any more and worse, that many early career teachers do not even know how …
What’s new about dyslexia?
A learning disability may be thought as a kind of ailment, difficulty, trouble, condition, even an illness in …