Phonics shapes the earliest steps children take toward reading, yet at home it can sometimes feel like a balance between what children need to practise and what they feel motivated Read more…
Supporting literacy at home can feel overwhelming, especially when you are unsure how reading and writing are taught today. Many parents worry about doing the “wrong” thing, correcting too much, Read more…
Grammar can sometimes feel like a list of rules to remember, but teaching grammar to children works best when those rules appear in meaningful reading, writing and conversation. Young learners Read more…
Early reading is an exciting stage of learning. Children begin noticing words everywhere and start piecing together how language works. Sight words, which appear frequently in early readers, play a Read more…
Reading comprehension is more than recalling what happened in a story. It is the ability to make sense of ideas, connect information and form opinions about what we read. Many Read more…
Most students know the routine. On Monday, they receive a spelling list, they practise it during the week, and on Friday, they complete a quiz. By Monday morning, many of Read more…
Across Australia, literacy instruction continues to evolve as schools refine their approaches and teachers work to align practice with the most reliable research. Although curriculum expectations and assessment requirements have Read more…
Preparing for NAPLAN Literacy can feel like a big step for both children and parents. You want your child to feel confident, not pressured, and to see the test as Read more…
TL;DR Around one in three Australian students is below literacy benchmarks. States like Victoria are introducing daily systematic phonics lessons. Research from Evidence for Learning and Macquarie University proves explicit Read more…
TL;DR Phonemes: smallest sound units (e.g. /m/, /sh/). Digraphs: two letters making one sound (e.g. sh, ch). Blends: two or more letters where both sounds are heard (e.g. bl, st). Read more…
TL;DR Phonics is the broader system that teaches how letters map to sounds. Digraphs are a key part of phonics, where two letters represent one sound. Both are essential for Read more…
When children begin their literacy journey, they learn the building blocks of language: letters and sounds. Very quickly, they discover that not every sound matches neatly with a single letter. Read more…
In classrooms today, data has become a practical tool that supports effective literacy teaching, not just a trend. From tracking student growth to personalising instruction, the correct data can help Read more…
Struggling to convince your students that grammar and phonics aren’t just rules that are “so boring”? Here’s a way to explain it to them: Picture language learning as a building: Read more…
Welcome to 2025! Are you one of those people who also gets super excited about the start of a new year? It’s like putting down a pen on a fresh Read more…
In a world filled with flashy video games and TikTok dances, sitting still with a book can feel quite challenging. I personally love reading, but I’m also attached to the Read more…
Keeping students engaged in their learning journey can be challenging, especially when it comes to literacy. However, with the right tools and strategies, teachers can transform literacy education into an Read more…
Let’s face it: whether you’re a parent or a child, tackling homework at the end of a busy day is rarely anyone’s favourite activity. However, looking at it from a Read more…
Lesson planning is the backbone of effective teaching, ensuring that every class is purposeful, engaging, and aligned with educational goals. A well-crafted lesson plan can transform a classroom into a Read more…
With the new academic year starting soon in many parts of the world, a lot of young teachers are beginning their first year in the classroom. Remember that one teacher Read more…
