Category: Literacy

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Workshops with UFLI Foundations Authors

UFLI Foundations co-authors Dr. Holly Lane and Dr. Valentina Contesse will be presenting professional learning workshops around Australia in July 2023!

Workshop participants will have the opportunity to hear directly from the authors – not only about the research underpinning the program’s development and refinement – but also about the delivery, monitoring of student progress – and whole-school planning.

Each full-day workshop will include:

  • A review of essential background knowledge about the science of reading
  • An overview of the UFLI Foundations program
  • An in-depth exploration of each lesson step
  • Recommendations for progress monitoring and differentiation

Registrations are open via each state SPELD:

Sydney: Register with SPELD NSW

Adelaide: Register with SPELD SA

Perth: Register with DSF WA

Brisbane: Register with SPELD Queensland

Melbourne: Register with SPELD Victoria

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The Quality Initial Teacher Education Review

Teachers in workshop

Auspeld recently provided a response to the Quality Initial Teacher Education Review Discussion Paper. Auspeld’s submission considers the key questions of how best to attract and select high-quality candidates into the teaching profession, and how best to prepare Initial Teacher Education (ITE) students to be effective teachers. To read Auspeld’s submission in full, please go to the link below. 

Download the Submission (PDF ~ 1.2MB)
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Australian Curriculum Review

Teacher with student

As part of the Review of the Australian Curriculum, Auspeld prepared two separate submissions outlining a number of issues of concern with the proposed draft curriculum. Auspeld’s submissions provided specific feedback regarding the Australian Curriculum English (F to 6) and Mathematic (F to 6). To read Auspeld’s submissions in full, please click on the links below.

Download the submission (English) (.pdf 2.7MB )

Download the submission (Mathematics) (.pdf .383MB )

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Talking Literacy Series 2

Following the incredible success of the first series of AUSPELD’s Talking Literacy webinars, we are excited to announce the line-up of guests for Series 2!

Talking Literacy features conversations with international experts as they share some of their acquired knowledge, key discoveries and thoughts for the future. The series focuses on the acquisition of language, literacy and numeracy and includes interviews with Stanislas Dehaene, Julie Washington, Natalie Wexler, William Van Cleave, Maria Murray and David Kilpatrick, as well as a special episode to start off the 2021 series featuring three of the world’s leading reading researchers, Kathy Rastle, Kate Nation and Anne Castles.

These interviews (conducted by AUSPELD President Mandy Nayton) will be essential viewing for teachers, administrators, speech pathologists, psychologists and parents concerned about evidence-informed practice in the fields of literacy and learning.

If you have previously registered for Talking Literacy in 2020, you will automatically receive an email notification when each new webinar is released.

If you have yet to register, sign up here.

(If you have previously registered, you can access the webinars here.)

Mark Wednesday March 17th in your calendar and be sure to follow AUSPELD on Facebook and Twitter for updates.

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A Special ‘Talking Literacy’ Conversation

The first Talking Literacy webinar to be released in 2021 is a special one. AUSPELD President Mandy Nayton will be chatting with Kate Nation, Kathy Rastle and Anne Castles, who recently won the 2020 Economic and Social Research Council Celebrating Impact Prize in the category of ‘Outstanding International Impact,’ based on their highly regarded 2018 paper focused on bringing the science of reading to reading instruction in classrooms around the world.
This conversation with three of the world’s leading reading researchers will focus on why their paper “Ending the Reading Wars: Reading Acquisition from Novice to Expert” has had such a significant impact. It will also include an exploration of what Kate, Kathy and Anne are up to now, and what the implications of this are for future practice.
This webinar will be followed by Series Two of Talking Literacy which will feature conversations with nine international experts in the fields of literacy and language. We are currently confirming the schedule of interviewees and can’t wait to share this information with you! There are some very exciting speakers you will certainly want to hear from.
Those who have already registered for the previous series of Talking Literacy will automatically receive an email notification when the new series becomes available.
If you have yet to register for these exceptional free webinars, you can sign up here.
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Have Your Say – Help Us Improve Support for Students with Learning Difficulties

In schools, the Disability Standards for Education (2005) help guide decisions regarding reasonable adjustments for students so they can access and participate in education without disadvantage.  The Standards are currently under review and AUSPELD are preparing a submission as part of the review process.

We are very interested in hearing about the experiences of parents, caregivers and teachers of children with learning difficulties, as well as students who have learning difficulties. To share your perspective, please complete the appropriate questionnaire linked below.

The survey can be completed anonymously and is open until Thursday 10 September, 2020.

Parent/Caregiver Survey:

https://form.jotform.com/dyslexiaSPELD/Parent_Carer_Questionnaire

Teacher/Educator Survey:

https://form.jotform.com/dyslexiaSPELD/Educator_Questionnaire

Student Survey:

https://form.jotform.com/dyslexiaSPELD/Student_Questionnaire

(All students under the age of 14 should seek their parent or caregiver’s permission to complete this questionnaire.)

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Primary Reading Pledge

Five From Five, AUSPELD and Learning Difficulties Australia have collaborated on an evidence-based framework for schools to dramatically reduce the number of children who finish primary school unable to read proficiently. It is vitally important that schools and teachers are provided with the support, training and resources they need to ensure that all students learn to read.
Primary Reading Pledge:
“To reduce to near zero the number of children who finish primary school unable to read by providing primary schools with the resources and training to provide effective assessment and intervention.”
Download the Primary Reading Pledge plan here: https://fivefromfive.com.au/primary-reading-pledge
Add your name to the list of people who support an evidence-based action plan to get all children reading by the end of primary school.
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Launch of the Literacy Hub website and Year 1 Phonics Check

AUSPELD strongly supports evidence informed practice in the teaching of literacy. In order to read well, children need to be taught to read words accurately and fluently, and they need the knowledge and vocabulary to understand what they read.

The Phonics Check is one component of a high-quality structured literacy program. The recent announcement by the Federal Government that stage one of the Year 1 Phonics Check is now available to schools and families across Australia has been welcomed by AUSPELD. It is a simple tool which checks student progress in the second half of Year 1. The results of the Phonics Check provide teachers with a useful overview of students’ individual reading skills and assists teachers to identify students who need additional support.

The Phonics Check is available now via a new online portal for teachers, school leaders and families called the Literacy Hub. The Hub includes information on how students learn to read, as well as resources for schools and families to support literacy development. Additional resources will be added over the coming months.

Go to literacyhub.edu.au to find out more.

 

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Talking Literacy Webinar Series

AUSPELD is excited to announce an upcoming new webinar series, featuring conversations with international experts as they share some of their acquired knowledge, key discoveries and thoughts for the future. The series focuses on the acquisition of language, literacy and numeracy and includes interviews with Louisa Moats, Mark Seidenberg, Kate Nation, Carl Hendrick, Paul Kirschner, Daniel Ansari, Pie Corbett, Emily Hanford and Pamela Snow.

These interviews (conducted by AUSPELD President Mandy Nayton) will be essential viewing for teachers, administrators, speech pathologists, psychologists and parents concerned with evidence-informed practice in the fields of literacy and learning. More information about how to register for – and contribute to – these free webinars will be shared soon. Be sure to follow AUSPELD on Facebook or Twitter for updates – https://www.facebook.com/AUSPELD/  https://twitter.com/auspeld

Registrations now open

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Interview with Dr. Jack Fletcher

This video interview with esteemed child neuropsychologist Dr. Jack Fletcher is a must-watch! Dr. Fletcher is the Principal Investigator of the Texas Centre for Learning Disabilities and is a former member of the NICHD National Advisory Council and the President’s Commission on Excellence in Special Education.

In the video, he explains the importance of early intervention for children with dyslexia, the key characteristics of effective reading intervention, the danger of intervention fads, and more.

Dr. Fletcher advocates for “Strong core instruction for everyone, which absolutely reduces risk… in the context of universal screening and progress monitoring.”

Listen to (or read) the interview here: readingrockets.org/teaching/experts/jack-fletcher

Child Neuropsychologist Dr. Jack Fletcher