Literacy Solutions Blog

Much has been written about the "Book Box" or selection of easy or familiar texts used to support independent learning. In a recent conversation, the notion of the book box was discussed and the specific contents of the box debated. There appeared to be some confusion around suitable material and also how it should be used to support students during independent learning.

Book boxes provide students …

’Lights for Literacy’ – rewards for innovative literacy programs.

Are you doing something innovative in your classroom? If so, you may be eligible for a future grant from the International Reading Association (IRA). The IRA have begun an exciting new project titled, 1000 Lights for Literacy.

This project aims to support teachers making positive changes at the classroom level by providing yearly grants to support …

Data gathering is vital for planning effective instruction
The reading gap

The gap which divides “good readers and spellers” and “poor readers and spellers” begins to form early in a student’s school life. Early years’ teachers observe differences in their students’ expressive and receptive language, knowledge about print, abilities to hear sounds and sound patterns, and to articulate and recreate them.

With this diversity in mind, can careful …

Junk food for young readers or an appropriate starting point?

The more you read, the better you get. There is no surprise about this. It makes sense and there is universal agreement from literacy researchers and teachers.

With this in mind, let’s think about human nature. Most of us enjoy doing the things we are good at, and avoid those things too challenging or that have little …

Bronwyn Sheehan is the founder and CEO of the Pyjama Foundation and the 2009 Queenslander of the Year.

What is the Pyjama Foundation?
The Pyjama Foundation is a not-for-profit organization founded in 2004 with the vision of transforming vulnerable children’s lives through the immersion of literacy.
What prompted you to create the Pyjama Foundation?
Having 3 children of my own, I experienced first hand the benefits of reading books …

Someone recently asked me to explain the term, ‘best practice’, and as he was changing year levels, asked what he should teach his new class. Here is a quick guide linking his two queries:

Best practice is always informed. It is drawn from specific data and observation about what students can do, are attempting to do and neglecting to do. It is guided by expectations about …

It was my recent pleasure to conduct a session for a new group of Pyjama Angels, a group of individuals volunteering time on a weekly basis to read to children in foster care.

With only eight per cent of foster children achieving average literacy levels by the age of seven and only 25 per cent graduating high school, foster children are amongst our most vulnerable …

In November and December 2008, we conducted a survey of our site visitors on a number of issues. Almost 200 visitors responded, providing useful data to help us plan our services for 2009 and beyond.

A short summary of the feedback the survey revealed includes:

41% of you said there is not a consistent approach to teaching literacy across your school
35% indicated that guided reading is not …

Deciding whether to repeat a child at school is often difficult for administrators, teachers and parents. A range of social, emotional and learning issues must be addressed as adults endeavour to make the best decision possible for the child concerned. Repeating offers no guarantees, so when is it the best decision?

In some cases, a decision is clear cut. And for many children, repeating a …

New curriculum or more effective teaching practices?

James O’Loan covered an interesting topic in The Courier Mail on October 16 which has sparked ongoing discourse within the teaching community and beyond. Mr O’Loan highlighted the “controversial ‘new’ curriculum focusing on grammar and punctuation” and including phonics as part of students’ literacy education. Is Mr O’Loan inferring that this is a controversial new curriculum because …