Literacy Leadership Programme (Years 1 to 8)

Reading and Writing

Absence of Phonic Irritation Aids the Playful Finns
From the Times Educational Supplement, a report about approaches to early schooling in both Finland and New Zealand which might account for their higher literacy achievement than the UK.

America Reads
The America Reads challenge - that all children read well and independently by the end of the third grade - will require an unprecedented mobilization of appropriately trained reading tutors from all walks of life, working closely with teachers and schools to enhance children's learning. This outline provides a framework for the planning, implementation and evaluation of quality national service programs to meet the America Reads Challenge.

An Approach to Factual Writing
This article suggests one way of categorizing types of factual writing and introduces a teaching strategy which can develop students' awareness of the structural and language features of a number of factual genres.

Approaches to Reading
Shared Reading
Guided Reading
Reciprocal Teaching

Balanced Literacy
This issue of the Innovative Teaching Newsletter brings together the latest thinking in reading literacy. Included are sites on Balanced Literacy; Early Literacy; Educational Leadership: Reading and Writing in the Content Areas; Issues in Literacy Development

Better Book Reports - 25 Ideas
Education World presents 25 ideas for writing book reports for teachers to use or adapt, also included ideas for cyber book reports.

Bookplates Can Make Reading Habit Stick
From the Times Educational Supplement, UK Children's Laureate Anne Fine discusses the need for children to have their own books in their own homes.

Books are Good Buys for the Boys
From the Times Educational Supplement, a report on research which shows that allowing boys to shop for their own reading material is improving their literacy skills.

Boy Friendly Test Unfair say Heads
From the Times Educational Supplement a report on headteachers' criticism of national curriculum reading tests as being biased towards boys.

British Face Hardest Reading Challenge
From the Times Educational Supplement, a report on research which shows that British pupils take more than twice as long to master reading as their European counterparts simply because English is a difficult language.

Building Comprehension Through Explicit Teaching of Comprehension Strategies
A paper presented in 2001 by Nell K Duke of Michigan State University which focuses on research-based best practices in comprehension instruction.

Building on Biographies -- Bringing Real-Life Stories Into Your Curriculum!
With the help of the Internet, every teacher can bring biographies into the classroom! Introduce students to biographies using one of ten activities included on this site.

California Reading Initiative
There is concern around the world about literacy standards in schools. Countries world wide are addressing the issues of literacy. This site contains different approaches and suggestions, including ways to develop literature, language, and comprehension, programmes that include a balance of oral and written language, phonemic awareness, phonics, decoding and early intervention programmes.

Capital Crimes Still Increasing
The literacy hour in the UK has failed to halt the decline in pupils' use of punctuation, such as full stops and commas, reports the Times Educational Supplement.

Combined Statement on Literacy Development
From the NZ Reading Association and the NZ Association for the Teaching of English.

The Compact for Learning Series
The purpose of this site is to encourage greater family, school and community involvement in the development of children's literacy. The section on Preventing Reading Difficulties in Young Children is of particular relevance to the Literacy Taskforce recommendations "to provide opportunities to share an understanding of what it means to read and write for success".

Comprehension Instruction
Michael Pressley presents research-based approaches to reading comprehension and directs teachers to emerging practices.

Comprehension Resources
Research over the last 30 years in the area of reading comprehension has led to new understandings about the complex process of constructing meaning from text. This site explores strategies for teaching comprehension and provides other relevant web sites.

Critical Issues in Literacy
This site includes:Monitoring the School Literacy Programme; Addressing the Literacy Needs of Emergent and Early Readers; Balanced Reading Instruction; Literacy Research and Best Practices; An article on recent research titled "A Study of Reading Practices, Instruction, and Achievement". Additional resources and Internet links are well worth visiting.

Dad's Army Sought for Literacy Battle
From the Times Educational Supplement, a report on a government initiative in which senior citizens will be encouraged to read with children to improve their literacy.

Early Literacy
This site looks at the principles underlying best practices for effective early literacy programmes. It is organized into two main areas: Pre-Kindergarten and Kindergarten to Grade 3.

Early Literacy and Achievement Influences
An Australian report about research which confirmed the importance of early literacy and numeracy on achievement at tertiary level (pdf).

Early Literacy and Numeracy
An Education Review Office report about the use currently made, by both early childhood services and schools, of the assessment of children's early literacy and numeracy achievements to improve teaching programmes.

Early Tests for Literacy Disorders
From the Times Educational Supplement, a report from France on a new screening system which will provide much-needed help for youngsters struggling with dyslexia and dysphasia.

Early Years and Literacy
Research evidence suggests that introducing books to babies at an early age helps support children's reading and interest in books. Early years initiatives in the UK have used research based evidence to support parents' involvement with their children's learning.

Early Years Learning
This report was prepared as background briefing for a UK House of Commons Inquiry into Early Years Education. It summarises the scientific research on the development of the brain and the psychological development of children, including language learning and the development of reading and writing. (PDF)

Early Years Literacy Programme
In Victoria, as in other education systems around the world, the improvement of literacy levels is a high priority. The Early Years Literacy Strategy is a comprehensive and strategic approach to literacy achievement. Of particular interest are the four key components of the literacy programme.

Early-years Reading and Writing Hampers Speech
From the Times Educational Supplement, a report on research which shows that too much emphasis on reading and writing for the under-fives is hampering the development of their speaking skills.

Education Review Office - Literacy in New Zealand Schools: Reading

Emergent Literacy: Synthesis of the Research
An overview of emergent literacy research, including definitions and a review of the characteristics of the research.

English - Writing a Story
Interactive lesson for students to use when planning to write a narrative -in two parts. In Write a Story 1, students look at how to identify the audience, how to choose the right kind of topic and appropriate language for that audience and how to create believable characters. In Write a Story 2, students explore how to choose what type of story to write, how to give their story a basic structure and how to choose the way they want to tell their story.

The English Room
This site contains a series of lessons that are designed to take students to various locations on the Internet.�Teachers will find in the '30 Days of Poetry' section, a useful summary of a range of poetic forms.

English Spelling Reform
The history of attempts at reform of English spelling and the case for reform including the problems created by current spelling.

Every Day Activities: Language
Build vocabulary skills, spelling skills, literature awareness, thinking skills and more with daily fun activities. Teachers might consider working one of these web sites into your lesson plans.

The Four Ages of Reading Philosophy and Pedagogy: A Framework for Examining Theory and Practice
Jan Turbill explores the fierce debate about the most appropriate literacy pedagogy and what we should teach in the name of literacy.

The Fundamentals of Critical Reading and Effective Writing
This site shows how to recognize what a text says, what a text does, and what a text means by analysing choices of content, language and structure. It shows what to look for and how to think about what you find.

Give Them a Taste of Honey
The problem with literacy strategies is that they are created by people with no sense of the joy of the written word, says Whitbread prize-winner Philip Pullman in this comment on the UK's National Literacy Strategy in the Times Educational Supplement.

Good Writing Has Voice
"Good writing has a living, unique person behind it. It doesn't sound as if it has been written by a soul-less computer in one office, for a mindless fax in another. It has personality. . ." A quote from Chapter One, The Elements of Good Writing from Essential English by Mem Fox and Lyn Wilkinson.

Grammar teaching and writing skills: the research evidence
Richard Hudson of London University provides a succinct overview of the research into the impact of grammar teaching on student writing.

Grammatical Knowledge for Teachers
From the UK National Literacy Strategy, a series of modules for teachers to update or consolidate their basic grammatical knowledge. Currently two of these five modules are available: � grammatical overview � word classes

Guys Read
A site dedicated to connecting boys with books they want to read. It includes recommended books and a chance for boys to recommend books to each other.

Helping Your Child Become a Reader
Based on the latest reading research, this article suggests many everyday activities to encourage your child's love of reading and strengthen language skills.

Helping Your Child With Reading
Advice for parents of young children from the UK National Literacy Trust's National Reading Campaign. � �

Hooligan Helps Boys to Read
From the Times Educational Supplement, an article about a teacher author who hopes his TV-smashing, football-crazy, hopping mad bunny will boost literacy.

Inspectors Spell Out Bigger Role for Phonics
Helen Ward of the Times Educational Supplement, reports on the push for more phonics in infant classes in the UK.

It's a Pity Reading Pleasure Can't be Tested
From the UK Education Guardian, Anne Karpf argues that we force children into reading far too early. Today Einstein, who learnt to read at 10, would be in a remedial class

It's Really Quite Simple to Get Boys into Books
In this NZ Herald article, David Hill comments on the importance of getting boys reading and some strategies for encouraging boys into books.

Keeping Reading Real
In an opinion piece from the Times Educational Supplement, Graham Frater argues that secondary pupils do need the literacy strategy, but thinks a few of its too-rigid rules will need to be broken.

Launching Young Readers
Access tips for helping children become a fluent readers, explore the issues surrounding literacy, and what the experts have to say.

Let the Watchword be Open Books
From the Times Educational Supplement, Anne Fine, the new UK Children's Laureate, shares her optimism for the future of children's reading.

Literacy 101: Fusion Cuisine
The site provides the basic information for creating a literacy programme and how to put it all together -- according to the art of fusion cuisine!

Literacy Advance Research Project
This study, conducted by the Catholic Education Commission of Victoria, follows the literacy development of primary students from Year 1 to Year 3. The study began in 1998 and follows the literacy development of more than 34,000 Year 1 students in more than 300 classes in 161 Catholic primary schools across Victoria. The study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of selected approaches to literacy and to explore a range of school, classroom and background influences on the literacy development of students.

Literacy and Numeracy (Years 0-4): Guide for Parents
An excellent PDF booklet is available on this site to assist parents with ways they can help their children with regard to literacy and numeracy, in the early years of schooling. It would be an excellent resource to provide to parents after meeting with them and discussing this area of need in the home.

Literacy Figures Simply a Right Wing Fantasy
From the Times Educational Supplement, New Statesman editor Peter Wilby, disputes readings of the recent OECD report which showed UK (and New Zealand) students in the bottom third of an eighteen country literacy league table.

Literacy Time
An interesting site of value to primary teachers. Authors talk about their favourite "reads". The Reading Aloud section contains lists of fiction and non-fiction suitable for years 1-6. The Children's Choice section provides information about favourite authors. Each issue of Literacy Time lists publishers' and librarians' Web sites, together with other sites offering useful information about children's books.

The Literacy Web
This site provides guidance for integrating literacy strategies into your classroom. Access current research and professional development resources.

Literate Futures
The report of the Literacy Review for Queensland State Schools. (downloadable pdf file)

Literature Circles
A selection of web sites which explain literature circles, identify the role of each member of the group and guide the teacher in how to implement the technique in the classroom.

Literature Circles - A structured approach
This comprehensive site explains the structured approach of literature circles in middle /senior primary classes. Scroll down for handouts and activities.

Literature Circles Build Excitement for Books
Small groups of students gather together to discuss a piece of literature in depth, guided by their responses to what they have read. Students talk about events and characters in the book, or personal experiences related to the story. Literature circles provide a way for students to engage in critical thinking and reflection as they read, discuss, and respond to books. The Literacy Circles Resource Centre has detailed plans for classroom organisation.

Magic Moments
Following on from Black and William's "Inside the Black Box" with its focus on the importance of formative assessment,Tom Deveson of the Times Educational Supplement reports on some schools which have put the theory into practice in the teaching of reading and writing.

Make Kids' Writing Shine: Using Beginnings and Endings to Teach Craft
Six strategies to help students master beginnings and endings and revise their writing, along with a starting point for assessment.

Make the 'Write' Impression
Education World provides five lesson plans to support and improve students' writing skills: � Who Works at Our School? � Dead Word Wall Kills Overused Words � Ten Prompts for Student Writing � Be the Editor! � Story Starters for Beginning Readers and Writers

Making a Difference Means Making It Different: Honoring Children's Rights to Excellent Reading Instruction
The International Reading Association strongly believes that to provide excellent reading instruction to every child, classrooms need to be rethought, sufficient monetary investments made, and communities wholeheartedly supporting reading reform efforts. (PDF).

Me Panui Tatou Katoa - Let�s All Read
The report of the Education and Science Committee on the inquiry into the teaching of reading in New Zealand

Misunderstood Minds
This site is designed to give parents and teachers a better understanding of learning processes, insights into learning difficulties (particularly reading, writing and mathematics), and effective strategies for helping children succeed.

Motivating Readers
Motivating children to read has been high on schools' agendas for many years. The UK National Literacy Trust has pulled together some of the best practices developed by schools. There are a range of examples including using sport to encourage reading.

National Literacy Trust
Ideas for reading and writing to enhance literacy. Top Tips has suggestions for choosing books and encouraging children to read. This part of the site is particulary relevant for parents.

National Reading Panel
This report discusses the best strategies for the teaching of reading - a combination of phonics training and guided oral reading. The Panel also found that reading teachers must be educated not only about the best reading approaches but they must also understand more fully how children learn to read and why some children have difficulty learning to read.

Never too Big to Read with the Little People
In this Times Educational Supplement article, legal administrator Nigel Youds shares his experience of helping young people with reading, as part of UK Business in the Community scheme.

A New Chapter
From the UK's Education Guardian, Geoff Barton reports on a new sense of urgency in addressing literacy in secondary schools.

The No Book Report: Skim it and Weep
From the Washington Post a report about the growing number of aliterate Americans - people who can read but choose not to.

Not Such a Joyless Exercise
From the Times Educational Supplement, Geoff Dean takes issue with Philip Pullman's attack on the UK National Literacy Strategy.

Online Classics for Young People
Interesting and popular classics to read online.

Otago Secondary Literacy Initiative
An introduction to a literacy across the curriculum initiative from John Taylor of the Dunedin College of Education

Pen Power
From the Times Educational Supplement, Geoff Barton argues that teaching writing is an active process asking for a workshop approach.

Phonics at Hub of Literacy Drive
From the Times Educational Supplement, a report that all 25,000 Year 3 teachers will be trained in phonics next year as part of the UK Government's drive to boost reading standards.

Phonics is Not a Dirty Word
"It seems only yesterday that phonics was the word that dared not sound out its name" says Sue Palmer in this opinion piece from the Times Educational Supplement.

Primaries Throw off Strategy Straitjacket
Topic and project work is back among UK schools eager to avoid the prescription of the national literacy hour according to this Times Educational Supplement article.

Proofreading as a Strategy for Spelling Development
This article and the research on which it is based, explores an issue of contention for many teachers for some time. Determining how spelling should be implemented into classroom practice has proven to be a challenge for primary school teachers.

Pupils Struggle to Decode English
English speaking children have more difficulty learning to read than their counterparts in other countries because English spelling is so inconsistent, according to a new study, reported in this Times Educational Supplement article.

Read Aloud.....Is It Worth It?
Recent research supports teachers' beliefs that reading aloud to students enhances classroom instruction and academic achievement.

Reading Comprehension Through Instruction
Michael Pressley of the University of Notre Dame and Ruth Wharton-McDonald of the University of New Hampshire address three questions about reading comprehension and provide answers based on current research.

Reading Online
The electronic journal of the International Reading Association. This site is well worth viewing especially "The Electronic Classroom" section which focuses on technologies relevant to the teaching of reading and writing. It comments on technology-based programmes and projects and materials of interest to teachers at all levels.

Reading Rockets
This site provides strategies for supporting readers at home, at school and in the community.Also provided is a comprehensive list of books for all levels, a literature quiz and an author profile.

Reading: How to Learn it and How to Teach it
by Cheryl Harvey
An article which summarises current theories on reading, how they differ and what can we learn from each?

Reading: The First Chapter in Education
Reading is the gateway to all other knowledge. American educators more than ever before, are being asked to deliver a higher level of education and to do so for all students. Meeting this challenge requires that the process of "learning to read" be securely underway for virtually all students by the end of the third grade.

Real Improvements but only 'Skin Deep'
From the Times Educational Supplement, a report which suggests that the UK's national literacy strategy has reduced the 3Rs learning lottery but has brought only "skin deep" improvements.

Reciprocal Teaching: A Reading Strategy
Reciprocal Teaching is a technique used to develop comprehension of expository text in which teacher and students take turns leading a dialogue about sections of a text. Four activities are incorporated into the technique: prediction, questioning, summarizing and clarifying.

Round Robin Reading
Round robin reading in a guided reading lesson? So what's wrong with it?

Rugrats' Test for Literacy
Testing children's understanding of their favourite cartoons can help to diagnose future literacy problems, according to new American research reported in the Times Educational Supplement.

Share a Story
A delightful site for the young writer to share their own holiday story.

Show, Don't Tell
Students have heard the rule "show, don't tell" but this principle is often difficult for some writers to master. This site has some wonderful examples showing and telling the same information.

Spelling in the Curriculum
One hundred years of pain and confusion!
A paper by Ray Griffiths from the Dunedin College of Education.

Spelling it Right - Learn to Spell Confidently
This site is for teachers and parents who are concerned about their children's spelling and are keen to help them improve. Children who are reasonably capable readers can work through the spelling exercises without help. Included is advice about tackling spelling problems along with the exercises.

Start Small for Big Gains
Chris Johnston of the Times Educational Supplement, sees how palm-size computers can stimulate pupils' interest in literacy.

Stereotypes blighting schoolboys' studies
From the UK Guardian, a report on research that shows boys could be falling behind in their studies because their schools are reinforcing the image "real men don't read".

Strengthening Reading and Writing Skills Using the Internet
A teacher's approach to reading and writing using the Internet. Suggested are some very practical ideas for reluctant readers.

Study of Literary Characters 'Transforms' Student Writing
A teacher created activity that challenges students to think carefully about character traits in literature. The "character transformation" activity motivates students to think critically and write with a purpose as they develop characters in their writing.

Synthetic Phonics Seen as the Real Reading McCoy
The Times Educational Supplement reports that the long-running war over how best to teach reading is hotting up as the UK Government's new literacy guru meets those who insist children should "start with the sound".

The A Team
Reva Klein of the Times Educational Supplement explains how Arsenal football club's latest success has come off the field in the shape of a pioneering literacy scheme.

To the Letter
Being a fluent reader doesn't always mean spelling comes naturally. Olivia O'Sullivan of the Times Educational Supplement, looks at where some children go wrong and how to help them get it right.

UK Literacy Ranks in Bottom Third
From the Times Educational Supplement, a summary of an OECD report which shows UK (and New Zealand) students in the bottom third in an 18 country literacy league table.

Using Multiple Methods of Beginning Reading Instruction
The International Reading Association has developed position statements on several important issues related to beginning reading instruction.

Weak Phonics Teaching Holds Back Literacy Skills
From the Times Educational Supplement, the Office for Standards in Education reports that poor phonics teaching is holding back young children's reading and writing skills.

What is a Language Experience Activity?
This site defines language experience, explains how to set up a language experience activity and how to use the stories written.

Write on Reader
This site includes favourite books, authors and illustrators. Reading and writing links include the writing process, forms of writing, and a glossary of writing and literary terms. Explore how a book is made and how to make a book.

Writing Arguments
This site highlights key concepts, strategies and resources for writing arguments.

Writing in Years 5 to 8: An Evaluation of Writing Programmes
The Education Review Office evaluates the quality of writing programmes in a selected sample of years 5 -8 classes in New Zealand schools

Writing Instructions
What are the main features of written instructions? Compare some good and bad instructions and learn how verbs are used.

Writing Tools
The Writing Center has a selection of online handouts related to general writing issues, eg. close reading, analysing a text, critical response, use of quotations, what is an argument.

Parents

Bookplates Can Make Reading Habit Stick
From the Times Educational Supplement, UK Children's Laureate Anne Fine discusses the need for children to have their own books in their own homes.

Helping Your Child Become a Reader
Based on the latest reading research, this article suggests many everyday activities to encourage your child's love of reading and strengthen language skills.

TV Blamed for Decline in Speaking Skills
From the Times Educational Supplement, a report which emphasises the need for parents to talk to their children from a very early age.

Organisations

Australian Association for the Teaching of English

International Reading Association

NZRA Statement of Beliefs
The New Zealand Reading Association Statement outlines the principles that underpin instruction for reading and writing for success for all students.

Information Literacy

21st Century Literacies Site�
This sites provides perspectives, resources and lesson plans designed to increase information, media, multicultural, and visual literacy.

The Dewey Decimal System
This page links to a multimedia tour of the Dewey System, including a test. It also links to the Flash download necessary to view the site.

How Information Literate Are New Zealand Children?
by Gavin Brown NZCER
Discusses the results of a NZCER's testing of information skills in years 5-8 students. (PDF format)

Information and Communication Technology and Literacy
A survey of one of the largest ever British projects to put computers in schools does not provide conclusive evidence of gains in literacy and numeracy, despite widespread anecdotal evidence of benefit to pupils.

The Jigsaw Classroom
The jigsaw classroom is a specific and effective cooperative learning technique. It can be used across the curriculum at all levels.

Learning to Read in the Computer Age
By Anne Meyer and David Rose
Learning to Read in the Computer Age will help educate teachers in the theories and uses of computers for the teaching of reading. It presents knowledge about computers and about the process of learning to read, relating computers to theories of the brain and to the teaching of reading skills and strategies.

More Than Just Access
In this article, Andy Carvin argues that literacy - basic, functional, occupational, technological, information and adaptive - needs to be factored into any discussion of the digital divide.

Research Shows IT Boosts Literacy
From the Times Education Supplement a report on research which supports UK government moves to make teachers more IT literate.

Too Little Cheating in Schools?
From European Schoolsnet, an article which claims that teachers should encourage their classes to 'steal' information from many sources, including each other, if they are to learn real-life research skills. In a school in Norway, exams have been radically changed to adapt to this new way of learning.

Gender Issues

Boy Friendly Test Unfair say Heads
From the Times Educational Supplement a report on headteachers' criticism of national curriculum reading tests as being biased towards boys.

Boys and Literacy
Many schools and teachers in New Zealand recognise that boys' achievement is an area for concern. The National Literacy Trust has put together a range of viewpoints, as well as useful statistics and resources.

The Gender Gap: International Comparisons
This site has a wealth of recent information on boys and girls and literacy. A bar graph for the Reading Literacy Survey carried out by the International Association for the Evaluation of Educational Achievement demonstrates the gap in reading test scores between boys and girls aged nine.�

Girls Go For Little Women but Boys Prefer Lara
While little women still enjoy curling up with a copy of Little Women, boys prefer the company of racy computer characters like Lara Croft to the strong-jawed heroes of children's classics, according to this Times Educational Supplement article.

Guys Read
A site dedicated to connecting boys with books they want to read. It includes recommended books and a chance for boys to recommend books to each other.

Head Has Secret of Success With Boys
From the Times Educational Supplement, a report on a primary school which is bucking the national trend: its boys are doing better than its girls at English.

It's Really Quite Simple to Get Boys into Books
In this NZ Herald article, David Hill comments on the importance of getting boys reading and some strategies for encouraging boys into books.

Keep it short and simple
From the TES, a report on a UK study which shows that boys do well at clear cut questions which do not require them to explain themselves.

Literacy for the Lads and Dads
"It's a Man Thing" is part of a raft of community-centred initiatives in the UK to tackle under-achievement by boys and to bring men back into education and training. From the Times Educational Supplement.

Sometimes it's hard to be a boy
Debate over boys' under-achievement fails to recognise social pressures and the rigidity of the curriculum, says David Spendlove in the Times Educational Supplement.

Resources

Christchurch City Libraries - KidsStuff
Complete the Fantasy Readers' Maze to find out if you are a hero, a magician, a traveller or a friend. Read about authors and find some good books. Read fact sheets on Christchurch and famous New Zealanders.

EverythingESL. net
This excellent site contains a collection of lesson plans, teaching tips, resource links and discussions for teachers of ESOL students.

Learning Media-Te Pou Taki Korero
This site will help you keep up-to-date with current resources being published by Learning Media. These key Ministry resources are available from the Learning Media Catalogue:

Planning and Assessment in English
Exploring Language
The Learner as a Reader
Reading and Beyond

Secondary Literacy
Programmes, classroom strategies, research, policies and resources.

Research

Conceptualizations of Literacy
This site identifies and discusses several conceptualizations of literacy. It also introduces conceptual and theoretical issues that provide important background for the theory and practice of literacy.

Early Literacy and Achievement Influences
An Australian report about research which confirmed the importance of early literacy and numeracy on achievement at tertiary level (pdf).

Early Literacy Development
The Early Literacy Advisor (ELA) is an assessment system which is built around research in the field of early literacy development.

English Focus
These pages aim to provide useful information, resources and ideas for English teachers, a range of professional reading materials, professional development opportunities, and links to other interesting English resource sites.

Grammar teaching and writing skills: the research evidence
Richard Hudson of London University provides a succinct overview of the research into the impact of grammar teaching on student writing.

Great Results Fudge True Picture
In the UK, national tests show that literacy standards have risen. But such gains are not borne out by other forms of assessment. So what's going on asks Karen Gold of the Times Educational Supplement.

Helping Your Child Become a Reader
Based on the latest reading research, this article suggests many everyday activities to encourage your child's love of reading and strengthen language skills.

How Information Literate Are New Zealand Children?
by Gavin Brown NZCER
Discusses the results of a NZCER's testing of information skills in years 5-8 students. (PDF format)

ICT and Literacy in English: A Review
The full title of this pdf report from the English Review Group based at York University, is " A Systematic Review of the Impact of ICT on 5-16 Year Old's Literacy in English".

Literacy at the Millennium
This commentary focuses on topics and issues that were overwhelmingly perceived as "hot" or "not hot" in a survey published in the December 1999/January 2000 issue of Reading Today.

Literate Futures
The report of the Literacy Review for Queensland State Schools. (downloadable pdf file)

NAEP Reading Report
The National Assessment of Educational Progress is the only nationally representative and continuing assessment of what America's students know and can do in various subject areas. It assesses students' performance in different reading situations - reading for literacy experience, reading to be informed, and reading to perform a task by using authentic texts.

National Literacy Trust Database and Information Service
This database covers the whole spectrum of literacy. It contains brief summaries of over 2000 initiatives and research into literacy across the UK plus related articles from Literacy Today. It also contains useful statistical information.

NZ Council for Educational Research
Apart from information about the Council's roles and services, this site contains useful links to other educational sites, updates on the Council's research programme and, most importantly for teachers of English, it hosts an Assessment Resource Bank for English. The banks contain downloadable assessment items, organised by strand and level, which are designed to validly assess against the curriculum. You do need to apply for a password (on-line) to access the banks.

NZRA Statement of Beliefs
The New Zealand Reading Association Statement outlines the principles that underpin instruction for reading and writing for success for all students.

Read Aloud.....Is It Worth It?
Recent research supports teachers' beliefs that reading aloud to students enhances classroom instruction and academic achievement.

Reading Literacy Study
This IEA study was designed to provide results that could serve as a basis for decision-making concerning the improvement of reading in primary and secondary schools. The purpose of this international study was to develop instruments for measuring literacy in each of the 32 participating countries' school systems.

Reading: How to Learn it and How to Teach it
by Cheryl Harvey
An article which summarises current theories on reading, how they differ and what can we learn from each?

Report of the Literacy Task Force
In October 1998, the government announced the goal that "By 2005, every child turning nine will be able to read, write, and do maths for success". Soon after that, a 20 person Literacy Taskforce was set up to offer advice on how the goal should be defined, how progress towards it could be measured, and the ways in which literacy learning could best be supported. Here is the Taskforce's report, released by Minister of Education, Nick Smith, on Tuesday 13 April 1999.

What makes an effective teacher of literacy?
David Wray and Jane Medwell report on recent research commissioned by the UK Teacher Training Agency.� How do effective teachers of literacy teach? What do these teachers know and believe and what experiences have they had which enable them to teach literacy effectively?

Oral Language

The "Jigsaw" Approach
An excellent teaching method which challenges students to create their own learning. The site includes tips for teachers using the jigsaw technique.

Dramatic Storytelling in the English Classroom
Readers' Theatre is a link between language and drama. It is a way of sharing stories, poems or parts of plays and novels aloud with others. Readers use scripts, suggested characterisation, and limited action and settings to make the world of the story live.

Early Literacy Development
The Early Literacy Advisor (ELA) is an assessment system which is built around research in the field of early literacy development.

Nursery Rhyme Theme
A wonderful site for teachers of new entrants with many ideas, resources and activities.

Oracy - the centrality of language development to literacy
An overview of oral language issues from the National Literacy Trust.

Oral Presentations
This site provides ideas to help students prepare for oral presentations by analyzing the audience, selecting a topic, creating visual materials, using notes and assessment

The Role of Storytelling in Early Literacy
This research article explores story telling, the effective bridge to literacy development.

Simply Speech - Audio Speech Lessons Online
A new and easy way to improve speech has just been launched on the internet - the first of its kind in New Zealand and possibly the world. At the click of a mouse MP3 audio speech lessons can be downloaded from Marie Stuttard's Online Speechpower programme. Lesson one is offered free for a limited time, all other lessons are offered at an introductory cost of US$5.00

Speaking and Listening
Top literacy and early childhood experts agree on expectations for speaking and listening learning from early childhood through to third grade.

Storytelling Workshop
Students learn about the art of storytelling and are guided by a professional storyteller in the creation of their own story. The storyteller provides students with a sample folktale they can listen to and read, plus interactive lessons to help them create their own story.

TV Blamed for Decline in Speaking Skills
From the Times Educational Supplement, a report which emphasises the need for parents to talk to their children from a very early age.

Strategies

The "Jigsaw" Approach
An excellent teaching method which challenges students to create their own learning. The site includes tips for teachers using the jigsaw technique.

About Running Records
This site focuses on taking and analysing running records and observing the techniques that readers use to process information. The Running Record helps direct teachers to the next instructional steps for individual children.

Classroom Rewards Reap Dividends for Teachers and Students
All teachers prefer to rely on their students' intrinsic motivation to encourage them to come to school, do their homework, and focus on classroom activities, but many supplement the internal drive to succeed with external rewards.

Intervention
Dr John Pukulski
This article addresses early intervention to prevent reading problems. The author examines the characteristics of some successful early intervention programmes.

The Literacy Hour
From September 1998, in an unprecedented intervention in classroom teaching methods, 18,500 English state primary schools are required to teach reading in a highly structured manner as laid down by the National Literacy Strategy which insists that phonics come first. The views of a range of primary experts summarise The Literacy Hour - explanations, advantages, concerns and issues.

Literate Futures
The report of the Literacy Review for Queensland State Schools. (downloadable pdf file)

Pupils Need Dream Time
A prize-winning children's author and a teachers' leader have warned against the constraints of the literacy hour and national tests. From the Times Educational Supplement.

Round Robin Reading
Round robin reading in a guided reading lesson? So what's wrong with it?

Secondary Literacy
Programmes, classroom strategies, research, policies and resources.

Stopping Reading Failure
Reading Intervention for Intermediate Grade Students
J. David Cooper, Janet McWilliams, Irene Boschken, and Lynne Pistochini
In spite of the successes of early intervention programmes, reports of individual teachers and national studies of reading achievement show that many students in grade three and above are reading considerably below their age-appropriate level. This article explores the needs of struggling readers at upper levels and intervention programmes to implement in the classroom.

Strategies Help Reluctant Readers Read to Learn
Joyce Melton Pages Ed.D.
This article provides helpful strategies for classroom teachers at all levels. It suggests a range of strategies to help children develop as effective, confident silent readers.

What Works?
This part of the UK Literacy Trust site outlines projects that have improved pupils' literacy and evaluates their effectiveness. One of these projects is Reading Recovery which arose from the work of Marie Clay in New Zealand.

Assessment

Boy Friendly Test Unfair say Heads
From the Times Educational Supplement a report on headteachers' criticism of national curriculum reading tests as being biased towards boys.

Early Literacy Development
The Early Literacy Advisor (ELA) is an assessment system which is built around research in the field of early literacy development.

Formative Assessment of Reading Comprehension by Computer Software
Advantages and Disadvantages of Accelerator Reader Software by Keith Topping. This article queries how teachers can monitor closely the day-to-day reading behavior of all their students, check if reading behaviour is effective, and if it is not, intervene to shape it toward effectiveness. Computerized learning information systems for reading such as The Accelerated Reader seek to provide teachers with a tool for achieving this daunting task.

I Am and So I Must Assess
Adrian Mourby of the Times Educational Supplement writes that, due to the ever-increasing need in the UK to improve and evaluate the service that is being offered, he has decided that this particular column will follow current education policy and make regular assessments of how much is being taken in and learned.

National Education Monitoring Project
N E M P conducts annual surveys of educational achievement nationally, on four yearly cycles of learning areas and skills. Its focus is on students at two levels, Year 4 and Year 8 and covers a broad range of content included in the New Zealand school curriculum.

Running Records
A summary of using and analysing Running Records for classroom teachers.

Student Self Assessment
This site focuses on involving students as active partners in the assessment process, explores the different forms of self assessment and how to guide students through the process.

Student-Led Conferences Hold Kids Accountable
This article explores ways to actively engage students in their learning process and increase parent attendance at conferences. It also highlights recent research about student-led conferences.

Tests Do Not Spell Success
From the Times Educational Supplement, a report on research which suggests that young children are more likely to become accurate spellers if teaching about words is linked to their writing.

Working Inside the Black Box
A follow-up to the seminal Inside the Black Box, in which Kings College researchers report that giving students marks is ineffective. They found that effective feedback is based on better questioning in class, providing comments rather than marks on student work, peer assessment and involving students in the construction of assessments.

Professional Reading

Adapting the Curriculum to Meet the Needs of Diverse Learners
This article explores teaching techniques to reach all the students in your classroom, no matter what their learning style.

Addressing the Literacy Needs of Emergent and Early Readers
This research paper discusses the theoretical and research-based knowledge of child development in general and of literacy development in particular. It provides an understanding of the literacy acquisition of young children and suggests strategies that can help children become successful, confident readers and writers.

Adolescent Literacy in the Content Areas
From the Knowledge Loom, readings on why adolescent literacy is a school wide undertaking, research-based literacy strategies that benefit adolescents, what effective practice looks like and current developments in adolescent literacy.

An Image is Worth 1000 words
This article explores how we can use, advantageously, both verbal and visual systems in order to improve understanding.

An outline for developing literacy across the curriculum
Practical suggestions on literacy across the curriculum and recommendations about how to develop literacy across the curriculum in secondary schools.

Assessing the Metacognitive Growth of ESL Student Writers
Recent research suggests a potential link between metacognitive knowledge and writing performance. This research has particularly important implications for ESL instruction because developing English language writing competence presents a major challenge to students.

Back To Phonics - A Simplistic Answer, But What Was The Question?
Peter Spratt, Royal Society education manager, reports on recent research which shows that New Zealand Year 5 students are in the top of the world for reading achievement, in contrast to the parliamentary select committee's recent findings. The article goes on to call for a celebration of our achievements, encouragement to parents to read with their children, and the provision for teachers of adequate support.

Believing in Children as Readers, Learners and Teachers
This article explains why books can no longer be taken in isolation.The read aloud programme must have its place as the core of the language arts programme. This means that teacher and children become co-learners in the effort to bring meaning to and take meaning from print, evaluate it and make it part of their lives.

Bookplates Can Make Reading Habit Stick
From the Times Educational Supplement, UK Children's Laureate Anne Fine discusses the need for children to have their own books in their own homes.

Boy Friendly Test Unfair say Heads
From the Times Educational Supplement a report on headteachers' criticism of national curriculum reading tests as being biased towards boys.

Capital Crimes Still Increasing
The literacy hour in the UK has failed to halt the decline in pupils' use of punctuation, such as full stops and commas, reports the Times Educational Supplement.

Cause-and-Effect Writing Challenges Students
Teachers who emphasize cause-and-effect writing say that they are helping students learn to think critically as well as write cogently, using an approach which can be used with students of all ages.

Changing the Focus of Literacy and Literacy Instruction
If you are engaged in literacy education, it is likely you developed your work around the book. As important as the book focus is we need to expand our vision and prepare students for the technologies of literacy.

Children's Spelling Worsening
Following last year's UK national curriculum tests, the BBC has published a series of articles focusing on British students' apparent inability to spell basic words.

Class Meetings: A Democratic Approach to Classroom Management
A format for class meetings that enable students to share their thoughts and solve classroom issues on their own. In this model, students take turns acting as a discussion leader. The teacher participates as a group member.

Comprehension Instruction
Michael Pressley presents research-based approaches to reading comprehension and directs teachers to emerging practices.

Connecting Student Learning and Technology
This guide provides suggestions for using technology as instructional tools across the curriculum. The classroom activities will be of particular use for teachers.

Critical English Online
This site is a project of the Waikato Institute for Research in Learning and Curriculum. It currently contains a number of resource pages, including "Thinking Critically about English Teaching in New Zealand", "English-related Links", and "English-related associations and journals". There is also a listserv.

Developing Metacognition
This paper discusses basic metacognitive strategies. Metacognition is thinking about thinking, knowing "what we know" and "what we don't know."

The Early Literacy Advisor
The Early Literacy Advisor (ELA) assists classroom teachers in assessing and promoting early literacy development in children ages 4-6. It addresses the key areas of early literacy development identified by researchers and classroom practitioners.

Early Literacy and Achievement Influences
An Australian report about research which confirmed the importance of early literacy and numeracy on achievement at tertiary level (pdf).

Early Literacy Development
The Early Literacy Advisor (ELA) is an assessment system which is built around research in the field of early literacy development.

Effective Professional Development Begins in the Classroom
The focus of this article from the Centre on English Learning and Achievement (CELA) is on the essential characteristics of effective professional development.

Electronic Collaboration: Children's Literature in the Classroom
A report on a project which explored the potential of electronic discussion to increase students' critical thinking.

Email Opens up a World of Possibilities.
A personal account of ways in which email can be used to encourage children to evaluate and develop their writing.

Emergent Literacy: Synthesis of the Research
An overview of emergent literacy research, including definitions and a review of the characteristics of the research.

Finding Your Voice
How do we learn to write in our own distinctive voice? This site provides ideas on how to develop a "personal voice" when writing.

Focus on Adolescent Literacy
The International Reading Association asserts that the ongoing literacy development of adolescents is just as important, and requires just as much attention, as that of beginning readers. Listed are seven specific areas to support students. Full text can be downloaded (pdf format).

Guidelines for Computer-Assisted Reading Instruction
This article provides guidelines on how teachers can meaningfully integrate computers into reading/writing as opposed to computer-based drill and practice software.

Guys Read: Helping Boys Become Better Readers, Better Students, Better Guys
Children�s author Jon Scieszka has been concerned by the lack of motivation many boys have to read. In an effort to combat this trend, he started GUYS READ, a literacy programme that focuses on the needs of boys. Through the programme, he hopes to draw attention to �guy� literacy and encourage adults to get involved.

Higher Order Thinking Skills
Skills to develop on each of the levels of Bloom's taxonomy, including ideas for asking better questions and preparing better lessons.

Hooligan Helps Boys to Read
From the Times Educational Supplement, an article about a teacher author who hopes his TV-smashing, football-crazy, hopping mad bunny will boost literacy.

How Can We Teach Critical Thinking?
This article stresses the need to teach thinking skills at all levels. Every teacher should create an atmosphere where students are encouraged to read deeply, question, engage in divergent thinking, look for relationships among ideas and grapple with real life issues.

Improving Literary Understanding Through Classroom Conversation
This excellent booklet is designed for teachers and administrators who wish to improve their students' reading comprehension. Judith Langer and Elizabeth Close share some of the most effective strategies, drawing on the research and including real classroom examples.