Advocates of reading

The pages are turning towards embracing evidence-based practices in learning to read. RGS Head of Primary Mrs Kate Harris is leading the push to provide further opportunities for the region’s teachers to learn more about “teaching reading”.

It’s not only the students working with refreshed reading concepts, but teachers are also discovering what the scientific evidence says is the best way to teach young children to read.

The Rockhampton Grammar School has sought opportunities to host some of Australia’s renowned reading practitioners and share this learning across our region, including hosting the MultiLit’s “Science of Reading” Seminar and Decodable Readers Australia Seminar at the RGS Rowing Club last term. Hosting teachers from schools across the region, MultiLit Seminar presenter Monica Wright said reading was the key to everything, both at school and in life.

Monica Wright, General Manager Queensland, MultiLit, said there had been a switch in teaching reading.

“If a student doesn’t know how to read proficiently, they can’t bring that skill to the entire curriculum,’’ Monica said. Multilit’s approach is to find out what skills students do have and which areas are cause for concern, and to then fill in their knowledge with direct, systematic and intensive teaching of these skills.

Camilla Occhipinti, from Decodable Readers Australia, reinforces the message that the Science now proves that the most effective way for teaching beginning readers is through systematic and structured literacy instruction. Teaching reading by using decodable readers to reinforce the skill of sounding out words is the key to providing cumulative practice for decoding skills.

The scientific studies into optimal reading techniques sits well with RGS Head of Primary Mrs Kate Harris.

Mrs Harris said the more we can get out there as advocates for education of teaching of reading, the science of reading and structured literacy is the way to go.

“Science of reading is the evidence-based reading process. This evidence has been around for the last 20 to 30 years, but educators may have been reluctant to get on board because we have to get rid of some more entrenched ways,’’ Mrs Harris said.

“This reading process will help get the most success for our developing little readers.”

Mrs Harris said parents of younger children will notice the difference when reading at home with their children.

She said previously children received a “predictable” text where the child would look at the picture and the first cue in the text would be what is happening in the picture. Children were encouraged to have a guess at what the word could be by looking at the pictures for clues.

“Immersing children in the picture and text will only support readers until there are no longer any picture texts. By the time they get to Year 3 there are no more pictures and that strategy becomes inefficient,’’ Mrs Harris said.

“The move is towards the introduction of decodable readers. Children will apply the sound knowledge they have been taught and apply this skill to their reading in a systematic way ensuring that teaching, learning and practice are aligned. We know children are capable of sounding out words and applying the skills they have been taught. Yes, it appears harder, and it is certainly messy as they are learning but the results are magic.”