For Educators and School Leaders
The Foundation for Learning and Literacy is a trusted ally for teachers and early childhood educators navigating the often complex world of reading and writing instruction. Built by experienced educators and researchers, our collection of resources is designed to provide practical, research-based information and resources to support your classroom practice.
At the heart of the Foundation’s support for educators are our 12 Touchstones, guiding principles that reject rigid, 'one-size-fits-all' mandates in favor of a balanced approach centred on how children actually learn.
To Connect with the Foundation:
- Become a Friend of the Foundation and to receive our regular newsletters
- Explore the Research and Practice Library to access our full collection of resources
- Participate in our annual Literature Symposium
- Check out some key resources for educators below
Explore the growing collection of resources designed to support Educators and School Leaders:
Read the articles and resources that have been recently added to the Research and Practice Library:
The Place of Phonics in Learning to Read and Write
Emmitt, M; Hornsby, D. and Wilson, L. Published by ALEA in 2006 Revised in 2013 This brief (22-page) article makes a strong case that children best learn to read when teachers help them engage with meaningful and engaging texts rather than with commercial programs....
The Writing Identity of Teachers
Alan J Wright Alan J. Wright is a very experienced teacher and literacy consultant with a passion for writing and the teaching of writing. This short piece Alan argues, ‘Teachers’ writing identities tend to shape the delivery of their writing instruction. This in turn...
‘I’m In Another World’: writing without rules lets kids find their voice, just like professional authors
Conversation October 21, 2021 by Brett Healey Brett begins this Conversation piece by suggesting that we ask child why they write and you might receive a common response: .’ He suggests that we need to give our students opportunities to learn writing...
Collaborative Conversations: Speaking and Listening in the Primary Grades
As part of a collaborative study, a first-grade teacher and two university-based researchers, set a goal to facilitate meaningful, student-led discussions about literature. In this article the authors share several strategies they found successful in enhancing the...
Enhancing Children’s Oral Language and Literacy Development Through Storytelling in an Early Years Classroom
Telling stories is something we do every day – it’s a part of being human. In this article, Tamara Bromley, an early childhood and lead teacher in Western Australia, shares how she used her own storytelling to engage her learners and create a sense of belonging in her...
What are ‘decodable readers’ and how do they work?
Misty Adoniou, Brian Cambourne and Robyn Ewing The Conversation Nov 12 2018 Money for books must surely be a good thing. But what exactly is a “decodable reader”? After all, surely all books are decodable. If they weren’t decodable they would be unreadable. Link:...
Explore Useful Links Below:
- Australian Children's Laureate Foundation: Appoints a Children's Laureate every two years to champion the importance of reading, creativity and story in the lives of young Australians.
- Australian Council of TESOL Associations: The national peak body representing teachers of English to speakers of other languages across Australia's state and territory TESOL associations.
- Australian Curriculum: Literacy and Numeracy in the Australian Curriculum: An official resource explaining how literacy and numeracy are embedded as general capabilities across all learning areas of the Australian Curriculum.
- Australian Literacy Educators' Association (ALEA): A professional association supporting literacy educators through research, professional learning and advocacy for effective literacy teaching in Australian classrooms.
- Australian Literacy & Numeracy Foundation: A charity working with remote and disadvantaged Australian communities, particularly First Nations communities, to improve literacy and numeracy outcomes.
- Australia Reads: A national reading campaign uniting libraries, publishers, booksellers and authors to encourage more Australians to read for pleasure.
- Australian School Library Association (ASLA): The peak body for school library professionals, promoting the role of school libraries and teacher librarians in supporting literacy and learning.
- Children's Book Council of Australia: A volunteer organisation that promotes children's literature and runs the annual CBCA Book of the Year Awards and Book Week celebrations.
- Copyright Agency - Reading Australia: A free educational resource offering teaching notes, author interviews and classroom material on notable Australian books for schools.
- Education Services Australia - Literacy Hub: A free online platform offering evidence-based literacy teaching resources, tools and professional learning for early years and primary educators.
- Indigenous Literacy Foundation: A charity that improves literacy outcomes in remote Indigenous communities by providing books, resources and programs in English and First Languages.
- International Literacy Association: A global membership organisation for literacy educators and researchers, connecting research, policy and practice to advance literacy for all.
- Language and Literacy in Education Network (LLEN): A network of educators and researchers who share research-informed knowledge about how language works, to help teachers strengthen students' literacy and learning outcomes.
- National Centre for Australian Children's Literature Inc. (NCACL): A collection and resource centre dedicated to preserving and promoting the study of Australian children's literature.
- Primary English Teaching Association Australia (PETAA): A professional association providing research-based resources and professional learning to support the teaching of English in primary schools.
- Raising Literacy Australia: A charity that delivers early literacy programs, including Bookgift, to give disadvantaged children access to books and support a love of reading from birth.
- Reading Recovery Australia: Supports the delivery of Reading Recovery, an early intervention program that helps young students who are struggling with reading and writing.
- WestWords: Western Sydney's literature development organisation, running programs, fellowships and workshops that support writers and encourage reading and storytelling in the community.
Search the Foundation Website
You can also use the search tool below to find useful articles and resources:
Or discover our resources via the keywords below: