For Families
For families navigating sometimes overwhelming and contradictory advice about education, the Foundation serves as a trusted, evidence-based anchor.
Our collection of resources is curated to cut through the noise and connect families to open access strategies and resources that support them to encourage their child’s development and love for reading and writing.
Educators don’t expect families to teach children to read, that’s a teacher’s job, but we do know that support and encouragement at home makes a big impact on a child’s identity as a reader. And it also brings great joy and connection to both adult and child.
Explore the resources below:
The Foundation has created a number of useful Booklists and Literature Resources. To get started, explore the lists here for reading inspiration:
Books Recommended for Reading Aloud to Young Children
Poetry for Kids
Quality Literature for Beginning Readers
Wordless Picture Books
Explore articles that will be of interest to parents and caregivers:
Helping Your Child to Read
In March 2020, Noella Mackenzie, Associate Professor at Charles Sturt University wrote 3 short posts for parents and carers on her blog. Each of the posts provides useful support for parents and carers who have children who are learning to read. Click on the links...
Parents, please don’t stop reading to your children – a great picture book could change their life
The Guardian 27 January, 2025 by Sally Rippin Picture books help children develop their imaginations, find empathy for others and take pride in what makes them unique – all of which make for good adults. I can’t think of a better way to start the year than having one...
Children’s audiobooks are growing in popularity. How useful are they for kids learning to read?
ABC News by Sarah Scopelianos Literacy expert Misty Adoniou advises parents to read to their children, not only to build their relationships but also for greater learning outcomes. Dr Adoniou, an adjunct associate professor in literacy and language at the...
Reading for pleasure
Michael Rosen, 26 February 2021 In this blog, well-known author Michael Rosen unpacks the question How does Reading for Pleasure produce this seemingly magic effect without direct instruction? To answer that question, Rosen looks at the process of...
The Benefits of Reading for Pleasure
Edutopia October 30 2017 by Jeffrey D. Wilhelm This article summarises a study by Jeffrey Wilhelm and Michael Smith that finds reading for pleasure has many forms, and each form provides distinct benefits that are outlined in the article. It concludes; “Make no...
Principles for working with struggling readers and writers- advice for teachers across primary and secondary schools
This Foundation for Learning and Literacy published article is one of two partner articles on supporting struggling readers and writers and expands on Touchstone 6. The partner article is Meeting the needs of struggling readers and writers, particularly in the later...
Access links and resources useful to families:
Little People’s Literacy Learning
The Australian Literacy Educators’ Association (ALEA) has developed a series of modules to support parents and carers with activities that can be shared with children. The activities have been designed with an emphasis on learning through collaborative play and shared...
Reading with your child at home
The NSW Government Education Department has developed a useful 'Reading with your child at home' guide. It provides ideas for parents/carers to help their young children with reading are available in many languages. Click here to find out more.
10 literacy tips for parents and caregivers
Reading Australia (a Copyright Agency resource), has created a great set of 10 Literacy Tips for Parents and Caregivers. Click here to find out more.
PETAA’s Respectful Relationships Parents and Carers Guide
The Primary English Teaching Association Australia (PETAA) has developed a Respectful Relationships Parents and Carers Guide. It supports families to help children develop empathy, communication skills, and positive social behaviours through shared reading and...
Let’s Read!
Let’s Read is an open access website that was developed by the Centre for Community Child Health at the Murdoch Children’s Research Institute and The Royal Children’s Hospital. The Murdoch Children’s Research Institute (MCRI) and The Smith Family (TSF) now work...
Tasmanian Government Literacy in the Early Years Resources
Provides resources to help Tasmanians build stronger skills in reading and writing, including a directory of resources and links to events and services available. https://www.decyp.tas.gov.au/learning/literacy/literacy-in-the-early-years/
Explore our collection of videos of interest to families:
UCANReadAustralia Youtube Channel
Provides a collection of useful videos on various reading related topics, including 'Why Kids Choose Books' which is embedded below. Visit the channel to acces additional resources, including videos on Shared Reading, Echo Reading, Paired Reading and Prompting...
The Queensland Department of Education – Language and Reading Development Resources
The Language and Literacy team provides a range of resources encompassing evidence-based research, to enable educators, families and home tutors to support children’s development of language, reading and writing. Of particular interest to families are the Partners in...
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