Early years

Research has highlighted the importance of providing ongoing opportunities for children to read aloud in class to teachers and friends, and at home to parents, siblings and even pets.

Quality early grade reading is a key focus for the Global Partnership for Education. In her latest Teacher column, Julia Gillard explains how hundreds of millions of children around the world are denied the opportunity to learn to read, and shares how a focus on improving reading standards in Nepal is changing lives for the better.

A government advisory panel has recommended the introduction of national literacy and numeracy checks in Year 1 as a way of identifying students who need additional support. Here we take a closer look at the report, including the benefits and challenges raised by teachers and principals.

In this regular blog, Miss Chen will be sharing some of the F-2 resources she’s been using in her classroom, which are all available to download for free via the Little J & Big Cuz website.

Following her session at Research Conference 2017, Associate Professor Bev Flückiger joins Teacher to share more on her research into age-appropriate pedagogies. In this Q&A, she discusses the importance of play and recognising the agency of children.

Early years classroom practitioners need to devote more time to teaching writing, including explicit handwriting instruction, according to research findings from an Australian study.

The Wonders of the World program at Encounter Lutheran College encourages students to connect with their own family histories and experiences as part of their LOTE studies.

How can teachers take advantage of a family’s knowledge that home reading is important, to prompt more of this behaviour? This research used a behaviour science strategy in an effort to increase participation in a reading challenge.

'Sitting down with our children to watch programs that demonstrate and celebrate Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander ways of knowing and being, such as Little J & Big Cuz, is one small ‘next step’ that each of us can take on the journey towards reconciliation.'

Professor Sue Walker joins Teacher to discuss the findings of a new study that suggests girls start school with more 'self-regulation' skills – things like paying attention, staying on task and working independently.