Associate Professor, Melbourne Graduate School of Education, University of Melbourne, John Munro provides advice on how to help students with reading difficulties following research into the results of the ERIK program over the last 8 years.

Dr John Munro evaluates the intervention program and the effectiveness of its pathways. You can access the full report here:

The attached article Scientific take on reading to tackle the teaching guesswork was published in the Australian at the end of 2014. In case you missed it, you may like to catch up now. Follow-up research assessment data for CPOL is due to be collected across the next two months.

Speech Pathology Australia has announced the winners of its 2014 Book of the Year Awards.

The winners of the five categories in the 2014 Book of the Year Awards are:

• Birth to 3 years (the Let’s Read category): I’m a Dirty Dinosaur by Janeen Brian and Ann James
• Three to 5 years: A Swim in the Sea by Sue Whiting and Meredith Thomas
• Five to 8 years: Silver Buttons by Bob Graham
• Eight to 10 years: The Adventures of Sir Roderick the Not-Very Brave by James O’Loghlin
• Indigenous children: Deadly D & Justice Jones – Making the Team by Scott Prince and Dave Hartley.

All books selected for short listing have been specifically chosen by speech pathologists, as they are fabulous for assisting children develop their spoken language skills; skills critical for academic success, and for the development of literacy.

A summary report outlining the final OLSEL research findings.

PLUS

Pam Snow’s Powerpoint – 3 May 2011

A link to the Okham’s Razor audio clip (that Pam Snow referred to) with Margot prior talking about the state of literacy and Aboriginal children.
This audio is also linked on the OLSEL website under Literacy Resources – Indigenous Literacy – Websites.

Judy Connell & Hugh McCusker’s joint Powerpoint – 3 May 2011

To add your comments, questions, ideas… please join the OLSEL discussion.

1. Go to the website

2. This will take you to the front page of the Nicenet site.
Click on ‘Join a Class’ (near the top of the box).
In the box where it says ‘Class Key’ type in N33ZZ83O4Z (don’t worry about if it is upper or lower case)
3. Then click on ‘Join the Class’4. The class you have just joined is called “OLSEL discussion”.

To access the online discussion you need the class key.
Your Class Key is : N33ZZ83O4Z

If you need assistance print off this tipsheet.

‘Raising the Children Network’ aims to provide information that can help parents with the day-to-day decisions of raising children, and to also help parents and carers look after their own needs.

Speech Pathology Australia Book of the Year Awards

Authors Sonya Hartnett (Come Down, Cat!), Anh & Suzanne Do (The Little Refugee), Elizabeth Fensham (The Invisible Hero) and Azmen Sebastian (The Snake and the Boy) are the recipients of this year’s Speech Pathology Australia Book of the Year awards for excellence in the development of children’s speech, language and literacy skills. Perennial favourite Graeme Base has been presented with a lifetime achievement award for his contribution to Australian children’s literature.

THE best way to start children reading is to get them talking first.

A group of Catholic schools in Melbourne taught students language skills in the first three years of school as part of their reading program, focusing on improving vocabulary, using longer sentences, teaching letter-sound relationships and being able to tell a story in sequence.

New video clips are located throughout the website. They can be found in:

Supporting Oral Language and Reading Development in the Early Years

• New Research Monographs

These research monographs are designed to assist teaching practice and have been produced by the Victorian Literacy and Numeracy Secretariat in partnership with various national and international university scholars who are experts in the field of education.

Part 1: Supporting Oral Language and Reading Development in the Early Years
By Dr. Deslea Konza. This is the first in a two-part series. The second, Strategies to Support Oral Language and Reading Development in the Early Years builds on this monograph by providiing evidence-based practices and strategies for early years educators. February 2011

Part 2: Strategies Supporting Oral Language & Reading Development in Early Years
By Dr. Deslea Konza. This is the second in a two-part series. The first Supporting Oral Language and Reading Development in the Early Years provides a theoretical framework for early years educators. February 2011