About this resource

The lesson advice guides have undergone a rigorous quality assurance process. This ensures that the guides provided to schools are relevant, of high quality and underpinned by evidence-based practice. These resources have been developed to support K-6 teachers when implementing the NSW English K-10 Syllabus.

Reviewed by: Literacy and Numeracy, Curriculum Early Years Primary Learners.

Advice on use

Lesson advice guides provide teachers with guidance on the components of explicit lessons when developing students’ literacy skills. They include background information, an overview of the evidence base and advice on the components of explicit lessons.

While the advice and suggestions in these resources can be used with all students, they are particularly aimed for use with students in K-6.

The guides can be integrated at any point in a teacher’s teaching and learning cycle and can be adapted for use across different classroom contexts.

Differentiation

When using these resources in the classroom, it is important for teachers to consider the needs of all students, including Aboriginal and EAL/D learners.

EAL/D learners will require explicit language support and scaffolding, informed by the Enhanced EAL/D enhanced teaching and learning cycle and the student’s phase on the EAL/D Learning Progressions. For further information, visit English as an additional language or dialect.

Learning adjustments enable students with disability and additional learning and support needs to access syllabus outcomes and content on the same basis as their peers. Teachers can use a range of adjustments to ensure a personalised approach to student learning.

A range of tools to identify, assess and challenge high potential and gifted learners are available to support teachers in the classroom. Identifying contributors to achievement helps teachers identify and target areas for students’ growth and improvement. A differentiation adjustment tool can be used to plan effective teaching strategies.

Alignment to system priorities, frameworks and/or needs

• NSW English K-10 Syllabus (2022)
• National Literacy Learning Progression (version 3).
• Literacy and Numeracy 5 Priorities
• Australian Professional Standards for Teachers

Alignment to School Excellence Framework

These resources support the School Excellence Framework and clearly align to the following domains and themes:

Learning domain – Curriculum

• Curriculum: Curriculum provision, Teaching and learning programs

Teaching domain

• Effective classroom practice an professional standards

Evidence base

Assessment of reading:

• Oakhill, J., Cain, K., & Elbro, C. (2014). Understanding and Teaching Reading Comprehension: A handbook (1st ed.). Routledge.
• Neale, M.D. (1997). The Neale analysis of reading ability – Revised (NARA-II). Windsor: NFER-Nelson
• Scarborough, H.S. (2001). Connecting early language and literacy to later reading (dis)abilities: Evidence, theory and practice. In S. Neuman & D. Dickson (Eds.), Handbook for research in early literacy (pp. 97-110). New York, NY: Guilford Press.

Creating written texts:

• Sedita J (2023) The Writing Rope A Framework for Explicit Writing Instruction in All Subjects. Paul H. Brookes Publishing Co. Baltimore.
• Graham S, MacArthur CA and Hebert MA (eds) (2019) Best practices in writing instruction, 3rd ed, Guilford Press, New York.
• Berninger, V. W., Abbott, R. D., Abbott, S. P., Graham, S., & Richards, T. (2002). Writing and Reading: Connections Between Language by Hand and Language by Eye. Journal of Learning Disabilities, 35(1), 3956.
• Mackenzie, N & Scull, J (eds) (2018), Understanding and Supporting Young Writers from Birth to 8. Routledge, Abingdon UK.
• Sedita J (2023) The Writing Rope A Framework for Explicit Writing Instruction in All Subjects. Paul H. Brookes Publishing Co. Baltimore.

Decodable texts:

• Konza, D., 2014 Teaching reading: Why the ‘Fab Five’ should be the ‘Big Six’. Australian Journal of Teacher Education, 39(12), 153-169.
• Konza, D., 2011 Research in Practice series, Department for Education, South Australia

Fluency:

• Rasinski, Timothy V, Cheesman Smith, Melissa, (2018) The Megabook of Fluency. Scholastic: USA
• Konza, D., 2011 Research in Practice series, Department for Education, South Australia

Handwriting:

• Mackenzie, N.M. and Scull, J. (2018). Understanding and supporting young writers from birth to 8. Abingdon, Oxon; New York, Ny: Routledge.
• Quigley, A (2022). Closing the writing gap. Abingdon, Oxon; New York, NY: Routledge.
• Sedita, J. (2022). Teaching Handwriting. [online] Keys to Literacy.
• Bartram, Robyn, (2020) - The handwriting expert. [online] Available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WtVebV7n-wQ.

Oral language:

• Konza, D., 2011 Research in Practice series, Department for Education, South Australia

Phonic knowledge:

• Beck I, Beck M 2006, Making Sense of Phonics Second Edition: The Hows and Whys, Guildford Press New York. 
• Castles, A., Rastle, K. & Nation, K. (2018). Ending the reading wars: reading acquisition from novice to expert. Psychological science in the public interest, 19:1, 5-51. https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/1529100618772271
• Centre for Education Statistics and Evaluation (2017). Effective reading instruction in the early years of school, research report
• Konza, D., 2014 Teaching reading: Why the ‘Fab Five’ should be the ‘Big Six’. Australian Journal of Teacher Education, 39(12), 153-169.
• Konza, D., 2011 Research in Practice series, Department for Education, South Australia

Phonological awareness:

• Konza, D., 2011 Research in Practice series, Department for Education, South Australia

Reading comprehension:

• Oakhill, J., Cain, K., & Elbro, C. (2014). Understanding and Teaching Reading Comprehension: A handbook (1st ed.). Routledge.
• Scarborough, H.S. (2001). Connecting early language and literacy to later reading (dis)abilities: Evidence, theory and practice. In S. Neuman & D. Dickson (Eds.), Handbook for research in early literacy (pp. 97-110). New York, NY: Guilford Press.
• Konza, D., 2011 Research in Practice series, Department for Education, South Australia

Spelling instruction:

• Daffern, T., & Mackenzie, N. M. (Eds), 2020 Teaching writing: Effective approaches for the middle years, Routledge
• Daffern, T., 2021, The components of spelling: middle and Upper Primary Years, Instruction and assessment for the linguistic inquirer, 2^nd Edition. Literacy Education Solutions Pty Ltd
• Hamilton, F., wordtorque.com

Additional resources

Professional learning opportunities are available on the Literacy and numeracy professional learning page.

Reading guides to support conversations about best practice for teaching reading

Professional learning pathways help to make decisions about building capability

Consulted with Curriculum Early Years Primary Learners

Feedback

Comments and feedback about these resources can be provided via the Literacy and Numeracy resource feedback form.

Reviewed by: Literacy and Numeracy

Last updated: September 2023

Anticipated resource review date: September 2024