News

It’s likely that most teachers are starting to feel some overwhelm by the need to cover everything by the end of the year.  When I visit schools and read emails, there’s the frequent comment, “It’s hard fitting everything into a literacy block!” It is! However, I want to offer 5 Game-Changing Tips to get the…

Does grammar really matter?  In short – yes yes yes! In order to write accurately, fluently and appropriately, it is necessary to have a certain understanding of how language is constructed. Precise and accurate grammar ensures that what your son writes is correctly comprehended and is enjoyable to read. Here are some reasons to cheer wildly…

Everyone knows that reading is important, but when your kids tell you, “But I find reading boring” or “I don’t like it” then we have to work a little harder to get them to explore the world of reading.  Literacy and language span a HUGE list of skills and categories so that’s why stopping reading…

Early last week I was interviewed by ABC radio on how we can help boys with their literacy.  The callins from listeners was overwhelming.  So I wanted to write an article on how we can help our older struggling readers to improve their literacy. As state education departments increasingly adopt structured methods for teaching early…

One of the questions I frequently receive from parents via email is whether I have any book recommendations for their teenage sons. Fortunately, I’ve read a variety of books that are perfect for teen boys, and I’ve put together this list to help parents find a great read for them. However, these books are enjoyable…

I often publish resources around engaging our learners with reading and literacy. However, one aspect that significantly impacts our overall literacy instruction is the classroom environment. Our classroom libraries and their organisation play a crucial role. Using a mix of genre, topic, and author organisation can create a more engaging and effective classroom library.  Let’s…

Sharing an article from ACER ~ is library use a factor in student performance?  It is a short read for both teachers and parents. Almost 13% of Australia’s year 4 students who took part in an international study said they had ‘never or almost never’ borrowed books from their school or local libraries. New analysis…

Awesome to be featured in The Educator Australia magazine, read a little about what they’ve said about us below.   The Educator: How schools can make literacy learning fun for students At the end of 2022, the OECD released the latest results of its Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA). The results showed, since PISA…

As we enjoy the mid-year break, getting a book to replace a controller in a boy’s hand is a struggle!  My best advice is to ‘parallel’ read a book alongside your son these holidays.  Discuss the plot, the characters, the choices that the character made ~ it shows your son that you value what they…

Sharing an article that recently appeared in Forbes magazine by Natalie Wexler.  It explores the “fiction effect”, which asks: do boys who read more fiction, as opposed to comics or non-fiction, do better academically? You might be surprised. Teenagers who read a lot of fiction do better on international reading tests, according to a recent…