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Learning Difficulties Australia | Volume 51, Nos 2 & 3, Summer 2019
Bulletin
On phonics, phonemic
awareness and dyslexia
3 From the Synthetic Phonics:
17
LDA Bulletin | Contents
LDA Council 2019-20
OFFICE BEARERS President What it is and
PRESIDENT
Associate Professor Lorraine Hammond Lorraine Hammond what it is not
VICE-PRESIDENTS Stephen Parker
Dr Molly de Lemos
Dr Nicole Todd
TREASURER 4 Council News
Renae Watkins
SECRETARY
Ann Ryan
The Phonemic
Awareness versus 21
COUNCIL MEMBERS
Sarah Asome
Lyn Franklin
6 An interview with
David Kilpatrick
Phonics Debate:
Avoiding the
Kate Gurjian
Juanita Lee Ros Neilson Friendly Fire
Bartek Rajkowski Ros Neilson
Sally Robinson-Kooi
7
Diane Steel
Jo Whithear Award
Presentations Dyslexia and
28
GENERAL MANAGER
Michael Roberts
ADMINISTRATION OFFICER
following the AGM Equity: A
Julie Hermansen
LDA COMMITTEES
more inclusive
approach to
ADMINISTRATION
Convenor Ann Ryan
PUBLICATIONS
8 The mission to
improve reading reading difficulties
Convenor Molly de Lemos instruction – James Chapman and
CONSULTANTS
How can we William Tunmer
Convenor Ann Ryan
PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT achieve success?
33
Convenor Lorraine Hammond
AWARDS
Jennifer Buckingham In Defence of
Convenor Ann Ryan Truth: A reply to
Chair of Judging Committee Nicole Todd
57 Reading Voices
WEBSITE AND SOCIAL MEDIA
Convenor Jo Whithear
LDA Contacts
10 How one school
made the on the Issue of
Dyslexia
CORRESPONDENCE ADDRESS transition to
PO BOX 4013 evidence-based Steve Dykstra
Box Hill South VIC 3128
EMAIL ENQUIRIES practice
Julie Hermansen: enquiries@ldaustralia.org
LDA Publications
AUSTRALIAN JOURNAL OF LEARNING DIFFICULTIES
Editor Dr Tanya Serry
Steven Capp LDA Awards
35
BULLETIN
Acting Editor Dr Molly de Lemos
Co-Editors Dr Roslyn Neilson and Professor Emeritus
12 On being a
Consultant What’s in a name?
36
Tom Nicholson
eNEWS
Member of LDA Peter Westwood
Editor Ann Ryan Jan Roberts
LDA MISSION
Learning Difficulties Australia is an association of teachers
and other professionals dedicated to assisting students with
A new name
for LDA? 38
learning difficulties through effective teaching practices based
on scientific research, both in the classroom and through
individualised instruction. 14 Why all states and
territories should
THE BULLETIN
The Bulletin is published three times a year with support from
the Publications Committee and the Bulletin editorial team.
follow South
Australia’s lead
Vale Anne Bishop
Anne Pringle and
39
We welcome the submission of articles from LDA members
and others with an interest in learning difficulties and
and introduce the Mim Davidson
effective instruction for possible inclusion in upcoming
issues of the Bulletin.
Year 1 Phonics
Check: An update Consultant Notes
40
Please submit articles, correspondence about the
Bulletin or letters for publication to the Editor
(molly.delemos@gmail.com). For questions about content, Jennifer Buckingham and
deadlines, length or style please contact the Editor. Articles Ann Ryan
Kevin Wheldall
in the Bulletin do not necessarily reflect the opinion or carry
the endorsement of Learning Difficulties Australia.
Requests to reprint articles from the Bulletin should be
addressed to the Editor.
The Bulletin is designed by Andrew Faith
(www.littledesign.studio) and printed by
DTS Communicate.
2 | Volume 51, Nos 2 & 3, Summer 2019
From the President
LDA Bulletin | From the President
Lorraine Hammond school administrators and teachers who LDA’s President,
volunteered their time to share their Dr Lorraine
knowledge and expertise in effective Hammond AM,
instruction. So far, Sharing Successful is an Associate
Practice conferences will go ahead in Professor at
Perth, Melbourne and Geelong. the School of
Education at
Individually, we are one Edith Cowan
University.
drop. Together, we are
I
Lorraine
n recent times, I have heard a an ocean. divides her
number of references to the impact time between research projects on
of individuals on change. They Finally, Emeritus Professor of high impact instruction, teaching pre
often refer to water: “individually, Cognitive Science, Max Coltheart and inservice teachers, supervising
we are one drop. Together, we are an reminded those of us who subscribe to higher degree students and writing and
ocean” and “the fall of dropping water Developmental Disorders of Language delivering professional learning for The
wears away the stone.” Perhaps it’s and Literacy (DDOLL) about growth Kimberley Schools Project. Lorraine
time to take stock of the reach we in membership to this online forum. is the Chair, Deputy Chair and Board
are collectively having in promoting When it began in 2003, DDOLL had Member of three high performing
evidence-based practice. 132 members. As of October 2019, it schools in WA. Lorraine has been a
In 2019, LDA hosted Dr David has 1102. The aim of the DDOLL group member of LDA Council since 2010 and
Kilpatrick in five Australian states is to disseminate information about has previously served as President and
to a total audience of about 1300 the investigation and treatment of Vice-President.
participants. David is a conduit of developmental disorders of language
research that can be difficult for and literacy that uses sound scientific
teachers to access and which he methodology and evidence-based
excels at making understandable. In research. Members include teachers,
his talks he explained the importance parents, practitioners concerned
of ‘sight words’ as a goal, not a strategy with children’s reading difficulties,
and made explicit the precursor skills reading scientists and others. There
required to learn to read and how best to are members in the UK, Canada, New
teach them. Zealand, Singapore, USA and elsewhere,
At the same time Emily Hanford, as well as Australia and many are
a senior education correspondent for researchers who willingly explain their
APM Reports and producer of the audio work. To subscribe to DDOLL contact:
documentary “Hard Words: Why Aren’t max.coltheart@mq.edu.au.
Kids Being Taught to Read?” released There is no shortage of evidence-
“At a Loss for Words: How a flawed idea based practice to teach reading, but
is teaching millions of kids to be poor we need a better marketing campaign.
readers”. Emily, who is a member of There are so many ways for teachers
DDOLL, drew attention to the challenge and those who work with students with
for teachers whose pre-service training literacy based learning difficulties to
has left them ill-equipped to teach engage with this research. Please send
reading. Her easily accessible and a link to a colleague and be that drop in
engaging podcasts have found their way the ocean. Emily Hanford’s podcasts are available
into many inboxes and raised awareness
from: https://www.apmreports.org/
amongst educators and the wider
story/2018/09/10/hard-words-why-
community about the need to prepare
american-kids-arent-being-taught-to-
teachers who understand the science
read;
of reading.
Last year, Sharing Successful https://www.apmreports.org/
Practice conferences took place in story/2018/10/08/what-to-do-if-your-
Melbourne and Sydney. Hosted by childs-school-isnt-teaching-reading-
schools who privilege high impact right; and
instruction, these low cost events, held https://www.npr.org/2019/01/02/
during school holidays, were attended 677722959/why-millions-of-kids-cant-
by over 500 teachers and featured read-and-what-better-teaching-can-do-
sessions by researchers, academics, about-it
Volume 51, Nos 2 & 3, Summer 2019 | 3
Council news
LDA Bulletin | Council news
and design, membership expansion and recipient Dr Jennifer Buckingham,
Sustainability expanded online professional learning. Bruce Wicking Award recipient Mr
Review Should constitutional change be required, Steven Capp, AJLD Eminent Research
Council will seek expert advice. The Award recipient Professor Bill Tunmer,
In February 2019, LDA began to consider Committee has committed to keeping and Rosemary Carter Award recipient
a review of its operations in light of the Council and LDA membership informed Jan Roberts to receive their awards at
demands on members of Council and of deliberations and decisions throughout a ceremony after the 2019 AGM on 26
the need to ensure a sustainable future 2020 and beyond. October. Each of the awardees gave
for the organisation. Council selected a fascinating presentation which was
consulting firm Explicate to undertake Professional appreciated by all those in attendance.
the review, which involved an analysis Meanwhile, LDA president Dr
of current and historical LDA records, Development Lorraine Hammond, Associate Professor
a comprehensive survey of current Meanwhile, throughout the year, at Edith Cowan University in Perth,
members of LDA, and face to face Treasurer Pye Twaddell and members was appointed as a Member of the
or telephone interviews with Council of the Professional Development Order of Australia (General Division) in
members and past presidents of LDA. Committee were busy organising and recognition of significant service to higher
Council formed a sub-committee, promoting a tour by Dr David Kilpatrick, education and the community. She has
the Sustainability Review Committee, to a US-based psychologist, academic, since been invited to serve on an AITSL
consider the outcomes of the review and author and expert in reading difficulties. (Australian Institute for Teaching and
chart a path forward. The Committee During this very successful tour, Dr School Leadership) taskforce reviewing
first formally accepted the report, and Kilpatrick presented to appreciative initial teacher education to ensure that
began to consider its recommendations. graduate teachers are fully prepared
audiences in Perth, Adelaide,
A major recommendation of the review, for effective early reading instruction.
Melbourne, Cairns and Sydney. The
and one that the Committee and then Throughout the year, LDA has continued
focus of his seminars was the role
Council endorsed, was a decision to to pursue collaboration and co-operation
of phonological processing and its
seek a growth model for LDA that would with support organisations including
importance in supporting orthographic
involve increased turnover through AUSPELD and advocacy groups such as
mapping to achieve efficient word
memberships, professional learning Code Read to improve awareness in the
reading. Promotions of this important
and other revenue raising, on the
tour were assisted by the very active community around learning difficulties.
understanding that this undertaking
work of Council member Renae Watkins, LDA Council, on behalf of LDA
would require additional paid
who has taken responsibility for the members, remains strongly committed
administrative and management support.
recent social media drive to share LDA’s to its core purpose of assisting students
In August, Kerrie McMahon, LDA’s
message more widely and effectively. with learning difficulties through effective
long-standing administration officer,
Also very successful was the Queensland teaching practices based on scientific
informed Executive that she would
LDA-SPELD- LSTAQ joint conference, research. To continue that work, LDA
be resigning from her role from 31
with LDA’s contribution and promotion welcomes its new Council for 2019-2020:
October. Mindful of the Sustainability
driven by Nicole Todd. The Consultants Dr Lorraine Hammond (President), Dr
Review’s recommendation to increase
Committee has also provided Nicole Todd and Dr Molly de Lemos (Vice
paid administrative support for LDA’s
professional learning to consultant Presidents), Renae Watkins (Treasurer),
operations, a recruitment panel was
members and a wider audience Ann Ryan (Secretary), and ordinary
convened to identify a suitable person
throughout the year, ensuring that members Sarah Asome, Lyn Franklin,
to take on the role in a 0.5 FTE capacity.
quality information to support students Kate Gurjian, Juanita Lee, Dr Bartek
Julie Hermansen accepted the position,
with learning difficulties is provided to Rajkowski, Dr Sally Robinson-Kooi,
commencing with a handover from Kerrie
teachers, parents and policy makers. Dianne Steele and Jo Whithear.
in late October. Council extends its sincere
This report on Council News was
appreciation to Kerrie for the dedication
and efficiency she has demonstrated
Other LDA activities prepared by Wendy Moore, the outgoing
in supporting LDA, and welcomes Julie LDA continues to communicate with its LDA Secretary and Convenor of the
Hermansen to the new, expanded role. membership and the wider research Administration Committee for the 2018-
The Sustainability Review Committee and educational community through its 2019 Council. We thank Wendy Moore
will continue its work in considering flagship academic journal, the Australian for her contribution to LDA over the past
and implementing as appropriate Journal of Learning Difficulties, and six years, initially as Convenor of the
the recommendations of the review. through the Bulletin, the eNews, the Publications Committee and Editor of
Some areas for consideration include website, and the LDA Facebook, LinkedIn the LDA Bulletin from September 2013
governance processes, Council and and Twitter accounts. to September 2018, and over the last
committee structures, the possible role The Awards Committee was year as Secretary and Convenor of the
of a General Manager, website function delighted to invite Mona Tobias Award Administration Committee.
4 | Volume 51, Nos 2 & 3, Summer 2019
Welcome to Michael
LDA Bulletin | Council news
Roberts
L
DA welcomes Michael Roberts, advisor of a large network of schools
LDA’s new General Manager.. across South-East Asia where he led
the integration of the Singapore and
Australian curriculum across all schools.
His appointment follows the review He was also the Executive Director of
of LDA undertaken last year, which the Good to Great Schools program,
recommended that LDA adopt a growth
a program that supported the use
model that would involve increased
of effective teaching through direct
turnover through memberships,
instruction, and the Executive Principal
professional learning and other revenue
of the Arcadia Group of schools which
raising. This model required LDA to
seek the services of a General Manager, support disengaged youth. In 2017 he
whose role it would be to guide LDA was one of only two school principals to
through this process of change. serve on the influential Gonski Review to
Michael comes to LDA with over 23 Achieve Educational Excellence.
years of experience as an educational Michael is a strong supporter of particularly in the case of students from
leader. This includes experience as evidence-based practice based on disadvantaged backgrounds, and we
a school principal and as a senior the scientific evidence of what works, welcome him to LDA.
In this Bulletin
T
his issue of the Bulletin with various types of learning needs over
focuses particularly on issues the years. This issue of the Bulletin also
relating to phonics, phonemic includes the presentations of recipients
awareness and the use of the of the LDA Mona Tobias Award, the
term dyslexia. These are all core issues Bruce Wicking Award and the Rosemary
in the debates about how best to teach Carter Award, with Jennifer Buckingham We welcome the submission of
reading and to monitor reading progress, reflecting on the difficulties of bringing articles from LDA members and
and how best to support students about the changes required to others with an interest in learning
with reading difficulties. Jennifer implement effective reading instruction difficulties for possible inclusion in
Buckingham and Kevin Wheldall argue for all children, based on the scientific upcoming editions of this Bulletin.
the case for a national Phonics Check,
evidence of what works, Stephen
Stephen Parker argues the case for Please submit articles,
Capp outlining the road he followed in
synthetic phonics versus analytic, correspondence about the
adopting evidence based practices in
analogy and onset-rime phonics, and Bulletin, or letters for publication
his school, with a particular emphasis on
Ros Neilson looks at the phonics versus to the editor. For questions about
his recognition that catering for learning
phonemic awareness debate. Moving content, deadlines, length or style,
on to the use of the term dyslexia James difficulty is synonymous with what is
please contact the editor. (Email:
Chapman and William Tunmer consider simply best practice for all children, molly.delemos@gmail.com)
the question as to whether the use of and Jan Roberts reflecting on life as an
LDA Consultant. Articles in the Bulletin do not
this term leads to effective and equitable
We apologise to our members and necessarily reflect the opinions or
practices in supporting students with
readers of the LDA Bulletin for the delay carry the endorsement of Learning
reading difficulties, Steve Dykstra
in the publication of this issue, which is Difficulties Australia.
explains why the term dyslexia is not
used to identify a specific disorder in in fact a combined issue including both Requests to reprint articles from
the area of reading in the DSM-5, and Issue 2 and Issue 3 of Volume 51, and the Bulletin should be addressed
Peter Westwood reflects on the changes will endeavour to maintain our normal to the editor.
in the terms used to identify students schedule of Bulletins for 2020.
Volume 51, Nos 2 & 3, Summer 2019 | 5
An interview with
LDA Bulletin | An interview with David Kilpatrick
David Kilpatrick
Ros Neilson interviews had developed an interest in literacy, it accessible to
seemed that it was the practising school his colleagues
David Kilpatrick in psychologist speaking to us rather than in his own
Melbourne during his busy the academic. He recounted that he discipline. He
had been introduced fairly early in his confessed that
2019 Australian speaking career to the research literature that he was surprised
tour for LDA. They talk pointed out the importance of phonemic when the book
about Aussie rules, Asian awareness as a component of literacy reached a much
development. He told a story of how, wider audience,
Fusion, and making sense one year when his school had run out of including
of reading. funding for Reading Recovery teachers, teachers,
he put into practice some of the ideas he administrators, speech-language
had learned from reading the academic pathologists, and other special
research, and continued this project, educators. The frequent guest speaker
together with the teachers in his school, requests he has received since the
for a five-year study. As he put it, it was publication of his book have seemed
a case of school psychologists and to surprise him. He commented that
teachers recognising that there was a it seemed all to be happening to him,
problem, rolling up their sleeves, and rather than something that he was
D
simply doing some of their own research. pushing for himself.
avid Kilpatrick and his wife
What he noticed in his own school at the
Andrea met with a group
end of that study was a striking reduction
of LDA members before
in the number of students who presented
David… developed his
his scheduled full-day
as continuing referrals for reading theoretical position on
Melbourne workshop, on the Sunday
difficulties – a reduction that paralleled the need for advanced
afternoon of what could otherwise
the effects reported by the formal
have been a quiet weekend off in the
researchers. One of David’s professional
phonemic awareness to
middle of his busy Australian speaking
mentors, Philip McInnis, confirmed his facilitate orthographic
tour during August 2019. David had
school-based observations. David’s learning as he studied the
kindly agreed to spend some time
wife Andrea contributed her experience
telling us about his own professional
of the same phenomenon: she taught research literature
history for the benefit of readers of the
mathematics in Upper Primary classes,
LDA Bulletin. It was delightful to find David’s point about the range of
and she, like so many other teachers,
in this interview context that David professionals from different disciplines
had felt at a loss when so many of her
shared his ideas with the same energy, who were interested in his book led
students had difficulty with reading. It
conviction and informal charm that he was a revelation for her, too, simply to put to a wider discussion. There is no one
demonstrated when he was presenting into practice some of the skills that David discipline that covers the field of reading
the whole-day workshop sessions – the was talking about. teaching and reading research, and
same qualities, in fact, that a few of us David said that he developed his given the complexity of the area and the
had witnessed when he had been trying theoretical position on the need for huge volume of the available research,
to make sense of new experiences like advanced phonemic awareness to specialisation is obviously necessary.
Australian Rules football at the MCG facilitate orthographic learning as he David spoke about hoping to increase
and Asian Fusion restaurant fare on the studied the research literature, initially the opportunities for universities to gain
previous day. David’s enthusiasm just reading the literature through the lens of access to experts in teaching reading
didn’t seem to tire. Linnea Ehri’s research on orthographic who could offer courses within a range
David Kilpatrick is a Professor of development and David Share’s self- of disciplines. The LDA members
Psychology at the State University of teaching hypothesis of learning to read present at the interview, who themselves
New York College at Cortland, where he new words. He mentioned that his 2015 represented a range of disciplines,
teaches courses to school psychologists book, Essentials of Assessing, Preventing fully agreed with the point he was
covering educational psychology, and Overcoming Reading Difficulties, making – there are great challenges
children with disabilities and learning published by Wiley, had originally been and opportunities for cross-disciplinary
disabilities. He has also practised aimed at school psychologists – he collaboration in the area of literacy.
for many years as a Certified School had been trying to make what he had David confirmed that, as is the
Psychologist. As he recounted how he learned about the relevant research case with many readers of this LDA
6 | Volume 51, Nos 2 & 3, Summer 2019
Award Presentations
Bulletin, his whole working life has
LDA Bulletin | Award Presentations following the AGM
been carried out in a context where
constructive philosophies that support
Whole Language teaching have been
the norm. A very positive development
to which he has contributed in the
American context is the establishment
following the AGM
of The Reading League, an organisation
originally formed by members of
the Scientific Society for Studies of
Reading. The aim of The Reading
P
League is to influence classroom resentations to the recipients The recipient of the LDA Rosemary
teaching, with the motto ‘As we know of each of the LDA Awards, Carter Award, Jan Roberts, reflected on
better, we do better.’ The organisation as well as the AJLD Eminent life as an LDA Consultant. The summary
advocates evidence-based reading Researcher Award, followed of her presentation is provided on pages
instruction and systematic teaching by the 2019 AGM on 26 October. Each of 12 to 13 of this Bulletin.
providing on-line information links and the recipients made a brief presentation The recipient of the AJLD Eminent
recommended resources, conducting following the acceptance of their Award. Researcher Award, Professor William
monthly FaceBook Live Events, holding The recipient of the LDA Mona Tunmer, provided an overview of his
an annual conference, and providing a Tobias Award, Jennifer Buckingham, most recent work on the cognitive
library of YouTube videos of professional reflected on the difficulties of bringing foundations of learning to read, which
education events. LDA Bulletin about the changes required to provides a framework designed to help
readers will find the link – https://www. implement effective reading instruction reading professionals better understand
thereadingleague.org – very useful. for all children, based on the scientific what their students are facing as they
evidence of what works. The summary of learn to read in alphabetic writing
her presentation is provided on pages 8 systems. It is argued that what is
… there are great challenges and 9 of this Bulletin. needed to help intervention specialists
and opportunities for cross- The recipient of the LDA Bruce achieve better outcomes is a clearly
Wicking Award, Steven Capp, outlined specified conceptual framework of the
disciplinary collaboration in the road he had followed in adopting cognitive capacities underlying learning
the area of literacy. evidence-based practices in his school. to read, which will provide the basis
He drew particular attention to the need for an assessment framework that is
Thanks to David and Andrea to recognise that intervention should not linked to evidence-based instructional
Kilpatrick for coming to Australia be seen as separate from good practice, strategies for addressing the literacy
to share their ideas and resources, and that catering for learning difficulty is learning needs of struggling readers.
and thanks to the LDA Executive and synonymous with what is best practice Like the simple view of reading, the
volunteers for making it all happen. for all children. He also noted that Cognitive Foundations Framework
the process of coming to understand aims to build a broad understanding of
Dr Ros Neilson is a Speech-Language
the research into learning difficulties what is cognitively required for learning
Pathologist working in private practice
had provided him with a better to read, laying out the relationships
as a consultant and researcher. She
understanding of how ALL children between the cognitive requirements.
specialises in early literacy and reading
learn, and that by applying a similar Further information on this conceptual
difficulties, with a focus on the nexus
systematic approach to the teaching framework is provided in his article, co-
between oral language and literacy.
of mathematics as had been applied authored with Wesley Hoover, published
to the teaching of reading had led to in the May issue of the Australian Journal
similar improvements in mathematics of Learning Difficulties (Volume 4,No 1,
achievement at his school. The pages 75–93).
summary of his presentation is provided
on pages 10 to 11 of this Bulletin.
Volume 51, Nos 2 & 3, Summer 2019 | 7
The mission to improve
LDA Bulletin | The mission to improve reading instruction – How can we achieve success?
reading instruction –
How can we achieve success?
Jennifer Buckingham, to me. Chester Finn Jr’s preface to reading
Louisa’s report Whole Language Lives instruction
recipient of the 2019 LDA On: The Illusion of Balanced Reading in Australian
Mona Tobias Award, Instruction published in 2000 says this schools, many
about reading instruction: “No domain of whom were
reflects on the difficulties of
has been studied more intensely. associated
bringing about the changes None has yielded clearer and more with LDA. The
required to implement definitive findings about what works and letter led to the
what does not. Yet no domain is more National Inquiry
effective reading instruction vulnerable to the perpetuation of bad Into Teaching
for all children, based on ideas and failed methods”. Literacy, chaired
the scientific evidence of The research underpinning by Ken Rowe.
systematic and explicit reading The report from the Inquiry
what works. instruction made so much sense to me, published in 2005 gave a strong
but I was lucky; I didn’t have a deeply endorsement to the findings of scientific
embedded set of misguided beliefs research on reading. It was well received
about education that needed to be (with the usual exceptions) and its
unpicked in order for the evidence- findings were reinforced by the Rose
based arguments to take hold. review in the UK the following year.
What happened next? In Australia,
Early reading success we had a change of minister in
January 2006 and none of the NITL
M
ona Tobias was a is implicated in every recommendations were put into action.
remarkable person. She other educational issue. In England, however, the government
directly and personally moved decisively to mandate systematic
If children can’t read,
improved the quality of life synthetic phonics in every primary
of many children and families through education is elusive. school, supported by quality teaching
her determination to ensure that their resources. Imagine if even one state
disabilities did not prevent them from The inquiry into boys’ education in education minister in Australia had
receiving the education they deserved. 2000, which was initiated as a result had the fortitude to do that in 2005. We
Many of the previous recipients of of a paper I wrote for The Centre for might be in a very different position to
the Mona Tobias Award are people that Independent Studies, introduced me where we are now.
I have had the great fortune of working to MultiLit and to Kevin and Robyn When I returned to CIS I realised
with in some context or another over Wheldall. My path crossed with Kevin that all of my policy research work kept
the past decade or more, and to whom I and Robyn on various occasions after looping back to reading and literacy.
have looked many times for inspiration that, including via our mutual friend Early reading success is implicated in
and guidance. Noel Pearson, on whom Kevin has had a every other educational issue. If children
The truth is that I am just standing profound and lasting influence. can’t read, education is elusive.
at the pointy end of the boat. There are As Kevin said in his Mona Tobias When the opportunity arose to do
a lot of people doing the hard work of speech, “since literacy underpins a PhD project with Kevin and Robyn, I
rowing who have been at the oars for everything in terms of future success jumped at it. We wrote a paper called
much longer than I have, so I am going in school and beyond, it is our greatest ‘Why Jaydon Can’t Read’, which was part
to take this opportunity to acknowledge hope for ensuring a ‘fair go’ for all literature review, part policy analysis
some of them and give an account Australians regardless of their social and part call-to-arms, and many people
of the way some important policy background.” responded, some in public ways and
developments have come about over When I took up the role of schools others within their own sphere of
the past decade or so, and reiterate editor at The Australian newspaper in influence.
how important LDA and the people 2004, The Australian had just published It was that response that led to the
associated with it have been. an open letter to Brendan Nelson by creation of the FIVE from FIVE project.
Louisa Moats’ reports published by 26 academics and reading specialists, The launch of the Five from Five project,
the Fordham Institute were a revelation exhorting him to take action to improve which involved ministers and senators,
8 | Volume 51, Nos 2 & 3, Summer 2019
as well Kerry Hempenstall and Jackie standards at their meeting on December
LDA Bulletin | The Mission to Improve Reading Instruction – How can we achieve success?
French – demonstrated that what it 12, 2019.
was trying to achieve was not just the Unfortunately, this mission to
obsession of a fringe element. improve reading instruction so all
The Five from Five publication that children learn to read is constantly
set out the case for introducing the Year being hampered by people determined
1 phonics check that is used in English to preserve the status quo. Reform of
primary schools was influential in the policy and practice is hard work and
Phonics Check being included in the hard won.
federal government’s policy platform in Chester Finn, Jr. wrote, “The path to
2017. Molly de Lemos was an invaluable consensus via science is rarely straight;
source of guidance. it can take years to achieve and the
Pamela Snow and Mandy Nayton, as battles can be bloody. But eventually,
well as this year’s Bruce Wicking Award the accumulation of evidence is hard,
recipient Steven Capp, joined me on an even impossible, to ignore.” We have to
expert panel to provide advice to the believe that and never give up.
federal minister on the introduction of a
Jennifer Buckingham is Director of
Year 1 literacy assessment. The South
Strategy and Senior Research Fellow at
Australian government, under two smart
MultiLit and founder of the Five from
education ministers, was persuaded to
Five project.
run a trial and subsequently make it a
bipartisan state-wide policy. A NSW trial
is scheduled for 2020.
The phonics debate organised by
Five from Five was another important
event. Anne Castles participated in that
debate against a high profile team, but Mona Tobias was a trained
ultimately the weakness in our opposing primary school teacher who was
team’s case provoked many influential subsequently appointed, in 1937,
people to finally acknowledge where the as the sole staff member of the
strength of evidence lies. newly established Physically
Handicapped section of the
… perhaps the most fraught Correspondence School in North
Fitzroy. In this role she became
frontier in our collective known for her pioneering work in
mission to ensure all developing programs to meet the
needs of children with learning
children receive high quality difficulties, and particularly the
evidence-based reading needs of children who had been
instruction (is) initial affected by the polio epidemic
of that year. On her retirement at
teacher education. the age of 65, with support from
SPELD Victoria, she undertook
This ‘highlights reel’ shows the
a course on learning disabilities
importance of the collaboration that is under Sam Clements at the
facilitated by LDA. On that note, I must University of Arkansas, and
also mention the value of the DDoLL subsequently took charge of the
email network started by Max Coltheart private remedial clinic Gould
– a giant among giants in the field of House. In this work she exerted
reading research. a very considerable influence
At the moment, I am involved in on primary teaching in Victoria.
what is perhaps the most fraught frontier Many thousands of teachers
in our collective mission to ensure all came voluntarily to be instructed
children receive high quality evidence- by her and many hundreds of
based reading instruction: initial teacher children owe directly to her their
education. Lorraine Hammond is joining rescue from the despair of failure.
me on a task force appointed by the She also inspired many hundreds
federal education minister, for which of parents to provide intelligent
the recent report published by MultiLit support for their learning disabled
through the Five from Five project was children. In spite of illness and
the catalyst. Education Council, which failing eyesight she continued
comprises all state and territory and the to see children in her own home
federal education ministers, approved until her final admission to
the working party’s recommended hospital in 1980.
changes to the ITE accreditation
Volume 51, Nos 2 & 3, Summer 2019 | 9
How one school made the
LDA Bulletin | How one school made the transition to evidence-based practice
transition to evidence-based
practice
In his acceptance speech chance. I would like to briefly share big six of reading.
our story to highlight the importance She further
for the 2019 Bruce Wicking of organisations such as LDA to make explained that
Award, Steven Capp, the evidence accessible to instructional we had good
leaders to enable them to use evidence- Tier 2 and
Principal of Bentleigh based practice to support instruction Tier 3 reading
West Primary School in for ALL students in every classroom. I interventions
Melbourne, outlines the would also like to share key successes in place but
that were transferred from our reading that our Tier 1
road he followed in adopting instruction experience to other subjects approach, based
evidence-based practices in such as mathematics. on a balanced
his school. At Bentleigh West Primary literacy program, did not match. I was
School, the road to evidence informed curious as to the impact on our high
instruction started with reading. performers if we changed our Tier 1
I had been working in some schools instruction. Sarah suspected it would
in disadvantaged areas and the learning improve or have no impact on their
data that I was analysing showed large performance.
percentages of students well below the The answer to many of our reading
expected level in reading and spelling. and spelling issues seemed quite
I had assumed that disadvantage was simple: design our Tier 1 model to
T
almost entirely to blame for these systematically and explicitly teach
o be awarded the Bruce results, and that disadvantage was a important elements of reading, including
Wicking Award is very special. major obstacle to learning to read. phonics, to align with our Tier 2 and Tier
3 approaches. However the big six was
somewhat new to me and I had barely
The honour I feel is growing with my … catering for learning heard the terms phonemic awareness
understanding of the contributions difficulty is synonymous and phonics, let alone acquired the
that Bruce Wicking and his family have knowledge as to how to systematically
made to education and more broadly with best practice… and explicitly teach this content, and to
the contribution that LDA has made to lead teachers in this area. If this was true
countless communities around Australia. However, NAPLAN data at Bentleigh for me, an experienced educator who
I am relatively new to the West indicated that 15 to 20 per cent had risen to the position of principal, I
principalship of Bentleigh West and of students were performing one year was almost certain it was true for every
to LDA, and I believe my experience or more below the expected level in teacher at Bentleigh West and perhaps
highlights a problem in the profession, reading and spelling at Grade 3, with an Australia!
particularly relating to how we are increase in this percentage by another We began building a vision to have
initially trained as teachers in university 5 to 10 per cent at Grade 5. Bentleigh every teacher at Bentleigh West trained
teacher training courses. West has significantly less disadvantage as expert teachers of reading and
I have been drawn to LDA in my than my previous schools, leading me to spelling and to have the knowledge and
pursuit of evidence-based practice, shift my attention to instruction being a understanding to support any child that
something driven by a need to achieve factor in poor reading outcomes. walked into their classroom.
better outcomes for all students and My thoughts on instruction being the We would start at understanding
guided by sheer luck in meeting with problem were confirmed in discussions systematic, synthetic phonics and
Sarah Asome, our reading intervention with Sarah when she outlined the explore what explicit teaching meant to
specialist, on my appointment to importance of oral language, the role our teachers.
Bentleigh West Primary School in 2015. of phonemic awareness in reading Evidence informed reading
I believe that my experience of not success, and the missing ingredient instruction was to become our complete,
understanding the evidence relating to of systematic explicit instruction whole school focus.
initial reading instruction is a reasonably in phonics, along with fluency and We implemented training in
common one, and that understanding vocabulary, that lead to skilled reading systematic synthetic phonics teaching
the evidence should not be left to and good reading comprehension. The and sought advice on constructing
10 | Volume 51, Nos 2 & 3, Summer 2019scope and sequences via organisations decoding was about accurate word schools and have contributed to sharing
LDA Bulletin | How one school made the transition to evidence-based practice
such as the Australian Dyslexia reading. Language comprehension was success and learning with others.
Association and Yoshimoto OG. about understanding what was read. In conclusion, I have mentioned
We changed our assessment Both these areas need to fire in the brain the names of some esteemed
practices by moving away from multi- and support each other to bring about researchers and members that are part
cuing and running record assessments, skilled readers. of or associated with LDA. I haven’t
and implemented DIBELs and the Year Explicit teaching was another mentioned the countless others whose
1 Phonics Screening Check to better area that we needed to ensure was work I have read that has built my
understand how well we were teaching implemented consistently throughout ability to know more and to be a better
this content, and also to cut down on our school. Observations undertaken by principal. To sit next to Anne Castles and
assessment time. our teachers indicated inconsistencies to receive awards with Professor William
I immersed myself in the training in our practice that were contrary to an Tunmer, and also to meet and converse
that the teachers were receiving and explicit teaching model. on a semi-regular basis with Professor
in familiarising myself with the reading We reached out to Dr. Lorraine Pamela Snow and Jennifer Buckingham,
research, so that I could more ably make Hammond who transformed my view of is something I treasure.
sound decisions around resourcing and teaching in one powerful day of professional The work that LDA does is
development and how best to support development when she took us through inspirational and we need to work
courageous teachers integrating new the art of explicit instruction and the together to ensure that all practitioners
knowledge with new teaching skills all at mountain of evidence that supports it. This cease to see intervention as being
once. I felt the need to be with them and led us to seek out readings on Cognitive separate from good teaching and to
to share in the failure, success, fear and Load Theory and Rosenshine’s principles understand how the research into
frustration that inevitably occurs when of instruction, and to design professional learning difficulties has provided us
professionals push for improvement. development to support the momentum with a better understanding of how ALL
I needed to keep the focus and the that Lorraine had given us. At last, we had brains learn.
belief that the cause was worth it, as a consistent teaching model to subscribe Our brains are more similar than
our students were the beneficiaries, to and we were beginning to see that different and catering for learning
and to get reading right can change life systematic and explicit teaching in most difficulty is synonymous with what is
trajectories in line with our Victorian DET areas of the curriculum was resulting in simply best practice.
initiatives of closing the gap. enhanced learning growth. Our maths team I am humbled, honoured and grateful
In reading the Rose Report I noticed was also adopting similar changes in their for receiving the Bruce Wicking Award
the references to the Simple View of teaching practices, so that this enhanced from LDA who have already contributed
Reading, which provided one of the best learning growth was also evident in our so much to my professional learning.
frameworks I have seen to help guide maths results.
Steven Capp is the Principal of
our work. The simple view of reading By 2018, we had a cohort that had
Bentleigh West Primary School
is based on the formula RC = D x LC. been exposed to four years of evidence
in Melbourne, which has become
That is, reading comprehension (RC) informed reading instruction. This Year
recognised for its adoption of evidence-
depends on both decoding (D), which 3 cohort had also received systematic
based teaching practices, particularly
enables students to convert written explicit instruction in mathematics.
in the area of reading. He has worked
text to spoken words, and language The Year 3 NAPLAN results were really
across the primary and secondary
comprehension (LC), which is the ability interesting to us, in order to check
school sectors as an educational leader
to understand the spoken language. whether our internal assessments and
for the past 15 years. He has a Masters
We felt that we now understood how observations aligned with a standardised
of School Leadership from Melbourne
to develop both word level reading and test that was comparable to schools
University and has worked with schools
to implement practices that supported within a similar context.
and across Australia in bridging the gap
the development of comprehension. The results were outstanding, and
from research to practice. He served on
These practices included rich text we saw higher results than like school
the expert advisory panel to the Federal
exposure and discussions. groups in almost all areas. These results
Government for Year 1 Literacy and
Our goal of understanding explicit are summarised in Table 1.
Numeracy Checks in 2017.
teaching of systematic synthetic phonics These results have led to much
was part of the decoding element and interest and collaboration with many
Year Reading Writing Spelling Grammar and Punctuation Numeracy
2011 470 440 424 456 434
2012 465 442 435 460 422
2013 457 446 432 457 410
2014 465 420 433 446 433
2015 472 447 436 469 442
2016 459 441 429 478 437
2017 467 453 438 497 452
2018 496 473 498 527 496
Table 1 Bentleigh West Year 3 NAPLAN Results, 2011 to 2018
Volume 51, Nos 2 & 3, Summer 2019 | 11On being a Consultant
LDA Bulletin | On being a Consultant Member of LDA
Member of LDA
Jan Roberts, recipient of years or so as a Victorian Education digraphs they
Department curriculum consultant gave frequently do
the 2019 Rosemary Carter me the opportunity to deliver teacher not know the
Award, reflects on life as a training. A Kafkaesque promotion as single vowel
a consultant in maths (my weakest sounds, maybe
Consultant member of LDA. subject) saved me from having to from insufficient
train teachers in Whole Language and exposure
stick to primary maths. What a lucky or perhaps
background for my future career, having because, for
taught from Prep to Year 12, including some students,
special needs and also delivering PD. these letter
In 1995, I retired (again) to take sounds are phonologically difficult to
up tutoring and also, for many years, distinguish from each other. Invariably,
I
Certificate 3 training of integration aides. they think that short /ă/ says /ŭ/, possibly
t was a great honour to receive I became a consultant member of LDA, from slowly reading ‘This is ŭ [sic] dog’.
this award in memory of Rosemary then the Australian Resource Educators It is very rewarding to be able to find
Carter, my friend and a much loved Association (AREA), and was persuaded ways to improve students’ knowledge of
consultant. I thank my nominators by Rosemary Carter to be the Convenor the structure of words, such as VCV and
and others who supported me in this of the two day millennial conference in VCCV, and extend their vocabulary and
nomination. I often wish I were younger Melbourne in 2000. After that I became comprehension in reading.
but age has given me extra opportunities a member of LDA Council and later also One spelling strategy is teaching
to fulfil the criteria for the award. I will served as Convenor of the Consultants learners to sound out (not spell out)
take you down the path that led me to Committee. This whole connection has most words while writing. For example,
my current work and share a few of the been an amazing journey until this year Johnnie, aged 10, wanted to write
things I do as a typical LDA consultant. when I retired from council. ‘interesting’ but spelled out ‘-I-N-T-S-
After three years of teacher training In the early days of tutoring I-N-G’. When he was asked to sound
and with memories of structured there was not the easy access to it out, he wrote ‘intresting’, which was
phonics, Cuisenaire and implied explicit good resources that we have today, close enough for spell-check to fix, and
teaching, I spent two energetic years so I developed a structured phonics indicated some progress on the way to
at Kinglake West Primary School in a program. Being at the height of the learnimg the correct version through
country infant room, with 28 Preps to Whole Language era, it had little hope exploring syllables, base words and
Grade 2 children plus two extra Preps of acceptance as a reading program suffixes.
mid-year. My class included Maureen, so I focused on spelling. Later, with the
who was severely brain damaged and help of Dr Saskia Kohnen, I updated this Consultants are often
Tony, who strangled my budgie and program to include synthetic phonics.
was probably home damaged. Back
reshaping programs, like
I have continued to develop other
to the city with straight Preps was a resources for teachers. In 2001, ACER orthodontists, or filling
breeze with a blissful year in a suburban published Spelling Recovery and also holes, like dentists.
‘country infant room’. I then retired and sold rights to the UK publisher David
produced four sons, and often took my Fulton. This led to plenty of PD work, Students with learning difficulties
two youngest to work as an emergency particularly with ACER, which was very are generally not good metacognitioners
teacher. How things change! Returning helpful while building up my tutoring and need to be taught how to be
to study psychology and remedial business. At that time LDA support for analytic and use mnemonics. An
education led to a change. consultants was particularly strong, as effective strategy for a difficult word
I moved to Templestowe High School it is now. to spell is to identify the tricky bit and
for the next fifteen years, classroom Selecting programs to tutor then think of a way to remember it, for
teaching to Year 12 and managing the students with learning difficulties is example by creating a story from initial
special needs programs for students still a challenge as most students have letters, as in the case of: ‘because’
with learning difficulties as well as ESL very particular needs, and one program (Big elephants crush ants under small
and gifted students and the integration is rarely perfect in its entirety, if at elephants); or ‘does’ (Does [an] octopus
of students with disabilities. While there, all. Consultants are often reshaping eat seaweed/sausages/sandwiches?).
I completed a BA in English and then a programs, like orthodontists, or filling But there are limits to the number of
Graduate Diploma in Special Education, holes, like dentists. For example, while such stories so other strategies must
specialising in learning difficulties. Two many students have learned some
12 | Volume 51, Nos 2 & 3, Summer 2019be employed, such as sounding out a teach, although there is some access to
LDA Bulletin | On being a Consultant Member of LDA
tricky word as it is spelled, not spoken, NDIS funding.
eg. frī-end, prĕtty, făst, w-rite, disting-
ū-ish. Some teachers find using the
analytic, multisensory CHIMP (the
The job of tutoring can
Chunk, Investigate, Memory screen, and become complex, with
Practise) strategy effective to memorise the needs of the student,
a very difficult word.
Tutors need to be adaptable. Most parents, teachers, and other
senior students need comprehensive professionals to consider.
strategies, and to achieve success (a
learning aphrodisiac), we might need There is irony in being tutor. You
to guide them step by step through lose clients if you don’t succeed but
their set school work, modelling essay you also lose them when you do, which
structure, text analysis, and editing is of course our aim. I try for rapid
and vocabulary, and reinforcing basic success-related redundancy but my
skills in the context of reading, so that wand is rarely magic and occasionally,
they start to hand work in, do better in almost loses its mojo. I don’t have all the
assessment tasks and gain confidence. answers and achievement is mostly due
In the process of reshaping and fine- to focused effort from everyone involved.
tuning we employ much gentle pushing Effective support for students with
wrapped in TLC. learning difficulties, as well as their
The job of tutoring can become families and teachers, depends on the
complex, with the needs of the continuing learning and collaborative
student, parents, teachers, and other commitment of all of us in our different
professionals to consider. Also, students spheres of influence. As long as I
might come for one thing, but we find have my passion, compassion and
that something else, often maths, competence, I will do my best to live up
requires urgent attention. And in the to Rosemary Carter’s example and the
environment of one-on-one, consultants
criteria of this award.
sometimes unearth the basic problem.
Take Max, now in Grade 6. He did Jan Roberts is a long standing
well in Grade 5 NAPLAN maths but in Consultant member of LDA, who has
Grade 6 he wasn’t finishing tests and served as President of LDA and as
was making errors. Because Max has Convenor of the Consultants Committee.
learning difficulties, which camouflages She has been an active member of
his intelligence, teachers might have the Consultants Committee and the
assumed that he is just a bit slow in Consultant network support groups,
general. But it transpired that Max and has contributed to the ongoing
worked out everything mathematical in support of Consultant members through
his head - a very handy skill - but was professional development and other
inaccurate due to overload. He had support activities.
no idea how to do written calculations
and must have tuned out when these
were being taught in class, relying on
his knowledge of the basics. But once
he understood the convenience of the
four written processes he put his mind
to learning them and now says that he is
utilising them when appropriate. Max is
quite an inspiration. The Rosemary Carter Award was
The role of the Consultant as a tutor established in 2018 in recognition
is satisfying in many ways - satisfaction of Rosemary Carter’s enormous
from helping hard working students, contribution to the education
many lovely parents and teachers and of young, struggling students,
the connection with LDA. There are and to the wise and valuable
financial challenges, especially in the support she provided to parents
beginning: no assured pay, no employer and to colleagues over many
superannuation contributions, the cost decades. Rosemary Carter was
of attending PD and having to cancel a longstanding member of LDA
sessions, insurance, equipment and and served as LDA’s Referral
resources. It is a bizarre anomaly that Officer from 1991 to 2002 and as
parents can’t claim medical rebates on Convenor of the LDA Consultants
our services as they can with speech Committee from 2002 to 2008.
and occupational therapists, who also
Volume 51, Nos 2 & 3, Summer 2019 | 13Why all states and territories
LDA Bulletin | Why all states and territories should follow South Australia’s lead and introduce the Year 1 Phonics Check: An update
should follow South Australia’s
lead and introduce the Year 1
Phonics Check: An update
In this article, Jennifer What is the Year 1
Buckingham and Kevin Phonics Screening
Wheldall argue the case for
Check?
a national Phonics Check.
The Phonics Check consists of 40 single
words children read aloud to a teacher.
There are 20 real words and 20 “pseudo
words” — all of which can be read using
phonic decoding. The pseudo words are
included because they can’t be read
from sight memory and are a purer test The report shows approximately 33% of
of phonics ability. children achieved a score above 32. By
T
In SA the Check was done in August, comparison, 81% of year one students in
he proposal to introduce a when children had been at school for a England achieved this score for the past
Phonics Check — employed little over 18 months. The timing of the two years (UK Government, 2018).
in schools in England towards Check was based on a recommendation
the end of year one — into from a ministerial advisory group to the
Australian schools has created federal government. Teachers and school leaders
considerable controversy. It has been were overwhelmingly
said that it would prove stressful to
Many students have
positive about the Check
young children and is unnecessary, very low decoding
because phonics is already taught
adequately in most Australian schools as
ability after 18 According to the SA trial evaluation
report, teachers and leaders observed:
part of the literacy curriculum. months at school “…students did more poorly than
The South Australian (SA) expected, across the board. Numerous
The SA state government decided to set
government commissioned a trial of respondents reported feeling surprised
the threshold score at 28 marks out of
the utility of the Phonics Check in 2017 and disappointed by the results based
40 for the state-wide implementation in
on students’ known reading abilities and
and, on the basis of the trial’s finding, 2018 and 2019. The 28 mark threshold
results on the Running Record.”
decided to implement the Check in was set using two criteria: 1) while the
This is a clear indication that existing
all state schools in 2018, with non- threshold score in England is 32, the
assessments in these SA schools were
Check is given later in the school year
government schools joining the program not providing an accurate measure of
than the SA Check so more content will
in 2019. students’ decoding abilities.
have been taught to English children;
The results of the trial allayed The way the data are reported in
and 2) benchmarking of the items in
many of the reservations about the the 2017 trial evaluation report does
the Check against the National Literacy
not allow a calculation of the proportion
Check and confirmed the need for Progressions. The threshold score is the
of children who achieved 28 out of 40
its introduction (Hordacre, Moretti, minimum expectation, and given that
— the threshold score set for the 2018
& Spoehr, 2017). The second state- the Check is not unreasonably difficult
implementation. The trial evaluation
wide implementation last year showed and that approximately 16% of children
report showed that around 44% of
obtained a score of between 36 and 40
that some improvement had already children achieved a score above 26.
in the trial, a high score is achievable
occurred but also demonstrated that In the 2018 implementation, 43% of
and should be the goal.
many children were still struggling with students achieved the threshold score
The headline data from the 2017
phonic decoding – a foundational skill of 28 or above, and in 2019 it was 52%
trial showed that the majority of children
(Government of South Australia, 2019).
for reading. in year one found the test items difficult.
14 | Volume 51, Nos 2 & 3, Summer 2019You can also read
