Teaching Reading

National and international data indicate that almost one third of students reach high school unable to read at the level required for the text books.  Nearly 10% of high school students are functionally illiterate with the figures at much worse levels for indigenous students.

On the other hand, international research and work done by Include shows that students with significant intellectual impairment or autism have been taught to read by their parents from the age of two.

How can it be possible that non-disabled children fail in large numbers when parents with no teaching qualifications can succeed with students traditionally seen as ‘ineducable’?

They key is how students are taught.  While the majority of students do learn to read using a variety of methods, it has been found that if students do not learn the core skills of reading, then they will remain functionally illiterate or very poor readers.  This commonly has life-long consequences such as a low income or frequent unemployment.

This book is designed for early childhood and primary teachers, as well as parents.  It includes practical exercises to use in class; guidelines on sequencing the teaching of letters and letter combinations; strategies for teaching the early reading of text and games to use to reinforce the learning.

SECTIONS:

Introduction to the core skills of reading
Format for teaching words
Blending
Word types and sequence
Teaching sequences for letters
Rhyming
Beginning reading
Most common words

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Dr Jackson was Associate Professor of Education at Edith Cowan University in Perth and remains attached to Curtin University in an honorary role as Adjunct Associate Professor as well as providing guest lectures on inclusion to teacher students at several Perth universities. He has been involved in the researching and teaching of literacy since the 1970’s and has worked with teachers and families across Australia, presenting workshops to Teacher and Education Conferences on literacy and working directly with teachers and families. He has been involved in a high school research program on literacy for over 12 years that has resulted in hundreds of students achieving literacy when they had a history of years of failure.