DEPARTMENT of EDUCATION

Literacy

Literacy forms the foundation for all future learning. Developing literacy skills, strategies and practices in the early years is fundamental for educational growth through all the years of schooling. All teachers share responsiblity for teaching the literacies that students need to participate in the social, cultural and educational situations they encounter in their lives. Literacy learning enables students to contribute effectively in contemporary society, gain improved employment prospects and achieve their personal goals.

The Department of Education is committed to raising the literacy levels of Tasmanian children and the community, including those adults who require further support. 

Early literacy

Development of literacy skills commences well before schooling begins.

Launching into Learning

A new initiative in which participating schools are developing innovative programs that focus on developing literacy, school readiness and support for families of pre-school children. 

Early years Literacy Program

The Early Years Literacy Program is a collaborative project developed by Tasmania Department of Education and Dr Carol Christensen.

State Library of Tasmania

City and branch libraries throughout the state promote literacy through a range of services and activities for young children and their families. 

Reading Together - the program involves parents and carers bringing their pre-school aged children into the library once a week to take part in an exciting story telling program conducted by a qualified teacher.

Story time sessions - The sessions are run by library staff and include sharing stories, singing rhymes and songs, watching videos and craftwork.

Rock & Rhyme - Regular sessions for babies 0-24 months and their parents and carers to enjoy rhymes, rhythmn and fun.

Babies who read, succeed - A collection of baby book packs for parents to borrow and read with their children.

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School literacy

The Tasmanian English-literacy curriculum [PDF 1.15MB] from kingergarten to grade 10 aims to develop students' capacity to speak, listen, read, view and write with purpose, effect and confidence. Schools provide an ongoing commitment to developing literacy in each of the curriculum areas.

The English website contains many teaching approaches, ideas and strategies.

Premier's Reading Challenge

Premier’s Reading Challenge aims to encourage young people to enjoy reading regularly and to raise community awareness about the importance of reading with children at home.

Reading Recovery

Reading Recovery is an early literacy intervention with specialised teaching that will enable individual students at risk to imrpove quickly with intensive language support each day.

Flying Start

Flying Start resource is a staffing allocation made to schools to support literacy teaching and learning in Years K to 2.

Read at Home Kit

Launched in September 2006, the Read at Home Kit was developed to enable parents to assist their children to become better readers and develop a passion for reading. The kit is designed for parents of students from grades 3-6. Copies were sent to all government schools in 2006. Additional copies are available from Tony Nichols at Letitia House, 6233 7207.

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Unlocking Literacy

The Department of Education has published a literacy resource titled Unlocking Literacy: Keys to success. The resource links reading and writing through the use of discussion, thinking and questioning. It provides one-to-one literacy support, to primary students with special and/or addtional needs. Although this resource is intended to be delivered by parent volunteers or paraprofesionals, it incorporates strategies that can be used with classrooms.

First Steps

First Steps texts and professional learning courses describe purposeful teaching and learning experiences to improve student learning outcomes and also provide teachers with maps of development that help them assess and monitor students' learning needs. 

Stepping Out

The Stepping Out professional learning resource explains approaches, processes and strategies that district high and high school teachers can use to improve adolescent students' literach and learning outcomes.

Reading Assistance Voucher program

Students who do not meet the national reading benchmarks are eligible for up to $700 worth of reading tuition to be arranged in partnership with parents and schools. The program will be modified in 2008.

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Indigenous Tutorial Assistance Scheme (ITAS)

This scheme is available to Indigenous students who did not meet one or more of the literacy and/or numeracy benchmarks in the previous year or who are at risk of not meeting the relevant literacy and/or numeracy curriculum outcome levels for their age. This tutoring is available in the student's normal schools during class. ITAS is now also available to students in years 10, 11 and 12 to encourage them to stay on at school and improve their results. 

National Literacy and Numeracy Week

The Department of Education in conjunction with the Department of Education, Science and Training present awards to both schools and inidividuals who have achieved success in literacy and/or numeracy areas. A series of activities is organised for students to celebrate literacy and numeracy during the first week in September.

Literacy summit and communiqu?b> - The Literacy Summit held in June 2007 issued a communiqu?span> that proposed ways in which schools can improve literacy performance.

Adult literacy

A network of over one hundred service outlets of online access centres, adult education centres and libraries provides the opportunity for Tasmanians to acquire and maintain essential literacy skills.