ATA Resources
View previews of our Literacy resources.
Other Resources
Oral Language
This article published by the Age suggests that too much screen time may harm children’s oral language. The author, Dr Charlotte Forwood, explains that in the early years, children learn new words very quickly and that a rich vocabulary is necessary for reading comprehension, and the development of high level thinking skills.
Vocabulary
The RMIT Learning Lab provides excellent practice resources for students moving from secondary school to university. You may find this site of particular value if you are working with secondary students. Students can work through a series of self-check activities to develop up to 570 academic words recommended for successful university studies.
Five from Five is an initiative from the Centre for Independent Studies that aims to improve children’s literacy by ensuring all children receive effective literacy instruction. Their five keys to reading are Phonemic Awareness, Phonics, Fluency, Vocabulary and Comprehension.
The Reading Centre provides advice as well as free and low cost professional development resources, to parents and educators, on strategies to support readers including children with specific learning difficulties, such as dyslexia.
SPELD SA is a non-profit organisation that supports children and adults with specific learning difficulties. They have an outstanding list of free literacy resources such as oral language cards, phonics books, and a program for older struggling readers called SOS – Spelling for Older Students.
Resources to Promote Reading
The Reading Centre is a Queensland Department of Education initiative and provides a wide range of useful videos, webinars, and resources to promote reading.
Active Listening in the Classroom
Thought Co explains why active listening in the classroom is an important motivational strategy, and gives you 7 effective active listening steps you can practice to become more skilled at listening.
100 High Frequency and Sight Words
This PDF lists Fry's 100 high frequency words and sight words necessary for children to learn to read with fluency. It is important to note that sight words are taught in relevant contexts, with a Science of Reading approach taken to explicitly teach letter-sound relationships.
A Guide to Assisting Reading Development
This guide to assisting reading development provides information on how to choose appropriately levelled books for developing readers. It also outlines the pause, prompt, praise process when listening to a child read.
