HOW TO IGNITE & SUSTAIN A LOVE OF READING

By Kate Harvey-Sutton

Associate Director of Academic Education (Literacy) –Primary School

Fostering a culture of books and reading is a key component of Canberra Grammar School’s approach to literacy learning. Developing an environment where reading is valued and encouraged is essential for our students to become lifelong readers and, more broadly, lifelong learners.

During programming discussions, teachers noted that building a strong reading culture within the school community relies on several key elements:

• Children possessing high-level decoding and comprehension skills to access the texts they read

• School-wide promotion of reading and collaboration between classroom teachers, the school library, and families at home

• Celebrating reading through events such as Kids Lit Quiz and Book Week

• Providing students with sustained opportunities to read, alongside access to large quantities of quality literature in the classroom; and

• Staff reading for pleasure and modelling this behaviour to students.

After engaging in extended professional discussions about our current reading instruction methods with K – 6 teachers, it became clear that many teachers—especially those who had moved to different year levels—were working with new reading programmes and resources they had not previously used. As a result, they had missed earlier professional development focused on systematic reading instruction.

One teacher highlighted the need to understand the cognitive science behind how students learn to read. Engaging further with research on effective instruction would make implementing an evidence-based approach to reading in the classroom easier.

At Canberra Grammar School, teachers in Years K – 2 currently use the InitiaLit by MultiLit programme to systematically teach children how to read. Earlier this year, I attended the InitiaLit course alongside two of our primary school teachers. This valuable opportunity allowed us to focus intensely on the teaching of reading in the early years and reflect on our current classroom practices. The two-day workshop thoroughly analysed the programme’s implementation through small group role-play activities and demonstration lessons.

The course focused on:

• Exploring the theoretical framework underpinning InitiaLit

• Unpacking the detailed programme content across Years K – 2

• Understanding the assessment procedures

• Taking part in practical demonstrations and practising lesson delivery in groups; and

• Learning how to differentiate learning and teaching to meet the needs of all students.

This professional learning experience supported not only the successful implementation of the InitiaLit programme but also gave me the opportunity to discuss how I can help teachers reflect on their reading data. I gained valuable insights into how to use InitiaLit resources to differentiate learning experiences and support the varying needs of students in each classroom.

One of the most successful components of the training was the collegial discussions we had across the two days. We discovered that, in addition to teaching the foundational skills of reading, we all shared a desire to build a positive reading culture in our classrooms. To complement explicit reading instruction, the classroom environment is equally important. Creating spaces that foster and engage students in reading is paramount to cultivating a lifelong love of literature and learning.

Following this professional learning, the K – 2 team has begun building curated classroom libraries by partnering with the Primary School Library. We encourage students to borrow quality literature to enjoy at home and surround them with books in classrooms that spark their interest in reading. Developing wellstocked classroom libraries and working closely with the library team to increase the selection of quality texts available to students will be a priority moving forward.

Recently, I had the privilege of participating in a professional development course on InitiaLit, funded through SPEF. This experience was invaluable, giving me a deeper understanding of the foundational principles and instructional strategies underpinning this evidence-based literacy programme. During the course, I gained insight into the structure and intent of the programme, which is grounded in the science of reading. I learned how to implement components such as phonemic awareness, phonics, fluency, vocabulary, and comprehension in ways that are both engaging and accessible for young learners. The practical tools and resources provided have equipped me to deliver InitiaLit with greater confidence and fidelity, ensuring I can support my students in developing crucial early literacy skills.

This professional development experience has significantly enhanced my teaching practice. It has deepened my knowledge of literacy instruction and improved my ability to apply evidence-based methods in the classroom. I am excited to integrate these strategies into my teaching, knowing they will make a meaningful difference in my students’ learning outcomes. Refining my skills through InitiaLit has been a significant milestone in my professional growth, and I look forward to continuing my collaboration with the Academic Team and colleagues while seeing the positive impact on my students.

– Molly Brown, Kindergarten Class Teacher, Primary School