Marshall Roberts - Putting the tract in tractor: Dragging literacy out of the dark ages - TAS Branch
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Marshall Roberts - Putting the tract in tractor: Dragging literacy out of the dark ages - TAS Branch

Marshall Roberts talks about his family’s journey into home tutoring and literacy advocacy. Marshall will discuss his family’s background story, what fired him up, what he’s learnt along the way, some parallels between education and farming cultures (yes, really!) and what he’d do differently in hindsight. He will also share some reflections and information for other parents who may be just at the point of thinking “something’s not right”.

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SA Branch: Tier 2 Intervention for Secondary Students
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SA Branch: Tier 2 Intervention for Secondary Students

This session will share the innovative practice of two speech pathologists and the literacy leadership teams they work with at Craigmore High School and Parafield Gardens High School.Grounded in the science of reading, a wave 2 evidence-informed reading intervention program for year 7 and 8 students who have word reading (decoding) ages between 6 to 10 years will be outlined. Participants will gain an understanding of the assessment process, the intervention, and positive outcomes achieved across the two schools.This presentation is relevant to primary and high school teachers and leaders who have an interest in improving student reading ability, or who are curious about what Speech Pathology can offer in a high school setting or adolescent reading intervention space.

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What it takes to shift practice - Montello Primary School's Journey towards structured literacy
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What it takes to shift practice - Montello Primary School's Journey towards structured literacy

As a small, regional primary school with a vulnerable student population, the leadership of Montello Primary School knew that changes were needed to support their students to become proficient readers. Over the course of a year, the school has trained staff and implemented a structured literacy approach in their early years classrooms. This hasn't come without challenges, but Dion McCall (Principal) and Ruby Moore (Quality Teaching Coach) are ready to share preliminary data, experiences and wisdom with other schools thinking of embarking on a similar journey. In this session, Jocelyn Seamer will facilitate a conversation with Dion and Ruby about their methodology, motivations and future plans for structured literacy in their school.

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Trauma informed schooling and EDI - An intentional approach to social and academic success - SA Branch
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Trauma informed schooling and EDI - An intentional approach to social and academic success - SA Branch

James Kelly and Dave Pascoe presented on the contextual and sustainable approach to Trauma Informed Practice at Elizabeth Vale Primary School. Key elements will be: the importance of intentionality, predictability, consistency and communication in a trauma informed school and some tips that we would give to others on a similar journey. From here, the workshop will provide a snapshot of Explicit Direct Instruction (EDI) as a pedagogy for learning and how it complements the trauma informed approach. It will provide a very clear idea of what EDI is and what EDI is not and some practical uses in a classroom setting.

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Setting up for Success  - Gippsland Branch
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Setting up for Success - Gippsland Branch

At this meeting we heard from two teachers who have been successfully implementing the science of reading and science of learning in their classrooms. They shared their experiences and provide tips for setting up the new year for success. Sarah Johnstone from Guthridge Primary School (Sale) is currently a Literacy Specialist and has previously held leadership and principal positions. Rachael Geerts from St Pauls Anglican Grammar School (Traralgon) has recently been appointed Director of Learning and Teaching and previously was the Learning Specialist at Loch Primary School.

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Challenge Accepted: Practical Actions for Reading Success - Jocelyn Seamer - TAS Branch
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Challenge Accepted: Practical Actions for Reading Success - Jocelyn Seamer - TAS Branch

In this session, Jocelyn shared her experiences from her work in some of Australia's remotest schools and outline the necessary components for evidence informed literacy practices in the early primary years.  Focusing on practical and realistic actions, Jocelyn will invite you to consider the steps we might take to move closer to the evidence and create success and growth for every child, everywhere.  

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Quality Differentiated Teaching Starts at Wave 1 - Stuart Kitto - SA Branch
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Quality Differentiated Teaching Starts at Wave 1 - Stuart Kitto - SA Branch

Stuart Kitto is a former principal who has been working in central office roles around disability policy and practice for the last 2 years. In this talk, he discussed the evidence around inclusion, and how schools might use waves of intervention to minimise the risk of learners slipping through the gaps. He makes some practical suggestions for schools looking to be more systematic and strategic in their approaches to planning, monitoring and stretching the learning of all.

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