Write to the ACT Education Minister during Dyslexia Awareness Month

Dear Supporter,

It's Dyslexia Awareness Month!  

So let's remind our ACT Education Minister that our ACT Schools need early identification of reading difficulties (inc. dyslexia), evidence-based reading instruction and interventions, teacher professional learning, and appropriate support based resources and professional staff. 

Please sign & continue to share the petition but also consider sending an email to the ACT Education Minister, Ms Yvette Berry MLA

BERRY@act.gov.au

For your convenience, please find below a form letter you may wish to use. Thank you!

Date

Dear Minister Berry,

Support for Evidence-based literacy instruction, identification & intervention for ACT Students

Dyslexia affects more than 10% of the population and is one of the reasons why a student may be experiencing difficulties with literacy.  Dyslexia is a language-based learning disability that affects language skills such as reading, spelling, and writing but is unrelated to a person’s intelligence or their vision.  It is a lifelong condition, however with correct early identification, evidence-based reading instruction and interventions, students learn to read proficiently.  The implementation of evidence-based instruction and interventions will stop students from slipping through the cracks and improve Australia’s literacy crisis.

This is why I am writing to you and asking for your support to implement in ACT Schools the early identification of students with reading difficulties, including dyslexia, evidence-based reading instruction and interventions, pre-service and continued teacher professional learning that includes instruction on how to teach reading to students with dyslexia, and appropriate support based resources and professional staff.

This can be achieved through:

1.   Implementation of evidence-based literacy instruction in all ACT Schools which is essential to provide ALL students with the very best opportunity to learn to read whilst attending school.  Explicit, systematic synthetic phonics instruction as part of the Five Keys to reading (Phonemic Awareness, Phonics, Fluency, Vocabulary & Comprehension) has been proven to be the most effective. Additionally when a student requires intensive instruction then evidence-based Tier 2 or Tier 3 intervention is also essential. Please click on the following links to read about evidence-based literacy instruction and interventions, here, here, here and here.

2.   To provide the very best opportunity for emergent readers to learn to read, decodable readers are a valuable and often necessary tool and a beneficial resource to support Teachers using explicit systematic synthetic phonics instruction in the classroom. Decodable readers are books that contain phonetic code that beginning readers have already been taught. All ACT schools need access to decodable readers. Please click on the links here and here for more information about decodable books.

3.   Early identification of students with reading difficulties is crucial, and why it’s important to introduce the National Year 1 Literacy & Numeracy Check in all ACT Schools.  Current identification tools used by ACT teachers are not sufficient to identify students who are having difficulty with phonics (the building blocks of the English language). Please click on the link to access more information about the proposed National Year 1 Literacy Check (aka Phonics Check).

4.   Every ACT school requires appropriate access to Educational Psychologists and Literacy Specialists qualified in evidence-based literacy instruction.  Students require the support of Educational Psychologists and Literacy specialists within their schools. Educational Psychologists are not only able to complete a thorough educational assessment but they are imperative when supporting the mental health needs of students.  Anxiety is often a common condition experienced by students with dyslexia.   Additionally, qualified literacy specialists are necessary to deliver quality Tier 2 and Tier 3 evidence-based literacy support that students may need at school.

5.   All students identified as having ongoing difficulties with learning to read, including those with dyslexia, need to be provided with an Individual Learning Plan (ILP) including smart goals.   ILP’s must provide the student with appropriate support structures that allow them to learn on a level playing field with their peers. The Individual Learning Plan needs to include, evidence-based literacy instruction requirements and interventions, and reasonable adjustments such as access to assistive technology, use of a reader, scribe and extra time during examinations.  Also, access to qualified professionals that use evidence-based approaches such as a Speech Pathologist or literacy specialists that provide the necessary additional therapy/tuition to students during school hours.

6.   Finally, I ask the Education Minister to engage with local Universities to discuss and request the implementation of evidence-based instruction be provided during preservice Teacher training courses.  Evidence-based literacy instruction must include training in systematic synthetic phonics instruction as part of the Five Keys to reading (Phonemic Awareness, Phonics, Fluency, Vocabulary & Comprehension).  Additionally, preservice teachers need to be provided with University instruction on supporting students with specific learning difficulties, including dyslexia. Existing qualified ACT Primary School and Literacy Teachers should also be provided with professional learning to teach students to read, using systematic synthetic phonics as part of the Five Keys to reading (Phonemic Awareness, Phonics, Fluency, Vocabulary & Comprehension) and supporting students with specific learning difficulties, including dyslexia.  The current awareness style training course OLT Understanding Dyslexia and Significant Difficulties in Reading available through the ACT Education Directorate does not appear to be enough on its own.  Teacher training in Evidence-based reading instruction should be a mandatory requirement for teacher professional learning.

These strategies will benefit all students and educators, as they provide educators with the information and knowledge they need for early identification of students at risk of literacy failure (phonics check) and appropriate evidence-based instructional approaches and interventions (systematic synthetic phonics instruction) to support their students in literacy learning. 

As the Australian Capital Territory’s Education Minister, you have an obligation to implement reforms that are beneficial for all students and these strategies are beneficial for all students.  We appreciate your consideration in this matter, after all, if you teach a child to read before the end of Year 3, they will have the skill to learn for life. 

I look forward to your response.

Kind Regards,

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