Does Your School Have a No-Fail Attitude to Literacy?
No-fail means that every child, no matter their background, no matter whether they have barriers to learning, such as dyslexia, dysgraphia, low oral language or a combination of all of these, EVERY child gets at seat at the table of learning to read and write.
What Does This Take?
- It takes systematic, explicit teaching at the Tier 1, whole classroom level (see Response to Intervention Model).
- It takes reliable, valid and timely assessment and allocation of children to smaller Tier 2 groups for intensive instruction (for a free assessment battery, look no further than Macquarie University).
- It takes expert staff to help implement evidence-based, one on one, Tier 3 instruction to help children catch up and stay on track.
If you want to build a great school with a no-fail attitude to literacy, talk to us today about an on-site consultation.
Our vast experience with many different schools and our wide knowledge of available programs and tools will help you select and implement the right framework for confident teachers, and children reaching their literacy goals.
What Does an On-Site Consultation Look Like?
Schools are like people. They have a combination of hereditary traits, idiosyncrasies, cultural preferences, strengths, weaknesses, mental and physical health and worth to society (real and perceived).
When we are invited to visit, we have to bear these characteristics in mind before we even begin to tackle questions of practice. Our method is to observe, converse and then feed back with recommendations for short, mid and long-term planning. We ensure a return on any initial investment by following up and continuing to support staff and share any new and relevant material and resources as they emerge in the field. We are independent of any company or institution, so our recommendations are not restricted to one source.
Literacy in Action Days
Professional learning is valuable. Seeing it happen is transformational.
One of the most common requests we receive from schools is the opportunity to observe literacy instruction in action with real students. Reading about a routine is one thing. Watching it unfold in a classroom, analysing student responses, and discussing the instructional decisions behind it is something else entirely.
A Literacy in Action Day combines professional learning with live classroom demonstration lessons.
The day typically begins with a workshop focused on a specific area of literacy instruction such as reading fluency, spelling, morphology, writing, vocabulary development or intervention. Participants then observe one or more classroom lessons before returning to analyse student work, discuss instructional choices and connect theory to practice.
These days are particularly valuable for:
• Schools implementing structured literacy approaches
• Literacy leaders and coaching teams
• Professional learning communities
• Schools seeking consistency of practice across year levels
• Teachers who want to strengthen classroom implementation
Demonstration lessons can be tailored to suit the needs of your school and may include handwriting, sentence construction, reading fluency, morphology, etymology, vocabulary instruction, knowledge building and intervention practices.
Because every school is different, each Literacy in Action Day is designed in consultation with school leaders and classroom teachers to ensure the experience aligns with local priorities and current curriculum focus areas.
If your staff have ever said, “I’d love to see what that actually looks like with real students,” this may be the professional learning format for you.
Hosting options for Literacy in Action
Option 1: In-House Professional Learning
The day is delivered exclusively for your staff and invited guests. This option is ideal for schools seeking a highly customised experience aligned to their strategic priorities, curriculum and student needs.
Costs are quoted as:
- 1 full day consultation fee
- Return travel from Melbourne VIC
- Overnight accommodation if necessary
Option 2: Regional Host School
Many schools choose to open the event to neighbouring schools, literacy leaders, intervention staff and other educators from the region.
In this model, the host school provides the venue, demonstration classroom and access to local professional networks, while Lifelong Literacy manages registrations and event administration.
This approach often creates rich professional discussion, strengthens regional collaboration and can substantially reduce costs for the host school.
The most suitable option will depend on your goals, available facilities and the level of interest within your local education community.