End the reading wars

It is estimated that around one million (one in four) Australian children is at risk of reading failure. This problem is largely avoidable if children are taught the five keys to literacy from first year of school when most children turn five years old — ‘five from five.’

Next week The Centre for Independent Studies will launch its literacy project ‘FIVEfromFIVE’. The project aims to improve literacy levels of Australian children — who will of course eventually become Australian adults — by bridging the long-standing gap between classroom teaching and the extensive evidence on effective reading instruction. To kick-start this process, a new CIS research report outlining the scientific evidence base for effective teaching will be released tomorrow.

FIVEfromFIVE is not a new teaching program for schools to implement. Rather, it is a project to provide principals, teachers, parents and policy makers with the best and most up-to-date research and information on reading instruction ­– making these resources accessible and practical.

FIVEfromFIVE will provide this information through a new website, as well as seminars, roundtables, publications, and traditional and social media. The website will be a dynamic resource that will expand beyond information about classroom teaching to include information for parents, as well as a forum for collaboration among the various expert organisations and individuals working towards ensuring all children learn to read.

We are beginning to build an alliance of supporters for the FIVEfromFIVE project. The project has been made possible by the generous financial support of five foundations and individual donors. In addition, the project has formed a professional alliance with several organisations, including the Macquarie University ARC Centre for Excellence in Cognition and its Disorders, The Australian newspaper, Learning Difficulties Australia and Dyslexia SA. Other organisations have expressed an interest in joining the alliance in the near future.

Momentum for the aims of FIVEfromFIVE is already evident in the impressive speaker line up for the launch next week. The event will be chaired by the Chair of the Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority (ACARA), Emeritus Professor Steven Schwartz. Speakers will include NSW Education Minister Adrian Piccoli, the Chair of the Federal Coalition Backbench Education Committee Senator Bridget McKenzie, author and historian Jackie French, Chief Executive of the Stronger Smarter Institute Darren Godwell, and education researcher Dr Kerry Hempenstall. Federal Education Minister Simon Birmingham has recorded a video message in support of the launch.

Literacy underpins all educational achievement and has profound effects on employment, health, and general quality of life. FIVEfromFIVE aims for every child to receive the most effective reading instruction in every classroom, every day. Few things are more important.

To attend the FIVEfromFIVE launch on Tuesday 8 March, please register by Monday 7 March at https://www.cis.org.au/events/five-from-five-literacy-program-launch