A report by the Australian Education Union estimates 50 per cent of Tasmania’s population has inadequate reading skills for their daily life.
Seeing the need for solutions, a two-day symposium – the Cuthill Family Foundation Early Years Literacy Roundtables – was held in August to inform policy and deliver tailored programs on the ground.
Hosted by the School of Education with philanthropic support from the Cuthill Family Foundation, the roundtables brought together researchers; educators, including speech pathologists, teachers and principals; key local and national organisations; other allied health professionals and community-based literacy programs. Panellists included experts from the University of Tasmania, Monash University, Murdoch University, Aboriginal literacy specialists and government representatives. The interdisciplinary collaboration and dialogue achieved will be a key impact going forward.
“Literacy in our increasingly complex society involves much more than reading and writing,” said Professor Iris Duhn, an expert in early years education from the University of Tasmania.
“Research tells us that we urgently need to address literacy as the ability to create meaning from a wide range of sources.”
She added that a key message at the roundtables was that if children feel heard, they are more likely to become engaged and to learn. Other keys to success identified were the need to focus on connections between students and their various teachers, as well as encouraging children.
University of Tasmania Lecturer in Early Childhood Education Dr Lauren Armstrong said the roundtables also raised the important issue that not all communities across the State have access to the same resources, highlighting the need to listen to communities and develop programs tailored to regions.
Dr Armstrong said roundtable participants agreed there should be an emphasis on the first thousand days of a child’s life.
Nichola Harris, a board member of the Cuthill Family Foundation, said she was pleased the roundtables had initiated a discussion about effective and evidence-based literacy instruction and intervention that will support children in Tasmania.
“Literacy is a basic human right and it is vital we promote language and emergent literacy skills as well as have supports in place to identify and support at-risk children in their early years,” she said.
“The challenge now is to ensure that all children in the State have access to a high level of support that is driven by evidence alongside the needs and wants of their local communities.”
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The Cuthill Family Foundation is an independent philanthropic fund established by Harvey and Suzanne Cuthill. Based in Tasmania, it has an ongoing commitment to engage with local projects around education, health, the environment and the arts.
Banner image: Taroona Primary School bush class | Image: Oi Studios