Kim Carr (Victoria, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Human Services) Share this | Hansard source

The Prime Minister has made it very clear that the government will ask the states and territories and the non-government schools to sign up to a three-year national reading blitz as part of the National Plan for School Improvement. This is an intensive program for all students between foundation and year 3 which will help tackle falling literacy rates and prevent thousands of children from falling behind in their schooling. As part of the reading blitz we want to see schools focus on reading skills of all students, from the very first day of school, and step in with extra help and resources as early as possible. Further, as part of the reading blitz schools will also be asked to have a reading plan and adopt evidence-based strategies. The plan will include the teaching of phonics and fluency and vocabulary knowledge. It will also seek to set out how the basic building blocks of reading will be taught, diagnostics showing why students are not able to learn and of course individual reading plans for students who need intensive support.

Many schools have already begun implementing reading strategies thanks to the extra funding that has already been provided by the government under the Smarter Schools National Partnerships, including the hiring of literacy support teachers who work directly with teachers to enhance teachers' capabilities and practices and to improve student performance. We want to build upon the practical skills that are available, based on the evidence collected in schools, and help our national blitz.