PROFESSIONAL LEARNING OPPORTUNITY FOR LITERACY SPECIALISTS, TEACHERS AND TEACHER AIDES IN NEW ZEALAND
Evidence-based literacy teaching
The Better Start Literacy Approach is a structured approach to literacy instruction for Year 0 to Year 3/4 classrooms, to support children's early reading, writing and oral language success. It has been developed by our team specifically for our New Zealand educational and cultural context and controlled research trials have proven its effectiveness. It includes the systematic teaching of critical phonological awareness skills and letter sound knowledge skills through fun, games-based activities, activities making explicit links to the reading and spelling context, and structured small group reading sessions using the new Ready to Read - Phonics Plus early readers series. In addition, the approach includes explicit teaching in vocabulary skills and in building children's oral narrative and listening comprehension skills through quality children's story books. The Better Start Literacy Approach follows a structured phonics scope and sequence that is used in the class and small group reading teaching.
Monitoring Assessments
The Better Start Literacy Approach incorporates carefully designed monitoring assessments focused on critical early skills known to influence reading success. This includes letter-sound knowledge, phonological awareness, oral language, word reading and spelling, and connected text tasks, specifically designed to monitor children’s literacy growth in their first year of school, and provide specific direction for teaching at the class and individual level.
Whānau engagement
Whānau engagement is a critical component of early literacy success. The Better Start Literacy Approach also includes whānau workshop materials and other supporting content such as weekly letters to parents and strengths-based reporting, to facilitate whānau-school partnerships and maximise childrens’ opportunities for early literacy success.
Families | Whānau
Children’s readers, videos, activity ideas and resources for supporting your child’s early literacy development.
Our team
The Better Start Literacy Approach is developed by a team of researchers from the University of Canterbury’s Child Well-being Research Institute.
Families| Whānau
Children’s readers, videos, activity ideas and resources for supporting your child’s early literacy development.
Educators| Kaiako
Evidence-based literacy instruction to foster literacy success for all young learners.
Our team
The Better Start Literacy Approach is developed by a team of researchers from the University of Canterbury’s Child Well-being Research Institute.
Our Mission
Systematic and evidence-based teaching approaches to ensure early literacy success for all our
tamariki | children.
Mother of Mia, 5 years old
I was worried my child may have dyslexia as she was struggling to pick up with reading, but even after a few weeks of the Better Start Literacy Approach she is making great progress. She loves to read the new books coming home – I am so relieved!