•  On Nov, 29, 2024
•  Tarwala1

Truancy Fines in The North Maningrida is in the news.  The Maningrida Aboriginal community, 500km east of Darwin, along the coast, is up in arms about Truancy Fines for parents who do not get their children into school. The fine is about $AU350.  It’s double that figure in Queensland! About 250 compliance notices were recently […]

•  On Oct, 18, 2024
•  Tarwala1

Mobiles Off and Away Mobile phones are banned across schools in Australia as of now, mid-2024. There is an exception to this rule. Mobile phones can be taken out of the lockers for learning purposes under a teacher’s supervision. Some claim the debate continues. Yet, recent evidence in Australia seems decisive: it’s a good policy. […]

•  On Feb, 13, 2024
•  Tarwala1

Science in Time-Short Classrooms Simple Ways Science in Time-Short Classrooms has some ideas that are workable for busy teachers. It combines the science context with literacy lessons. Also, parents can follow these simple principles when teaching their own children in the home setting. 1 — A set reading piece on a science topic provides children […]

•  On May, 17, 2023
•  Tarwala1

Results of PIRLS 2021 show student achievement in reading is holding steady.

•  On Apr, 13, 2023
•  Tarwala1

Workforce Crisis One in five workers “lack adequate literacy skills” so said Greg Jericho from the Centre for Future Work, 13 April 2023 on ABC News radio.  A link here to a more recent discussion of this: Grattan Institute Education Nonsense, (February 2024). If you can’t write properly or read well enough, take heart.  Help your […]

•  On Jan, 20, 2023
•  Tarwala1

Closing the Gap Aboriginal children in remote parts of Australia are well below the national standards in education. Despite the objectives of “closing the gap” between First Peoples and the greater part of the Australian population over many years, we are failing. Further reading at this link: https://www.aihw.gov.au/reports/indigenous-australians/closing-the-school-completion-gap-for-indigenous-s/summary Can I say it in a kind way? […]

•  On Jan, 08, 2023
•  Tarwala1

Teacher Shortage 2023 Teacher Shortage 2023 is a problem that has been brewing for many years. Increased student numbers; heavier teacher workloads; more administration and form-filling! The Education Departments around Australia heard but did nothing. There were lots of stats available to them about teachers’ sick leave, burnout, stress levels and resignations. Governments are good […]

•  On Dec, 18, 2022
•  Tarwala1

NAPLAN Results 2022 NAPLAN Results 2022 confirm the trend: for ten years literacy results indicate students are not moving forward between Grade 4 and Year 7. Australian schools are good at teaching early literacy. By Year 4, students can >decode the text on the page; >answer questions relating to the chronology of stories; >find explicit […]

•  On Dec, 10, 2022
•  Tarwala1

Enquiry Learning Lacks Research Emeritus Professor John Sweller of UNSW questions the continuing extension of enquiry-based learning in the face of recent research findings about how humans learn. In https://www.cis.org.au/publication/why-inquiry-based-approaches-harm-students-learning/  Three earlier posts published since 2018 from a hands-on knowledge of enquiry tasks in schools.   Enquiry Learning Needs Overhaul, Post        Enquiry Tasks Have […]

•  On Jul, 17, 2022
•  Tarwala1

Teaching Handwriting  Teaching Handwriting can be straight-forward. It’s a matter of learning a few phrases for regular repetition and a few others. It’s like learning to drive. Once you know what you’re doing, it’s easy and automatic. Links: This Page will be informative: Early Primary School, Page An early literacy lesson pack: “His Name is Nip” […]