30 Apr 2025
Researching the science of reading
Year 2 teachers Shay Thomas and Lauren Fernandes have been awarded the prestigious 2025 Harrop Teaching Fellowship to support their research into the science of reading.
This fellowship enables staff to extend their professional learning and expertise and apply their knowledge to support Churchie and its students.
In March, Shay and Lauren attended the Advancing Literacy Conference and Workshop in Melbourne, also visiting Melbourne Grammar School and Haileybury College to learn more about their reading programmes. Additionally, they have collaborated with literacy consultant Angela Ehmer to refine and enhance teaching practices.
Continued learning opportunities
Looking ahead, the pair will attend the Primary English Teaching Association of Australia Conference in October, which will further their understanding of effective reading practices, pedagogy and assessment tools.
Enhancing reading at Churchie
With their expanded knowledge, Shay and Lauren aim to design and implement a ‘readers toolkit’ to complement the comprehensive science of reading programme at Churchie. This toolkit will build upon and refine the existing reading practices already in place, with a specific focus on the key area of reading literacy. Shay and Lauren will continue to monitor their students’ reading progress by using expansive data to inform their teaching.
Sharing the knowledge
The pair’s findings will be shared with other staff members through professional development workshops, reinforcing Churchie’s commitment to nurturing confident young readers.
)
)
)
)
)