They’re the tips and tricks usually learnt on the job, but thanks to a new reading initiative, pre-service teachers at the University of South Australia are gaining valuable insights about how to build students’ reading and literacy skills from experienced teachers on the job.

Partnering with the SA Department for Education and teachers in South Australian schools, UniSA has developed authentic and interactive videos that show exactly how a working teacher engages their students with reading.

From deciphering the meaning of new words, to understanding inferences within a text, the videos reveal how experienced teachers progress through a class book or novel with a group of students, highlighting the strategies for reinforcing learning, checking understanding, and assessing progress.

It’s a timely resource, particularly following reports that show that a third of Australian school students are unable to read proficiently for their age.

The videos – which cater to children in years two, six and eight, as well as kindergarten-aged children – are now embedded in the University’s Initial Teacher Education programs.