Literacy Instruction

Tasmanian Residents draw to the attention of the House:

That, despite Tasmania's 50% functional illiteracy rate, and the Tasmanian Government's target that by Year 7 all students will meet an expected reading standard that is above the national minimum by no later than 2030 by investing in evidence-based literacy instruction, the Government has sought literacy instruction advice and engaged professional development services, from prominent members of the Australian Literacy Educators' Association, a partisan professional association that:

• by its nature, primarily exists to further its members' - not necessarily students' - interests, and;
• openly promotes a literacy instruction methodology which scientists have repeatedly demonstrated to be less effective than those based on developments in science, having roots in the "whole language" ideology that has been - over decades of research - shown to be incompatible with the scientific knowledge of brain function.

Your petitioners, therefore, request that the House:

• call on the government to commit to giving precedence to the advice of the Australian Education Research Organisation - the independent body created specifically to evaluate the effectiveness of different teaching methodologies - when determining policy and professional development appointments; and
• review any existing contracts in light of this commitment, as a value for money proposition for the Tasmanian taxpayer, recognising that paying out existing contracts and re-engaging appropriately is likely to cost Tasmania far less than the impact of another cohort of children instructed under the outdated and scientifically flawed "balanced literacy" model.