Teaching Primary English in Australia: Subject Knowledge and Classroom Practice

This first Australian edition of Teaching Primary English has been updated and adapted to reflect the Australian sociocultural and educational context.

This text provides a comprehensive, evidence informed introduction to teaching and learning English in the primary school classroom. New content refers to the Australian English Curriculum and incorporates Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander perspectives and literacy perspectives relevant to the Asia-Pacific region as well as the broader international context. This edition also includes a new section devoted to visual literacy, critical literacy and multimodality. Teaching advice and ideas are supported by practical examples linked to video clips filmed in real schools, reflective activities, observational tasks and online resources. Each section includes suggestions for great children’s literature and offers assessment advice and support for planning for diversity and special educational needs.

Drawing on the very latest research and theory, supported by practical examples and guidance, this is an essential resource for pre-service teachers as they develop subject knowledge and the skills and confidence to deliver effective and engaging classroom practice.

Eve Bearne was a project officer for the National Writing Project after working for 20 years in schools and colleges. She then worked at Homerton College, University of Cambridge as a senior lecturer in language and Assistant Director in Research before moving to the University Faculty of Education as a researcher and lecturer. Eve was President of the United Kingdom Literacy Association from 2003–2005 and is a Fellow of the English Association. She has written and edited many books on English, literacy and children’s literature, the most recent of which include Teaching Grammar Effectively in the Primary Classroom (2nd Edition, 2020 UKLA) and Talk for Teaching and Learning: The Dialogic Classroom (UKLA 2021), both with David Reedy.

David Reedy is past President of the UK Literacy Association (UKLA). Until 2014 he was Principal Adviser for primary schools in the London Borough of Barking and Dagenham. Publications include Talk for Teaching and Learning: The Dialogic Classroom (UKLA 2021) and Teaching Grammar Effectively in the Primary Classroom (2nd Edition, 2020 UKLA) with Eve Bearne and Guiding Readers: A Handbook for Teaching Reading Comprehension to 7–11 Year Olds (2016 UCL IoE Press) with Wayne Tennant, Nikki Gamble and Angela Hobsbaum. David is a Fellow of the Chartered College of Teaching.

Paul Gardner is a senior lecturer in primary English in the School of Education, Curtin University. From 2019–2022 he was a lead researcher in the Centre for Excellence in the explicit teaching of literacy, funded by the State Government of Western Australia. He is currently a board member of the Primary English Teachers Association of Australia (PETAA), Vice-President of the Western Australian Institute for Educational Research (WAIER) and is the UK Literacy Association (UKLA) Country Ambassador to Australia. Paul has written five books and numerous book chapters on English. His journal articles have appeared in: Cambridge Journal of Education, Literacy, English in Education, English in Australia, Australian Journal of English Education and Arena.

Yvonne (Von) Sawers is a senior lecturer in primary English in the School of Education, Curtin University. From 2019–2022 she was a lead researcher in the Centre for Excellence in the explicit teaching of literacy, funded by the State Government of Western Australia. Von was a manager in the Office of Early Childhood for the Department of Education Western Australia and a literacy specialist. Von’s classroom teaching was predominantly with young children.