Date and Time: 9am - 3pm, Monday 2 November 2026

Workshop presenter: Professor Nell K Duke

Venue: The O’Shea Centre, 19 Lovedale St, Wilston QLD 4051

What is the workshop about?

Join Nell Duke for an engaging and practical deep dive into The Active View of Reading—a research-informed model that expands how we think about reading development. Building on (and moving beyond) the Simple View of Reading, this model highlights the dynamic interplay between word recognition, language comprehension, and the often-overlooked yet critical roles of background knowledge, vocabulary, text structures, and active self-regulation.

Throughout the day, teachers will unpack what it truly means to develop skilled, strategic readers in today’s classrooms. With a strong focus on evidence-based practice, participants will explore how components of the Active View can be explicitly taught, intentionally integrated, and meaningfully assessed across the primary years.

• Develop a clear understanding of The Active View of Reading and how it reframes reading instruction 
• Examine practical strategies to strengthen both word recognition and language comprehension in tandem 
• Explore explicit approaches to building background knowledge and vocabulary as essential drivers of comprehension 
• Consider techniques for teaching students to be active, self-regulating readers who monitor and repair meaning 
• Reflect on insights into how text complexity and text structures influence comprehension—and how to teach them 
• Be guided to align classroom practice with current reading research and curriculum expectations 
• Explore ready-to-use instructional routines and classroom examples that bridge theory to practice

Who should participate?

• Teachers Years P - 6
• Literacy Leaders
• Curriculum Coordinators
• Learning Specialists
• Assistant Principals / Deputy Principals / Principals

About your workshop facilitator:

Nell Duke is an internationally recognised literacy researcher, author, and educator whose work has shaped reading instruction worldwide. A professor at the University of Michigan, her research spans early literacy, informational text, comprehension, and equity in education. She is widely known for her ability to translate complex research into practical, high-impact classroom practices, making her one of the most influential voices in contemporary literacy education.

This is a rare opportunity to learn directly from a leading expert and leave with a clearer, more comprehensive approach to teaching reading—one that reflects the full complexity of how students become successful readers.

• Please ensure you bring a digital device/note taking materials.
• Bring along 1-2 examples of reading material used in your classroom.
• Morning tea and lunch will be provided.
• Group Booking: School account holder must email us the names, job titles and email addresses of teachers they wish to enrol. An invoice will then be provided for payment.
• Cancellations without transfer of booking to alternative session received less than five working days before the workshop will incur a $50 cancellation fee per delegate. Cancellations received within 48 hours of the event will not be refunded. For the full list of Terms and Conditions, please visit our page here.
• This workshop will address standards 1.2.2, 1.3.2, 2.1.2, 2.5.2, 3.3.2, 3.4.2, 5.1.2, 6.2.2, 6.3.2 from the Australian Professional Standards for Teachers.