Grounded in expert research, this book equips teachers with effective strategies and insights into the alphabetic principle, phonics, and scaffolding, ensuring students are ready to thrive as readers.

Edited by Robyn Cox, Susan Feez and Lorraine Beveridge

Educational Publishing Awards Australia 2019 WINNER for the Primary: Reference Resource category

One of a child’s first steps towards learning to read is learning the alphabetic principle. In this publication, the key ‘big ideas’ are woven together for teachers to help them support primary school students’ successful learning of the alphabetic principle, so it becomes a stepping stone towards students achieving the level of reading needed to meet the demands of 21st century educational, vocational, and community contexts.

This book unpacks all the key components of students learning the alphabetic principle - the ways the letters of the alphabet correspond with the sounds of a language (in this case, English). It explores the skills, knowledge and dispositions required by the students, as well as the best pedagogical approaches for teachers. Amongst other topics, this text deep-dives into systematic and explicit phonics instruction, the role of oral language, spelling and orthography, writing the letters of the alphabet and the critical role of scaffolding alphabetic knowledge when teaching and learning about texts.

This award-winning book brings together a multitude of experts in their field, including Peter Freebody, Jennifer Buckingham, Helen Harper, Noella Mackenzie and Pete Bowers, and is a truly unique and impressive text: a must-have for any teacher's bookshelf who is serious about the teaching of reading.

Why purchase this book?

• An award-winning, ground-breaking text that brings together a diverse array of experts in every aspect of teaching the alphabetic principle.
• This book clearly and concisely lays out the latest research-based and evidence-based pedagogical practice, translating these big ideas into accessible and practical teaching strategies.

Sample chapter

Sample Chapter (.pdf 553 KB)

Intended audience

Please note this page is for purchase of the eBook. To purchase the print book please follow this link.