Special Reading Initiatives

There are gaps between the literacy outcomes of students in remote areas and other locations. Data from the National Assessment Program—Literacy and Numeracy (NAPLAN) show a strong correlation between lower literacy outcomes and remote locality (particularly very remote). In 2016, the proportion of Year 3 students at or above the minimum standard NAPLAN level for reading was 86.7 percent in remote schools and just 62.9 percent in very remote schools, compared with 96 percent in schools in major cities.

To address this gap, the Australian government is funding the Flexible Literacy for Remote Primary Schools program. The program is the first large scale pilot of two explicit teaching approaches—Direct Instruction and Explicit Direct Instruction—in remote Australia. The program aims to increase teacher pedagogical skills and improve the literacy outcomes of students in participating schools.