The Academy for the Science of Instruction, an offshoot from literacy organisation MultiLit, is offering a series of NESA and TQI-accredited courses for knowledge-hungry teachers that range from effective instruction in reading and spelling to practical behaviour management in the classroom.

A team of experts who have accrued decades’ worth of expertise in the science of learning have gathered to head up the Academy’s board and drive the initiative, including Academic Board chair Emeritus Professor Kevin Wheldall AM, Dr Robyn Wheldall and Dr Mark Carter.

Carter, an Honorary Associate Professor at the University of Wollongong, has been appointed Dean. 

“Our members are continually confronted by the lack of knowledge across the teaching profession related to instruction, particularly reading instruction,” Carter said.

“Despite reports identifying a lack of course content around critical subject matter areas, such as how to teach children to read based on the science of reading, university education faculties have largely not addressed these omissions.

“We established The Academy to fill a necessary niche in educating teachers about evidence-based teaching practice applied in the classroom because that’s where it matters most – that’s where it will most benefit children…” 

A major federal review in early 2022 into the quality of ITE in Australia found clear gaps in what was being taught in teaching courses and the skills and knowledge need to be an effective teacher.

The Teacher Education Expert Panel (TEEP) also found that many teachers felt their ITE training failed to adequately prepare them for the practical aspects of the job, and namely in areas such as phonemic awareness and phonics in reading instruction, classroom management, cultural responsiveness and supporting diverse learners.

Victorian school leader and author Dr Greg Ashman has said that ITE focuses too little on the practical concerns of teaching.

“…those who work in ITE typically do not currently teach. There are even some teacher trainers in Australia who have never taught,” he told EducationHQ ahead of the TEEP report’s release. 

“This leaves them vulnerable to ‘luxury beliefs’ – ideas that enhance their status with others who work in ITE but that are impractical to implement or hopelessly idealistic.” 

New core content requirements for ITE courses have been made mandatory following the review. 

Current statics show around one in five graduate teachers quit the profession within their first three years in schools. 

Carter said that some 300,000 existing qualified teachers across the country may have “missed out’ on gaining critical knowledge and skills in their ITE, as the TEEP report suggests. 

The expert also warned that, with a few exceptions, there was “limited evidence” that schools of education were willing to make the huge changes outlined in the report, or indeed, that they have the necessary expertise to deliver the new compulsory core content. 

In an opinion peice published on Wednesday, Carter proposed education ministers should ensure “robust mechanisms” await those university schools of education that resist reform.  

“According to a federal enquiry in 2007, there were over 100 reviews into teacher preparation from 1979 until 2006 and numerous additional inquiries in recent years, yet none of these have significantly moved the approach to teacher preparation in university faculties across Australia,” Carter noted. 

The Academy’s first unit, Effective Instruction in Reading and Spelling, will kick off on June 17.

Students will learn about the research base for the science of reading, supporting positive classroom behaviour for learning, the difference between ‘evidence-based’ and ‘evidence-informed’ practice, and how to evaluate when practices can be applied to the classroom setting.

It also covers the most effective way for teachers to plan and sequence oral language, phonemic awareness, and phonics programs to promote word reading.

In the longer-term, The Academy intends to offer a suite of postgraduate programs all grounded in the science of effective instruction.

Wheldall said he expects the new courses will prove popular with teachers.

“We repeatedly hear that teachers are disappointed with what they are taught – or more importantly are not taught – over their four years studying at university,” he said.

“Australia’s 2023 NAPLAN results, which revealed that more than 30 per cent of Year 3 students nationwide were not proficient in reading, also point to the need for significant action to turn this around. 

“The Academy seeks to provide teachers with the very best, scientifically-supported knowledge and information in an interesting and accessible format that is highly applicable to the classroom…”