Eager Readers

15/06/2025

This is a worthwhile read for everyone.
https://carlhendrick.substack.com/p/the-most-important-memory-is-still?fbclid=IwY2xjawK8MSVleHRuA2FlbQIxMQBicmlkETFJZDUzWktCdU9kU0g4VmlIAR7c6ac0EOtkcsnM9i3xRzf8lRjvAUDV5qDy3KhbnUZmtNeNGDxWb3_QG9XE5Q_aem_JBNnhWQ1pGycdAKbdQxLBg

A new study shows how convenience learning offloading memory to AI erodes learning and why memorisation is still essential to thinking.

01/12/2024

To end the year, one of my classes made a poster of what they learned in Eager Readers this year. These girls have studied with me for at least 4 years, and I’m going to miss them dearly since they’ve now graduated from my writing classes!

01/12/2024

Well, 2024 has flown by in the blink of an eye, or so it would seem! I've not posted anything new this year, and now our classes have ended! Wishing everyone a wonderful Christmas and a restful summer break!

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12/03/2024

I want to thank everyone for coming to the park to celebrate Eager Readers’ 10th anniversary! I cannot believe that over 125 kids and parents showed up on the day! Here are some photos from the party.

27/02/2024

Eager Readers is celebrating its 10 year anniversary!
Sunday 3 March, 10am to noon
Wahroonga Park - rotunda area
Open to families of students and former students!

11/12/2023

Eager Readers is closed until the new year! Season's greetings to all!

27/11/2023

We are now in Week 8 of Term 4, which marks the final week of Eager Readers! Classes will begin again in February 2024. Wishing everyone a wonderful summer!

12/10/2023

Not literacy related, but highly relevant for our children....I just watched a webinar by Wayne Warburton, a psychologist from Macquarie University, called "Helping Kids with Screen Disorders and Gaming Addiction". It was highly educational and I would recommend anything by him. Here are 2 links to his content:
https://lighthouse.mq.edu.au/article/july-2022/how-too-much-screen-time-is-hurting-our-kids-study
His research was featured on Australian Story:
https://tvblackbox.com.au/page/2023/03/06/australian-story-tackles-the-tricky-issue-of-gaming-addiction-with-kids/

How too much screen time is hurting our kids: study Researcher Associate Professor Wayne Warburton Publication View journal article Writer Georgia Gowing Date 15 July 2022 Faculty Faculty of Medicine, Health and Human Sciences Topic Our StoriesHealth and Medicine Share Too much video gaming can have...

25/08/2023

I haven't fact-checked this word, but I love it, and am guilty of this at times, too! But that's only because I've got too many books and too little time ;-)

15/08/2023

I always insist that my students reread their writing, aloud, for the purpose of editing and revising. It's great to see that research supports what I've observed in my own classes over many years!

Here’s a useful tip to help students improve their writing. ✍️ 🤩

Ask them to read their work aloud. While it may not feel as natural—or as modest—as reading silently, it can help them catch often-overlooked errors, a 2022 study where college-age students were separated into two groups and asked to read mistake-riddled texts either silently or aloud shows.

09/08/2023

Phonemic awareness (PA) underpins children's ability to both read and spell words. That's why we dedicate a significant portion of our Eager Readers classes to develop it in our young learners. For more on PA, head to this webpage where there's a great video, too.

Phonological awareness and phonemic awareness are aural and oral skills that allow children to understand that speech is made up of words, and that words are made up of distinct sounds and sound patterns. Phonological and phonemic awareness are highly predictive of early reading acquisition. Phonolo...

04/08/2023

Have a listen to Associate Professor Pino Pasternak, University of Canberra, as she explains why writing by hand, rather than typing on a device, is so important for our young learners!

As the world becomes increasingly digitised, writing by hand can seem totally archaic. But research shows that, putting pen to paper brings far more cognitive benefit than is often assumed. What might happen if handwriting becomes a lost art?