Every teacher is a literacy teacher – but what does that actually mean in practice?
If you've ever felt the weight of students walking into your math, science, or history classroom with reading skills years below grade level, you're not alone. And if you've wondered how to support these struggling readers while still delivering your subject content effectively, help is on the way.
Introducing Connecting Whole-School Literacy
We're thrilled to announce the upcoming release of Connecting Whole-School Literacy by Hayley Harrison – a practical, research-backed guide that transforms the daunting challenge of cross-curricular literacy into an achievable reality for every secondary educator.
Drawing from twenty years in the classroom trenches, Hayley tackles the elephant in the room: literacy development can't fall solely to English teachers. Every subject demands specific reading, writing, speaking, and listening abilities, and every teacher has a role to play in developing these skills.
What Makes This Book Different?
This isn't another theoretical text that leaves you wondering "but how do I actually do this?" Hayley bridges the gap between research and practice with:
- Immediately usable strategies designed for busy secondary teachers
- Subject-specific frameworks that respect your expertise whilst building literacy confidence
- Concrete tools for vocabulary instruction, reading comprehension, writing development, and oral communication
- Clear explanations of current literacy acquisition research that actually make sense for classroom application
Whether you're an individual teacher seeking to better support the diverse learners in your classroom, or a leader looking to implement whole-school literacy reform, this resource provides the roadmap for transforming student outcomes through collective, cross-curricular instruction.
About the Author
Hayley Harrison brings a unique combination of classroom credibility and practical expertise to this work. As founder of Connect Literacy and author of several educational texts through Matilda Education, she has spent her career not just teaching in secondary classrooms, but working alongside educators across Australia to understand the specific literacy demands of different subjects.
Her workshops with teachers and students across Victoria have given her deep insight into what actually works – and what doesn't – when it comes to literacy instruction in the real world of secondary education.
Why This Matters Now
With literacy challenges continuing to impact student achievement across all subject areas, the need for a whole-school approach has never been more urgent. Connecting Whole-School Literacy offers hope and practical solutions for educators who know that every student deserves access to learning, regardless of their current literacy level.
Pre-order your copy today – this is one professional development resource you won't want to miss.
