Sam Cat and Nat Rat: Book 1
$9.95
Meet Sam the cat and Nat the rat in this delightful introduction to early reading. Book 1 focuses on the five short vowel sounds – a, e, i, o, and u – with warmly illustrated stories that gently guide children through their first reading adventure. Perfect for emerging readers, these carefully crafted tales introduce essential sight words while honouring the natural world and animal friendships.
With a touching heart to match its simple phonics approach, Sam Cat and Nat Rat builds confidence and a genuine love of reading. The consistent use of short vowel words (cat, mat, sat, get, sit, not, and up) allows children to practise and master these foundational sounds with every page.
Cued Articulation
$49.95
This publication combines the consonants, vowels, colour coding and demonstrative images of the Cued Articulation system under one cover.
Originally devised to help severely speech and language handicapped children to see a sound and hear a letter by the use of easy and logical hand cues, the Cued Articulation system has, over the last three decades, proved an invaluable teaching tool.
Its potential and practicality is widespread and utilised by speech pathologists, speech and language therapists, remedial and reading recovery teachers who find the approach helpful in showing phoneme–grapheme relationships; and primary teachers who use it in the classroom to teach children the sounds of speech.
Teachers who teach the pronunciation of English as a second language to those learning English also find it extremely useful, as do teachers of the hearing impaired who want their students to see the sounds they cannot hear.
The book combines the previously separate Cued Articulation and Cued Vowels in one. It is a full-colour comprehensive description of Jane Passy's methods for teaching speech and language-challenged children and adults how to make the sounds required for articulate speech.
The Livewired Teen
$39.95
Every teenager is navigating one of the most extraordinary periods of brain development in their lifetime – a brain that is constantly growing, adapting, and rewiring itself in response to the world around it. In The Livewired Teen renowned educator and neuroscience researcher Dr Michael C. Nagel takes parents and educators on a fascinating journey through the adolescent brain, from the onset of puberty through to early adulthood. Drawing on the latest neuroscientific research, Dr Nagel reveals how the experiences we provide teenagers in these pivotal years don't just shape who they are – they quite literally wire the architecture of their brains.
Written in an accessible and engaging style, The Livewired Teen bridges the gap between cutting-edge brain science and the everyday realities of raising and educating adolescents. Covering everything from learning and identity to emotional regulation and cognitive development, Dr Nagel offers practical insights to help parents, teachers, and caregivers make the decisions that matter most – because understanding how a teenager's brain evolves is the first step to supporting it well.
The Livewired Child
$39.95
Every child is born with the most extraordinary organ on earth – a brain that is constantly growing, adapting and rewiring itself in response to the world around it. In The Livewired Child, renowned educator and neuroscience researcher Dr Michael C. Nagel takes parents and educators on a fascinating journey through the developing brain, from conception to the early school years. Drawing on the latest neuroscientific, educational and psychological research, Dr Nagel reveals how the experiences we provide children in their earliest years don’t just shape who they are – they quite literally wire the architecture of their brains.
Written in an accessible and engaging style, The Livewired Child bridges the gap between cutting-edge brain science and the everyday realities of raising and educating children. Covering everything from learning and language to emotional intelligence and cognitive development, Dr Nagel offers practical insights to help parents, teachers and caregivers make the decisions that matter most – because understanding how a child’s brain grows is the first step to nurturing it well.
Engagement Matters
$61.95
Following the success of Play Matters 2nd ed., Engagement Matters is the next stage of the Walker Learning Approach for implementation with primary students in Grades 3-6.
Engagement Matters provides a step-by-step, practical guide for teachers, emphasising student engagement, empowerment and achievement, and importantly, personalised learning.
The transition from Grade 2 into the middle and upper primary years is made seamless through the provision of tips, activities and explanatory theory. Engagement Matters will equip schools with the capacity to actively engage students in their learning across all subject areas and diverse contexts. In doing so, Engagement Maters effectively lays the foundations for ongoing engagement and successful learning throughout the school life.
The book contains a full colour section of photographs to highlight key themes.
Download the Appendices documents for planning, assessment and reporting activities here:
Planning Materials
Editable Templates
Leading Improvement in Literacy Teaching and Learning
$64.95
School leaders have ready access to assessment data, motivating efforts to improve literacy outcomes of their students, but it can be difficult for principals to decide how to achieve these goals within their school’s existing strategic plans and policies.Associate Professor Robyn Cox brings her decades of experience in language and literacy education to this handbook for school leaders. The book supports principals’ understandings of the intricacies of teaching literacy and the best ways to improve practices and subsequent outcomes in each school’s unique context.With an opening chapter focusing on using and interpreting evidence, Associate Professor Cox outlines strategies for addressing the key areas of oral language, grammar and writing, vocabulary and early reading as well as providing advice around diagnostics and tailored intervention for students who require further support. She includes reflections from school leaders on each topic and pays particular attention to the needs of students from non-English speaking backgrounds.Leading improvement in literacy teaching and learning provides a framework for a set of high-impact strategies that individually and together can be the focus of teacher professional learning, school improvement and student literacy achievement.
Poetry Unlocked
$29.95
Demystify the world of poetry with this accessible, student-centred guide that transforms the often-intimidating subject into an engaging exploration. From understanding the fundamental elements that make a poem to mastering poetic devices and forms, this comprehensive handbook walks you through everything you need to confidently analyse and appreciate poetry across cultures and time periods.
Each chapter builds essential skills – from exploring themes and word choice to writing analytical responses and creating your own original works. With diverse examples from Australian and global poets, practical exercises, and guidance for building a personal poetry portfolio, this book equips students with the tools to not only succeed in classroom poetry analysis but also discover the joy and creative power of poetic expression in the digital age.
NAPLAN-Skills* Handbook 3
$29.95
Our NAPLAN-Skills* Handbook: Year 3 Tests Preparation Guide provides everything students need to confidently approach these important assessments. From detailed breakdowns of each test component – including writing, reading, language conventions and numeracy sections – to practical revision strategies and test day tips, this guide serves as an essential companion for Year 3 students preparing for NAPLAN.
With one carefully selected practice test for each assessment area and two writing prompts, this guide offers a focused and manageable approach to NAPLAN preparation. Each practice test mirrors the actual exam format, giving students a clear understanding of what to expect without overwhelming them with excessive content. Complete with detailed answers and explanations, this guide helps students build confidence and familiarity with the NAPLAN format while developing essential skills for each test type.
* This is not an officially endorsed publication of the NAPLAN program and is produced by Amba Press independently of Australian governments.
NAPLAN-Skills* Handbook 7
$29.95
Our NAPLAN-Skills* Handbook: Year 7 Tests Preparation Guide provides everything students need to confidently approach these important assessments. From detailed breakdowns of each test component – including Reading, Writing, Language Conventions, and both Calculator and Non-Calculator Numeracy sections – to practical revision strategies and test day tips, this guide serves as an essential companion for Year 7 students preparing for NAPLAN.
With one carefully selected practice test for each assessment area, the guide offers a focused and manageable approach to NAPLAN preparation. Each practice test mirrors the actual exam format, giving students a clear understanding of what to expect without overwhelming them with excessive content. Complete with detailed answers and explanations, this guide helps students build confidence and familiarity with the NAPLAN format while developing essential skills for each test type.* This is not an officially endorsed publication of the NAPLAN program and is produced by Amba Press independently of Australian governments.
The Bully Blocker
$34.95
The Bully Blocker: A Play and Other Resources offers teachers a powerful toolkit to address bullying in schools. Based on Evelyn Field's books Bully Blocking: Empowering students to manage bullying and Harry the Bully Blocker, this engaging resource combines a relatable playscript featuring canine characters with evidence-based strategies to combat bullying. The play's unique structure, including a Wise Chorus and opportunities for all students to participate, creates a safe space for exploring this sensitive topic. Through this approach, students are empowered to effectively manage their responses to bullying while raising awareness about its harmful consequences.
Designed for easy implementation in the classroom, this book provides educators with discussion prompts, activities, and practical lessons tied to each scene of the play. By exploring bullying through the safety of assuming character roles, students can develop crucial life skills in a fun, inclusive, and reflective learning environment. All strategies presented are grounded in Evelyn Field's expert work, ensuring a solid foundation for addressing bullying in schools.
Writing for Young People
$34.95
Writing for Young People offers insight and advice to aspiring writers and educators on how to set up a writing business and the process of crafting projects centred around young readers.
Delving into important aspects such as workspace organisation, time and money management, and overcoming procrastination, Writing for Young People equips writers and educators with the tools to shape the literary landscape for young people.
This book draws from Hazel's industry experience and offers essential tips and activities for various genres, including non-fiction, young adult, children's picture books and educational materials. It covers a range of topics, from crafting book proposals, conducting research and preparing manuscripts.
Film Analysis Handbook
$29.95
Unlock the secrets of cinematic storytelling with the Film Analysis Handbook. Tailored for high school students studying English and literature, this guide is your ticket to confidently dissecting films and crafting compelling analyses.
From unravelling narrative threads to decoding visual symbolism, this book is full of insightful tips and engaging examples to elevate a student’s understanding of film. Learn how to dissect a classic or critique a contemporary masterpiece. Navigate the world of cinema with insight and finesse, making every viewing experience an opportunity for understanding.
Issues
$34.95
Scripts allow hesitant students to be able to assume the protection of a character and play a role or explore issues which may concern them in real life.
Issues contains a collection of scripts, discussion prompts and activities for use in the classroom, as a way of opening up students to understand and process topical and sensitive issues in their world, from a range of perspectives. The art of performing harnesses the students’ engagement in the subject and offers a chance to immerse themselves within the protection of a character or role.
This book gives middle school and secondary school students a chance to discuss contemporary topics or problems during the classroom rehearsal and performance of these scripts. There are enough parts for the whole class to participate, and conversation prompts and activities are provided to extend and deepen classroom discussion.
Extensively workshopped and already used in classrooms nationally, this large collection of student performance scripts allows students and teachers to improve their ability to understand, navigate and discuss sensitive issues in the classroom.
Collective Impact
$64.95
In Collective Impact, authors Jenni Donohoo and Glenn Forbes identify barriers that impede collective teacher efficacy and detail effective strategies school leaders can use to overcome these obstacles. With reflective prompts and tools for implementation, this book will help school leaders in developing the capability to lead successful and sustainable improvement and realize more positive outcomes for students.
K–12 teachers and leaders can use this book to:
Reframe deficit thinking to recognise opportunities and to embrace challenges
Foster the belief that everyone in an educational setting has the individual and collective capability to impact positive outcomes
Create a collaborative culture that promotes innovation and teamwork
Build strong, supportive teams in which everyone can grow and contribute professionally
Establish mutual goals and visions to guide committed teams toward collective efficacy and collective impact
Stop Think Do Social Skills Training 8–12
$49.95
STOP THINK DO is an Australian social skills program for use in schools with children who have emotional–social–behavioural difficulties that affect their ability to make friends. It is also designed as a classroom curriculum for children to prevent such difficulties arising. It develops a positive social culture in classrooms, particularly because teachers are modelling the same skills they teach students. The academic progress of children is also facilitated by a co-operative classroom.
STOP THINK DO develops emotional and social intelligence in children as they learn how to understand and control their feelings at STOP, how to think about their options and likely consequences at THINK, how to behave appropriately at DO, and how to be motivated to use these skills in all social situations in their lives.
This revised and extended edition modernises this best-selling program, incorporating current research trends, visual resources, simplified lesson formats and practical suggestions for applying the program in regular classrooms, in small groups, for special needs students, for peer mediators, or as a whole school. Parental involvement is also encouraged.
Stop Think Do Social Skills Training: Primary years of schooling ages 8–12 covers:
Why train social skills and emotional intelligence in children?
How to apply the program in classrooms with special needs children, for peer mediators, as a whole school, and with parental involvement
Social skills lessons for children aged 8-10
Social skills lessons for children aged 10-12
An overview of the traffic light training posters
Pre and post program assessments.
Please note. These are scanned editions and the best we can do as the original files were lost. Apologies in advance.
Mindful Assessment
$39.95
Mindful Assessment redefines how we think about teaching, learning, and assessment in the modern classroom. In this insightful and practical guide, Lee Crockett and Andrew Churches reveal how true learning begins when teaching becomes a response to students’ needs—rather than an end goal in itself.
Grounded in six essential fluencies—core skills every learner needs to succeed in today’s complex world—Mindful Assessment provides a clear pathway for aligning teaching and assessment with inquiry-based and project-driven learning. Through practical examples, rubrics, and classroom-tested strategies, Lee and Andrew show how to move from grading tasks to cultivating growth.
Both visionary and actionable, Mindful Assessment equips educators with the tools and mindset to create classrooms where mindfulness, feedback, and continuous improvement drive authentic learning.
Creative Arts in the Lives of Young Children
$49.95
Creative Arts in the Lives of Young Children draws together two essential strands in contemporary educational discourse - the critical importance of high quality care and education in the early years, and the central role that imaginative arts experiences can and should play in the lives of all young children.
This book closely aligns with the Early Years Learning Framework, and also addresses curriculum requirements for the Arts in the early years of school.
It highlights the potential for quality arts experiences to transform educational outcomes through:
Enhancing and developing children's creativity and imagination
Encouraging children's problem-solving abilities
Exposing children to a diversity of cultures and a broad and inclusive world view
Scaffolding and modelling positive attributes and habits of mind to help children flourish in the 21st century.
With contributions from academics and teachers, foreword by Andrew Upton and Cate Blanchet, addressing topics from play and storytelling, to literature, drama, puppetry, music, visual media and art appreciation, Creative Arts in the Lives of Young Children is essential reading for pre-service and in-service teachers, as well as for parents and caregivers.
The rich research base is readily supported by real-world examples, practical activities and ideas for further thought. With a particular focus on birth to age eight, the subject matter and suggested experiences can be adapted to suit children of all ages, with diverse needs and across a wide range of learning contexts.
Ecosystem Leadership
$39.95
The role of a school principal is an extremely challenging one. Principals are required to be educators, business managers, strategic planners, counsellors and most importantly, leaders. While there are professional development opportunities and short courses available for aspiring principals, many principals work their way up to the role without receiving any formal training in the specific skills required to successfully lead a school and its community.
Neil Barker argues in Ecosystem leadership: an approach for schools that in order to improve school leadership and subsequent student outcomes, principals and leadership teams need to better understand how to lead together; to be intentional about the school’s leadership and to methodically and deliberately develop a collective leadership approach.
Based on the organic and interconnected ecosystems found throughout the natural world, Ecosystem leadership provides practical, hands-on activities and templates to assist school leaders in developing collective leadership skills and practices. The book sets out 5 key leadership elements for school leaders to address: context, vision, processes, focuses and impact.
Ecosystem leadership provides a collaborative, self-improving approach to leadership that is systematic, integrated and comprehensive. It describes a system of leadership that is fit for purpose, based on a school’s unique context, and always with improving student outcomes at the forefront.
Shakespeare Simplified
$29.95
Demystify the world of Shakespeare with this refreshingly honest and accessible guide. From decoding Shakespeare's unique language and invented words to exploring the timeless themes of love, power and deception across his comedies, tragedies, histories and sonnets, this comprehensive handbook transforms potentially intimidating content into relatable, engaging material.
Each chapter builds essential skills for understanding and enjoying Shakespeare's works – whether you're analysing complex characters, tracking themes, or exploring modern adaptations. With practical activities, analysis worksheets, and a healthy dose of humour, this guide equips students with the tools to confidently tackle Shakespeare without getting lost in the 'thous' and 'thees'. Perfect for reluctant readers, this book reveals why the Bard's stories of drama, betrayal and ‘situationships’ still powerfully resonate in today's world.
Why Do We Tell Stories? And Other Epic English Projects for Years 7–8
$39.95
This book has been designed to support you as you begin experimenting with Project Based Learning (PBL) in your English classroom. Trying out something new in the classroom is always a daunting experience because feedback on success or failure is immediate. The great thing about PBL is that it is creative for both the teacher and the student, and that means that experimentation, and sometimes failure, is a natural part of the process. The methodology of PBL is relevant to areas other than English – it can be used in a range of subjects, with many projects actually integrating more than one subject across the curriculum.This book has been structured into three distinct parts, designed to help you feel supported in your PBL journey.
PART ONE: The What, Why and How of Project Based LearningThe first part of the book provides you with some background information about the nature and purpose of PBL, as well as outlining key strategies to ensure a successful and enjoyable learning experience for you and your students. This section also includes a discussion of how assessment works in PBL, as well as the relationship between PBL and the Australian Curriculum’s General Capabilities.
PART TWO: Sample ProjectsThe second part of the book provides you with a selection of sample projects suitable for students in Years 7 and 8. You will be pleasantly surprised that a lot of the activities in this section look familiar – that’s because PBL is about taking the best teaching strategies and re-purposing them. The difference with PBL is that it empowers students to see a purpose for their learning beyond the classroom and to feel confident that they know where they are headed while they move through the project process.
PART THREE: Additional ResourcesThe third part of the book is full of extra resources to help you design and run your own engaging projects for your English classes.
DOWNLOAD the reproducibles here.
NAPLAN-Skills* Handbook 5
$29.95
Our NAPLAN-Skills* Handbook: Year 5 Tests Preparation Guide provides everything students need to confidently approach these important assessments. From detailed breakdowns of each test component – including writing, reading, language conventions and numeracy sections – to practical revision strategies and test day tips, this guide serves as an essential companion for Year 5 students preparing for NAPLAN.
With one carefully selected practice test for each assessment area and two writing prompts, this guide offers a focused and manageable approach to NAPLAN preparation. Each practice test mirrors the actual exam format, giving students a clear understanding of what to expect without overwhelming them with excessive content. Complete with detailed answers and explanations, this guide helps students build confidence and familiarity with the NAPLAN format while developing essential skills for each test type.
* This is not an officially endorsed publication of the NAPLAN program and is produced by Amba Press independently of Australian governments.
NAPLAN-Skills* Handbook 9
$29.95
Our NAPLAN-Skills* Handbook: Year 9 Tests Preparation Guide provides everything students need to confidently approach these important assessments. From detailed breakdowns of each test component – including Reading, Writing, Language Conventions, and both Calculator and Non-Calculator Numeracy sections – to practical revision strategies and test day tips, this guide serves as an essential companion for Year 9 students preparing for NAPLAN.
With one carefully selected practice test for each assessment area, the guide offers a focused and manageable approach to NAPLAN preparation. Each practice test mirrors the actual exam format, giving students a clear understanding of what to expect without overwhelming them with excessive content. Complete with detailed answers and explanations, this guide helps students build confidence and familiarity with the NAPLAN format while developing essential skills for each test type.* This is not an officially endorsed publication of the NAPLAN program and is produced by Amba Press independently of Australian governments.
Teacher
$13.95
Have you ever wondered what it’s like to be a teacher?
In this book from the Real People, Real Careers series, we follow Sarah on her journey from private nanny to kindergarten teacher-in-charge. On the way, you’ll read all about what Sarah does each day, see pictures of the early learning centre where she works, and learn some interesting facts about her job as well as key terms that will help you to better understand the world of work.
Web Designer
$13.95
Have you ever wondered what it’s like to be a web designer?
In this book from the Real People, Real Careers series, we follow Nick on his journey from high school student to self-employed web designer. On the way, you’ll read all about what Nick does each day, see pictures of his home office, and learn some interesting facts about his job as well as key terms that will help you to better understand the world of work.