Literacy Guarantee Unit

Dr HARVEY (Newland) (15:05): My question is to the Minister for Education. Can the minister update the house about initiatives designed to improve literacy outcomes in South Australian schools?

The Hon. J.A.W. GARDNER (Morialta—Minister for Education) (15:05): I thank the member for the question. I am very pleased to talk about this very important issue, which I know the member for Newland, not only as a father of three children but also as a member of parliament who is deeply concerned about education, has a great passion for.

Literacy is the foundation, as I have said on a number of occasions, for all that follows in a child's schooling. Getting the first years right, teaching a child to read and write effectively, could not be a more important task in the world. We are so grateful for the work undertaken by so many teachers across South Australia's education systems every day, every year in helping our young people get the best possible start for a great future in our schools.

This government has a very proud ambition, a very bold ambition that South Australia's schools will be known as the best in the country, that every child in every classroom in every school in South Australia will get the support they need to fulfil their potential. That is the work that this government is doing, particularly in enhancing the offering available for teaching our young people to read and write effectively.

The Literacy Guarantee Unit is of course one policy that this party took to the election and we are very proud that it is now led by Ingrid Alderton, a very experienced educator particularly with expertise in teaching students with disability and indeed in support for students with learning difficulties. The work of that unit will be supporting teachers in schools across South Australia with literacy coaches, ensuring that those teachers who went through university at a time when phonics wasn't understood to have the important role that it does in teaching children to read are supported in improving their professional development. Indeed, it will be comprised of literacy coaches who are also experts in dyslexia and other learning difficulties, providing support across our schools.

One important initiative, which is rolling out in the coming weeks, is the year 1 phonics check. South Australia is leading the nation. We are the first state to be undertaking this phonics check in all schools. It was a commitment that this party took to the election. We were very pleased when the former government came on board a couple of weeks before the election and committed to rolling it out in all schools, just as I indicated we were pleased that they undertook a trial last year.

Dr Close interjecting:

The Hon. J.A.W. GARDNER: As I just did, shadow minister.

An honourable member: They don't even like compliments.

The Hon. J.A.W. GARDNER: They don't even like it when I commend them for something good that they did.

The SPEAKER: Please do not respond to interjections, minister.

The Hon. J.A.W. GARDNER: This is unfortunate.

The SPEAKER: Please do not provoke the opposition, minister.

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. J.A.W. GARDNER: The trial last year, which the former government undertook in reception classes and eventually agreed to undertake in year 1 classes as well, as was the case in the UK, as the opposition was then calling for, was undertaken. It went very well. It had very positive feedback.

Flinders University researchers provided an analysis and report on that, and this government has taken up some of the recommendations. We have also worked with Jennifer Buckingham, an acknowledged leader in this field and somebody who the former minister turned to when some concerns were raised about the way that the previous government had been rolling it out. Jennifer Buckingham provided advice then that the former government took, and I provide acknowledgement of that as well. I appreciate the shadow minister's work, as she did, in taking Jennifer Buckingham's advice—

The Hon. S.S. Marshall interjecting:

The SPEAKER: The Premier will not interject.

The Hon. J.A.W. GARDNER: —to extend the test to year 1 students, as they did. This year it is year 1 students across South Australia in weeks 3 to 6. This is all in August. This government has supported schools by providing a day of professional development for all principals and year 1 teachers. I have had excellent reports on the way that professional development was rolled out from a number of teachers that I have run into in different circumstances in recent weeks.

I am sure that they are enjoying the opportunity in the coming weeks to roll out that check. The government is supporting schools with three days of relief: one for the PD, one for the check to take place and, importantly, one day for teachers to then analyse the results and identify interventions. This is work the government is doing to help our youngest children to develop the ability to read and write, and we are very pleased to be leading the nation in this way.

The SPEAKER: Time has expired. The member for Reynell—I ask members to please settle down so I can hear the question in silence.