Five From Five

New from Greg Ashman.

Using inquiry learning to teach early literacy or numeracy is educational malpractice.

The evidence is clear that novices need explicit guidance, fully worked examples, guided and scaffolded practice. Only once these are embedded will children successfully use these tools to complete more open-ended tasks.

Who suffers most from inquiry learning? The most disadvantaged. The ones who bring the least prior knowledge. Inquiry learning isn’t kind, it is ruthlessly Darwinian.

In contrast, explicit teaching is the most effecting method for gifting the cultural tools we have painstakingly invented over millennia to young people. It is not ‘oppressive’; it is liberating.

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1747938X23000775

https://substack.com//note/c-267387805?utm_source=notes-share-action&utm_medium=web

Greg Ashman (@gregashman) Using inquiry learning to teach early literacy or numeracy is educational malpractice. The evidence is clear that novices need explicit guidance, fully worked examples, guided and scaffolded practice. Only once these are embedded will children successfully use these tools to complete more open-ended...

Reading comprehension involves understanding the meaning and intent of a written text. It requires the coordination of many cognitive skills and abilities. Successful text comprehension involves the construction of an integrated and coherent representation of the overall meaning of the text, rather than memory for just the literal wording. Reading comprehension has a unique place in the Five Big Ideas as it is both an essential element of reading instruction in its own right, and the desired outcome of instruction in all of the elements.

Everything you need to know about comprehension can be found here with this free resource 👇👇👇👇

Comprehension - Five from Five Reading comprehension involves understanding the meaning and intent of a written text. It requires the coordination of many cognitive skills and abilities. Successful text comprehension involves the construction of an integrated and coherent representation of the overall meaning of the text, rather....

If you’re a teacher, it may seem obvious that your ability to teach is an inherent part of who you are. Like any other aspect of your character, surely you are who you are wherever you are? If you can explain clearly, build routines, insist on high standards and make students work hard in one school, why wouldn’t you be able to do the same somewhere else?

Read more of David Didau’s article here 👇👇

The myth of the portable teacher What happens when effective teachers transfer into tougher schools

💥 FREE seminar next week 💥

Teaching Reading Comprehension in Primary School

Tuesday 2 June 2026

3.30pm-4.45pm AEST

The session will look at:
✅ What the research tells us about reading comprehension
✅ Building a mental model to comprehend text
✅ Evidence-based instruction to facilitate reading comprehension
✅ Assessment of comprehension
✅ Identifying and supporting poor comprehenders

Register here 👇👇👇👇

https://fivefromfive.com.au/presentations/professional-learning-seminar-series/seminar-5-teaching-reading-comprehension-in-primary-school/

A recording of this event will be emailed to all registrants the day following the live presentation.

Are you curious about the real impact of explicit instruction in the classroom?

This article explores the research and explains why clear, direct teaching methods help students succeed.

Find out how evidence based instruction can make a difference in your classroom.

No, Explicit Instruction Does Not Cause Learned Helplessness A common claim [or should we say concern] in education and what the evidence actually shows

Writing is a complex and cognitively demanding skill, yet it is often one of the most challenging areas to teach and assess effectively. This conference brings together leading research and classroom practice to explore what truly makes a difference in writing instruction.

Grounded in evidence, sessions will examine high-impact approaches including explicit instruction, structured writing frameworks, and the role of Self-Regulated Strategy Development (SRSD) in supporting students to plan, organise, and regulate their writing.

Participants will gain practical, classroom-ready strategies to improve student outcomes across year levels, with a focus on supporting struggling writers and ensuring all learners can develop as confident, capable communicators.

**This webinar will be recorded and available for 30 days after the event**

Dates:
Wednesday 17th June 10 am – 3 pm AEST (30 min lunch break provided)

Thursday 18th June 10 am – 1 pm AEST

Cost:
LDA Member: $250

LDA Student Member – $200

Non-Member – $300

Events - Learning Difficulties Australia Inc.

Tim Rasinski writes, ‘Fluency is generally thought to be made up of two distinct components: accuracy and automaticity in word decoding, and prosody or meaningful expression when reading. Most professional articles and curriculum materials that focus on reading fluency deal primarily with the word-decoding component of fluency. In this and my next blog I would like to focus on the more neglected, but also critical, component of fluency: prosody.’

Read more 👇👇👇👇
https://mystorypie.com/blog/en/fluency-prosody-matters/

Supporting autistic students and students with ADHD in our classrooms is so important - but what practices actually make a difference?

The latest discussion paper from the Australian Education Research Organisation - AERO highlights evidence based strategies to foster inclusive, engaging learning environments.

Whether you’re looking to refine your teaching approach or seeking new ideas, this resource is packed with practical tips and you can use it right away!

🧠Read it here 👇👇

https://www.edresearch.edu.au/research/discussion-papers/teaching-practices-support-autistic-students-and-students-adhd

Let’s empower every learner to thrive! 💙 

Teaching practices to support Autistic students and students with ADHD This discussion paper provides an overview of evidence-based teaching practices that support Autistic students and students with ADHD with learning at school.

💥 More FREE professional learning next week 💥

Tuesday 26 May 2026

3.30pm-4.45pm AEST

Oral language begins developing in children prior to school but because it provides the foundation for literacy it requires attention in the classroom as well. Vocabulary is highly related to reading comprehension and, like the other key elements of reading, should have explicit and systematic instruction within a rich language and literacy program.

The session examines:
✅ Scientific research evidence on oral language and vocabulary development
✅ The role of oral language and vocabulary in reading
✅ Evidence-based instruction for whole class, small groups, and one-to-one
✅ Assessment of oral language and vocabulary
✅ Vocabulary and struggling readers

Register here: https://fivefromfive.com.au/presentations/professional-learning-seminar-series/seminar-4-oral-language-and-vocabulary-instruction-in-primary-school/

🧠What do we know about how students learn, and what does that mean for how we teach?

The Science of Learning summarizes existing cognitive-science research on how students learn, and connects it to practical implications for teaching. The report is a resource for teacher-educators, new teachers, and anyone in the education profession who is interested in how learning takes place.

DFI believes all teacher candidates should know the cognitive-science principles explored in The Science of Learning. And all educators, including new teachers, should be able to connect those principles to their practical implications for the classroom.

Deans For Impact have just released the Science of Learning 2nd edition & you can download it here 👇👇👇

The Science of Learning | Deans for Impact (DFI) Cognitive science research on student learning, applied to teaching practices.