A Program Based on Research.

Flying Start to Literacy is based on research from Teaching Reading (2005) in Australia, the National Early Literacy Panel (2008) and the National Reading Panel (2000) in the United States, the Rose Report (2006) in Britain, and several other major books, reports, and research investigations into early literacy teaching.

Significant findings are listed below.

High frequency words should have a high
rate of repetition.

In Flying Start to Literacy high frequency words are gradually and systematically introduced,
with a high repetition rate of high frequency words, and a low ratio of unfamiliar words

Connected, paired books in the program present the same high frequency words
in different sentence structures and text types.

Key vocabulary needs to be controlled and
introduced systematically.

 

Flying Start to Literacy’s unique system of connected, paired books presents
the same vocabulary in different sentence structures and contexts.

Key vocabulary is initially introduced in photographic Vocabulary Starters,
and this key vocabulary is constantly revisited.

A variety of text types enables the development
of a range of reading strategies.

Books in the program provide a range of text types with different structures and features.

Key vocabulary and high-frequency words within different text types build reading strategies
for texts that have different purposes.

Reading and writing are linked.

The pairing of fiction and non-fiction and the range of text types presented
provide models of writing for the readers.

Each pair of books is supported by a comprehensive Lesson Plan,
which includes writing as an integral part of each lesson.

Children are supported in their reading development
when books are carefully sequenced to build
reading strategies

Flying Start to Literacy is sequenced into 6 Developmental Stages, and 24 levels based on

Reading Recovery criteria.

Reading strategies are developed and consolidated at each reading level.

Fluency enhances comprehension.

The ability to recognise words accurately and rapidly, and to group words in meaningful phrases
is emphasized throughout the Flying Start to Literacy program.

The program provides opportunities for oral reading. Lesson plans include re-reading of books
to improve word identification skills and comprehension.

Phonics and phonemic awareness are best if taught systematically and explicitly.

Underpinning Flying Start to Literacy is a systematic and explicit phonic structure.

The phonics sequence is matched in the books to provide a context for learning.

Assessment needs to be ongoing to inform instruction.

Ongoing assessment forms part of the Flying Start to Literacy teaching sequence.

Each Lesson Plan identifies a reading strategy as a focus for an individual book, and provides
monitoring points to alert the teacher to observe how each student is using the selected strategy.

Assessment checklists are available for the program