Literacy and Numeracy

AISNSW promotes the implementation of high-quality teaching in literacy and numeracy.

What is our approach?

Literacy and numeracy support provided by the AISNSW is underpinned by the knowledge that quality, evidence-based instruction is required to ensure that all students develop the necessary skills commensurate with their stage of schooling. Based on the research, we identified four common themes that underpin high-impact teaching and learning:

Teaching and Learning Team
Strong leadership driven by a relentless determination to maximise the impact on student learning.

Data informed practice to target teaching at the point of need, monitor student progress and facilitate timely support for identified students.
Professional learning focused on evidence-based instructional strategies.
Explicit and systematic instruction of all literacy and numeracy skills.

Our professional learning offerings promote effective, whole class teaching. Explicit and systematic instruction ensures academic success for all students.

We come to you

Professional learning opportunities are tailored to schools needs and distributed over time to enable time for implementation and reflection.

Components include a combination of school-based professional learning, online self-paced learning modules, consultancy support and parent workshops. Access to a range of teaching resources and assessment approaches specific to the focus areas are also provided.

You come to us

View the full range of AISNSW professional learning focused on literacy and numeracy. Use key words such as reading, writing, spelling, numeracy and Mathematics, in the search function to locate content specific courses.

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Expressions of interest for 2025 Literacy and Numeracy Projects are open now

We are currently taking expressions of interest from schools for our long-term projects for 2025. They are:

Primary Reading
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Primary Spelling
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Primary Writing
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Primary Numeracy
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Further details on each specific project can be found below.


View our most recent information session
to learn more about these offerings.

Primary Reading Project

The Primary Reading Project is a comprehensive professional learning package designed to support schools with the explicit and systematic teaching of foundational reading skills.
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Primary Spelling Professional Learning

Primary Spelling has been developed by The Association of Independent Schools of NSW (AISNSW) as a whole school professional learning initiative to support K-6 teachers to teach spelling effectively.
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Primary Numeracy Project

The Primary Numeracy Project is a comprehensive professional learning package designed to support schools with the explicit and systematic teaching of numeracy skills.
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Numeracy Screening Tools

AISNSW has developed two numeracy screening tools to assist teachers to monitor students’ progress in the foundational skills of Number across Kindergarten to Year 6.
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Primary Writing

Primary Writing is a professional learning initiative developed by the Association of Independent Schools to support K-6 teachers to teach writing effectively.
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Foundations of Effective Instruction

The Foundations of Effective Instruction portal outlines approaches and methodologies that support teacher practice and efficacy. It provides an overview of interconnecting frameworks to help teachers design and deliver highly effective lessons and instructional practices that are inclusive of all students.
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HSC Minimum Standard

Students need reading, writing and numeracy for everyday life after school. This is why students in NSW are being supported to meet a minimum standard of literacy and numeracy to receive the HSC.
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Literacy and Numeracy Learning Progressions

The Literacy and Numeracy Learning Progressions describe common literacy and numeracy learning pathways for students from Kindergarten to Year 10. They have been developed by ACARA in collaboration with the NSW Department of Education and available on the NSW Education Standards Authority (NESA) website.
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Transition to Year 7 Assessment

Transition to Year 7 Assessment is an optional NSW Department of Education literacy and numeracy assessment for schools. The assessment provides a snapshot of the literacy and numeracy skills and understandings that students bring to secondary school.
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