Recent posts from Sharon Callen
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The 5 Pillars of Effective Writing Instruction - Part 3
Pillar 3: Independence in Learning The Teacher's Toolkit for Literacy Podcast — 2026 Series There is a widespread assumption in education that structure and creativity pull against each other — that the more you scaffold a student's writing, the less room there is for genuine expression. Episode 153 of Teacher's...
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The 5 Pillars of Effective Writing Instruction - Part 2
Pillar 2: Every Student Can Produce Quality Writing The Teacher's Toolkit for Literacy Podcast — 2026 Series What separates a classroom where children merely complete writing tasks from one where they genuinely see themselves as writers? In the second episode of their 2026 series, Phil and Sharon return to Fairview...
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The 5 Pillars of Effective Writing Instruction - Part 1
Pillar 1: Purposeful Planning The Teacher's Toolkit for Literacy Podcast — 2026 Series When two Year 6 teachers at a small regional school in Collie, Western Australia sat down to name what made their writing instruction work, they started where they always start: with planning. Danielle Monique and De Ludlum...
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The Wonder of Teaching Vocabulary with Freddy Hiebert
How Teachers Can Transform Vocabulary Learning Revolutionary insights from literacy expert Dr Freddy Hiebert reveal why traditional methods aren't working—and what to do instead Australian educators are discovering what Dr Freddy Hiebert has known for years: flashcards and word lists aren't just ineffective—they're actively hindering student progress. The literacy researcher...
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Part 6: Celebrating Growth in Literacy
Team Teaching Success at Mt Barker South Primary School What happens when two passionate Year 5/6 teachers join forces to create a truly integrated literacy programme? At Mt Barker South Primary School in South Australia, Renee Saldhana and Ra Te Whare have discovered the transformative power of collaborative teaching that...