Blog | Emina McLean

Outrage and polarisation have not been mandated

Jun 226 min read

Outrage and polarisation have not been mandated

I heard on a podcast recently that there are two types of education consultants. Consultant 1: “I am right.” Consultant 2: “I am here to...

1,139 views65 comments

Has the Science of Reading become a rampant thought-terminating cliché?

Emina McLean

Mar 24 min read

Has the Science of Reading become a rampant thought-terminating cliché?

I was running a workshop last week when I was asked, “Is The Writing Revolution SoR?” Now, all this educator wanted from me was a yes or...

13,662 views61 comments

Defining excellence and equity in early reading instruction

Emina McLean

Oct 24, 20226 min read

Defining excellence and equity in early reading instruction

Over the weekend I presented at the Learning Difficulties Australia conference. I was honoured to be a joint recipient of the 2022 Mona...

2,276 views64 comments

Emina McLean

May 26, 20225 min read

On balance

There has been a renewed focus on phonics assessment and instruction in Australia this year, particularly in the state of Victoria where...

9,754 views38 comments

Emina McLean

Mar 25, 20228 min read

Sharing our progress: Writing

It was a pleasure to collaborate with Jeanette Breen on this blog post. Jeanette is a learning specialist and educator at Templestowe...

4,671 views30 comments

Sharing our progress: 2-6 reading comprehension

Emina McLean

Mar 8, 20223 min read

Sharing our progress: 2-6 reading comprehension

I have decided to share some of our data sets across the next 12 months. These data sets will hopefully continue to show our ongoing...

4,445 views27 comments

Designing an ambitious and rigorous primary English curriculum

Emina McLean

Jan 20, 20221 min read

Designing an ambitious and rigorous primary English curriculum

Following on from Brad Nguyen’s recent presentation about setting up a knowledge-rich curriculum, I was fortunate to have the opportunity...

3,492 views33 comments

The Response to Intervention (RtI) framework

Emina McLean

Sep 23, 20211 min read

The Response to Intervention (RtI) framework

Response to Intervention (RtI) is an instructional framework in which schools provide layered instruction/intervention as a core...

3,969 views15 comments

Phonemic awareness instruction: What's the evidence?

Emina McLean

Aug 3, 20216 min read

Phonemic awareness instruction: What's the evidence?

What is phonemic awareness? Phonemic awareness is a component of phonological awareness. "Phonemic awareness refers to the ability to...

9,557 views39 comments

Emina McLean

Jun 29, 20218 min read

Reading motivation

I receive a number of emails from educators that are about reading motivation. Many educators, particularly in secondary schools, report...

1,989 views17 comments

From research to practice: What can it look like?

Emina McLean

Jun 3, 20211 min read

From research to practice: What can it look like?

This week I presented the Learning Difficulties Australia Weekly Wednesday Webinar. Below you will find access to the recording as well...

6,603 views12 comments

It's time to review our hurdle rates in literacy

Emina McLean

Apr 13, 20214 min read

It's time to review our hurdle rates in literacy

I was re-reading some of Lemov's (2015) chapters on effective teaching techniques the other day. This time some things he wrote in a...

1,392 views11 comments

Working the clock and "the literacy block"

Emina McLean

Mar 28, 20216 min read

Working the clock and "the literacy block"

The Victorian Government Schools Agreement details the workload for teachers. When working full-time, there is a maximum of 22.5 hours...

9,824 views12 comments

Developing a literacy assessment schedule

Emina McLean

Mar 19, 20217 min read

Developing a literacy assessment schedule

I have had a lot of questions lately about the assessments we are using at our new primary school (Docklands Primary School) and more...

24,752 views14 comments

Explicit vocabulary instruction across grades and subjects

Emina McLean

Feb 26, 202118 min read

Explicit vocabulary instruction across grades and subjects

I have written previously, but rather generally, about how to approach vocabulary instruction. I presented quite a few times last year on...

27,507 views11 comments

Handwriting instruction: What's the evidence?

Emina McLean

Sep 25, 20209 min read

Handwriting instruction: What's the evidence?

Everyone teaches handwriting, but like with other aspects of literacy, there is enormous variability in how educators go about it and how...

11,652 views9 comments

Keep the balance, Sheryl, keep the balance.

Emina McLean

Sep 18, 20209 min read

Keep the balance, Sheryl, keep the balance.

[This is the sixth story in a series about the journeys educators have been on to change literacy practices in schools. This educator was...

2,129 views14 comments

Emina McLean

Sep 17, 20204 min read

Knowledge is power

[This is the fifth story in a series about the journeys educators have been on to change literacy practices in schools. This educator,...

1,755 views21 comments

Emina McLean

Sep 14, 20206 min read

This is personal

[This is the fourth story in a series about the journeys educators have been on to change literacy practices in schools. This educator,...

2,743 views33 comments

My long journey towards the Science of Reading

Emina McLean

Sep 12, 20204 min read

My long journey towards the Science of Reading

[This is the third story in a series about the journeys educators have been on to change literacy practices in schools. This story is...

1,806 views16 comments