As New Zealand moves towards significant changes in the English and Maths curriculums from 2025, there is a growing debate around how the education system should adapt. The government’s focus is clear: improving literacy and numeracy levels among students. Education Minister Erica Stanford has emphasised the importance of starting the process now, given the declining achievement rates, particularly in maths. However, the question isn’t just about what needs to change - it’s about whether schools and teachers are prepared to shift their long-standing approaches and embrace new methodologies. While I support these reforms, it’s evident that changing mindsets, not just curriculum content, may be the biggest challenge we face.

As parents, you may have heard the term “irregular words” or “heart words” when helping your child with reading. These are words that don’t follow the usual spelling rules, so they can’t be easily sounded out. Traditionally, children were taught to memorise these words as a whole. But recent research shows that there’s a better way to help kids learn these tricky words.

Structured Literacy offers a methodical, explicit, and multi-sensory approach that transforms the landscape of literacy education. In our exploration of this evidence-based method, let's delve into the profound impact it has on shaping confident, independent, and successful learners.