Resource-based learning is a powerful approach to improving teen literacy by promoting active engagement with a variety of texts and media. Instead of relying solely on textbooks, students explore diverse, relevant resources—such as articles, novels, videos, and digital content—to build reading, research, and critical thinking skills. This method encourages independence, deeper comprehension, and a stronger connection to learning. Equally important is explicit instruction in decoding and comprehending texts, which lays the foundation for students to navigate and make meaning from increasingly complex materials with confidence.
The Teacher Librarian’s Role in Elevating Literacy Through Quality Literature
Timothy Shanahan’s critique of the instructional level theory challenges long-standing assumptions about matching texts to student reading levels. Backed by recent research, his insights highlight the value of exposing students to complex literature with appropriate support—an approach that aligns with the Australian Curriculum. For teacher librarians, this shift reinforces their role as literacy leaders who curate rich, diverse collections and collaborate with educators to scaffold meaningful engagement. By championing high-quality texts, teacher librarians help foster deeper thinking, equitable access, and stronger learning outcomes for all students.
Literary Learning – Shifting from ‘Learning to Read’ to ‘Reading to learn’.
Literary learning integrates literature across educational curricula, enhancing student engagement and cognitive development. It emphasises genre theory, advocating diverse textual formats to support literacy, critical thinking, and meaningful learning. Although some educators question its necessity, literature-based approaches prove beneficial for understanding content, improving overall literacy, and fostering a student-centered pedagogy.
Read more about why literary learning is an effective pedagogical teaching strategy in a modern classroom.
Reading between the lines – Supporting literacy text sets and explicit instruction.
August, 2025
Text sets – Literary learning in miniature.
April, 2021.
Graphic Organisers in Inquiry Learning – Facilitating the critical thinking process.
April, 2021
Out of the box – using memorial boxes to support novel studies.
August, 2019.
Learning through the Library 