The Big Six - Critical Elements for Beginner Readers

Jill Buckrell is a Literacy Consultant with previous experience as a teacher and school leader in both urban and remote schools. She has a strong commitment to improving literacy outcomes for Aboriginal students and has been involved in several major Indigenous Education initiatives in the past as a school principal in remote WA and the Northern Territory. Jill began work at AISWA as a literacy consultant in 2012 and is involved in a number of key professional learning initiatives including: Big Six, Hot Readers and Data Conversations to Target Instruction (literacy). She is also an accredited Sharp Reading presenter and manages the implementation of this program in Western Australia. Jill co-organises the annual Broome Conference for remote Aboriginal schools. Jill’s particular interest lies in the research, development and application of quality literacy strategies and opportunities for students who underachieve in literacy.

Kerry Handley is a Literacy Consultant with many years of experience. She has worked in the WA education system as a classroom teacher, K-7 district coordinator and a consultant. Before joining AISWA, in 2012, Kerry was part of the team that reconceptualised and wrote the First Steps 2nd Edition resource and associated professional development. In this role she presented to educators around the world and spent four years living in the USA. She is one of the presenters of the Sharp Reading program and has a particular interest in assisting teachers in remote aboriginal schools.

Kerry has a Masters of Education, a Graduate Diploma in Intercultural Studies and a Diploma of Teaching. She is passionate about helping improve literacy outcomes for all students.

Pat Kershaw is a Literacy/English Consultant and has been with AISWA since 2009. She has taught at primary, secondary (English) and tertiary levels and has been involved in many research projects within the university sector and within AISWA, with a focus on literacy in cross-curricular and collaborative projects, which model approaches that teachers can take in the classroom. Her main areas of interest are writing, grammar, oral language and literacy across the curriculum. She works with teachers of literacy and/or English from P-10, as well as principals and teacher teams across WA to support schools with literacy requirements.