Policy, pedagogy and curriculum in the teaching of reading in early years classrooms in Australia: A Narrative Literature Review (2004–2025)

Abstract

In this narrative literature review we trace shifts in reading policy and pedagogy in the early years of Australian primary education from 2004 to 2025. Anchored in Teaching Reading: Report and Recommendations by Ken Rowe, we map changes that reshaped how reading is defined and taught in Foundation to Year 3 classrooms in New South Wales, Queensland, and Victoria. The review eschews a phonics versus whole language binary by adopting Bingham and Hall-Kenyon’s continuum of pedagogical orientations, with skills-focused instruction at one anchor, whole language at the other, and balanced literacy in between. It synthesises research literature and analyses state and national curriculum documents. Across jurisdictions, the centre of gravity has shifted toward systematic phonics mandates, while attention to meaning, sociocultural, and critical dimensions narrows, even though a balanced approach remains strong in policy and curriculum. The review examines consequences for professional judgement, teacher trust, and accountability, noting that polarised positions understate the complexity of reading development. We conclude with recommendations that foreground explicit phonics while embedding decoding within broader literacy practices addressing comprehension, fluency, vocabulary, engagement, literature, and digital environments in multilingual classrooms. Although centred on Australia, the analysis has international implications for systems navigating similar policy pressures and reading debates in comparable accountability regimes and global shifts in teaching and learning.