"A New Literacy": How New Zealand Is Changing Its Approach to Teaching Reading

Beginning in 2025, New Zealand will introduce a mandatory system of structured literacy instruction. This marks a radical shift in national education policy, replacing earlier programmes such as Reading Recovery with a new, science-based approach to teaching reading and writing.

What is it about?

Structured literacy is based on the principles of the "science of reading". This means a systematic, step-by-step development of phonemic awareness, phonology, morphology, spelling, and vocabulary skills. According to the Ministry of Education, this approach aims to close long-standing gaps in students’ literacy achievement.

To support the reform, the government is investing NZ$67 million in teacher training, development of teaching resources, and additional support for students who are falling behind in language development. A nationwide phonics screening will also be introduced to help identify early literacy challenges.

Special attention is being given to integrating approaches for teaching in te reo Māori. In schools following the Māori-language curriculum (Te Marautanga o Aotearoa), the focus will be on developing te reo matatini — comprehensive literacy in te reo Māori, which includes oral and written language, reading, and what is referred to as "language awareness."

Criticism of the new approach

However, not everyone has welcomed the reform. The NZEI Te Riu Roa teachers’ union has expressed concern that a single mandatory method may restrict teachers’ professional freedom. In their view, literacy is not only about phonics, but also about deep comprehension — which calls for a broader variety of teaching methods.

There are also concerns that the discontinuation of Reading Recovery — a long-standing intervention programme — could negatively affect the children it once helped. Although the programme was criticised for its limited effectiveness, it had loyal supporters among educators.

Some statistics

That said, studies conducted by the University of Canterbury under the Better Start Literacy Approach (BSLA) have shown promising results: children taught with the structured literacy model develop decoding, listening, and writing skills more rapidly.

The government believes this shift is a vital step toward achieving a key national goal: by 2030, 80% of New Zealand's Year 8 students should meet basic literacy standards. Given the troubling data in recent years — thousands of students failed to reach minimum benchmarks between 2019 and 2022 — structured literacy may be the decisive change needed to turn things around.