CATCH UP YOUR CODE is aimed at identifying gaps in knowledge of the alphabetic code of English. This knowledge is critical for efficient decoding and spelling, and gaps in this knowledge impact negatively on reading comprehension and quality writing. Catch Up Your Code contains an assessment that identifies the gaps in code knowledge and a series of 10-minute lessons that provide a fast and effective way of catching up this knowledge. It can be used in primary (students from age nine), secondary and adult learning environments. Joy Allcock has spent the last 20 years applying the problem-solving skills she learned as an occupational therapist to finding ways to improve literacy outcomes for children. She has a Master of Education degree and has written a range of resources for teachers and children that explain how written English works. She has built a bridge between research and practice, ensuring that teachers have access to research-based resources that really work. She also provides professional development for teachers throughout New Zealand and internationally. Joy has also led a number of research projects, working with teachers to improve literacy success for all children. The Shine literacy Project (www.literacysuccess.org.nz) is the latest of these. She has taken what she has learnt over the last 20 years and developed a simple but effective approach to early literacy instruction that has had remarkable results. Joy is now working in collaboration with Jill Eggleton and Tracy Strudley of Global Education Systems Ltd to produce the Code-Ed product range — resources that make it easy to teach literacy skills successfully from school entry to secondary level.
