New School Journal and Junior Journal 69 have arrived
Three new School Journals and the latest Junior Journal are being sent to schools this term. The School Journal series is published in three levels, which are now aligned with the refreshed curriculum:
Level 2 is now Year 4
Level 3 is now Years 5–6
Level 4 is now Years 7–8
The journals contain a variety of stories, articles, and plays that will engage students and support their literacy development. The content is aligned to The New Zealand Curriculum and is designed to reflect the lives of New Zealand students. This release explores the central themes of community in the School Journals and island life in the Junior Journal.
New Teacher Support Materials (TSMs) are in development and will be published on Tāhūrangi in December. TSMs from 2024 and 2025 are also being refreshed to reflect the updated curriculum and structured literacy approaches. These updated resources will support effective teaching and learning and will be available on Tāhūrangi from Term 1 2026.
Teachers and kaiako can continue using previous School Journal and Junior Journal issues confidently—these updated resources will support their use in today’s classroom.
Supporting resources
All teaching materials to support structured literacy instruction—including new and refreshed TSMs—will be available on Tāhūrangi. You can find out about them here: Teaching resources to support structured literacy approaches
Looking ahead to Term 1 2026:
CHAPTERS, our instructional series designed to help students transition into chapter books, will be distributed in Term 1, 2026. New Ready to Read Phonics Plus resources will also reach schools at the beginning of Term 1. Digital versions will be available on Tāhūrangi in December to help inform planning.
Frequently asked questions
The previous levels on the journals – level 2, 3, and 4 – aligned with the 2007 New Zealand Curriculum. The change aligns the journals with the refreshed English learning area and teaching sequences. Year-level labelling serves as a guide for teachers to combine high-quality year-level teaching with supports that promote confidence, effort, and growth.
Research shows students make greater literacy gains when they work with year-level texts supported by scaffolds, compared to using easier texts matched to their ‘reading level.’ This approach aligns with evidence-based practice and the curriculum’s emphasis on equity and acceleration.
Outside of those who are specifically learning to decode text or reading for pleasure, students should be accessing year-level texts to develop skills and knowledge (including vocabulary, comprehension, and content knowledge) alongside their peers.
Students who are not yet reading at year-level will continue to require frequent, intensive and explicit teaching and practice in flexible small groups, using age-appropriate decodable texts as needed. The curriculum emphasises adapting teaching rather than simplifying texts.
Although fluent readers may still work with simple texts, particularly to reduce cognitive load when new skills or concepts are being introduced, they will be working predominantly with texts that are at least at their year level.
This does not mean that teachers should prevent able readers from reading more complex texts; most texts will be at their year level or above. Students who are reading and decoding at an accelerated rate need opportunities for enrichment and extension in other structured literacy approach components, such as vocabulary and comprehension, and ample opportunities to read increasingly challenging texts.
The curriculum emphasises adapting teaching rather than simplifying texts. Teachers can help protect confidence by focusing on scaffolds, supports, and strategies that enable students to make meaning. The goal is to give all students access to the same rich ideas and vocabulary, with extra support where needed. Research shows this approach helps students learn faster and feel more positive about reading.
Studies show greater literacy gains when students work with year-level texts supported by scaffolds, compared to matching texts to “instructional levels.” Exposure to complex texts builds vocabulary and comprehension and avoids perpetuating low expectations or turning a need for targeted support in decoding into a broader need across a range of literacy components.
Use year-level texts for core instruction.
Help students access year-level texts by using strategies such as teaching key words first, reading aloud together, re-reading, and having guided discussions.
Provide decoding practice in flexible small groups using age-appropriate decodable texts as needed.
Encourage persistence and motivation by celebrating progress.
For more practical strategies, see Accelerating progress in literacy – Teacher guidance on Tāhūrangi, which includes targeted teaching plans and examples for scaffolding access to year-level texts.
In 2025, the focus was on giving teachers strong support to implement the refreshed English learning area in the classroom. Instead of releasing new journals mid-year, the Ministry has been focused on developing three new teaching manuals to guide structured literacy approaches across Years 0–8.