Stage 1

Texts are nominated for inclusion on Reading Australia by the primary and secondary text selection committees. These committees develop a longlist of potential titles based on teacher use and curriculum needs. The committees are comprised of representatives from a range of stakeholder groups, such as:

Reading Australia respects and embraces diversity in all forms, and aims to assemble committees that represent diverse ethnicities, cultural identities, gender identities, sexual orientations and abilities.

Stage 2

The longlists developed by the text selection committees are shared with primary and secondary teachers for their feedback. To be suitable for teaching, titles must meet the following criteria:

  • The books must be written by Australian writers and available in print or other formats.
  • The books should address the needs of the Australian Curriculum or already be taught in schools.
  • The books must be of high quality and appropriate for Reading Australia’s audience.
  • While the books may be provocative and challenging, they should reflect Australia’s rich and diverse cultural history and present authentic literary voices.
  • There should be no known objection to the authenticity of any books.
  • The author (or author’s representative) must consent to inclusion on Reading Australia.

In addition:

  • The resources for titles on Reading Australia are written by teachers, for teachers.
  • The resources must be appropriate for primary and secondary school students.
  • The resources must be culturally appropriate and, where relevant, undergo additional cultural reviews prior to publication.
  • The resources may present varied and diverse opinions to articulate or provide context for issues and themes in the titles.

Other factors such as cross-curriculum priorities and diversity are also taken into consideration.

Stage 3

Final selection of titles is made by Reading Australia following feedback from Stage 2.