CertTeach, DipTeach, GradDipEd, MSpecEd, PhD
Lecturer, School of Education and Professional Studies
Convenor, Graduate Certificate in Education and Master of Special Education
Contact details for Dr Gary Woolley
Professional page for Dr Gary Woolley
Research expertise
- Memory and cognition
- Literacy and reading comprehension
- Language
- Learning difficulties/disabilities
Current teaching areas
- Curriculum for children with learning difficulties, reading and listening, strategies for teaching students with learning difficulties.
Awards
- (2007) Learning Difficulties Australia Tertiary Student Award. In recognition of the production of an exceptional paper or work, which advances knowledge in the field of learning difficulties.
- (2006) The Carrick Institute for Learning and Teaching in Higher Education Team Citation. For promoting lifelong learning and reflective practice via graduate opportunities for networking, information exchange, research and community engagement for professional teachers assisting students with disabilities.
Professional services
- Learning Difficulties Australia council member (National Council Member 2007 - 2009)
- SPELD Queensland State Committee member
- AUSPELD National Committee member
Publications
For a full list of publications visit publications.
Research projects
- $365,000 Department of Education, Science and Training (DEST) funded project – ‘Project to Improve the Learning Outcomes of Students with Disabilities in the Early, Middle and Post Compulsory Years of Schooling’ - team member - University of Canberra lead Consortium. Project leader Professor Tony Shaddock.
- The project researched how successful teachers provide a relevant curriculum for students with disabilities in their mainstream classes. Part of my contribution has been to identify and study exemplary practices in government and independent schools interstate.
- Co-wrote the literacy section of the literature review.
- $44,000 Department of Education, Science and Training (DEST) funded research project to improve literacy skills of children identified with autism. Research partner Dr Chris Kilham (University of Canberra).
- Part of a DEST funded innovative literacy program called Cooperative explorations: a multiple strategy literacy intervention program utilizing a number of teachers and their assistants in the Catholic Education Office and Schools in the ACT and surrounding region that targets reading comprehension as a means of improving outcomes for literacy underachievers in Catholic schools.
- The design of the teacher and teacher aide training programs and the student intervention program were based on my PhD thesis research.
- The overarching goal of the project is to improve the literacy skills of students in upper primary who are progressing poorly in literacy.
- PhD research titled - The development, documentation, and evaluation of a strategy-training program for primary school students with reading comprehension difficulties focused on the design of training programs for volunteer tutors to assist students with reading comprehension difficulties.