Jessica Colleu Terradas (JCT) Translating Research Findings into Practice
Backed by a Churchill Fellowship Impact Funding grant, I’ve launched an ambitious initiative to create real, lasting change in Australian schools. This project is designed to equip secondary teachers with the knowledge and tools they need to effectively support older struggling readers — and transform literacy outcomes.
The result? A series of eight practical, research-informed online training modules — now live and ready for teachers and schools across Australia.
If you’re a secondary educator passionate about lifting literacy, these modules are for you. Explore the training, connect with me, and be part of a growing movement to ensure every student has the opportunity to succeed as a reader.
About Me
As the Senior Officer Teaching and Learning Literacy and instructional coach in Canberra and Goulburn Catholic Education, I contribute to the implementation of Catalyst, a system-wide education approach to teaching and learning. Prior to this, I worked as a literacy coach in the Literacy Guarantee Unit for the South Australian Education Department.
In 2022, I travelled to the USA, England, and France as part of my Churchill Fellowship, meeting with leading experts to investigate effective literacy screening and instructional practices to support struggling adolescents.
My work was nationally recognised in 2019 with a Commonwealth Bank Teaching Award for improving literacy and numeracy outcomes in at-risk students from Years 7 to 10. I also led state-wide networking opportunities for educators.
Today, I am now halfway through my PhD at the Australian Centre for the Advancement of Literacy at Australian Catholic University, under the supervision of Professor Anne Castles, where my research examines how spelling, morphology, and writing interact in adolescent learners.
My ongoing focus is to advance the awareness and implementation of evidence-based literacy instruction to reduce the prevalence of low literacy outcomes in adolescents. And most importantly, no matter what I do, I work to make a difference.
Winston Churchill Fellowship
In 2020, I was awarded the Dorothy and Brian Wilson Churchill Fellowship which has been a life-changing experience. I travelled for eight-weeks overseas in France, UK, Belgium and the US and met with international experts to learn more about language and literacy screening and effective intervention practices to support older struggling readers in schools. Read my report and connect with me.
Modules
High-quality online training modules for secondary teachers about how to support struggling readers.
A series of modules was released in Semester 2 (2024), designed to upskill the literacy knowledge and classroom practices of in-service secondary teachers and provide schools with specific, practical guidance about how to help older struggling students catch up.
This on-demand professional learning package – available for individual teachers or professional learning groups- gives a clear overview of adolescent literacy and why some students experience difficulties with reading, equipping educators with the tools to better address the diverse needs of older struggling readers.
Introductory Module
Multi-Tiered of Support System (MTSS) Framework
High-impact and evidence-based Tier 1 instruction for the secondary classroom
Effective Tier 2 and Tier 3 instruction and intervention
Generously supported by the Winston Churchill Impact Funding Program and the Snow Foundation.
Events
Come and join me at the next event, and mingle with like-minded educators. I will be attending and presenting at most events listed below.
Literacy Intervention in Secondary Schools (LISS) Network
Twilight Webinar Series
Sharing Best Practice Parramatta
TFE Canberra ACT Branch
Australian EduCoached Community
2024 DSF Language, Literacy and Learning Conference
The Literacy Guarantee Conference : Effective Classroom Practice: Literacy for All
Sharing Best Practice Riverina
UNITE 2024
Society for the Scientific Study of Reading
ResearchED Newcastle (AUS)
Sharing Best Practice Ballarat
My education journey in numbers
300+
Professional Learning opportunities offered in multiple settings: schools, partnerships, state, national and international conferences.
1 Award ($45,000)
From The Commonwealth Bank Teaching Award, Schools Plus (2019).
Worked in 5 States
and Territories across multiple education sectors.
In 7 Years
improved literacy outcomes for 250+ at-risk adolescents at Como Secondary College.
$64,000
Total grant funding from the Snow Foundation & Churchill Fellowship Impact Funding .
$28,000 Scholarship
The Dorothy and Bryan Wilson Churchill Fellowship (2020).
266
Year 7 students whose spelling and literacy data I have analysed as part of my PhD reseach.
Over 300+ Schools
assisted and supported.
50+
National and International conferences where I presented
What people are saying
Jessica’s knowledge, passion and clarity is evident in every element of her work. She engages teachers and leaders in relevant and inspiring explorations of the latest literacy research and supports them to understand their learners and develop their pedagogy. Jessica is determined to improve literacy outcomes for all students and her modelling, professional learning, reflections and explanations bring teachers and leaders with her on this mission.
Clare Harris
Jess’ expertise and skills within the literacy space have been quintessential to our growth as a secondary school. Having Jess as our go-to literacy expert made our journey to whole-school literacy improvement smoother as such a rich wealth of knowledge was only a phone call or a school visit away. I would highly recommend schools utilise Jess’ expertise and knowledge as they too embark on their literacy-improvement journeys.
Nicole Commins
Jess is a passionate educator who is dedicated to supporting school leaders and teachers to translate evidence base research into practice in classrooms. Jess’ expertise and experience with Science of Learning and Science of Reading is deep and she demonstrates exemplary practice in classrooms for teacher observations.
Patrick Ellis
Thank you again for your ongoing support here at McAuley College. Your guidance and advice in regard to our intervention programs for our secondary hesitant readers has been invaluable. We look forward to continuing our work together.
Elizabeth Black
Thank you for visiting us again yesterday and for all the work you are doing with our staff around daily reviews, explicit instruction and all the research/evidence behind it. You are an inspiration, and our staff absolutely love having you on board. Your modelling of a lesson was outstanding. It showed best practice, and our teachers were blown away! The students absolutely loved it.
Neil Seaman
The team loved your presentation and have all sent messages of thanks and appreciation that I would like to pass on. It was so incredibly helpful to have your amazing first-hand experience with the programme and your obvious patient thought teaching shone through. We would love to work with you more in the future.
Lisa McNeil
Como Secondary College employed Jessica to establish and develop an intervention program for students at risk with literacy and/or numeracy. Jessica took on the task with energy and considerable professionalism. She created a safe learning environment where students had a go because mistakes were seen as learning opportunities rather than cause for censure. Her focus was always on student progress with the result that astonishing gains were made.
Digby Mercer
Jessica’s work in ’20 &’21 as a Literacy Guarantee Unit coach at Port Lincoln High School left a significant positive improvement which impacts the educational outcomes for our older struggling readers to this day. Possessing not only the most up-to-date researched backed evidence on how to implement lasting change, Jessica’s passion, dedication and work ethic were unparalleled.