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Second, Third, Fourth and Fifth reading books from the Australian School Series (ASS) of readers, 1878
About the object
About the object
The Australian School Series of readers were the first readers published in Australia with Australian content. They were published from circa 1878. These, and the Irish National readers, were prescribed in the 1880 NSW Course of Instruction for schools.
The Australian School Series were produced for Australian schools. The series ranged from Primer to the Fifth Book. The Fifth Book had separate editions for boys and girls.
Organised as numbered reading lessons, the preface states that the lessons have been selected:
for distinctness of enunciation and fluency
to add words to the student's vocabulary
to broaden a student's stock of ideas.
Subject matter included:
history, geography and science subjects
poetry, folk and classical tales
lessons on health, morals and practical aspects of living.
Each lesson had a word list and the lessons could be used for comprehension, spelling, grammar, dictation and transcription.
Significance
Significance
The Australian School Series of readers are the first Australian-published readers for schools.
They show:
the range of subject matter deemed relevant to pupils of the era
social norms of the time
the level of reading and understanding expected of students.
Object details
Object details
Date – 1878
Creator – published by Collins Brothers & Company, Limited as the Collins’ School Series – The Australian Reading Books
Place – Sydney and Melbourne
Materials – paper pages with stitched binding, cardboard covers covered in fabric. Black and white etchings integrated into the pages.
Dimensions – 11cm x 17cm – thickness and number of pages increases with each level of book
Look closer
Look closer
First Australian ReadersYouTube | NSW Schoolhouse Museum of Public Education (1:42min) | Video transcript | Alternate video link
Oral reading of Lesson XIX (19), The Emu, Third Reading Book in The Australian School Series | Collection number 2000-28-1YouTube | NSW Schoolhouse Museum of Public Education (2:31min) | Video transcript | Alternate video link
Lesson XXXVIII (48), The Seasons, Second Reading Book in the Australian School Series, circa 1880 | Collection number 2000-27 | Transcript
Table of contents and Lesson I (1), Good Manners, Fourth Reading Book in the Australian School Series, circa 1880 | Collection number 2000-29-1
Think and wonder
Think and wonder
See
See
What do the readers remind you of?
Can you find the spelling words on each lesson?
How does the text size change between levels?
What is similar about the illustrations in each book?
Think
Think
Why are the lessons numbered?
Why are Roman numerals used for the lesson numbers?
Why are there dashes in the spelling words?
The fifth book is the final book in the series – one for boys and one for girls. Why were there separate books?
Wonder
Wonder
What do you wonder about these readers?
What questions do you have about these early readers?
Do
Do
Imagine you are being tested on your reading.
Save or download a page from a reader.
Underline each spelling word that appears in the story.
Read aloud four to six lines.
Explore and connect
Explore and connect
Third, Fourth and Fifth books in the Irish National School Books (INSB) series of readers.
Irish National readers, circa 1870
Irish National readers, circa 1870
As the NSW education system was originally modelled on the Irish National system of education, the first series of readers used in NSW schools were the Irish National School Books (INSB).
The reading lessons in the Irish National School Books lacked local content and so the Australian School Series was developed. They were modelled on the Irish National readers.
Read more about the Irish National Readers by Deakin University.
View a digitised copy of the Fourth book – Irish National Readers, 1869 (Deakin University).
What features of the Irish National readers were repeated in the Australian School Series?
Oral reading of Lesson XXXIV (34), A Hoop, in the Second Primer of the New Australian School Series of reading books | Collection number 2000-21YouTube | NSW Schoolhouse Museum of Public Education (0:50min) | Video transcript | Alternate video link
New Australian School Series, 1898–1928
New Australian School Series, 1898–1928
The New Australian School Series of readers replaced the Australian School Series with revised content. These were published in several editions from 1898 to about 1928. On 7 May 1898 the Daily Telegraph announced the new series consisting of a first and second primer and five reading books.
As printing technologies changed, later editions included colour illustrations, included as separate pages and black and white photographs integrated into the pages.
View a digitised copy of the New Australian School Series First Reader (Deakin University) or at New Australian School Series First Reader online (Deakin University).
What changes or enhancements do you notice in the New Australian School Series?
Oral reading of The Wattle from Reader Part 2 published from 1928 by the NSW Department of Education Collection number 2019-12YouTube | NSW Schoolhouse Museum of Public Education (1:02min) | Video transcript | Alternate video link
Infants readers, 1928–1940s
Infants readers, 1928–1940s
The NSW Department of Education published a set of infants readers from 1928 that replaced the New Australian School Series. They remained in use in schools through to the early 1950s.
For primary students the NSW Department of Education published The School Magazine in 1916. It was first published in three parts, and then in four parts, one for each primary grade. It continues to be published in four parts today.
View the Schoolhouse Museum's collection records for Reading Primer Part 1 and Reader Part 2.
First and Second Grade readers published from the late 1940s through the 1960s by the NSW Department of Education.
Infants readers, 1940s–1960s
Infants readers, 1940s–1960s
With the advent of colour printing, the NSW Department of Education published a set of infants readers from the mid 1940s that replaced the black and white infants readers. They remained in use in schools through the 1960s.
Student workbooks accompanied some of the readers, containing literacy activities specific to the reader.
There were specific readers for First Grade and for Second Grade. First Grade readers included:
A Book to Read
It's Fun to Read
Gay Days.
Second Grade readers included:
Stories to Read
Seaside Story
Open Road to Reading
Travelling On.
We acknowledge the Traditional Owners of the lands of people using this site. Is, always was, always will be – Aboriginal land.
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