Dr. Pletcher Immerses in Literacy Research in New Zealand
Dr. Bethanie Pletcher, Professor of Literacy Education, traveled to New Zealand during spring 2026 as part of Faculty Development Leave. She investigated how the country—once among the highest-ranked in the world for literacy education—is navigating the shift from a balanced literacy approach to a structured literacy model.
During her visit, Dr. Pletcher presented her research at the University of Auckland and met with literacy professors, professional development providers, members of the New Zealand Literacy Association, and children’s book publishers. These included Dame Wendy Pye, a leading global publisher and founder of Sunshine Books, as well as Rachel Walker and Sarah Ensor, owners of Flying Start Books. Dr. Pletcher also visited both inner-city and rural schools, where she observed reading and writing instruction in Years 1, 2, 3, and 6 classrooms. She met with teachers and discussed current approaches to literacy instruction.
Along the way, she immersed herself in New Zealand’s beauty—visiting a Māori cultural center to see mud geysers and haka performances, exploring Hobbit holes from The Lord of the Rings film set, spelunking in glowworm caves, and hiking through mountains, along rivers, around lakes, and across beaches.
Since returning from New Zealand, Dr. Pletcher has been compiling her notes and is working on several articles examining the shift in English-speaking countries—from literacy instruction focused on making meaning from authentic texts to approaches that are more phonics-forward and rely primarily on decodable texts.
