Dr Kay Hancock

PRESIDENT

Email: president@nzla.org.nz

I am an independent literacy consultant specialising in developing instructional reading materials for students in the early years of school. I am passionate about supporting all children to develop as lifelong readers and learners.
My teaching career began in 1980 in Christchurch and in 1998 I moved into educational publishing with Learning Media, first as series editor for Ready to Read and the Junior Journal, and later as publisher for all the Ministry of Education’s instructional reading series. I have had the privilege of being involved in such key literacy projects as Effective Literacy Practice, The Literacy Learning Progressions, and Learning Through Talk. I’m currently involved with the development of year 3 chapter books and the Junior Journal with Lift Education. In 2018 I completed a PhD about the Ready to Read series 1963-1988 and its role as New Zealand children’s literature.

I’m proud to have served on the NZLA national executive since 2020. Currently, I am also president of the Wellington Literacy Association and we are looking forward to hosting the national conference in September 2025. I consider NZLA and the regional councils to be a crucial professional network, and I am honoured to be part of this wider team promoting and
supporting literacy in Aotearoa.