MiniLit Sage
meeting initial needs in literacy
MiniLit Sage is the first major revision of the MiniLit program, originally launched by MultiLit 10 years ago. It is a Tier 2 small group reading program for students in the bottom 25% of the expected range for their age group in Year 1 and 2. The program provides explicit instruction in phonemic awareness, systematic synthetic phonics for reading and spelling, letter formation, and connected text reading.
MiniLit Sage represents the latest scientific research and evidence base on effective reading instruction and intervention. The program has also been revised to align with the scope and sequence of InitiaLit – MultiLit’s whole-class initial literacy instruction program for Foundation to Year 2.
Who is it for?
- Specifically aimed at Year 1 and 2 students who require intensive support to develop decoding skills
Delivery
MiniLit Sage should be delivered 4-5 times per week, for 45 minutes per lesson. The program can be delivered by teachers, learning support teachers, teacher aides or special educators, and is designed to be delivered to small groups of up to four students, but it can also be used on a one-to-one basis.
Key benefits
- Evidence-based small group program with a proven track record of success
- Aligns with scope and sequence of InitiaLit, ensuring a coherent connection between whole-class instruction and intervention
- Cost-effective, with low ongoing operating costs
- Detailed and proven lesson plans for teachers or teacher aides to follow
- Incorporates the latest developments in reading science
Program content
MiniLit Sage has 100 lessons, divided into two parts of 50 lessons each.
- Part A: Teaches the basic phonic code for reading and spelling, starting with single letter-sound correspondences, then moving onto common digraphs. Useful irregular high-frequency words to ensure early access to connected text are also taught.
- Part B: Teaches the more useful digraphs from the advanced phonic code for reading and spelling, with a focus on accuracy and fluency for text reading. Irregular high-frequency words continue to be taught.
A placement test will indicate the ideal starting point on the program for each student, with criteria provided for grouping students according to instructional level. Regular assessments administered throughout the program will monitor progress.
The program is designed to be delivered in a 45-minute session, 4-5 times per week. These sessions comprise:
- A Working with Sounds and Words component (30 minutes), focusing on developing phonemic awareness and decoding and encoding skills for reading and writing, and
- A 15-minute session comprising either practise of reading sounds and words and/or connected text reading for improved reading accuracy and fluency.
What's in the Kit?
The MiniLit Sage Kit contains all necessary teacher and student resources to run up to two groups (one Part A group and one Part B group). Consumable resources to run additional Part A or Part B groups can be purchased separately.
The MiniLit Sage Kit includes the following components:
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- Teacher Manual
- Eight Handbooks, containing detailed scripts for 100 lessons
- Part A Sounds and Words Books (5 copies)
- Part B Sounds and Words Books (5 copies)
- Flashcards, Picture Cards, Sound Prompt Cards, Tricky Word Cards, Concept Cards, Plural Cards and Letter Tiles
- Sound Boxes (for teacher and students)
- Posters
- One pack of Part A Student Workbooks (5 copies) and one pack of Part B Student Workbooks (5 copies). Student workbooks are available in NSW, Qld, SA and Vic font – you will need to select the Kit with your chosen font. Note: A Student Workbook will be required for each student undertaking the program.
- One copy of the Part A Testing and Lesson Records Book, and one copy of the Part B Testing and Lesson Records Book.
- Access to a range of online resources in the MultiLit Members’ Area, including placement tests, games and other resources.
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Readers: It is highly recommended that schools purchase a classroom set of InitiaLit Readers Levels 1-9 (Series 1 or Series 2) and InitiaLit Readers 10-16 (Series 2 – The Wattle Series).
Bonus: Schools purchasing MiniLit Sage will also receive a copy of the Wheldall Assessment of Reading Nonwords, and a copy of the Wheldall Assessment of Reading Lists (WARL). Use of these assessments alongside MiniLit Sage is highly recommended – the MiniLit Sage Teacher Manual provides guidance on how to use these tools as part of a broader assessment process.
What has changed in MiniLit Sage?
The key differences between the original MiniLit and MiniLit Sage are listed below:
MiniLit Sage Professional Development Workshop
Training in MiniLit Sage is compulsory prior to purchase. There are two training options available:
- A live two-day Professional Development Workshop, or
- For individuals who have previously completed MiniLit training, a bridging workshop delivered by eLearning modules.
The MiniLit Sage PD Workshop covers:
Duration
2 Days (12 Hours)
bridging workshop (5 hours)
- An in-depth explanation of the MiniLit Sage approach to remediating reading difficulties
- A detailed look at all program resources
- How to use the included assessment tools (WARN and WARL) to identify struggling readers and track their progress
- A detailed look at lesson activities, with extensive video demonstrations and opportunities to practise
- Keys to successful delivery
- Troubleshooting and FAQs
- Accessing post-workshop support
The MiniLit Sage PD Workshop is available in several formats: face-to-face public workshops held in capital cities and major regional cities; videoconference workshops accessible throughout Australia; and on-site workshops (face-to-face or videoconference; minimum numbers apply).
Who should attend?
- Literacy coordinators
- Learning support teachers
- Primary teachers
- Teacher aides and assistants
- Special educators
Please note: The use of MultiLit publications and attendance at professional development workshops is for personal education use in schools with State/Territory accreditation (‘Accredited Schools’). Other commercial use, hiring or lending, or other use as part of any commercial, not-for-profit, or fee-paying program of instruction or tuition not carried out within an Accredited School is strictly prohibited.
Accreditation
Completing MiniLit Sage Professional Development Workshop will contribute 10 hours of NSW Education Standards Authority (NESA) Accredited PD in the priority area of Delivery and assessment of NSW Curriculum/Early Years Learning Framework addressing standard descriptors 1.2.2, 2.2.2, 2.5.2, 5.1.2, 5.2.2, 5.4.2 from the Australian Professional Standards for Teachers towards maintaining Proficient Teacher Accreditation in NSW.
Completing MiniLit Sage Bridging Course will contribute 5 hours of NSW Education Standards Authority (NESA) Accredited PD in the priority area of Delivery and assessment of NSW Curriculum/Early Years Learning Framework addressing standard descriptors 1.2.2, 2.2.2, 2.5.2, 5.1,2, 5.2.2, 5.4.2 from the Australian Professional Standards for Teachers towards maintaining Proficient Teacher Accreditation in NSW.
The MiniLit Sage Professional Development Workshop has been accredited by TQI in 2025. Attendance provides 10 PD hours for ACT teachers.
The MiniLit Sage Bridging Course has been accredited by TQI in 2025. Attendance provides 5 PD hours for ACT teachers.