Bill Spence

DipTeach, BA, GradDipChildLit
Honorary Lecturer
Phone
+61 2 9351 6351
Fax
+61 2 9351 2606
Building/Room
Education Building A35 / 607
The University of Sydney
Bill Spence retired from his role as Lecturer, Teaching Focused, with Sydney School of Education and Social Work in 2022, where he taught in the Bachelor of Education and Master of Teaching programs.

He has a wealth of experience across a variety of education contexts and has taught in primary schools, TAFEs and at universities. He has been a primary school teacher in western Sydney and held a number of regional and state office positions with the NSW Department of Education and Training.
 
Bill has worked as a regional K–12 English consultant and a district literacy consultant and has managed the State Literacy Strategy and the implementation of the NSW Quality Teaching Framework. He is passionate about the role of quality literature in expanding students’ experiences and enriching their lives. 
  • Member, Foundation for Learning and Literacy, 2021–present
  • Member, Primary English Teaching Association (PETA), 1983–2016
  • Secretary, PETA, 2003–2006
  • President, PETA, 2000–2001
  • Member, Australian Literacy Educators Association, 1990–2000
  • President, Sydney West Association for Language and Literacy, 1994–1996 
  • Vice-President and Director of Professional Development, PETA, 1997–1999 
Books
  • Spence, B. (2004). Reading Aloud to Children. Sydney: Primary English Teaching Association.

Book chapters
  • Simpson, A. and Spence, B. (2021). "Poetry" In D. Thomas and A. Thomas, A. (Eds). Teaching and Learning Primary English. Melbourne: Oxford University Press.
  • Spence, B. (2006). “Designing challenging reading strategies for students in the middle years.” In Ewing, R. (Ed). Beyond the Reading Wars. Sydney: Primary English Teaching Association.
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