This book presents cutting edge theoretical research embedded in classroom practice and it is written to be accessible for practitioners as well as researchers, building up pedagogic, linguistic and social theory in steps, contextualized within teaching practice. The pedagogies described are used in all educational contexts, from primary through secondary to academic study, TESOL and vocational education. The literacy theories presented here – genre- based approaches to teaching writing -- have been developed in the ‘Sydney School’ over the past 25 years and are a unique collaboration between SFL language research and literacy educators. They share elements with current neo-Vygotskyan theory and Berstein’s theory of pedagogic discourse but have developed in the contact of large scale, long term action research. The volume also presents scaffolding methodologies for teaching reading and writing, drawing on applications and research being currently being delivered in in- service teacher training programs throughout Australia and internationally.