The Design Elements – Enabling Best Practice in Literacy Education

The brief for the Middle Years Literacy Research Project was to take the General Design for a Whole-School Approach to School Improvement (Hill & Crévola, 1997) as the starting point for advice to schools on literacy education in the middle years of schooling. This Design was used, along with materials elaborated in The Middle Years: A Guide for Strategic Action in Years 5-9 (DEET Victoria 1999), as a focus for data gathering and discussion in the research project, and also in professional development activity offered to schools. Each of the design elements for effective schooling was seen to be significantly enabling of effective literacy teaching and learning.

The table, ‘Design Elements and their Application to the Middle Years’ (adapted from Hill

& Crévola 1997) is used in The Middle Years: A Guide for Strategic Action in Years 5-9 (DEET Victoria 1999) to identify a General Focus and a Middle Years Focus for each of the nine design elements.

As part of this research project, an additional column titled Middle Years Literacy Focus.

was added to the table (see table below) This attempts to provide a ‘nutshell’ statement about literacy in the middle years aligned with each of the design elements. These statements, reinforced by the findings from all the elements of the research, can be used as a basis for discussion in education sectors and schools, and adopted or adapted as required to suit particular emphases and needs in middle years literacy education. A further column provides a 'checklist' of features that are essential if the middle years literacy focus for each design element is to be effective in improving the literacy and learning outcomes of students in the middle years of schooling.

MIDDLE YEARS LITERACY RESEARCH MAJOR REPORT APRIL 2001

Table 4: GENERAL DESIGN FOR A WHOLE-SCHOOL APPROACH TO EFFECTIVE SCHOOLING – A FOCUS ON LITERACY DESIGN

ELEMENT GENERAL

FEATURES MIDDLE YEARS

FOCUS MIDDLE YEARS

LITERACY FOCUS IMPLICATIONS FOR LITERACY TEACHING AND LEARNING Beliefs

and

Understandings

Teachers believe in their capacity to make a difference to the literacy and learning outcomes and achievements of every student in their care.

Teachers understand the developmental needs of young adolescents and appreciate the importance of engaging them in all aspects of their learning.

Teachers understand the relationship between literacy and learning and have high expectations for the literacy development of students in the middle years in all curriculum areas.

•=Teachers believe that, given the right conditions and support, all teachers can be teachers of literacy, and all students can achieve improved literacy and learning outcomes.

•=Teachers recognise the specific teaching and learning needs of students in the middle years and base literacy-focused teaching within a context of engaged and constructivist learning.

•=Teachers understand the literacy demands and learning expectations in each key learning area.

•=Teachers accept responsibility for teaching knowledge about language and curriculum literacies in all curriculum areas.

•=Teachers understand concepts such as multiple literacies and the need for students to develop a broad repertoire of literacy knowledge, skills and capabilities.

•=Teachers have ongoing opportunities to share beliefs and understandings and to extend knowledge and expertise as literacy educators.

Standards and Targets

Emphasis is placed on rigorous and realistic challenges for all students, and on persevering with those for whom there is evidence of under- achievement.

Given the wide range of student learning behaviours in Years 5-9, teachers aim to establish individual learning targets within CSF II.

Teachers understand the different literacy and learning needs and pathways of diverse groups of learners, and are committed to providing the scaffolding and support required for literacy progress and achievement in all curriculum areas.

•=Teachers are informed of school and system standards and targets for literacy education, and aware of the different needs and pathways of diverse groups of learners.

•=Teachers collect reliable and comprehensive baseline data on student literacy levels in order to monitor and assess student progress and achievement.

•=Teachers have a broad repertoire of literacy teaching practices and strategies for supporting students in meeting literacy standards and targets.

•=Teachers provide increased support for students ‘at risk’ of not meeting minimum literacy standards through additional assistance and individual learning plans.

MIDDLE YEARS LITERACY RESEARCH MAJOR REPORT APRIL 2001

DESIGN

ELEMENT GENERAL

FEATURES MIDDLE YEARS

FOCUS MIDDLE YEARS

LITERACY FOCUS IMPLICATIONS FOR LITERACY TEACHING AND LEARNING Monitoring

and

Assessment

Teachers

systematically check student achievement and provide regular progress reports with a view to facilitating the next phase of student learning.

Particular attention is paid to diversity in learning styles in order to ensure that all students experience success and meet learning outcomes in academic, creative and other pursuits.

Teachers collect information about students’ literacy development in all curriculum areas, and use this information to assess student progress and achievement and to inform curriculum, teaching and learning.

•=Teachers have opportunities to share understandings and expectations of student achievement, and to work towards consistency of teacher judgement.

•=Teachers collect data on students’ literacy development at the start of a teaching year or cycle to establish starting points for literacy teaching in key learning areas.

•=Teachers collect ongoing information that provides a balanced picture of students’ strengths and needs in literacy in reading, writing, listening, speaking and viewing. Teachers work with each other and with students to develop a language for talking about literacy development.

•=Teachers work with each other and with students to develop a language for talking about literacy and improvement in literacy and learning outcomes.

•=Teachers monitor students’ development in curriculum literacies and include literacy assessment criteria for assessment tasks in key learning areas.

•=Teachers cater for different learning styles in providing students with a variety of ways of demonstrating their learning.

•=Teachers involve students in developing appropriate assessment procedures that are authentic and purposeful.

•=Teachers provide ongoing opportunities for student reflection and self-/peer assessment of literacy and learning.

Classroom teaching strategies

Teachers draw on a repertoire of teaching and learning strategies to meet the identified needs of students at both individual and collective levels.

Democratic learning environments are created with a view to involving students in structured programs as well as decisions about curriculum, assessment and reporting.

Teachers create classroom learning environments that provide opportunities for students to develop a broad range of literacy capabilities, building on what students bring to learning, and the literacy demands and learning expectations of the curriculum.

•=Teachers embed literacy-focused teaching in engaged and constructivist learning through the CSF.

•= Teachers are equipped with a broad repertoire of literacy teaching practices that and strategies that cater for a diversity of literacy needs and an understanding of the purposes of each.

•=Teachers aim to extend students’ capabilities in reading, writing, listening, speaking and viewing, as well as in critical literacy and literacies associated with information and communications technologies.

•=Teachers ensure that students are informed of the literacy and learning requirements in each key learning area and connections to wider community contexts and purposes.

MIDDLE YEARS LITERACY RESEARCH MAJOR REPORT APRIL 2001

DESIGN

ELEMENT GENERAL

FEATURES MIDDLE YEARS

FOCUS MIDDLE YEARS

LITERACY FOCUS IMPLICATIONS FOR LITERACY TEACHING AND LEARNING

•= Teachers recognise the gap or mismatch between ‘school’ and ‘out-of-school’ literacies, value what students bring to learning and build on prior knowledge as a basis for new learning.

•= Teachers support students’ development as independent readers and writers of the texts in their key learning areas and in transferring literacy knowledge and skills to other learning contexts.

•= Teachers support students in developing a language to talk about texts and language, and about ways that texts are shaped to serve particular purposes and interests.

Professional learning teams

Working in small groups, teachers engage in high quality learning experiences that result in high-level impact on their work practices.

A multidisciplinary team plans, implements and evaluates a comprehensive series of learning experiences for a defined group of students.

Teachers work collaboratively in professional learning teams, with support from school organisation and structures, to enhance professional practice in literacy and to incorporate effective literacy teaching and learning in all curriculum areas.

•=Teachers plan collaboratively in teams to improve students’ literacy and learning outcomes in all curriculum areas.

•=Teachers share professional practice in literacy, and create teaching and learning environments that foster the literacy development of all students.

•=Teachers develop cohesive approaches to literacy teaching and learning across key learning areas based on similar approaches to classroom teaching, learning and assessment.

•=Teachers are professionally skilled and supported in addressing the literacy demands and learning expectations of the curriculum. through quality professional development tailored to their particular needs.

School and class organisation

Flexible approaches to the use of staff, facilities, time and other resources are established to maximise opportunities for effective learning and teaching.

Young adolescents feel safe, valued and part of a school community in which a culture of learning is demonstrated in multiple settings and contexts.

School and classroom organisation create learning environments that support teachers in their professional practice in literacy, and maximise opportunities for literacy-focused teaching and engaged learning in all curriculum areas.

•=Teachers have increased contact with groups of students and develop comprehensive knowledge of their literacy and learning needs in different key learning areas.

•=Teachers maximise opportunities within extended classtimes for literacy teaching and learning.

•=Teachers use flexible groupings of students to allow for both mixed ability and targeted literacy teaching to meet specific learning needs.

•=Teachers share professional practice and plan collaboratively to meet students’ literacy and learning needs with support from school organisation and timetable structures.

MIDDLE YEARS LITERACY RESEARCH MAJOR REPORT APRIL 2001

DESIGN

ELEMENT GENERAL

FEATURES MIDDLE YEARS

FOCUS MIDDLE YEARS

LITERACY FOCUS IMPLICATIONS FOR LITERACY TEACHING AND LEARNING Intervention

and special assistance

Targeted support for students who are not making satisfactory progress in their learning is provided in an integrated and holistic framework.

The nature, location, timing and other details associated with the provision of targeted support are negotiated with identified ‘at-risk’

young adolescents and those with additional learning needs.

Schools establish age- appropriate intervention and special assistance in literacy which is informed by the needs of adolescent learners, and linked to mainstream curriculum and assessment processes.

•= Teachers recognise the diverse literacy needs and learning pathways of students requiring increased support in meeting minimum literacy standards.

•= Teachers in all key learning areas provide increased scaffolding and support for students requiring additional assistance in meeting CSF outcomes.

•= Teachers work collaboratively with literacy specialists to provide ‘in class’ support teaching for individuals or groups of students requiring special assistance in meeting literacy demands and learning expectations in curriculum areas.

•= Teachers maintain ongoing contact with literacy specialists providing intervention and special assistance to ensure links with mainstream curriculum and assessment processes and CSF outcomes.

Home, school and community partnerships

Effective relationships are established between teachers, parents and community members in order to support and extend student learning.

Adults other than teachers are encouraged to participate in learning that generates benefits for young adolescents, the school and the community.

Schools recognise the role of home and community in supporting students in developing a broad repertoire of literacy capabilities, and work in partnership with

parents/caregivers to support the literacy development of all learners.

•= Teachers communicate with parents/caregivers about students’ literacy development in ways that are culturally and linguistically appropriate and inclusive.

•= Teachers communicate expectations of literacy development to parents/caregivers and families, and ways that they can give support.

•= Teachers to support parents/caregivers in extending students’ literacy practices at home and in the wider community.

•= Teachers pursue productive community partnerships that extend students’ literacy and learning opportunities.

•= Teachers keep parents/caregivers informed about student progress and achievement in literacy in each key learning area, focusing on positive events related to literacy development as well as on needs or concerns.

MIDDLE YEARS LITERACY RESEARCH MAJOR REPORT APRIL 2001

DESIGN

ELEMENT GENERAL

FEATURES MIDDLE YEARS

FOCUS MIDDLE YEARS

LITERACY FOCUS IMPLICATIONS FOR LITERACY TEACHING AND LEARNING Leadership

and

coordination

Executive staff led by example, while providing moral and practical support designed to achieve common and agreed goals and outcomes.

A coordinator of middle schooling is appointed to drive the process of redesigning the middle years and achieve improved learning outcomes for all adolescents, supported by a professional learning team.

Schools provide active leadership and co-ordination which establishes clear roles and responsibilities in literacy education, sets clear directions and targets, and supports all staff in developing the specific knowledge, skills and strategies required for effective literacy teaching and learning.

•= Teachers plan for literacy and learning with support from literacy-informed leadership and coordination, school literacy policies and school literacy plans.

•= Teachers are supported in developing shared knowledge and understandings of the educational needs of adolescent learners and of the literacy demands and learning expectations of curriculum areas.

•= Teachers are given access to ongoing professional development in literacy tailored to specific roles and needs in different key learning areas.

•= Teachers have clear roles, responsibilities and expectations regarding teaching knowledge about language and curriculum literacies in each key learning area.

•= Teachers are kept informed about literacy education through appointment of key personnel with literacy responsibilities and through a raising of the profile and status of literacy education within the school community.

•= Teachers are provided with opportunities to share professional practice in literacy and to evaluate outcomes in all curriculum areas.

•= Teachers are encouraged to share success and achievements in literacy education.

In document Major Report on the Middle Years Literacy Research Project (Page 98-104)