Professional advice and support – literacy

Outline | School Support Literacy Advisers | RT:Lit | LDO | Literacy PD Project | AtoL | HSP | Reading Recovery | Curriculum Update 55 | Speech language therapists | Professional Learning

Literacy support available to schools

See this map for Literacy support contact details.

The aim of the Literacy Strategy is to raise student achievement in literacy. A range of support and development initiatives are currently in place to assist schools ensure that the literacy needs of all students can be met. A major emphasis of the strategy is on improving teachers' first practice in the classroom.

"It is what teachers actually do, moment by moment in their classrooms, that makes a difference to student achievement." – Effective Literacy Practice in Years 1–4 MOE 2003

The strategy also emphasises that specific interventions for students with clearly identified needs beyond the classroom should be timely, appropriate, and backed up by the classroom programme.

The following outlines the literacy support available to schools.

School Support Literacy Advisers

Provide flexible professional support and guidance for teachers and principals aimed at meeting identified needs of classroom teachers in literacy. Their main focus is on classroom practice. They run workshops and provide in-class modelling on aspects of effective literacy practice for all students including Māori, Pasifika, and NESB students in the mainstream. For example, they can help to select a "pathway" of texts to meet the instructional needs of specific children. They support teachers in primary and secondary schools as they develop a literacy plan, adopt new practices, and gain a deeper understanding of specific strategies.

Contact your local College of Education for this service.

Resource Teachers: Literacy (RT:Lits)

Specialist literacy support targeting 'at risk' students and their teachers. 108 RT:Lits are school based nationwide.

Resource Teachers of Literacy (RT:Lits) each work with a cluster of schools to support the principals and literacy leaders to monitor and maintain effective practice. They provide general advice and support, including advice about interventions to meet the needs of specific students.

They also provide expert tuition for a small group of students from each cluster school.

See also Resource Teachers: Literacy Procedures and Guidelines.

Literacy Development Officers (LDOs)

A recently established initiative developed to strengthen literacy teaching in years 1–8. The key role will be to assist schools to analyse literacy data, review literacy goals and plans and broker the provision of targeted professional support. Funds may be available on a case by case basis to enable schools to access appropriate support. (Funds redirected from disestablished Reading, Writing & Mathematics Proposals Pool.) For further information, go to http://www.tki.org.nz/r/literacy_numeracy/lit_dev_officer_e.php

Literacy Professional Development Project

New national contract replaces Literacy Leadership (see evaluation) and provides whole school professional development in literacy to primary and intermediate schools. Learning Media will deliver the contract on behalf of the Ministry of Education. Further details are available in the newsletter. Available by application: contact Lyn Bareta at lyn@learningmedia.co.nz.

Evaluation of the Literacy Leadership Initiative: The Enhancement Programme 2001
The Literacy Leadership initiative was established in 2000 as part of the Ministry of Education's Literacy and Numeracy Strategy. The Enhancement Programme comprised professional development and support from a facilitator for principals and leading teachers of literacy to review their current literacy practices, and plan, implement and review a classroom initiative related to a goal for literacy improvement. This evaluation looked at evidence for student achievement in literacy as a result of the programme; necessary conditions for programme success; and school-based structures and processes supporting sustainable literacy improvement.
http://www.minedu.govt.nz/index.cfm?layout=document&documentid=9179&data=l

Assess To Learn (AToL) Advisers

Assessment advisers supporting teachers to improve their assessment practices across the curriculum. Available through a range of providers on contract to the Ministry of Education. See the Assessment kete at http://www.tki.org.nz/e/community/assessment/ for details.

Home–School Partnership

The Home–School Partnership programme is part of the Government's national Literacy and Numeracy Strategy

Reading Recovery Tutors

Based in Reading Recovery Centres around New Zealand, Reading Recovery Tutors provide schools with both Reading Recovery teacher training and ongoing support for previously trained Reading Recovery teachers.

Information about Reading Recovery Tutor services, including teacher training and Reading Recovery in general, is available on http://www.readingrecovery.ac.nz.

Acess this link to find the details of the Reading Recovery Tutor in your area.

Reading Recovery

Resource Teachers of Learning Behaviours (RTLBs)

Available to assist literacy specialists in schools. For further enquiries, principals should contact their local Ministry of Education office.

Curriculum Update 55

This Curriculum Update focuses on literacy in English and on the literacy aspect of the Literacy and Numeracy Strategy.
http://www.tki.org.nz/r/governance/curric_updates/curr_update55_e.php

Speech Language Therapists

Professional Learning

Visit Professional Learning for information about centrally-funded professional learning programmes and opportunities available during 2005 for New Zealand schools, services, teachers, and educators.
http://www.tki.org.nz/r/governance/prof_learn