Effective Literacy Strategies in Years 9–13 is a professional learning
programme for all secondary school teachers in all subjects, that focuses
on literacy and literacy strategies, teaching and learning, and professional
learning that is sustained over time. The programme encourages teachers
to think about their own professional learning and how to build on and
sustain it both as independent learners and as members of a professional
learning community.
The materials encompassed in this learning programme include guides
for the facilitator of the programme in the school, the school's
literacy team, and the participating teachers. The guide for
the facilitator and the guide for the literacy team are provided in a
ringbinder folder; the guide for the teachers is provided in a spiral-bound book.
The materials are not being sent automatically to all secondary schools
because they are a learning programme rather than a stand-alone resource
of literacy strategies. Secondary schools that wish to access the materials
may do so through literacy advisers, or private literacy consultants who
have been trained in the use of the materials, and discuss the school's
request for the learning programme.
Secondary Schools’ Literacy Initiative (SSLI) Summary of Key Findings
This report provides a summary of the key findings of the research evaluation of the Secondary Schools’ Literacy Initiative (SSLI), 2003-2005.
The research evaluation focused on three key areas of analysis:
the effectiveness of language and literacy strategies implemented by individual schools involved in the SSLI;
the relationship between these strategies to wider issues of school change and school reform; and
student literacy achievement outcomes associated with the SSLI intervention
A key theme that emerged over the course of the SSLI research evaluation was the issue of ‘school readiness’ – that is, the degree to which schools were able to implement a whole school literacy approach effectively, and the associated changes to school structure, culture and practice that these entailed.
Three key phases of school readiness, and their associated characteristics, were identified in the research:
Phase 2: Consolidating effective literacy practices; and
Phase 3: Sustaining Effective literacy practices
It may take schools a minimum of three to five years to reach Phase 3, where significant changes to teacher practice and student outcomes are beginning to occur across the school.
The purpose of the Effective Literacy Strategies: Pasifika Focus (ELS: Pasifika) professional development programme was to pilot approaches and inform the Ministry of Education about effective ways of working with Pasifika students in secondary school literacy settings. The programme was piloted in 20 secondary schools, 15 in Auckland and five in Wellington.
An independent evaluation of the pilot focused on five case-study schools. The evaluation has provided useful information to inform further initiatives designed to increase effective literacy teaching and learning in secondary schools, especially those with high numbers of Pasifika students. This information is also of use to schools and so the Ministry is making it available in the document Summary of Findings from the Effective Literacy Strategies: Pasifika Focus Project Evaluation.
Summary of Findings from the Effective Literacy Strategies: Pasifika Focus Project Evaluation (PDF 193KB).
