Inquiring into the effectiveness of literacy teaching

The importance of developing personal critical consciousness (if leaders are to challenge the status quo for Māori learners and whānau in Aotearoa). the role of PLD in school-wide communities of practice, and the role of the literacy leader.

Kaiako supports students working in the classroom.

About this resource

This resource discusses Te Hurihanganui - Te Ira Tangata principle, emphasising the responsibility of educators to be critically aware of themselves and their students to achieve effective teaching and culturally sustaining relationships. This resource also discusses the importance of professional learning communities and inquiries to address inequitable outcomes in education, particularly in literacy, and highlights the significance of ākonga agency in the learning process.

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Inquiring into the effectiveness of literacy teaching

Introduction
Years 1-3
Years 4-6
Year 7-8
Years 9-10

Every person is a taonga: born of greatness and full of inner potential. This brings with it the responsibility to be critically aware of ourselves, our world, and each other.

Te Hurihanganui - Te Ira Tangata principle

This statement is a reminder to kaiako that every ākonga deserves effective teaching, high expectations and culturally sustaining relationships. It is also a reminder that, to achieve this, kaiako need to continually strive to be critically aware of themselves and their ākonga. Berryman (2018) identifies the need for kaiako to be critically conscious of the impact of colonisation on school leadership, systems, and their own practices. There is an overwhelming body of evidence and research about how and why schools and kaiako fail to respect the strengths or meet the needs and aspirations of ākonga Māori (Berryman, 2019). Principals, other school leaders and kaiako need to challenge deeply embedded beliefs and attitudes to the normalised, Euro-centric discourse about what works for ākonga in education, since this has been proven to fail a significant number of ākonga, particularly Māori and Pacific learners.

The development of personal critical consciousness is imperative if leaders are genuinely committed to challenging the status quo for Māori learners and whānau in Aotearoa. As Mason Durie (2006) says: “The challenge for those who provide whānau support is to shift from a paradigm of deficit and risk to one of potential and discovery.”

Despite the establishment of teacher inquiry and school professional learning communities, the issue of inequitable outcomes in relation to ākonga engagement, success, and sense of belonging and wellbeing remains. It is unclear whether this is because not all schools operate as professional learning communities or because their priorities for inquiry do not focus on challenging the status quo.

Narratives by young people about their experiences at school continue to indicate that the system is not delivering for all ākonga, as evidenced in the Children’s Commissioner’s report Education Matters to Me: Key Insights.

The principal, other school leaders, and kaiako must take responsibility for delivering an equitable and excellent education and for growing the knowledge and capability of their organisation to deliver such an education. This process starts with school leaders and kaiako exploring their own assumptions and practices. They need to question their own and others’ beliefs in the light of the narratives of ākonga and the degree to which ākonga experience success at school.

Communities of practice

Six Kaiako sit at the table smiling at the camera.

Often, schools receive professional learning development (PLD) to address apparent inadequacies in literacy knowledge and skills for their kaiako. Evidence suggests that opportunities to participate in a professional community of practice are more important than the location of the training (i.e., whether it is school-based or outside the school).

In research, professional learning development programmes involving core literacy studies were based both within the school and outside it. Nearly all included participation in some kind of community of practice, but such participation on its own was not associated with change.

The communities of practice that were most effective in bringing about change were those that provided teachers with opportunities to process new understandings and challenge problematic beliefs. Their focus was on analysing the impact of teaching on ākonga learning (Timperley et al. 2007).

Such communities of practice also require school leaders and kaiako to review and reflect on:

the quality of culturally responsive relationships
the extent to which adaptive expertise is driving deliberate and effective teaching, policy and practice
the extent and effectiveness of home, school and community collaborations.

The impact of such inquiries on the literacy knowledge and expertise of kaiako can provide a powerful incentive for change in the school community. However, a focus on the classroom as the core nexus of change is not enough. It is essential to also address the core business of schools and to position the principal and other senior leaders as instructional leaders (or leaders of learning) in their schools.

When kaiako are members of a professional community of inquiry, in which they are acknowledged, supported, and challenged, and where they feel it is safe to take risks and share information, they can review and modify their teaching practice so that it makes a real difference to ākonga.

The effectiveness of classroom literacy programmes is greatly increased when the teachers form a professional learning community in the school. This engages teachers in a shared process of enquiry to improve the effectiveness of their teaching practice.
An inquiry must involve active learning by the kaiako, including professional reading, discussion and action research with a focus on a specific aspect of practice to improve particular outcomes for learners. The focus of the dialogue shifts from a deficit view of the underachievement of identified groups of ākonga to one that acknowledges their strengths and creates a thriving learning environment for all.

Key aspects of an effective school-wide community of inquiry include:

understanding that effective literacy practice is linked to effective teaching practice across all learning areas and the development of emotionally safe learning environments
commitment by the principal and other school leaders to the inquiry process and to leading the development of school-wide goals for improved ākonga outcomes, along with systems for reviewing them
establishing goals for kaiako and leader appraisals that are linked to culturally sustaining relationships and pedagogies
leading collaborative analysis of quantitative and qualitative information on ākonga learning to help set individual goals for kaiako
establishing a literacy leadership position in the school for a kaiako who is a skilled literacy practitioner and has coaching skills.

Role of the literacy leader

The role of the literacy leader includes:

observing kaiako practice at least once a term and holding learning conversations to support the next steps in bringing about change
recognising the assumptions and beliefs underpinning teaching practice and challenging kaiako without alienating them
being deliberate, explicit and specific when working with kaiako
selecting readings and arranging discussions specifically related to kaiako needs
working effectively with kaiako who are finding it difficult to change their practice, respecting their differing perspectives while insisting on ākonga needs as a priority
recognising that sustaining change requires ongoing inquiry and checking in on kaiako pedagogical content knowledge as well as their adaptive expertise in teaching.

School leaders and kaiako need to understand the changes in the New Zealand Curriculum refresh and the implications for leadership and teaching in general, and for their work at particular phases of learning.

The curriculum is designed to be cumulative across five phases of learning: years 1–3,
4–6, 7–8, 9–10, and 11–13. Leaders and teachers need to know the expectations before and beyond the learning phase they are working in. Each phase includes progress outcomes that describe what ākonga should understand, know and be able to do at that phase. Mātauranga Māori sits at the heart of the curriculum, with key competencies, literacy and numeracy explicitly woven into each learning area.

Four children interacting at a table writing and sharing ideas.

In years 4–6, ākonga increasingly need to use their reading and writing skills to access subject knowledge across the curriculum. They may still be developing their word processing skills and knowledge of text structure and vocabulary.

Kaiako need to have a good understanding of the reading and writing aspects as described by the Learning Progression Frameworks, as well as the strengths and needs of ākonga and their whānau. They also need to know what’s key in planning and teaching for equitable outcomes at this learning phase. All this information will inform their investigations and inquiries, which will begin with where ākonga are up to in their learning and the expectations for them in years 4–6. Developing such a picture of ākonga progress requires a good understanding of what qualitative and quantitative information to generate from assessment, and how to use it.

Working together, kaiako should scan their school’s learning environment to identify factors that may inhibit or enhance learning for ākonga. The information gathered will help them develop a set of questions to guide their investigations and inquiries.

Examples of such questions that typically arise for years 4–6 are:

What do learning stories and achievement data from years 1–3 say about ākonga strengths, interests and needs in reading, writing, speaking and listening?
What information is there from whānau about their children’s learning experiences and feelings of success?
What languages do ākonga use and what are their literacy strengths in those languages?
What has been observed about ākonga literacy behaviours across a variety of contexts, including play (e.g., relating to others through conversation), independent activities, and guided teaching experiences in different learning areas?
What has been observed about particular key competencies for ākonga in a range of contexts (e.g., managing self, participating and contributing, and thinking)?
What further information do we need to gather about the knowledge, skills, and literacy needs of identified ākonga? What assessments will best provide this information?
What school supports are available for interventions, including those focused on changes in practice by kaiako?
How will kaiako and whānau know an intervention or change in teaching practice has led to successful literacy outcomes for ākonga while maintaining their mana in their language, culture and identity?

Gathering information and selecting questions to focus on can take up to two months. How kaiako and school leaders go about this and deciding on how to respond should be guided by an evidence-based inquiry approach.

Spirals of inquiry

A spiral of inquiry is one of a number of inquiry models that school leaders and kaiako can use to monitor the impact of their teaching and any professional learning they are involved in. Spirals of inquiry promote a collaborative approach that keeps ākonga progress at the centre. This model builds on the principles set out in the Teacher Professional Learning and Development: Best Evidence Synthesis Iteration.

The case study Using Spirals of Inquiry to transform practice and raise literacy levels for boys is a good example of the use of a spiral of inquiry to improve literacy teaching and learning.

Kaiako works with four ākonga on a science experiment.

Ākonga agency becomes significantly more important during this phase. Ākonga are very aware of how well the school is meeting their needs and enhancing their wellbeing, and this means that their input into the review of teaching and learning is essential. Reflection and self-awareness by kaiako are also crucial. They help to create an environment where feedback is welcomed and leads to improved relationships for learning and more effective pedagogy.

Kaiako need to have a good understanding of the reading and writing aspects as described by the Learning Progression Frameworks, as well as knowing the strengths and needs of ākonga and their whānau. They also need to know what’s key in planning and teaching for equitable outcomes at this learning phase. All this information will inform their investigations and inquiries, which will begin with where ākonga are up to in their learning and the expectations for them in years 7–8. Developing such a picture of ākonga progress requires a good understanding of what qualitative and quantitative information to generate from assessment, and how to use it.

Examples of such questions that typically arise for years 7–8 are:

What do portfolios of learning and achievement data from years 4–6 say about ākonga strengths, interests and needs in literacy for meeting the demands of the curriculum?
What information is there from whānau about their children’s learning experiences and feelings of success?
What languages do ākonga use and what are their literacy strengths in those languages?
What has been observed about how well ākonga apply literacy strategies and knowledge in a variety of contexts (e.g., social and learning interactions with peers, competing tasks and responding to feedback independently, and guided teaching sessions across all learning areas)?
What do ākonga say about their strengths, needs and interests in different learning areas and the competencies of managing self and participating and contributing (in class and with peers)?
What school supports are available for interventions, including those focused on changes in practice by kaiako?
How will kaiako and whānau know an intervention or change in teaching practice has led to successful literacy outcomes for ākonga while maintaining their mana in their language, culture and identity?

Spirals of inquiry

A spiral of inquiry is one of a number of inquiry models that school leaders and kaiako can use to monitor the impact of their teaching and any professional learning they are involved in. Spirals of inquiry promote a collaborative approach that keeps ākonga progress at the centre. This model builds on the principles set out in the Teacher Professional Learning and Development: Best Evidence Synthesis Iteration.

The case study Using Spirals of Inquiry to transform teacher practice and increase student agency: Improving writing is a good example of the use of a spiral of inquiry to improve literacy teaching and learning.

Kaiako and ākonga sit in the school library smiling at the camera.

As ākonga commonly navigate their way through a new learning environment at year 9, their learning strengths and experiences may not always be evident to kaiako. This may be the most important issue for kaiako to reflect on at this stage. Ākonga agency becomes significantly more important during this phase. Ākonga are very aware of how well the school is meeting their needs and enhancing their wellbeing. Often by the end of year 10, their engagement in learning will have dropped.

From year 9 onwards, ākonga motivation and social and emotional skills make a major contribution to their achievement. Observation of these, along with information from whānau and from previous schools, helps to inform the reflection and review process.

Ākonga input into the review of teaching and learning is essential. Reflection and self-awareness by kaiako are also crucial. They help to create an environment where feedback is welcomed and leads to improved relationships for learning and more effective pedagogy.

Changes in a secondary school’s structure may be required to enable kaiako from all subject areas to understand and support the literacy learning needs of ākonga and the literacy teaching required by kaiako within particular year groups. The Learning Progression Frameworks provide important information with regard to these learning needs.

Kaiako need knowledge of the aspects of reading and writing that are specific to their subject areas. Aspects of collaborative reasoning (argumentation) and critical literacy become even more important at this phase, in addition to the development of high-level subject-specific literacy skills.

Examples of such questions that typically arise for years 9–10 are:

What do portfolios of learning and achievement data from years 7–8 say about ākonga strengths, interests, and needs in literacy for meeting the demands of the curriculum?
What information is there from whānau about their children’s learning experiences, feelings of success, and possible risks to their wellbeing in a new learning environment?
What do ākonga say about their strengths, needs and interests in different learning areas and the competencies of managing self and participating and contributing (in class and with peers)?
What has been observed about how well ākonga apply literacy strategies and knowledge in a variety of contexts (e.g., social and learning interactions with peers, competing tasks and responding to feedback independently, and guided teaching sessions across all learning areas)?
What school supports are available for interventions, including those focused on changes in practice by kaiako?
How will kaiako and whānau know an intervention or change in teaching practice has led to successful literacy outcomes for ākonga while maintaining their mana in their language, culture and identity?

Spirals of inquiry

A spiral of inquiry is one of a number of inquiry models that school leaders and kaiako can use to monitor the impact of their teaching and any professional learning they are involved in. Spirals of inquiry promote a collaborative approach that keeps ākonga progress at the centre. This model builds on the principles set out in the Teacher Professional Learning and Development: Best Evidence Synthesis Iteration.

The case study Secondary school leaders recognise the power of learner agency is a good example of the use of a spiral of inquiry to improve literacy teaching and learning.

References

Berryman, M. (2018). Poutama Pounamu – Equity, excellence and belonging. Hamilton: The University of Waikato Te Whare Wānanga o Waikato.

Berryman, M. et al. (2019). Te Hurihanganui: A Blueprint for Transformative System Shift. Wellington: Ministry of Education.

Durie, M. (2006). Whānau, Education, and Māori Potential. Palmerston North: Massey University, Secondary Futures Families Commission.

Office of the Children’s Commissioner (2018). Education Matters to Me: Key Insights. Wellington: Office of the Children’s Commissioner.

Penton, R., Glenn, J., English, C., et al (2004). Effective Literacy Strategies in years 9 to 13: A guide for teachers. Wellington: Learning Media.

Timperly, H., Wilson, A., Barrar, H., & Fung, I. (2007). Teacher Professional Learning and Development: Best Evidence Synthesis Iteration (BES). Wellington: Ministry of Education.

Timperley, H., Kaser, L., & Halbert, J. (2014) A Framework for Transforming Learning in Schools: Innovation and the Spiral of Inquiry. Melbourne: Centre for Strategic Education.