Did you see the latest Grattan report? It states that about 1/3 of Australian students are falling below reading proficiency standards. It means reading isn’t sticking for these students.
But before your team makes a move, there’s 3 actions to take, first.
These 3 actions can improve student literacy – and improve mathematics, science, wellbeing literacy, or anything you think is vital for student success.
These 3 actions can even boost your impact and save your team money, too.
To find out what they are and strengthen great teaching across your school, Click here.
1. FOCUS ON THE GOOD. MOVE TO THE GREAT.
2/3 of students in Australia are reading well.
Can we please write an article thanking the teachers, schools, reading experts, families, and communities who’ve worked to make this happen?
It’s very hard to move from good teaching to great teaching if a teaching team’s work is always framed in deficits.
The truth is, lots of good work is taking place. Celebrate what’s working. Often.
Then go to the next level.
2. INVEST IN THIS FIRST
Before you start reading, embed a school-wide approach to teaching and learning that helps make learning stick for everyone. And that everyone knows how to use it.
Invest in that work first.
With this foundation embedded across the school, when new information comes to you (in this case, possible new reading initiatives ) you’ll be able to use it – rather than be distracted and stressed out by it.
3. REMEMBER: STRATEGIES ARE IN SERVE OF MAKING LEARNING STICK FOR EVERYONE
I was in a wonderful teacher’s classroom who was using new reading strategies she had learned.
The challenge was she didn’t know what made learning stick for everyone.
She had great tools. But she was missing the system needed to ensure those tools reached all of her students.
A strategy is just a tool. When your school has a school-wide approach, everyone will know how to use those tools – in order to make learning stick.
I’m guessing new reading strategies will be rolled out or strengthened. But the question is → how are these strategies being used to make learning stick for everyone?
There’s a system to put into place first. It can be used to make learning stick. For everyone.
Right now it’s reading. What initiative will be next? Get the system in place first. Then you’re set up for whatever comes next.
Thank you ALWAYS for the work you do!
William
