Seminar I Disciplinary Literacy and a Whole School Approach to Language-based Pedagogy

"Young people who leave school without good literacy skills are held back at every stage of life" (Education Endowment Foundation (EEF), 2021:2).  The EEF adds that literacy skills are essential for achievement and successful outcomes for all learners. However, improving literacy for all learners is still one of the greatest challenges for schools. Improvements in literacy are particularly challenging for English as additional language (EAL) learners or learners from under resourced contexts.

In this paper, I present findings from studies that were undertaken across four Australian educational sites marked by socio-economic disadvantage and/or high EAL numbers. In each school, professional development (PD) focusing on a whole school approach to language-based pedagogy was implemented. The PD was underpinned by language-based pedagogy informed by systemic functional linguistic (SFL) and the teaching and learning cycle. A range of data were collected including interviews with teachers and the senior leadership team, student texts, standardized exam results, and field notes.

In the presentation, I share the literacy outcomes at the schools and on the positive impact language-based pedagogy had on teachers and learners in the schools. The findings demonstrate the value of a whole school approach to language and literacy and provide a model that could be adopted in other contexts.

Reference

Education Endowment Fund (2021) Improving Literacy in Secondary Schools: Guidance Report. Improving Literacy in Secondary Schools | EEF (educationendowmentfoundation.org.uk) retrieved 12 March 2024