1. www.acer.edu.au Literacy and Numeracy Development for Indigenous Students: A Longitudinal Study Improving Learning Nola Purdie

2. www.acer.edu.au Aims Assess English literacy and numeracy skills Measure growth in skills over time Explore learning environments and relationships with literacy and numeracy development Assess English literacy and numeracy skills Measure growth in skills over time Explore learning environments and relationships with literacy and numeracy development

3. www.acer.edu.au Longitudinal (2000 – 2004  ) Qualitative and quantitative data Indigenous research team Study Features

4. www.acer.edu.au Acknowledgements Tracey Frigo Isabelle Adams Paul Hughes Maria Stephens Davina Woods Matthew Corrigan Ken Rowe Cathy Underwood Kathy Nolan

5. www.acer.edu.au The Study l 13 schools in 2000 (4 metro, 5 regional, 4 remote) –10 more schools in 2003 –2 more schools in 2004 (urban, all Indigenous) l Quantitative data –English literacy and numeracy assessments –Student background information –Teacher questionnaire l Qualitative data –Field visits by Indigenous research team –Questionnaires, interviews, school documentation, observation l 13 schools in 2000 (4 metro, 5 regional, 4 remote) –10 more schools in 2003 –2 more schools in 2004 (urban, all Indigenous) l Quantitative data –English literacy and numeracy assessments –Student background information –Teacher questionnaire l Qualitative data –Field visits by Indigenous research team –Questionnaires, interviews, school documentation, observation

6. www.acer.edu.au English Literacy Achievement Ass. 1Ass. 2Ass. 3Ass. 4Ass. 5 LLANS47.460.466.477.285.5 ILLANS48.855.259.964.374.1 N (LLANS)911795744698648 N (ILLANS11371638982

7. www.acer.edu.au Numeracy Achievement Ass. 1Ass. 2Ass. 3Ass. 4Ass. 5 LLANS44.762.262.671.579.0 ILLANS49.262.067.670.268.9 N (LLANS)911798747697650 N (ILLANS11773638684

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10. School x

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12. Factors relating to growth l School factors l Location l Teachers’ ratings of student achievement (compared with peer ratings and ‘official’ results) l School factors l Location l Teachers’ ratings of student achievement (compared with peer ratings and ‘official’ results)

13. www.acer.edu.au Student factors relating to growth l Initial Achievement l Absenteeism l Attentiveness l Language Background l Initial Achievement l Absenteeism l Attentiveness l Language Background

14. www.acer.edu.au Factors NOT related to achievement l Parents’ occupational status l Gender l Age l Pre-school attendance l Mobility l Parents’ occupational status l Gender l Age l Pre-school attendance l Mobility

15. www.acer.edu.au Case Studies Focus on: l School learning contexts l Classroom practices Focus on: l School learning contexts l Classroom practices

16. www.acer.edu.au Case Study Themes: The School Recognition and celebration of Indigenous cultures Literacy and numeracy programs Other programs and initiatives School-community partnerships Parent friendly Recognition and celebration of Indigenous cultures Literacy and numeracy programs Other programs and initiatives School-community partnerships Parent friendly

17. www.acer.edu.au Recognition and celebration of Indigenous cultures School-wide recognition and celebration of Indigenous cultures and languages was viewed positively by the Indigenous community and facilitated positive school- community relationships

18. www.acer.edu.au Literacy Programs Most common: First Steps, Walking Talking Texts and the Scaffolding Literacy Program Other programs and literacy resources : Early Years Literacy Program, State-Wide Early Literacy Learning, Koorie Literacy Links, Spalding and Reading Recovery ESL teachers and teaching strategies featured in many of the schools, particularly those in more remote locations Most common: First Steps, Walking Talking Texts and the Scaffolding Literacy Program Other programs and literacy resources : Early Years Literacy Program, State-Wide Early Literacy Learning, Koorie Literacy Links, Spalding and Reading Recovery ESL teachers and teaching strategies featured in many of the schools, particularly those in more remote locations

19. www.acer.edu.au Teacher, on Scaffolding Literacy Looking at the school results, it’s had a big impact on children’s confidence to read, and some kids who couldn’t read like “Yuk Soup’ and Transition books like that now read Paul Jennings books. Having said that, they haven’t has such successful transfer rates. They can’t pick up an unseen text and read it without no hiccups and inaccuracies, but they’ve got the confidence to at least have a go and read, so I think that’s the best thing about scaffolding [is] the confidence it’s building.

20. www.acer.edu.au AIEW, on Scaffolding Literacy I’ve seen some positive feedback with kids that hadn’t been attending much – and now they’re coming five days a week. [The students] have an understanding quicker than if a teacher uses all different systems of teaching… you see great leaps from the kids who’s not reading at Year 1 level now in Year 2…I think what matters the most is their attendance… if they get to school on a regular basis, the chances of reading are great

21. www.acer.edu.au Numeracy Numeracy programs State curriculum programs Count Me In Too Lots of hands on Numeracy programs State curriculum programs Count Me In Too Lots of hands on

22. www.acer.edu.au Other programs and initiatives Pre-schools Health Room Behaviour management Pre-schools Health Room Behaviour management

23. www.acer.edu.au School-community partnerships ASSPA Committees Visiting Indigenous speakers/ elders/parents Employment of Indigenous people Schools going out to communities ASSPA Committees Visiting Indigenous speakers/ elders/parents Employment of Indigenous people Schools going out to communities

24. www.acer.edu.au l The Principal’s office is used as a workplace – nothing more, nothing less. I don’t interview parents in there, I don’t interview kids in there, because I think we need to realise that a lot of the parents have particular hang-ups about Principals’ offices, from when they went to school themselves, as places of authority and places of pain…it puts me at an unfair advantage to be asking the parent to come in there because the chances are that they work themselves up into a pretty fair frenzy to even come up to the school. [Principal] Parent friendly schools

25. www.acer.edu.au l There is a lack of what we know as involvement in education and the school… the things like coming up to the school, coming into the classrooms, collecting reports, turning up for events you know those kind of thing that we see as being involved…teacher things you know [but] I know if I go down to the club, a lot of the parents of my own class will come to me and talk to me. How's my little son going at school? And they really want to know, but they won't do that anywhere else. [Teacher]

26. www.acer.edu.au Case Study Themes: The Classroom Classroom structure Recognising culture Supporting language Pedagogical practice Literacy teaching strategies Numeracy teaching strategies Assessment and recognising achievement Collaborating with AIEWs Teacher attitudes and beliefs Classroom structure Recognising culture Supporting language Pedagogical practice Literacy teaching strategies Numeracy teaching strategies Assessment and recognising achievement Collaborating with AIEWs Teacher attitudes and beliefs

27. www.acer.edu.au In the classrooms Classroom structure Recognising culture Supporting language Pedagogical practice Literacy teaching strategies Numeracy teaching strategies Assessment and recognising achievement Collaborating with AIEWs Teacher attitudes and beliefs Classroom structure Recognising culture Supporting language Pedagogical practice Literacy teaching strategies Numeracy teaching strategies Assessment and recognising achievement Collaborating with AIEWs Teacher attitudes and beliefs

28. www.acer.edu.au Enabling Learning Environments Enabling factors Strong leadership A shared vision Quality teachers Learner-centred teaching High expectations Enabling factors Strong leadership A shared vision Quality teachers Learner-centred teaching High expectations

29. www.acer.edu.au Factors that militate against success  The attitude of staff in the staffroom was generally one of not wanting to be there…some conveyed that they were middle class and generally gave the impression that this was just a job that they had to have  There was a core group of community people who came into the school on a regular basis, and were paid with special funding. However a number of the teachers were critical of the community members and indicated that they felt it would be better if they didn’t come.  She [teacher] made a tasteless comment about Aboriginal families…  The Deputy said that Aboriginal people, if disadvantaged, are only disadvantaged because they are too lazy to get to school.  The attitude of staff in the staffroom was generally one of not wanting to be there…some conveyed that they were middle class and generally gave the impression that this was just a job that they had to have  There was a core group of community people who came into the school on a regular basis, and were paid with special funding. However a number of the teachers were critical of the community members and indicated that they felt it would be better if they didn’t come.  She [teacher] made a tasteless comment about Aboriginal families…  The Deputy said that Aboriginal people, if disadvantaged, are only disadvantaged because they are too lazy to get to school.

30. www.acer.edu.au Good teachers Early intervention