Leading reading improvements through professional learning

ABSTRACT

This article discusses the impact of a professional learning activity called the Principals as Literacy Leaders (PALL) program on the strategies used by primary school leaders to support teacher professional learning with the view of assisting students to become more able readers. It uses data collected from participants in the PALL program, together with case study data collected from school leaders and teachers in seven schools, to analyze the actions taken by school leaders to improve teaching practices through professional learning. The study showed that school leaders felt more capable in their ability to lead their schools after completing the PALL program and that strategic professional learning activity led to improved teaching practices and higher levels of student engagement and achievement in reading. It showed that leaders used elements of the Leadership for Learning approach as key activities for supporting professional learning.

Acknowledgments

The authors thank both organizations for their support.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Additional information

Funding

The data discussed in this article are from a larger research project funded by the Tasmanian Department of Education and managed by the Griffith Institute for Educational Research at Griffith University.

Notes on contributors

Tony Townsend

Tony Townsend is currently an adjunct Professor at both Griffith University in Queensland and the University of Tasmania. He has worked in universities in the United States and Scotland and has consulted or presented in more than 60 countries.

Anne Bayetto

Anne Bayetto is a Lecturer in Inclusive and Specialised Education, with a focus on literacy and numeracy, at Flinders University. For the past five years Tony and Anne have worked together through the Principals as Literacy Leaders (PALL) program, which has been offered to more than 1500 school leaders in all states of Australia. More recently they have worked on the Middle Years Literacy and Numeracy Support project with the Victorian Department of Education.