Getting it Right - Literacy and Numeracy Strategy

Strategy
The Getting it Right literacy and numeracy strategy is a State government commitment providing for the training and placement of specialist teachers in selected primary and district high schools to support classroom teachers. They assist in diagnosing the needs of students who are struggling and provide programs that meet their needs. With over 200 specialist teachers appointed, Getting It Right is expected to improve the quality of literacy and numeracy teaching in general.

Students
The Getting it Right strategy concentrates on the early years, but not to the exclusion of older students who need help. It targets certain groups with levels of literacy and numeracy that lag behind those of the general population, in particular: Aboriginal students; boys; students with a language background other than English and students in rural and remote locations.

Specialist teachers
Specialist Teachers work shoulder-to-shoulder with classroom colleagues, collaborating with them in the classroom, modelling integrated teaching strategies in their area of specialisation and supporting the planning and implementation of effective teaching and learning programs. They do not routinely withdraw groups of students from a class, and the classroom teacher maintains responsibility for the progress of all students in the class. Specialist Teachers share their expertise with colleagues and gradually build the capacity of the whole school to improve literacy and numeracy. They support the collection, analysis and use of information about literacy and numeracy progress of individual students, groups and the whole school so planning decisions can be informed by quality evidence of learning and ongoing needs.

Training and professional support
During their initial 2-year appointment, Specialist Teachers participate in seven 3-day professional learning workshops and receive regular visits in their schools from a Getting it Right team member based at the Department's central office. Beyond their initial two-year appointment, Specialist Teachers participate in regular professional forums to ensure ongoing professional learning and support.

The Principal of each identified school participates in two-day seminars before the Specialist Teachers take up the role to ensure they have a clear understanding of the role of Specialist Teachers and how they, as principals, can ensure that their school derives maximum value from the strategy.

Allocation of Specialist teachers
The allocation of Getting it Right Specialist Teachers to schools is a two-step process:
  1. District data from Year 3 Western Australian Literacy and Numeracy Assessment (WALNA) is factored against the number of teachers in each district to arrive at a district needs index for each of literacy and numeracy. These indices are used to distribute all available specialist teachers to districts.
  2. District Directors then invite expressions of interest from schools to participate in Getting it Right. They use school performance data and local knowledge to share-out the district's Specialist Teacher allocation to schools according to identified needs.
Schools
In 2004, 252 schools are participating in the Getting it Right strategy, and in 2005 when the strategy reaches its target number of 200 extra teachers, it is expected that approximately 300 schools will be involved. Half of the schools receive literacy Specialist Teachers and the other half receive a numeracy Specialist Teacher. All schools with Getting it Right Specialist Teachers are required to set challenging but realistic targets for improvement and to report progress to their District Directors at the end of each year. At the end of a two-year allocation, schools remain eligible for further two-year allocations, in either literacy OR numeracy, according to identified needs.

An external evaluation of Getting it Right is being conducted by the Australian Council for Educational Research. A final report will be delivered in June 2005.

Contacts
For further information contact Di Rees, Principal Curriculum Officer, Literacy or Glenys Reid, Principal Curriculum Officer, Numeracy .

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