Territory educators show Accelerated Literacy (AL) to ‘world’ audience
Wednesday 23 August 2006
Two Territory educators have returned from Europe where they presented a paper outlining the challenges and successes of the National Accelerated Literacy Program (NALP) to an international literacy conference.
Department of Employment, Education and Training (DEET) AL team members Carmel Lawrence and Susan Wills presented their paper at the International Reading Association’s 21st World Congress on Reading in Budapest, Hungary from 7-10 August.
The paper highlights the connection between the AL methodology and classroom practice, examines the change process from the teachers’ and students’ perspectives and looks at how to shift the culture of a school, to one that demands and expects success for all students.
The conference brought together teacher educators, researchers, policy makers and others involved in literacy education from across the world.
Ms Lawrence and Ms Wills appreciated the opportunity to showcase DEET’s work in addressing the literacy needs of marginalised students to literacy experts at the international level.
They said delegates had been inspired by the inclusivity and richness of NALP and impressed with the results.
Using NALP methodology, some Territory students who have fallen behind with their literacy education have been able to make substantial reading gains – some as much as 3.5 reading year levels per year.
As a result of their presentations, Ms Lawrence and Ms Wills have been invited to submit their paper to an established Negro education journal for peer review. They have also received an invitation to consider publication options with the Australian Primary English Teaching Association.
Ms Lawrence is an AL specialist, providing system level specialist professional development and in-school training to teachers implementing NALP. Ms Wills is a 0.5 FTE teacher within the NALP team, providing direct classroom support to AL teachers. She is a judge for the National Children’s Book of the Year Award and is a published author.