Premium
Raising reading achievement in an ‘at risk’, low socioeconomic, multicultural intermediate school
Author(s) -
Fletcher Jo,
Grimley Michael,
Greenwood Janinka,
Parkhill Faye
Publication year - 2013
Publication title -
journal of research in reading
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.077
H-Index - 51
eISSN - 1467-9817
pISSN - 0141-0423
DOI - 10.1111/j.1467-9817.2011.01497.x
Subject(s) - socioeconomic status , reading (process) , literacy , multiculturalism , psychology , pedagogy , mathematics education , action plan , academic achievement , medical education , sociology , political science , management , medicine , population , demography , law , economics
This article focuses on a multicultural, low socioeconomic, intermediate school that over the 4 years of this longitudinal, qualitative, case study made substantial positive shifts in developing a more effective learning environment and improving students' reading achievement. The study found that the factors appearing to have the most influence on this improvement were: effective and collaborative school leadership; ongoing school‐wide professional development on teaching reading led by an externally appointed literacy expert; the appointment, within the school, of a literacy leader charged with supporting this development; assessment data being used to inform teaching and a school‐wide action plan directed at literacy improvement; the implementation of reading programmes that were regular, focused and sustained; the school leadership proactively ensuring school‐wide support for management of appropriate student behaviour; the fostering of home–school partnerships; and ongoing external reviews of school effectiveness.