Submissions to the Inquiry into literacy and numeracy in ACT public schools
Initial submission to the ACT Inquiry into Literacy and Numeracy
There are clear best practice recommendations that apply to the ACT inquiry from similar review processes that have been undertaken at a national and state level in Australia and in similar countries such as the United Kingdom, Canada and the United States. We expect that the recommendations of this ACT inquiry will be in lockstep with the recommendations that have already come out of these review processes, and which include:
early identification of risk factors for students
a multi-tiered system of support providing high-quality evidence-based instruction to all children with additional intervention (e.g. through small group tutoring) supported by universal screening and progress monitoring (utilising tools such as the Year 1 Phonics Check and DIBELS) with ICT-enabled data collection and analysis that is inter-operable across all public schools and the Directorate
instruction informed by an understanding of cognitive load theory
a knowledge-rich curriculum and
appropriate initial teacher education and professional development for in-service teachers, principals and school boards.
In order to ensure equitable access to a high-quality education in all public schools there must be universal application of these approaches across all schools.
Second submission to the ACT Inquiry into Literacy and Numeracy
This submission has been prepared by current teachers in the ACT public school system with the help of others in the ACT Alliance for Evidence-Based Education.
A significant number of our students are leaving our schools without the basic literacy and numeracy skills they need for life. We cannot continue to have a third of Canberra’s students get to Year 9 without becoming proficient in literacy and numeracy1. That’s 8 children in each of our classrooms falling through the cracks2. We have no confidence these statistics will improve unless there is major and consistent change across all schools in Canberra.
What is the problem? Many school leaders and teachers in Canberra find it challenging to differentiate between those teaching approaches that are based on evidence and those approaches that are based on ideology and culture.
In Canberra, there are individual teachers like us working hard to implement science-backed, evidenced-based practices in their schools to lift outcomes for students. But we are in the minority. We are unable to help students the way we want to because of shortcomings in the education system and we cannot speak about these issues publicly. We want the Government to better support us so we can better support Canberra’s children.