Rationale

GiR is a targeted and coordinated program of additional specialist personnel, professional development and support provided to public schools. The strategy is designed to improve literacy and lead to greater parity of literacy achievement across all groups of students – in particular Aboriginal students, ESL students, boys and students in rural or remote communities. It supports and is consistent with the implementation of the Plan for Public Schools 2008 – 2011, the Classroom First Strategy and other key initiatives.

Specialist teachers are appointed to work ‘shoulder to shoulder’ with colleagues in mainstream schools to support ongoing improvements in literacy. Here at Kalamunda, Netta and Graile share the role with Netta being .4 and Graile .6. Contact details: 9293 6429…internal extension 429

 

What does the Specialist Teacher do?

• Work alongside colleagues in the classroom
• Collaborate with teachers in planning and implementing teaching and learning programs
• Work with teachers to identify student literacy needs
• Model effective teaching strategies

 

How is the Specialist Teacher’s work organised?

Typically we will be involved in the following activities:

• Work alongside classroom teachers to identify the literacy learning needs of students (in particular students working at or close to the benchmark) and collaboratively plan learning experiences to address their needs.
• Regular and ongoing planning time occurs with each teacher with whom we are working.
• Together with their classroom colleagues and in collaboration with the principal, we may assist with the collection and analysis of data and the setting and monitoring of targets for improvement as part of a whole-school approach to successful Literacy teaching and learning.
• Work no less than 0.1 with each nominated classroom colleague (parameters designed to achieve balance between coverage and impact).
• Follow normal duties that apply to classroom colleagues (duty, dott etc)
• Record and report on the progress of the implementation of the GiR Strategy within Kalamunda SHS.

What we do not typically do

• Routinely withdraw groups of students from a class or take ongoing responsibility for a group of students
• Take on the role of a support teacher
• Provide DOTT for classroom teachers

 

 

Furthur Useful Information

http://www.myread.org/organisation.htm

http://www.bgfl.org/bgfl/custom/resources_ftp/client_ftp/ks3/ict/multiple_int/index.htm

http://www.insideadog.com.au/

http://www.edutopia.org/inside-teenage-brain

http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/shows/teenbrain/

Reading Next - A vision for action and research in middle and high school literacy

Bloom's Revised Taxonomy

Parent Literacy Presentation

Literacy Workshop

Improve your child’s Literacy

Tips for improving your child's Literacy

Getting it Right Literacy Action Plan 2008