Leading Improvement in Literacy Teaching and Learning

School leaders have ready access to assessment data, motivating efforts to improve literacy outcomes of their students, but it can be difficult for principals to decide how to achieve these goals within their school's existing strategic plans and policies.

Associate Professor Robyn Cox brings her decades of experience in language and literacy education to this handbook for school leaders. The book supports principals' understandings of the intricacies of teaching literacy and the best ways to improve practices and subsequent outcomes in each school's unique context.

With an opening chapter focusing on using and interpreting evidence, Associate Professor Cox outlines strategies for addressing the key areas of oral language, grammar and writing, vocabulary and early reading as well as providing advice around diagnostics and tailored intervention for students who require further support. She includes reflections from school leaders on each topic and pays particular attention to the needs of students from non-English speaking backgrounds.

Leading improvement in literacy teaching and learning provides a framework for a set of high-impact strategies that individually and together can be the focus of teacher professional learning, school improvement and student literacy achievement.

Robyn Cox is Associate Professor and lead in the Master of Teaching Practice (Primary and Secondary) at RMIT University, Melbourne. She specialises in language and literacy education and has particular expertise in Initial Teacher Education in teaching early reading. Robyn has published books and academic papers and has presented on preparing teachers to teach literacy. She is regularly called on to provide expert advice to State and Federal government bodies and has become a leader in literacy teaching through her work in professional teaching associations.