Culturally Responsive Professional Learning and Development for Capacity-Building and Innovation in Literacy Practices That Support Diverse Learners

• In Event: 75.037 - Literacy and Silences: Diversity, Social Justice, and Student Voice

Abstract

The New Zealand government has concentrated on enhancing the professional learning and development for teachers as a key leaver for securing more equitable outcomes for students. The documentary account presented in this paper is drawn from the research and evaluation of a culturally responsive professional development programme. Close examination of the collected documentation of the facilitation team’s work and student learning outcomes suggest that there have been three key levers for enhancing student literacy learning: 1) explicit leadership capacity-building; 2) consistent use of student voice and other evidence of learning as the focus for teacher inquiry; and 3) iterative use of a set of 'smart tools' that focus on connecting identity, language and culture to literacy pedagogy and student learning.

Authors

• Letitia C. Fickel, University of Canterbury

• Christine Henderson, EducationPlus/University of Canterbury

• Gaylene Price, EducationPlus/Univeristy of Canterbury

• Adie Bonisch, Education Plus-University of Canterbury