“Teachers can’t improve student achievement in reading and writing all by themselves; the principal’s role is critical.” That was the challenge Rosemarye Taylor, associate professor, University of Central Florida, delivered to Institute participants in her session, “Literacy Leadership.”
Taylor outlined a number of strategies for school leaders to employ to reach student grains in state assessments, the SAT, norm referenced tests or grades given by teachers.
“It’s important that both intervention strategies and consistent reading and writing across the curriculum are provided students,” she said. “One without the others doesn’t result in the gains that can be achieved with both. She urged principals to have students read and write in all classes all day long.
Taylor also urged principals to assure that students focus on non-fiction work.
“Many schools focus on process writing which is mostly fiction, but that doesn’t use the content words that students need to practice. In high schools we measure reading and writing with non-fiction, and approximately 70 percent of literacy work needs to be in non-fiction and related to content curriculum”
She also cautioned school leaders that less is more when it comes to instructional strategies, suggesting that school teams select a few specific strategies and focus upon them. Taylor presented the principals with seven strategies to consider.
For more information she can be reached at [email protected].
|
