Implementation of A.L.

L at Malfroy School 2017

Background pedagogy

The A.L.L programme stands for ‘Accelerated Learning in Literacy’. Acceleration is the progression of
a student’s learning by ​more​ than a year within a year (ie: they move at a ​faster rate than their
peers)​. It is about intentionally interrupting the trajectory of a student’s learning when they are
tracking below the expected ‘standard’ for their age, with the objective of bringing their learning
pathway closer to what it should be.

The A.L.L programme sees the classroom teacher working intensely with a targeted group of 4-5
students who fit in the ‘below’ or ‘well below’ category​ at least four times a week for at least 30
minutes​ (preferably having them write at least twice a day – once in the targeted group time and
once at some other point ie: during topic time, journal writing time, reading time etc). The targeted
group is part of the intervention for ​at least 10 weeks (we will have about 13 weeks)​ during which
time their acceleration is monitored and teaching is adapted to ensure they are engaged, that
self-confidence and academic improvement is happening.

Underpinning the A.L.L programme is intensive and disciplined teacher inquiry. Inquiry is the process
of looking at what is happening, evaluating if it is working, who it is working for and if anything needs
to be changed/tweaked to make it more effective/engaging.

This inquiry ​must​ be supported by pedagogically sound research, hence the need for lots of
professional reading and discussion about the teaching and learning that is happening. This is a
cyclical process that happens throughout the intervention. At the same time, school wide processes
and programmes are looked at through the same inquiry process to see what needs to be changed
to allow acceleration to happen throughout the school and to be sustainable.

We will develop (possibly in conjunction with the COL) an inquiry question that will be the focus of
how we implement A.L.L after we have looked at the data/needs/interests of the targeted students.

Fundamental ideas:

There are a few ideas that need to be taken on-board before undertaking A.L.L

1. We are teaching our target groups at their age appropriate level, ​not​ the level they are
operating at academically.
2. There needs to be a sense of urgency in our teaching, but not panic. We carry the sense of
urgency, but our teaching is at the pace of our learners’ learning.
3. We need to be developing the self-confidence and sense of ‘agency’ for our students. If they
have the continual message that they can, they are able, they are succeeding and they can
identify the next steps in their learning, they will gain the self-confidence to take control of
their own learning.
4. The concept of ‘front-loading’ is part of the teaching undertaken with the target group. This is
when the target group are given prior learning about the vocabulary in the class topic,
concepts that will be taught, processes that will be covered. The students are then
‘knowledge holders’ when in the whole class setting which is empowering and allows them
the opportunity to be leaders. This helps boost self-confidence as well as engagement. (this
doesn’t mean the group writing lessons are about pre-teaching, just that opportunities need
to be found to introduce these things during the group lessons) The learning is also reinforced
and revisited in the classroom setting.
5. We need to have a clear understanding and knowledge of the things that interest and engage
 our target students. This means really getting to know them and building a strong
relationship with them. When students are engaged, they are motivated to learn and more
likely to retain new information. This knowledge is used to plan the lessons so they are fun
and interesting.
6. Whānau are an important part of building the relationship between home and school as well
as lifting the importance of education as an integral part of a student’s future. We will be
looking at a number of ways to achieve this, primarily through the use of devices and specific
apps.
7. We are ​changing ​our own​ behaviour, habits, minds and practises to impact on the
learning of our students.

Nuts and bolts:

The Malfroy A.L.L team:

Supplementary Inquiry Team (S.I.T):
Sarah
Lee
Jennie
We will be responsible for the overseeing of the programme and developing school wide systems
and processes as well as preparing and submitting the report we need to have done by the 17​th
November this year.

A.L.L teachers:
Maryanne
Ruth
Ngareta
Jo

We will be working with a mentor who is from the University of Waikato to plan, implement, review,
and report A.L.L. Her name is Colleen Wills and she lives in Mt Maunganui. We have been allocated
20 hours of her time over the next 15 weeks. We need to meet with her before we start the
intervention. She is letting us know times she will be available so we will be meeting with her
sometime over the next couple of weeks.

Planning:

We will meet Monday 12 June at 3.20 to start getting more indepth with our thinking and planning.

Then over the next few days, I will meet with each of you for a block to:

● figure out what needs to be taught ‘first and fast’

● fill out the group ‘pathways to progress’ planning document
● have some conversations about how you will support the students to track from where they
are to where they need to be.

(This is a brand new intervention that no one expects you to be perfect at from the beginning.
The learnings you have will be invaluable for teachers who undertake the intervention next
year. To this end, we will keep inquiry journals throughout the process)
The intervention:

We are hoping to start in Week 8 (we need to have completed the intervention, reassessed, have
met with Colleen and have the ‘bones’ of our report done by 31​st​ October which is week 3 of Term
4.) This really only gives us 12 weeks for the intervention.

Logistics:

Here’s how we see the programme running:

1 hour lessons 4x week.

● 15 minutes whole class warmup/set-up of what the rest of the class will be doing.
● 30 minutes where you take your target to the Sunshine Room for ‘explicit and intense
instruction’ that is fun and engaging (no pressure!!)
(During this time I will stay in your class to support the rest of the class in their learning.)
● 10 mins sharing/warmdown/reviewing – whole class

I will be with you for 40 minutes (10mins of your warm up and 30 mins while you work with the
target group) to give me time to get to the next class. We will sort out timetabling at one of our
meetings over the next week or so.

Jennie has said she will move PB4L assemblies to the afternoons to minimise interruptions in the first
two blocks, and she will be available to release another teacher at the same time as me when there
are interruptions due to swimming, Life Ed etc.

We will meet every 3 weeks or so as a team (or as needed if that is too long) to reflect, share and
problem solve.

My goal is to support you as much as practically possible so that the intervention is a rewarding, fun
and exciting process for you and your learners. I think the long term and whole school benefits of
this intervention and the pedagogy behind it will be far reaching and I am really looking forward to
all the learning we will do together!