Leading Literacy

Lead whole-school literacy change and embed high-quality literacy practices. 

Leading Literacy develops your knowledge and capabilities to influence and lead whole-school improvement in literacy.  

You will explore the comprehensive nature of literacy and evidence-based teaching practices that build skilled, motivated and engaged literacy learners across all year levels.   

Primary school teams will work together exploring knowledge with the view to implementing consistent evidence-based teaching practices in a focused literacy area.   

Secondary school teams will explore disciplinary literacy and strategies for embedding a whole-school literacy culture.  

With the support of your facilitators, you will plan strategically for the implementation and monitoring of your School-based Literacy Initiative (SLI).

Audience 

Designed for primary and secondary school teams.  

The team should include a principal class person, literacy leader and other key personnel.  

Applications from small schools are encouraged. Small schools can submit individual applications, or partner with another school in their network to apply as a team.  

To participate in Leading Literacy, all team members must commit to the time and effort required. 

Facilitators 

Leading Literacy is facilitated by Wilcob Education. The facilitation team includes Keay Cobbin, Danny Hyndman, Paula Heenan and Lisa Gilby.  

The Wilcob team is a multiskilled group of professionals who have both academic and practical expertise. They have extensive experience leading professional learning for system leaders, school leaders, coaches and teachers in Victoria, NSW, Tasmania, Queensland and the USA.

Structure of program

Over 9 months you will actively engage and contribute to:  

• workshops (5 full days) 
• team coaching sessions (two 30-minutes) 
• self-paced learning.  

Workshops  

Your team will participate in 5 full-day face-to-face workshops engaging in whole group and small group activities to develop your understanding and application of the following content.  

Leadership  

• The Academy Leadership Excellence Framework  
• Thomas Guskey’s model for teacher change  
• Strategic planning for school improvement  

Primary Literacy  

• Research and evidence-based approaches to teaching reading, writing, speaking and listening, vocabulary and spelling 
• Amplifying student agency, leadership and voice  

Secondary Literacy  

• A whole-school literacy culture  
• Disciplinary literacy and content area literacy  
• Research and evidence-based teaching practices in disciplinary reading, writing, speaking and listening and vocabulary  
• Amplifying student agency, leadership and voice.  

Coaching  

Your team will meet with your facilitator in two 30-minute coaching sessions to:  

• discuss your school’s literacy improvement agenda  
• gain additional support in the development of your SLI. 
   

Self-paced learning  

• Self-directed learning activities in your own time (approximately 10 hours) include: 
• completion of 8 micro-lessons that aim to deepen your learning in literacy focus areas  
• sharing insights and ideas with colleagues on discussion boards  
• sharing progress, insights and questions with your facilitator in coaching sessions. 
   

School-based Literacy Initiative  

The SLI is your team’s culminating piece of assessment for Leading Literacy. It leverages the knowledge and understanding gained in Leading Literacy, and aims to:  

• identify student and teacher outcomes  
• outline the plan for professional learning and development to achieve teacher outcomes 
• produce significant improvement in student engagement and achievement  
• advance teacher knowledge, understanding and evidence-based teaching practices. 

It is expected your school team will take approximately 10 hours to complete the SLI.

Learning outcomes

You will gain knowledge and understanding of:  

• contemporary literacy research  
• evidence-based teaching practices that enable the translation of research into classroom practice  
• leadership models, capabilities and dispositions required to lead and support sustained school improvement  
• strategic planning for change and school improvement. 

You will develop the skills to:  

• critically engage with contemporary literacy research and evidence-based teaching practices to identify strengths and areas for improvement in your school 
• use new knowledge to collaborate and engage in dialogue with colleagues in your school  
• plan for the implementation of evidence-based teaching practices to improve literacy outcomes and wellbeing of all literacy learners   
• lead sustained whole-school improvement informed by leadership models, capabilities and dispositions.

Fees and financial support

The course fees are significantly subsidised by the Department of Education. 

Co-contribution: $700 (tax free) for each Victorian government school participant.  

See Fees and financial support for more information.

Application process

Acceptance in Leading Literacy is dependent on a selection process. 

You will need to nominate a team leader who will be responsible for completing various steps of the application process and act as the main point of contact. 

Your team leader will create an account in Award Force - the platform the Academy uses to manage applications - to progress the application and address the key selection criteria. 

If your application is successful, the team representative must accept the offer to complete registration.