Enhanced teaching and learning of comprehension in Years 5-8

February 2005 – December 2006
Stuart McNaughton, Woolf Fisher Research Centre, University of Auckland.

Project Aims

• To raise student achievement in comprehension in eight schools
• To further develop and build on research-based evidence for effective teaching of comprehension
• To replicate a model for a research/practice partnership in decile 1 schools
• To further test out components of the model for the development of effective teaching in similar schools
• To assess the sustainability of interventions based on the development of a professional learning community

Project Plan

The proposal for the second phase is to develop through collaboration with schools and researchers a cluster-wide intervention for all teachers teaching classes at years 5-8 in the eight schools. This requires extensive school-based professional development as well as systematic collection of achievement data and classroom observations within a rigorous research design. It is planned that a full research-based intervention would require two years to carry out and evaluate. The research-based intervention will be designed to test both the discrete components of effective teaching in school-wide implementation and the model developed for research-school practice partnership which is based on properties of a professional learning community. This will involve eight schools, approximately 50 teachers and around 2000 students.

Partnerships involved

The Woolf Fisher Research Centre and 8 Otara schools: Wymondley Road School, East Tamaki School, Ferguson Intermediate School, Flat Bush School, Mayfield School, Rongomai School, Sir Edmund Hillary Collegiate Middle School, and Yendarra School.

Expected Outcomes

• Raised student achievement in comprehension in eight schools
• Further research-based evidence for effective teaching of comprehension
• A model for the development of effective teaching in similar schools
• A model for effective research-school practice partnerships
• Sustainability of interventions based on the development of a professional learning community
  

Selected Publications

Download the summary of the project report [pdf, 55 KB]
Download the full text of the project report [pdf, 1156 KB]

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