This research report outlines the findings of an evaluation of the Literacy and Mathematics: Programmes for Students 2011, a Ministry of Education initiative to provide additional teacher time to enable selected schools to organise programmes for students who were assessed as ‘below’ or ‘well below’ the National Standards in mathematics, reading or writing.
This initiative allowed a primary or intermediate school to design programmes in mathematics, reading or writing for a group of students to work intensively with a selected teacher.
Purpose
The focus of this evaluation was to investigate the impacts of these programmes upon student achievement (and to look particularly at Māori and Pasifika student achievement) teaching approaches and how the programmes influenced school-wide teaching and learning. The evaluation was from June to December 2011 and, during the project, researchers and Ministry research and curriculum personnel worked together to shape the evaluation.
Methodology
The evaluation sought to determine the extent to which student learning was ‘accelerated’ as a result of their participation in the programmes and what pedagogical practices had contributed to any gains.
The research questions for the evaluation were:
- To what extent have the programmes in reading, writing, mathematics and English language learning accelerated learning for programme students?
- To what extent have the programmes accelerated learning specifically by Māori, Pasifika and students with special learning needs?
- What factors contributed to the success of programmes in terms of student achievement and teaching approaches?
- How responsive to the needs of students was the teaching, including any differences across the targeted groups?
- How well did teachers of the different programmes design and deliver learning plans to students?
- To what extent did a more responsive pedagogical approach better meet the needs of students and did teachers change their usual teaching practices during the programmes?
- Have reading, writing and mathematics programmes been influenced by other current or recent Ministry activities?
Key Results
- The majority of mathematics, reading and writing students accelerated their learning during the programmes, that is, their achievement increased more in the programmes than would be expected in the equivalent classroom time. In reading, nearly two-thirds of the students improved in relation to the National Standards. In writing, students, on average, improved by at least one level on the asTTle test. In the ALiM maths programme the majority of students gained at least one framework stage over the 10 weeks.
- Māori, Pasifika and New Zealand European student groups increased their learning in reading and writing. In mathematics, Māori students recorded a significantly higher increase in the scale score than the other two groups for PAT, and Pasifika students recorded the greatest stage increase across all the Numeracy Framework domains.
- Key elements in the organisation of the programmes were identified and should inform future programmes, eg, small groups, targeted teaching, sessions longer than 30 minutes, at least four lessons a week, responsive teaching, planning and reflection, focus on and use of data.
- Teacher reflection, planning and preparation was iterative and adaptive to respond to student learning as it evolved. These factors were linked to increases in student achievement in reading, writing and mathematics.
- Leadership from principals was essential to the programme. Principals played an important role in ensuring there was support for the programme teacher, commitment to the programme and for spreading positive programme outcomes more widely in the school during the programme and beyond it.
- Principals and programme teachers of the mathematics, reading and writing had high expectations that they would accelerate the learning of most programme students.
- The small group design of the programmes fostered and enabled safe and more frequent interaction amongst students and with the teacher.
- Ministry planning and follow-up days for teachers played an important role in setting expectations and accountability for the programmes, disseminating successful outcomes and initiating a community of interest focused around raising the achievement of students who were achieving ‘below’ or ‘well below’ expectations.