Improving literacy in remote schools

Schools in remote locations will receive extra support to teach foundation literacy skills with the announcement today that 34 remote schools will participate in the Flexible literacy for remote primary schools programme in 2015.

The Minister for Education, the Hon Christopher Pyne MP, said the programme will provide extra support to schools in remote Australia to introduce two teaching approaches: Direct Instruction and Explicit Direct Instruction. These schools will commence at the start of the 2015 school year.

“These approaches have proven successful in early pilots and will expand the reach of Direct Instruction and Explicit Direct Instruction to other remote schools that have struggled to achieve minimum national standards for many of their students,” Mr Pyne said.

“We know that Direct Instruction and Explicit Direct Instruction teaching methods work. Teachers in these remote primary schools will receive professional development and support to gain the specific knowledge and skills they need to use these approaches with their students.

“I commend these schools and their commitment to improving literacy outcomes and I look forward to hearing about their progress and achievements.”

The Flexible literacy for remote primary schools programme will be managed by Good to Great Schools Australia and is part of the Government’s Students First approach.

Under the Students First approach, the Australian Government will work with the states and territories on four key areas that will make a difference to students:

teacher quality
school autonomy
parental engagement
strengthening the curriculum.