By implementing this project, we aimed to enhance literacy instruction by identifying each school’s strengths and areas for improvement in teaching English. Through a reflective exercise, schools assessed whether their literacy approaches effectively addressed all students’ needs, particularly struggling learners. Another key objective was sharing best practices to improve professional development in teaching reading and spelling in both English and native languages. Educators gained knowledge of research-based literacy strategies and explored their transferability to native language instruction. The project also sought to enhance support for struggling readers while ensuring high achievers received appropriate challenges through differentiated teaching. Additionally, we focused on explicit literacy instruction for struggling students, particularly those in the upper years, ensuring they received targeted support to improve their reading and writing skills. Ultimately, we aimed to boost literacy outcomes and reduce illiteracy rates through innovative, inclusive teaching approaches.
We applied for this project to address key challenges in teaching English as a second language and improving literacy levels among students. All partner schools faced difficulties due to the orthographic complexity and irregularities of English, which impact reading and spelling proficiency. With this in mind, the project aimed to enhance early English education, provide better support for struggling students, and improve literacy in both English and native languages. Specific needs addressed include improving early reading and spelling instruction, supporting older students with literacy challenges, reducing the number of struggling readers, implementing differentiated teaching methods, and training educators in research-based approaches to the teaching of languages. By tackling these areas, we sought to create a more effective and inclusive learning environment, ultimately enhancing literacy outcomes for all students.