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Commercially Produced Literacy Packages: Why Do Schools Use Them?

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Commercially Produced Literacy Packages: Why Do Schools Use Them? Commercially Produced Literacy Packages: Why Do Schools Use Them? Ros Hughes A thesis submitted for the degree of Master of Arts at the University of Otago, Dunedin New Zealand 2013 ii Abstract The genesis of this study was anecdotal reports that Dunedin primary schools were using commercially produced packages to teach literacy. In wanting to understand this phenomenon, the study sought to find if the purchase of such packages was widespread and investigated reasons for their usage. All 42 Dunedin primary school principals completed a questionnaire and eight principals, four in schools with packages and four leading schools without a package, participated in an interview. Findings showed that package usage is widespread with 62% of Dunedin primary schools using one or more packages. The predominant reason for using a commercially produced package was to teach phonics. Principals also used packages to ensure consistency in school-wide understandings and practices; to meet school literacy targets; as a partial solution to the intensification of teachers’ workloads; and to increase teachers’ pedagogical content knowledge in writing, spelling and comprehension. There were clear differences in the beliefs and practices between principals of schools using packages and those in schools not using them concerning the teaching of phonics, the professional development of their teachers and responses to intensification and accountability demands. Impacting on principals’ decisions to purchase and use a teaching package was the long-lived, public debate on the place of phonics in the teaching of reading, and also, the neo-liberal school reform policies that increased principal autonomy and responsibility while simultaneously tightening school accountability requirements. iii Acknowledgements Many people contributed to the completion of this study. My heartfelt thanks to: My supervisors, Dr Greg Burnett and Dr Ruth Gasson, whose detailed feedback and knowledge of neo-liberalism greatly influenced the course of my study. I appreciated their flexibility in scheduling meetings often at my convenience in weekends and school holidays. The principals of Dunedin primary schools. Their 100% response to the questionnaire and readiness to be interviewed were testament to their interest in the study. The members of the Pilot Group whose enthusiasm early on was motivating. They gave practical support in trialling the questionnaire and provided helpful feedback and suggestions. Dr John Smith, who read drafts and made valuable comments, shared his extensive background knowledge in literacy learning, and gave encouragement. The University of Otago Distance Library Team whose members sourced, posted and emailed a steady stream of reference materials. My Hawea Flat School colleagues for their encouragement and practical support. Fiona Stuart for her expertise in proof reading, formatting and thesis production. My close friends, Cynthia and Jane, for their unfailing support. My husband, Dennis, always loving and supporting, and whose belief in the worth of this study never wavered. iv Table of Contents Abstract ............................................................................................................................... ii Acknowledgements ............................................................................................................ iii Chapter One: The Research Topic and Context ................................................................. 1 Commercially Produced Teaching Packages .................................................................. 2 The origins of commercially produced teaching packages. ........................................ 2 Commercially produced literacy packages in New Zealand. ...................................... 3 Examples of commercially produced literacy packages. ............................................ 4 Sounds Alive and Words Alive packages. .................................................................... 6 Marketing strategies. ................................................................................................... 7 Positioning Myself As Researcher .................................................................................. 8 Dunedin and its Schools .................................................................................................. 9 The Organisation of the Thesis ..................................................................................... 10 Chapter Two: Literature Review ...................................................................................... 11 Introduction ................................................................................................................... 11 Section 1: The New Zealand Neo-liberal Education Reforms ..................................... 13 Background to the reforms. ....................................................................................... 14 Neoliberalism and the education reforms. ................................................................ 14 Accountability of schools. ........................................................................................ 18 A competitive environment. ...................................................................................... 20 v Conclusion. ............................................................................................................... 23 The second wave of reforms. .................................................................................... 24 Content. ..................................................................................................................... 25 Form. ......................................................................................................................... 25 Assessment – Two competing discourses. ................................................................ 26 The New Zealand Curriculum 2007. ........................................................................ 27 A third wave of reforms. ........................................................................................... 28 Conclusion. ............................................................................................................... 29 Section 2 - Intensification of Teachers’ Work .............................................................. 29 Neo-liberal education reforms and increased teacher workload. .............................. 30 Intensification and professionalisation. .................................................................... 34 Conclusion. ............................................................................................................... 37 Section 3: The Reading Wars ....................................................................................... 38 Background to the reading wars. .............................................................................. 39 What is whole language? .......................................................................................... 43 What do the critics of whole language say? .............................................................. 44 How do whole language advocates respond? ........................................................... 44 Do whole language teachers teach phonics? ............................................................. 45 The role of the teacher. ............................................................................................. 46 Phonics and Phonics Teaching ...................................................................................... 47 vi Explicit, systematic phonics instruction in the USA. ............................................... 48 Explicit, synthetic phonics instruction in England. .................................................. 48 What do the critics say? ............................................................................................ 49 The New Zealand approach. ..................................................................................... 49 Conclusion ................................................................................................................ 50 Section 4: The Professional Development and Learning of Teachers .......................... 52 How has the professional development and learning of teachers been perceived over time? .............................................................................................................................. 52 Responsibility for the Professional Development and Learning of Teachers ............... 53 Rationale for Professional Development and Learning ................................................ 54 Professional development and learning – what works? ............................................ 54 Effective professional development and learning. .................................................... 55 The content of the professional development and learning. ..................................... 56 The context of the professional development and learning. ..................................... 59 Conclusion ................................................................................................................ 62 Chapter Three: Methodology ............................................................................................ 64 The Study ...................................................................................................................... 64 Epistemology. ..........................................................................................................
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