Department of Employment, Education and Training

National Accelerated Literacy Program

Northern Territory leading national literacy initiative

The Northern Territory is leading the way in implementing the National Accelerated Literacy Program (NALP), the first national literacy project of its kind.

Through NALP, the Northern Territory is developing a methodology for English literacy teaching, complete with extensive teaching notes and resources, to be made available Australia-wide. NALP is the first Australian educational project to address broad systemic English literacy issues.

Significant Australian and Northern Territory government funding has been committed to the expansion of the program. By the end of 2008 it is hoped the Accelerated Literacy program will have been implemented in 100 schools government and non-government schools across the NT.
 
The program is managed and implemented by the Northern Territory Department of Employment, Education and Training (DEET).  The DEET NALP professional learning team provides support to schools through its Ludmilla office, and three hub schools based at Karama, Gillen and Tennant Creek primary schools. Throughout the project, program training and follow-up professional support will be available to over 700 NT teachers. The program particularly focuses on developing the English literacy of Indigenous learners in remote schools.

To effectively achieve project outcomes, a partnership has been formed with Charles Darwin University (CDU).   In addition to developing extensive program resources, the university conducts independent monitoring and evaluation of the project to identify program strengths and opportunities.   Feedback loops with schools enable lessons learned from the field to be incorporated into the project. Knowledge gained through this action research will inform and shape the on-going implementation of the program both in the NT and nationally. 

Analysis by CDU shows measurable improvements in literacy levels for students undertaking the program. Whereas the average rate of reading improvement is one reading year level per year, the Accelerated Literacy average is well above this at 1.61 reading year levels per year.

Links

Charles Darwin University - National Accelerated Literacy Program

Contact

Debra Liddiard-Taruminggi
Assistant General Manager Literacy
T: 8999 3267
E: debra.liddiard-taruminggi@nt.gov.au