A few years ago, we shared with you a research conducted in 2018 and evaluating the whole-school implementation of an explicit language-based pedagogy in one of the most economically disadvantaged schools in Victoria, Australia.
We are excited today to be sharing with you two exciting updates regarding this research project:
- We are now able to share with you the name of the school: Pakenham Secondary College. The school is situated in the outer suburbs of Melbourne. As of 2018, 12% of students were classified as English as an Additional Language, and 2% as Aboriginal and Torres Straight Islanders. The College receives a disproportionate number of students from families with low socio-economic profile.
- Their Year 12 VCE Median Study Score increased from 25 in 2013 to 29 in 2023, which is an incredible result.
Before the implementation of 3L, the College was for many years producing literacy results that were well below expectations and reflected poor outcomes for students. The whole-school, strategic implementation of an explicit language-based pedagogy managed to turn the outcomes for students in this school around. There is now clear data that overwhelmingly supports the success of this language-based approach.