The impact and effects of attempts to implement leadership for reading ‘both ways’: A case study in an Indigenous school

Abstract

A 'both ways' leadership model underpins the design, implementation and research phases of the Principals as Literacy Leaders with Indigenous Communities project (PALLIC). The project was developed by Griffith University in partnership with the Australian Primary Principals Association (APPA) to provide support to Principals as they lead reading improvement in Indigenous schools. This paper reports on the approaches undertaken by one school located in a very remote Australian community as it begins to apply a literacy leadership learning blueprint introduced in the project. We draw on interview data from the principal, teachers and Indigenous community leaders to describe the impacts and effects associated with combining mainstream and Indigenous cultural knowledge and experiences as the foundation for meaningful literacy learning programmes for Indigenous children. In so doing, we offer some commentary on the merit of the blueprint as a way to connect leadership work with the improvement of student learning.