Strengthening Literacy Through Professional Collaboration

Last week, we had the opportunity to attend a two-day professional learning event hosted at Nobel Algarve British International School, one of our partner schools within the Global British International Schools (GBIS) group. The event brought together literacy leads and education professionals from across the GBIS network, with leaders travelling from Portugal, Spain, and England to take part in this valuable collaboration, and explore innovative, research-informed approaches to literacy instruction.

As literacy leads at IPS, our purpose in attending was twofold: to learn from the expertise of others and to contribute our own insights. The experience allowed us to reflect critically on our current approaches, engage in professional dialogue, and bring back practical strategies that will further strengthen the teaching and learning of literacy at IPS.

One of the key focuses of the event was the Talk for Writing approach. This model supports children in becoming confident and independent writers by developing their oral language, deepening their understanding of text structures, and giving them the tools to express their ideas clearly and creatively. The session helped us to reflect on how this approach can be further embedded across our curriculum to enhance pupil outcomes in writing.

In addition to this, we explored a range of sessions aimed at addressing core areas of literacy development, including:

●       Reading for Pleasure, and how a whole-school approach can build lifelong readers
 

●       Using reading data effectively to tailor instruction and monitor progress
 

●       Targeted reading interventions to support struggling readers
 

●       Strategies for EAL learners, ensuring all students thrive in a language-rich environment
 

●       Effective feedback and assessment practices that promote growth and reflection
 

●       Developing critical literacy, empowering students to think deeply and question what they read
 

●       Phonics and early reading, focusing on strong foundational skills
 

●       Reciprocal reading, a collaborative method for enhancing comprehension
 

●       Disciplinary literacy, supporting students in understanding the unique language of different subjects
 

The event also included collaborative problem-solving sessions, where literacy leads from across the GBIS group shared challenges, discussed solutions, and identified common goals. These conversations were particularly valuable in highlighting the importance of a unified, yet flexible, approach to literacy that meets the needs of all learners.

We returned to IPS inspired and energised, with a renewed commitment to nurturing confident readers and writers across the school. Professional learning events like this are essential in ensuring that we remain reflective and up to date with the most effective teaching practices.

We look forward to applying what we have learned, sharing our knowledge with colleagues, and continuing to improve literacy provision for all our students. Thank you for your ongoing support as we work together to build a strong foundation for learning through language.

Josie Hassall & Stevan Mijomanovic

IPS Literacy Leads