Enriching the Professional Learning of Early Years Teachers in Disadvantaged Contexts - The Impact of Quality Resources and Quality Professional Learning

Oct 15, 2026

Uploaded by Jasmine

Studies indicate that very few teachers entering disadvantaged contexts feel prepared academically or professionally to teach effectively. This research examines the impact of the RoleM Professional Learning model (RPL) in a disadvantaged setting over three years. With 12 participating teachers, interviews were conducted three times annually and student pre- and post-test scores were analyzed. Results show quality resources and professional learning support quality teaching, students improve significantly, and teacher development progresses through five stages requiring at least two years.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryResearch & Report

FormatPDF

Pages22

Reading Time55 min

AccessFree to download

Introduction

Background

Disadvantaged Australian Contexts

Australian Journal of Teacher Education | Volume 38 | Issue 7 | Article 7 | | --- | --- | 2013 Enriching the Professional Learning of Early Years Teachers in Disadvantaged Contexts: The Impact of Quality Resources and Quality Professional Learning Elizabeth A. Warren [elizabeth.warren@acu.edu.au](elizabeth.warren@acu.edu.au) Jodie Miller Australian Catholic University, [Jodie.Miller@acu.edu.au](Jodie.Miller@acu.edu.au) Recommended Citation Warren, E. A., & Miller, J. (2013). Enriching the Professional Learning of Early Years Teachers in Disadvantaged Contexts: The Impact of Quality Resources and Quality Professional Learning. Australian Journal of Teacher Education, 38 (7). [http://dx.doi.org/10.14221/ajte.2013v38n7.6](http://dx.doi.org/10.14221/ajte.2013v38n7.6) This Journal Article is posted at Research Online. [http://ro.ecu.edu.au/ajte/vol38/iss7/7](http://ro.ecu.edu.au/ajte/vol38/iss7/7) Australian Journal of Teacher Education Enriching the Professional Learning of Early Years Teachers in Disadvantaged Contexts: The Impact of Quality Resources and Quality Professional Learning Elizabeth Warren Jodie Miller Australian Catholic University Abstract: Studies indicate that very few teachers entering disadvantaged contexts feel prepared academically or professionally to teach effectively. This study focuses on the impact of a model for professional learning, the RoleM Professional Learning model (RPL), situated in a disadvantaged context over a three-year period. The participating teachers (n = 12) in this study taught in the first three years of school (Foundation to Year 2). To ascertain the effectiveness of RPL, teachers were interviewed three times a year and students’pre and posttest scores were also considered. The results indicate that quality teaching is related to the establishment of quality resources and quality professional learning. Additionally, students demonstrated significant gains between the pre and post-test scores. Furthermore, as teachers move towards exhibiting the characteristics of expert teachers they progress through five stages and it takes at least two years for this progression to occur. Introduction Education is seen as crucial for students from disadvantaged contexts. It is a significant factor that allows these students to participate in mainstream society, access employment (Lamb & McKenzie, 2001) and further education (Zappala, 2003) . In Australia, the education outcomes of students living in these contexts remain lower than other Australian students (Gonski et al., 2011) . In addition, it has been evidenced that students from these contexts begin school with a lower knowledge of mathematics than their peers (Griffin & Case, 1997) . This finding is not attributed to their ability but rather to the experiences they have had prior to school, especially with regard to school mathematics. There is also strong evidence that an understanding of mathematics at an early age impacts on later mathematical achievement (Aubrey, Dahl & Godfrey, 2006). Thus, building strong foundations for students from disadvantaged contexts is crucial. While we acknowledge that many outside school factors contribute to these disadvantaged students being unsuccessful, quality learning is associated with quality teaching (Hattie, 2009; Smart, Sanson, Baxter, Edwards, & Hayes, 2008) . RoleM (Representations, Oral language and Engagement in Mathematics) is a four-year longitudinal study situated in the first four years of schooling in some of the most disadvantaged contextsin Queensland. This paper draws on the experiences of one participating school, Dragon school over their three-year long participation with RoleM, a school that has achieved outstanding numeracy gains for their students. This study aims to explore how quality professional development and the provision of quality resources can begin to support quality teaching. Vol 38, 7, July 2013 91 Australian Journal of Teacher

FAQs

What is the RoleM Professional Learning (RPL) model used in this study?

RoleM (Representations, Oral language and Engagement in Mathematics) is a four-year longitudinal professional learning model situated in early schooling, and this paper focuses on experiences over three years in a disadvantaged context.

How were the study’s outcomes assessed?

Teachers were interviewed three times a year, and students’ pre- and post-test scores were analyzed to evaluate effectiveness.

What were the main findings about teaching quality and student learning?

Quality teaching is linked to establishing quality resources and quality professional learning, and students showed significant gains between pre- and post-test scores.

Oct 15, 2026

Uploaded by Jasmine