Reclaiming learning time to boost literacy and numeracy with Ross Fox (Ep 46)

Key Points

• Ross Fox, an Australian education leader, implemented evidence-based teaching reforms in Catholic schools, leading to significant improvements in literacy and numeracy.
• The reforms focused on reclaiming instructional time, applying the science of learning, and adopting high-impact teaching strategies and a knowledge-rich curriculum.
• These changes helped reduce educational inequities and improve student engagement and behavior, demonstrating the power of effective teaching practices.
• The conversation also highlighted structural aspects of Australia's education system and widespread concerns about stagnant or declining student achievement.

Summary

This podcast episode features a conversation between host Anna Stokke and Ross Fox, a former director of Catholic education in Canberra and Goulburn, Australia. Fox led a systemic transformation in teaching practices across 56 schools, serving 23,000 students from diverse socio-economic backgrounds. The catalyst for change was a parent's comment expressing satisfaction with their child's school experience but disappointment in academic results, revealing a common societal compromise where safety and happiness were prioritized over learning. This prompted Fox to investigate core instructional methods.

Fox discovered that the schools' foundational assumptions about teaching reading were based on outdated theories, such as the three-cueing system, rather than the established science of reading. He championed a shift towards evidence-based practices grounded in the science of learning. A central strategy involved reclaiming substantial amounts of instructional time—estimated at up to a day per week—lost to non-academic activities. This reclaimed time was then used for high-impact, explicit teaching and a knowledge-rich curriculum.

The results were dramatic. Under Fox's leadership, the schools posted their best-ever results in the National Assessment Program for Literacy and Numeracy (NAPLAN). Despite Catholic schools comprising only about a quarter of the schools in the region, they accounted for two-thirds of those that outperformed others, even with similar student demographics. The reforms not only boosted academic achievement but also reduced educational inequities and improved student engagement and behavior. The discussion frames this success within broader challenges in Australian education, including concerns over static or declining international rankings despite increased investment. Fox concludes with optimism about the growing science of learning movement and its potential to shape the future of education.