Opportunities for educators to develop partnerships with private non–government organizations that have a mandate to promote literacy activities would also serve a useful purpose. Educators would become better versed on the roles of the organizations and could draw upon them for support with some school–based initiatives. At Parkview School, various community groups and literacy stakeholders teamed with school staff to put a community program in the school. Outside organizations, all too familiar with writing proposals, helped the school prepare successful applications for staffing and purchasing of required materials.

A well–designed professional development program which aims to highlight the importance of literacy and show how literacy underpins success in all learning areas is critical. Such a program should stress how literacy affects life opportunities and outcomes and, as such, is a social justice issue. By recognizing that literacy is a key component of successful learning, this will help to afford the subject the attention it deserves and encourage literacy practitioners to seek opportunities to develop their skills and knowledge.

Program administrators could also promote opportunities for collaboration among teachers to allow them sufficient time to share information and analyze the language and literacy used in their classrooms. In working together to develop their individual skills and knowledge base on integrating diverse language and literacy from their communities into their classrooms, teachers will be taking a big step to better meet the needs of all of their students. Opportunities to visit selected classrooms might also be a way to achieve this goal.

Lickteig, Parnell and Ellis (1995) outline ways that principals can support professional development for teachers such as by encouraging staff to attend professional workshops and conferences; sharing professional reading; purchasing professional resources for staff libraries; encouraging membership in local reading councils and planning inservices. Lickteig et al (1995) also outlines a variety of ways that principals could support the teachers with instruction. Their list includes: helping to obtain materials, reading to students, listening to students read, ensuring that students having difficulty get the help they need, encouraging teacher innovation, providing classroom libraries, arranging author visits and encouraging publication of students' works.