Abstract

• This study aimed to investigate the practices of basic education high school principals as instructional leaders in selected basic education high schools. Mixed-method research design was used in this study. For quantitative study, two research instruments, questionnaire (1) for principals and questionnaire (2) for senior teachers, including seven instructional leadership practices developed by Chell (2002), were used to collect data. Survey data were collected from 131 participants (5 principals and 126 teachers), and 10 participants were interviewed. Descriptive statistics, one-way ANOVA and Post Hoc Multiple Comparison Tests (Turkey HSD) were used to analyze the data in this study. Analysis of principals’ instructional leadership rated by principals themselves revealed that principals from high schools in Monywa township practised positive school climate, group development, and school and community involvement mostly as their important instructional leadership practices. On the other hand, teachers’ perceptions of their principals’ instructional leadership practices indicated that the principals most frequently practiced positive school climate, group development, and curriculum implementation. There were significant differences in instructional leadership practices among selected high schools. This study suggests that good instructional leadership requires collaboration with colleagues to solve instructional problems.