5 trends in literacy education for 2017

Literacy, one of the most valuable outcomes of good education, is vital because it helps build critical thinking skills through regular reading and writing. Investing time and effort on this in the classroom brings great reward.

1. Kinesthetic learning – What is clear today is that the old style of ‘chalk and talk’ has less than efficient effects on learning. In the past, we used to label students who moved around a lot as problematic, but now we understand that students learn in different ways, and incorporating movement into learning makes learning more engaging.

2. Early learning – Experts all agree that when children are exposed to books at an early age their literacy level increases greatly and that helps throughout school life. When parents read to their children, they expose them to new vocabulary and they also model language use. Digital storybooks are also effective especially if the parents are busy.

3. Personalised learning – This has been around for a while but it is worth emphasizing that personalised learning and self-directed study using technology and certain software platforms, as well as small group teaching, is key to boosting literacy. Furthermore, because students in a classroom are of different levels, everyone is able to learn at their own pace.

4. Representative text – Teachers should provide materials that reflect and relate to the students’ experiences and interests. When they see themselves in what they are reading, students feel more engaged and identify with it. If this does not happen, they may feel school is not designed for them.

5. Media literacy – In this era of fake news, it is vitally important for students to identify what is real news and what is fake. However many schools give this low, or no, priority. Media literacy focuses on sourcing and delivery of material rather than the actual content, and as such develops critical thinking.

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