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Literacy & Numeracy: Contested, politicised and essential, so how shall we teach it?
Contested: Literacy, numeracy, digital literacy, team work, problem solving, creativity, self direction and critical skills.
Politicised: “Any man who reads too much and uses his own brain too little falls into lazy habits of thinking” Einstein. “The more you read, the more things you will know. The more that you learn, the more places you’ll go” Dr Seuss. Definition: “Literacy is the ability to identify, understand, interpret, create, communicate and compute, using printed, digital and written materials associated with varying contexts.” UNESCO
Essential: “Higher literacy rates are associated with healthier populations, less crime, greater economic growth, and higher employment rates.” World Bank
So, how shall we teach it, or, how do people learn?
Some ideas that were shared/discussed included:
Politicised: “Any man who reads too much and uses his own brain too little falls into lazy habits of thinking” Einstein. “The more you read, the more things you will know. The more that you learn, the more places you’ll go” Dr Seuss. Definition: “Literacy is the ability to identify, understand, interpret, create, communicate and compute, using printed, digital and written materials associated with varying contexts.” UNESCO
Essential: “Higher literacy rates are associated with healthier populations, less crime, greater economic growth, and higher employment rates.” World Bank
So, how shall we teach it, or, how do people learn?
Some ideas that were shared/discussed included:
- Functioning confidently within a context makes a difference
- Developing skills toolbox then applying to context (or provide context then skills?)
- Math anxiety is a real thing
- Building understanding of relationships between and within concepts
- Building fluency into literacy/numeracy skill and sense building
- Build confidence to transition from one context to another
Resources/Links shared during the talanoa:
- A reflection on neurodiversity as thriving learners
- Ako Aotearoa’s Neurodiversity Community of Practice
- https://www.tec.govt.nz/oritetanga-learner-success/new-oritetanga-tertiary-success-for-everyone/resources-to-help-support-your-learners/neurodiversity-resources/
- https://www.adhd.org.nz/adhd-in-tertiary-education-organisations.html
- A course on universal design for learning
- https://www.adcet.edu.au/
- https://www.york.ac.uk/staff/teaching/learning-design/e-accessibility/#tab-4
- NZ Dyslexia-Friendly Quality Mark and dyslexia resources
- https://sites.google.com/york.ac.uk/uoyaccessibility/creating-accessible-documents
- MSD site guidelines
- Dyslexia simulator
- UK OFQUAL assessments doc has some great accessibility guidelines and includes aesthetics, instructions, content and context
Ideas shared during the talanoa:
Some examples of activities that were discussed:
- First class email of something you want to tell me or share with me
- Play games – don’t need to be serious! Example was acting out of animals for different MCQs
- Discuss fono model (turtle)
- Create poster of what interests you about the course – something to talk to
- Ask me 3 questions and I’ll answer them
- Balance paper on your head, draw a circle, now draw 2 circles within the circle, now your nose because you are obviously drawing a self-portrait with your name
- Use pictures that you have taken to share who you are