Literacy Development
A broad definition of literacy is having the ability to communicate and make some type of meaning using different socially contextual symbols and signs. Improving your communication aptitude happens the more you use what you know from your own experiences and resources in writing, speaking, reading and listening, in order to make yourself understood. This language development is quite possibly the most important avenue in the quest to improve reading skills.
Experts tell us that a person’s past experiences or problems are unable to be separated from the acquisition of newer words in a literacy program. In other words, each person brings with them a new group of experiences that is based on their background, which influences their interpretation of texts. This information that they have already learned must be in some way connected with the new information in order for new learning to happen. Children from a different culture may not have the necessary prior knowledge needed in order to teach them new vocabulary meanings that are different from their own cultural contexts. For instance, a person raised in a more vegetarian culture is likely unable to understand terms such as rare, medium and well done as a reference to the cooking of meat.
In order to learn, use and apply new literacy skills children need examples and support. At the different levels of school grades, as children begin using new words on their own, a teacher will continually introduce higher standards of reading and comprehension. However, teachers still need to coach children when necessary in order for them to gain literacy confidence.
Teaching someone is much easier when you can show them how literacy will actually add value or meaning to their life. What a child brings to a learning experience does affect the outcome, so their enthusiasm, curiosity and desire to learn will help to improve reading skills and writing skills. For instance, the simple act of letter writing to a loved one will give the endeavor a more personal value, instead of just writing a generic letter in a friendly format. The connection between what they are being taught and its significance as being useful must be obvious to a child in order to ensure continued learning.
Social location and cultural experience, including gender, religion, ethnicity and the socioeconomic differences can have an influence on a child’s interpretation of different learning experiences. Activities such as discussions in the classroom, sharing their reading and writing experiences and supportive literacy development will improve their skills while constructing meaning from their every day experiences. Encouraging conversation among diverse groups allows for these differing views to become explored and shared, which in turn helps them to have more understanding of other cultural viewpoints.
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