When I was teaching in the classroom, I often had students ask me what the value of attending English was. After all, they will “never need to know how to write an essay” once they have finished school. Children often do not appreciate and value the skills that are associated with each task they are asked to complete. As much as the bulk of our education in Australia is taught within our classrooms, it is often overlooked that the skill needs to be continually practiced, both within the classroom and at home, for the skill to be transferred to other aspects of a child’s life. After all, every skill we are taught is transferable in some way, shape or form.
Literacy is a great deal more than just reading, writing and spelling as well. Literacy is the ability for people (adults included) to “identify, understand, interpret, create, communicate and compute, using printed and written materials associated with varying contexts” (OECD, 2009). In a world that is digitally focused, and where “Google” appears to always have the answer on hand, it is important for everyone to remember that even in the digital world, Literacy is of a great concern.
The 2013 ABS results indicate that almost HALF of the adult population in Australia still do not have the minimum standards of literacy to meet the demands of everyday life and work. That means that half of Australia’s population have struggled at some stage in their lives with low literacy levels, and have never received the assistance that is required to regain confidence and skills in this area.
As a society, we need to stand together and teach our son, daughters, mothers, fathers, aunts, uncles and everyone in between that literacy is still an important and relevant skill, not just for the future of today’s children, but every generation beyond today.
At Breakaway Education, we are passionate about ensuring that your child has the Literacy skills required to get ahead in life. Learning is a life long skill that should be fun and accessible for everyone.
If you have concerns about your child’s literacy skills in anything from Reading, Writing, Comprehension, Grammar, or Spelling from Kindergarten to Year 12, contact us today for a free assessment.
References from: Shoghi, A., Willersdorf, E., Braganza, L. and McDonald, M. (2013) 2013 Let’s Read Literature Review. Victoria: The Royal Children’s Hospital Centre for Community Child Health, Murdoch Childrens Research Institute.