Literacy includes the ability to identify, understand, interpret, create, communicate, compute and use printed and written materials. Different contexts require different literacy skills.
Literacy and Reading Literacy is dependent on the ability to read. Although reading is not a sufficient skill for literacy across contexts, it is essential for all contexts. Reading is the ability to make meaning from print. It requires students to master the constrained skills of phonemic awareness and phonics. It further requires the development of fluency, vocabulary and comprehension.
Literacy and the ESL Student
ESL students bring a wide variety of experiences and knowledge which impact the development of their literacy skills and have implications for their teachers. Further information is available on the ESL page of the AIS website.
Visual and Digital Literacy Literacy is enhanced by the ability to evaluate information contained in images such as photographs, tables, cartoons and maps and more recently by the readers ability to navigate the web. For effective visual literacy, specific teaching is often required.
AIS Literacy support to schools
The AIS employs a number of consultants to support literacy programs. Where requested by the Principal, consultancies may consist of meetings with the Principal, coordinators, and teachers as well as classroom observations and professional learning presentations.
Consultants can assist the school to:
- Keep abreast of quality literacy research
- Understand the skills students must acquire to become literate
- Identify effective teaching strategies
- Implement a range of literacy teaching and learning strategies to enhance their students’ learning
- Support ESL and New Arrival students with literacy.
Support may be provided to schools on a fee for service basis or as part of a funded program such as Targeted Programs in Literacy and Numeracy or National Partnerships. For more details see the Funded Programs section of this website.