Literacy: More Than Reading & Writing
More than simply being proficient with reading and writing, Secondary Literacy is multi-faceted. It is understanding the complexities of trigonometry, discussing the challenges of peasants in the medieval era, writing a report on an inspirational musician, and so much more. This article highlights some literacy teaching and learning in action in classrooms at Mercy.
Students in Year 10 Humanities partake in a ‘gallery walk’, noting down important details after discussion.
Students in Year 7 debate and justify their reasons for a novel which should be in the O’Keeffe library.
In Year 10 Science, students create posters of key concepts to support their vocabulary for discussion and written responses.
Similarly, in Year 8 Humanities, students develop their vocabulary of key Geographical concepts by locating words in a word find.
In Year 9 Textiles, students must learn to read patterns in order to create garments of clothing.
Every teacher is a teacher of literacy. But literacy looks different in every classroom as students grapple with new concepts, read to comprehend them, discuss and formulate new ideas, and share their learning. Ultimately, we want our students to complete their time at Mercy as effective communicators, able to read with a discerning eye, to have important conversations, and to be able to write and produce quality material wherever their life’s journey takes them.
Luke Bourchier
Literacy Coordinator