Who is responsible for the development of Literacy?
If we assume that a majority of all individuals understand the definition of Literacy to be the ability to read and write, then we can begin to understand where the following assumption stems from; the responsibility of developing these skills rests predominantly with English and Literature teachers. Most English teachers I have met across Australia will attest to this assumption, while rolling their eyes or huffing with discontent.
And rightly so. If the literacy of an entire class, school, town, city, state, and even nation depended on the very small percentage of people who teach English then we’d all be in the metaphorical creek without paddles (unable to articulate what a paddle is or why we need it to those on dry land watching us drown). Similarly, this group should not be scapegoated when poor literacy is discovered in a school, town, state, or nation. If you’ve never come across the African proverb "it takes a village to raise a child” then I hope you scan back and reread it. Literacy is everyone’s responsibility, and it takes everyone being responsible for it, to raise everybody up.
I’ve often been asked by panicked parents what their child’s NAPLAN scores mean. I see the doom in the parents' eyes as they consider the possibility that their child will be a failure if they can’t learn to spell at state standards. I’ve also been in staff meetings where a school-wide literacy initiative which will be rolled out by every staff member is snuffed out by the teachers NOT in English or Humanities. Worryingly still is my experience with senior students who have characterised themselves by the level of English they have chosen in their HSC, blaming their teachers for ‘hating English and Shakespeare’ in their earlier years. So whose fault is it? Well it’s everybody’s fault for being nobody’s fault.
The development of Literacy in any individual rests with them and their entire community. From the texts and learning contexts that parents expose their children to in the home, to the conversations and attitudes of the extended family, to the community members and institutions like schools, libraries and museums; literacy development begins about as early as a person does. What is the value of reading and storytelling in the home? When and how can children speak and listen? As a child begins to develop a sense of autonomy their personal responsibility should be nurtured by the key individuals in their life, giving space and time for them to realise HOW their literacy skills function in different situations and WHY they are important to keep practising. Is reading a menu different to reading a library book? Why is it important to be able to read a road sign and read the packing list for school camp? In adolescence an individual’s identity is being tumultuously built and rebuilt and this is a key period for the PURPOSE of literacy development to be defined. Why do I need to read? Why do I need to write? Why do I need to listen actively and speak fluently? For some it may be to develop a passion, for others it may simply be to expand their social circles. If we consider the individual as a captain of their ship, and literacy the ship they are sailing, then everyone that they come into contact with are the ship builders - offering perhaps a small nail through to a large and sturdy piece of steel.
Yes, it is fair to say that teachers will have the professional capabilities to offer large pieces of that ship and perhaps a few nails as well. But the welding, the shaping, this is the work of everyone else; parents, caregivers, extended family, community and of course, the captain themselves.
Otherwise, with only the assistance of one or maybe two teachers in their 10ish years of formal education, how will they be able to navigate the litera-sea (sorry, couldn’t help myself) of complex communications they will face in their lifetime?
Comments
Post a Comment