the+need+for+literacy

=  The need for literacy-          Why is competent teaching of literacy so critical? = Being literate-defined by dictionary.com as "the quality or state of being literate; especially the ability to read and write"- is promoted as being essential for life in our Western society: and for a very good reason. We use our literacy knowledge every day, whether we are a builder, a computer mechanic, a university student, or a taxidriver. There may be varying levels of literacy used in these different professions, but still it is used continually. Susan Hill supports this fact in her book //"Developing Early Literacy; Assessment and Teaching" (2006)//, defining literacy as "reading, writing, speaking and listening, and involves the knowledge and skills required to engage in activities required for effective functioning in the community."(p. 3) For children to be successful both in school, and later in work or study; time must be spent with each on their own and as a group, teaching and demonstrating handwriting and comprehension; and quality time spent teaching children to read. This is the only way to ensure children learn to read and write to a standard which will see them through life. "effective early literacy teaching in preschool and school has been found to have a significant impact on later literacy development" (P. ix, (preface)Hill, 2006)

How do children learn most effectively?
Children are learning continuously without realising. They generally are very interested in things, and will ask questions and feel very proud of themselves when they get something right. However some aspects of school and learning can have negative attitudes attached before a student even enters a classroom. For instance, if a child has an older sibling who doesn't enjoy reading or writing, this can mean the younger child is equally uninterested. "Even within classrooms, the social dynamics of relationships between children and between teacher and child can have a negative or positive effect on progress."(Hill, 2006, p. 11) Therefore, the answer to this dilemma is to get children enthusiastic about literacy, through the teacher showing enthusiasm towards reading and writing; through doing exciting exercises with literacy; and taking subject material from the children's fun experiences, for their individual writing especially. This is where the teacher comes in as potentially the main instigator of eager literacy learning. "Effective teachers harness children's interests and plan an instructional program to develop children's reading and writing."(Hill, 2006, p.2)