Do teachers know what the essential literacy skills are? Do teachers know what the essential literacy skills are? Presenters: Ansie Lessing & Marike de Witt UNISA

Literacy is defined as the ability to read and write at a conventionally accepted level Literacy is defined as

Literacy development implies using literacy for variety of purposes enjoying reading and writing actively reviewing and analysing information becoming thinkers and communicators conveying meaning in written language becoming fluent and efficient readers and writers feeling successful making sense of written language

Developing literacy knowledge requires Knowledge of books, phonemes, syntax and lexicon, print-related vocabulary writing skills Skills and Competencies to use books, phonemes, syntax and lexicon, print-related vocabulary writing skills Attitudes: interest and motivation in literacy-related activities

Learning outcomes - literacy Communicate Listen Read and view Literacy learning outcomes Write Think and reason Additional language

Mastering of listening skills requires Intact listening Attention Auditory processing skills - sound discrimination - sequence - memory - analysis - synthesis - association

Mastering of speaking skills requires Intact speech organs Adequate concept formation Vocabulary Self-confidence

Reading Conversion of the printed word to an auditory and semantic meaning Includes thought, feelings and images Attribution of meaning

Important sub skills in reading Ability to decode Word recognition Punctuation Phrasing Comprehension Appreciation Critical reading Speed reading Oral language ability

Important sub skills in reading Emotional factors Concentration Motivation Physical ability Perceptual abilities Conceptual ability Experience Oral language ability Emotional factors

Writing Writing consists of three phases: - planning, - sentence generating - Revising Written language incorporates: - spelling - handwriting and - written work such as essays

Writing Writing requires numerous cognitive functions (similar to reading) Factors that influence writing: - physical environment - motivational factors - working memory and - long-term memory

Spelling Decoding ability (ideas and meaning into printed matter) Knowledge of graphic representation of sounds (phonemes as graphemes) Knowledge of word patterns – (phonemes as graphemes) Representation of meaning (spelling skill)

Important sub skills in spelling Motor co-ordination Senso-motor integration Perceptual skills Letter formation

Think and reason Master the ability to: - think abstractly - showing imagination - spot relationships and - to analyse and synthesise

Do teachers know what the essential literacy skills are? Study to determine teacher’s knowledge and skills to support learners who did not master the essential sub skills to acquire literacy proficiency. 115 teachers participated 20.9 per cent from Mpumalanga, 46.1 per cent from Limpopo 33.0 per cent were a geographical mixed group teachers

Background knowledge of participants 73.0 per cent - foundation phase teachers 11.3 per cent - intermediate phase and 15.7 per cent - senior phase 1.7 per cent - male 98.3 per cent - female. 58% - more than 5 years and 19 per cent - less than one year

Results Less than 5 per cent of the teachers from Mpumalanga or Limpopo have confidence to support learners who experience difficulties to master the sub skills for literacy acquisition, The group from Pretoria showed little more confidence (13%).

Do teachers know what the essential literacy skills are? Do teachers have the knowledge and skills to support learners to achieve the essential literacy skills? Do teachers attend to the necessary sub skills for mastering of literacy skills?

Conclusion Mastering the outcomes for literacy implies mastering also the necessary sub skills Teachers must acquaint themselves and ensure that they have the necessary knowledge and skills