The Importance of Literacy

Literacy is about learning to read for “meaning” and “enjoying ” the “process.”

By Anthony Ororho

A good look at the definition of literacy will show three distinct areas that the writer has marked for meaning-they are indeed put in quotation marks.

First, let us look at the word ‘meaning.’ Meaning is “What is intended to be, or is, import.” How can a teacher help a child learn to read for meaning? When teaching English to students writing standardised examinations like the Senior Secondary School Certificate Examination (SSCE) or the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) examinations, in Nigeria, I try to make out time to tell them that our area of concentration will cut across three branches of the English Language viz:

1. Concord

2. Composition

3. Comprehension

While Concord is the agreement between the Subject and Verb in a sentence, Composition is putting together these skills in order to tell a story or put down an idea. Comprehension is Understanding all these processes, in order to be creative in our use of the language.

Second, enjoyment simply means getting satisfaction from what one is reading , and, finding pleasure in doing so. Therefore, reading for meaning, should be a pleasurable exercise.

Third, is the word process. This means procedure, method or way of doing something. The teacher who teaches literacy, should endeavour to use differentiated teaching, to pass his message across to his students. This is so because children have their individual learning styles. While some can listen to an audio tape or compact disc, others may want to watch a video presentation. Yet, there are those who may want to feel it to get a sense of touch. If possible, as a teacher, appeal to all the senses when you teach literacy.

How important then is literacy?

Pardon me to posit that literacy is the most important aspect of any education a child will receive through out his life. A child who cannot read cannot respond to test questions because, he must first be able to read in say English, understand what he has read, analyse the problem, synthesize, before he can answer the question correctly.

This is where comprehension comes in. The child will need comprehension skills in order to deal with lifelong issues, all the days of his life especially in this computerized digital age-the 21st Century.

The Teacher-Students Collaboration

When students engage their teacher in a discussion, asking questions and it appears that they want to disprove what the teacher is saying, should the teacher think that they are arguing with her?

I refuse to address such as argument, rather students should participate in Inclusive and Collaborative Learning.

The teacher too should not be ashamed to say he will do more research on the topic and also encourage the students to do their research and they will converge in the next class to simply rub minds on the topic.