Page 96 - Teaching English at Primary Level: From Theory into the Classroom

Developing Literacy

4. Watch a video in which the language experience approach is used in prac-
tice and discuss its effectiveness for developing literacy.
5. Watch Ana Halbach present the text-based approach in a CLIL context
(Workshops and Conferences, Video 1: Developing FL Literacy in CLIL Con-
texts). What are the different phases of the approach and how do they help
students produce texts?

Key Takeaways
• Literacy incorporates all four language skills and contributes to the devel-
opment of communicative competence.
• Developing multiliteracy skills includes using multiple modes (i.e. linguis-
tic, visual, aural, gestural and spatial), different languages and different cul-
tural contexts.
• There are clear benefits in using a balanced-literacy approach – one that
integrates different methods in line with the needs of the learners, their
age and language level.
• Observing and analysing different spoken and written texts will help learn-
ers produce texts.

Further Reading
Cameron, L. (2001). Teachinglanguagestoyounglearners. Cambridge University
Press.
Cloud, N., Genesee, F., & Hamayan, E. (2009). Literacy instruction for English lan-
guage learners. Heinemann.
Dagarin Fojkar, M. (2014). Literacy development in course books for teaching
English in the second cycle of Slovenian primary school. Linguistica, 54(1),
153–166.

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