Week 12 Reflection Blog

Dean (2010) suggests that the definition of being literate has changed dramatically within the primary curriculum. Previously it was argued that children should be taught to read and write purely through traditional ways however children in today’s society need to be taught a variety of skills to become literate. The Future Lab (2010) argues that teachers need to enable children to become digitally literate in order to succeed in the ever changing technological world we live in. They define digital literacy as being able to communicate and represent information in different contexts and for different audiences. Therefore many schools are encouraging the use of ICT within all subject areas, with strong links being made between English and ICT.  Before beginning this module I had not had any experience of using ICT and English together therefore I was unsure how they could be combined to benefit children within the primary classroom. Throughout the module I have explored and used a variety of applications (apps) and multimodal texts such as talking books and comic strips. This has allowed me to see the clear links between traditional literacy approaches and new technology as well as enabling me to understand how I could use them within a school setting.

Beauchamp (2012) acknowledges that advances in technology can lead to a situation where teachers need to learn new skills and feel confident in their ability to share these skills with children. As an English specialist I had concerns about my own confidence with using technology and my own ICT subject knowledge when working with children. This module has provided me with opportunities to gain first-hand experience of using technology with children in the primary classroom and therefore I feel much more confident in my own ability. Burnett, Dickinson, Myers and Merchant (2006) recognise that many teachers face difficulties with integrating ICT into the curriculum however working with the local primary school has allowed me to gain an insight into how to plan and assess for ICT as well as how to integrate it throughout the curriculum effectively.  

Ofsted (2010) states that schools should be educating children about online safety in order to allow them to become informed and responsible users of the internet and new technologies such as apps. It could be suggested that teachers lack confidence and subject knowledge surrounding online safety and therefore do not feel comfortable using technology regularly within the classroom. Through using technology and exploring the issues surrounding it as well as researching e-safety for a previous blog, I feel that I am confident in my ability to educate children about the safe use of technology and would feel comfortable using it as a teacher.

I feel that this module has broadened my view of what it is to be an English subject leader within a primary school. It has allowed me to identify the need for children to be digitally literate and how, as a teacher I can help children to achieve this through the combination of traditional and modern literacy approaches combined with ICT. It has also allowed me to gain confidence in my subject knowledge and it has highlighted the importance of educating children about E-safety and my role in keeping them safe online.

Beauchamp, G (2012) ICT in the Primary School From Pedagogy to Practice, Pearson Education Limited

Burnett, Dickinson, Myers and Merchant (2006) Digital connections: transforming literacy in the primary school, Cambridge Journal of Education, Vol. 36, No. 1, March 2006, pp. 11-29

Dean, G. ‘Rethinking Literacy’ in Bazalgette, C. (ed) (2010) Teaching Media in Primary Classrooms London:Sage

FutureLab (2010) Digital Literacy Across the Curriculum: (Sections 3.1 – 3.4 Digital Literacy in Practice)

Ofsted (2010) (Online) The safe use of new technologies
http://www.ofsted.gov.uk/resources/safe-use-of-new-technologies