Blogs – ELINET

Blog #6 Two perspectives to fostering children’s literacy

29/04/2021 Comments 1 comment

Renate Valtin and Tiziana Mascia Two perspectives to fostering children’s literacy
Full Paper can be dowloaded here.

In the knowledge-based societies of the 21st Century, the rapid spread of new technologies and a constantly changing work environment, literacy learning is no longer limited to childhood and adolescence; but must be recognized as a lifelong need and requirement. However, in early childhood in the family and in preschool and the first years of primary school the foundation is laid for the rest of development. There is a vast body of literature suggesting measures, activities and methods to foster literacy in young children. In our paper we will present suggestions for an ideal reading life of children, age 0 to 10, mainly derived from two positions: ELINET, the European Literacy Policy Network, who offers a comprehensive societal approach and Maryanne Wolf, renowned scholar of literacy and the brain, currently directing the Center for Dyslexia, Diverse Learners and Social Justice at UCLA.… Read the rest

Blog #4 Adolescent Literacy in Malta

23/11/2020 Comments 1 comment

by Pamela Zerafa
[This is the fourth Blog in the blog series from the TWG International Literacy Assessments]
Since literacy is an essential key competence for lifelong learning (EC 2018), it has been the object of assessment in Malta in many local and international studies. The results of these assessments, unfortunately, shed light on the literacy crisis we Maltese seem to be sharing with the rest of the world. For instance, in the most recent Progress in International Reading Literacy Study (PIRLS), the mean reading score of Maltese ten-year-olds (477) was significantly lower than the international average (500) (MEDE 2017). Similarly, a local study conducted by Professor Mark Borg (2018) on differences in Achievement in the End-of-Year Benchmark 2012-2018 concluded that the mean achievement scores in each of the three core subjects for students in Year 6 (11-year-olds) attending State Schools are consistently below the national standardised mean of 500.… Read the rest

TWG Blog #2 PISA 2018 assessment of reading literacy

29/04/2020 Comments 0 Comment

The second ELINET blog is from the from TWG International Literacy Assessments on the topic PISA 2018 assessment of reading literacy: innovations and continuity by Dominique Lafontaine, member of the PISA reading expert group.
It starts like this: From print to digital reading
Between 2000 and 2018, reading underwent a tremendous transformation in our societies. When the first framework for PISA 2000 was developed, less than 2% of the world’s population used the Internet. Today, the Internet pervades the life of all citizens, in educational, professional or personal spheres. Laptops, tablets, and more recently smartphones make information available all the time. Today’s students need to be skilled with digital tools and need to develop new skills to deal with the increased complexity and quantity of information available online.… Read the rest

Elinet TWG Blog #1 International Literacy Assessments.

06/03/2020 Comments 0 Comment

Elinet wants to update you better by writing blogs, related to the TWG Topics.
The first blog is from Sari Sulkunen and Bill Brozo, Title: International Literacy Assessments
It starts like this: Whenever there is a release of the findings from a new PISA (Program for International Student Assessment) cycle, it triggers a barrage of responses from pundits, policy makers, researchers, and the public. The recent release of the results of the 2018 PISA cycle has been no different. Commendatory words for those at the top of the league tables or have demonstrated impressive score point increases; voices of doom and gloom for countries that have shown poor or declining performance; and resignation among the significant number of lowest achieving countries whose bottom of the table international rankings seem pre-ordained with each assessment cycle. … Read the rest