LITERACY AND NUMERACY IN GEOGRAPHY
Literacy and numeracy is embedded in Geography as students learn geographical knowledge and understanding; learners engage with a wide range of informational and literary texts that enhance their understanding of the world and how languages and images can be use to manipulate and make different meanings (ACARA, 2013). In conjunction, numeracy skills are developed through investigating concepts fundamental to geography, for example the effects of location and distance (ACARA, 2013). Geography enables students understand the link between numeracy and the real world as it engages students with various forms of geographical analysis that shed light onto various world issues such as poverty, disease, global warming and catchments, for example, counting and measuring, constructing and interpreting tables, working with statistics, and constructing and interpreting maps (ACARA, 2013).
Literacy
Literacy skills are embedded within geographic textbooks, where students engage with interviews, reports, stories, photographs and maps (ACARA, 2013). The textbook below is utilized in many Education Queensland schools, activities and resources are used to develop students’ geographical knowledge and skills.
Literacy
Literacy skills are embedded within geographic textbooks, where students engage with interviews, reports, stories, photographs and maps (ACARA, 2013). The textbook below is utilized in many Education Queensland schools, activities and resources are used to develop students’ geographical knowledge and skills.
Source: Jacaranda Online, 2014
Various questioning techniques in geography require literacy knowledge and skills, the table below illustrates some questions and their link to literacy. The following table has been adapted from Lambert and Balderstone’s (2010, pp. 106) “Types of Questions”. The explanation and links to literacy are contextual to the General Capabilities (ACARA, 2013). The activity asks students to develop their written and oral skills and they use language to ask and answer distinctively geographical questions (ACARA, 2013).
LINK TO GENERAL CAPABILITIES
Various questioning techniques in geography require literacy knowledge and skills, the table below illustrates some questions and their link to literacy. The following table has been adapted from Lambert and Balderstone’s (2010, pp. 106) “Types of Questions”. The explanation and links to literacy are contextual to the General Capabilities (ACARA, 2013). The activity asks students to develop their written and oral skills and they use language to ask and answer distinctively geographical questions (ACARA, 2013).
LINK TO GENERAL CAPABILITIES
The link below highlights a research activity I designed for a year ten class in my recent practical placement that were undertaking a unit concerned with ‘the Globalizing World’. The activity asks students to develop their written and oral skills and they use language to ask and answer distinctively geographical questions (ACARA, 2013).
Your browser does not support viewing this document. Click here to download the document.
Source: Idiens, 2014
Numeracy
A prime example of students engaging with numerical skills in geography, is when they construct and interpret maps, eliciting an understanding of the numerical concepts of grids, scale, distance, area, and projections (ACARA, 2013). Below is a chloropleth map for the World Health Organization (WHO) (2013), indicating the HIV/AIDs prevalence world-wide. The prevalence rate indicated at the bottom of the map requires an understanding of area and scale, students must use their numerical skills and knowledge to interpret the maps and understand population projections concerning the prevalence of adult HIV (ACARA, 2013).
Numeracy
A prime example of students engaging with numerical skills in geography, is when they construct and interpret maps, eliciting an understanding of the numerical concepts of grids, scale, distance, area, and projections (ACARA, 2013). Below is a chloropleth map for the World Health Organization (WHO) (2013), indicating the HIV/AIDs prevalence world-wide. The prevalence rate indicated at the bottom of the map requires an understanding of area and scale, students must use their numerical skills and knowledge to interpret the maps and understand population projections concerning the prevalence of adult HIV (ACARA, 2013).
Soucre: Adult HIV prevalence (15-49 years), 2011 WHO, 2013
Students engage in literacy and numeracy through activities such as learning geographical terms and concepts, as well as interpreting data. The PowerPoint below was created during my last practical placement for a year eleven Geography class; the students were entering a unit concerning ‘Infectious Diseases’, the following resource linked below was created to familiarize the students with terms and concepts and maps, tables and general data surrounding the infection rate and prevalence of certain diseases. Students develop numeracy skills towards the end of the PowerPoint through learning about the spatial distribution of various infectious diseases (ACARA, 2013). In conjunction the students can use the statistics concerned with HIV prevalence, and construct a statistical analysis that informs students how to test the relationship of different variables (ACARA, 2013).
Students engage in literacy and numeracy through activities such as learning geographical terms and concepts, as well as interpreting data. The PowerPoint below was created during my last practical placement for a year eleven Geography class; the students were entering a unit concerning ‘Infectious Diseases’, the following resource linked below was created to familiarize the students with terms and concepts and maps, tables and general data surrounding the infection rate and prevalence of certain diseases. Students develop numeracy skills towards the end of the PowerPoint through learning about the spatial distribution of various infectious diseases (ACARA, 2013). In conjunction the students can use the statistics concerned with HIV prevalence, and construct a statistical analysis that informs students how to test the relationship of different variables (ACARA, 2013).
Your browser does not support viewing this document. Click here to download the document.
Source: Idiens, 2014