By Elena Arias, Ximena Dueñas, Cecilia Giambruno, and Angela López “What is not measured cannot be improved. What is not improved, degrades.” Although it sounds simple, this phrase, attributed to the renowned physicist and mathematician William Thomson Kelvin, is key to understanding why educational assessment is so important. If we don't know how much students are … [Read more...] about Evaluate to Transform: How to Improve Our Education by Improving Our Assessments?
The ABCs of an Effective Literacy Educator
By Ximena Dueñas, Gina Catalina Loaiza, Silvana Godoy Mateus y José Luís Sánchez What makes a teacher effective in literacy education? An A, B, C of the "superpowers" needed to boost student learning and enhance their reading and writing skills. To commemorate and honor the work of teachers, we want to highlight some actions, qualities, and "superpowers" that are part of … [Read more...] about The ABCs of an Effective Literacy Educator
What is Early Literacy and Which Skills Should We Develop?
The early years are crucial for developing skills that prepare children for reading and writing. Early literacy lays the foundation for formal learning. Discover its impact on children's educational and professional futures. By Ximena Dueñas, Gina Catalina Loaiza, Silvana Godoy Mateus and José Luís Sánchez The early years of a person’s life are crucial for their … [Read more...] about What is Early Literacy and Which Skills Should We Develop?
Phonological Awareness and the Alphabet Principle – Essential for Literacy Development
In the region, teachers face the challenge of teaching reading and writing. Knowledge, ideas, classroom practices, myths, prejudices, and tensions are woven around literacy instruction. One of these tensions is related to teaching two critical skills for learning to read fluently: phonological awareness and the alphabetic principle. The "Let's All Learn to Read" (ATAL) … [Read more...] about Phonological Awareness and the Alphabet Principle – Essential for Literacy Development
Closing the Literacy Gap: Keys to Promoting Reading and Writing Skills in the Classroom
"Flor now knows how to read; she says that the letters, which to me look like complicated drawings to understand and put together, are counters of things and that when you learn to read, it's like stories are being told to you." This excerpt is from Letras en los cordones (Letters on Shoelaces) by Cristina Falcón Maldonado and Marina Marcolin. It is a picture book that tells … [Read more...] about Closing the Literacy Gap: Keys to Promoting Reading and Writing Skills in the Classroom