Your toddlers can often get the iPad working even though their reading levels aren't developed yet, so how do they do that?
Emojis and icons are a major part of their world on devices, of necessity, and now there are plans afoot to broaden this idea.
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NAPLAN could learn from the emoji icons made famous by smartphones by including new digital literacies to measure kids' language skills, according to a children's digital technologies and literacy expert.
"Ten years after NAPLAN testing commenced, we are finding Australian children's literacy is not improving in any consistent way," Australian Catholic University's Literacies and Digital Culture Professor Kathy Mills said.
Emojis are examples of everyday literacy practices used by young people today that can empower and improve their language skills.
"We need to adapt NAPLAN to include 21st century, digital forms of communication in their assessment of literacy," Professor Mills said.
The comments are backed by international and Australian research at ACU's Institute for Learning Sciences and Teacher Education.
Professor Mills' own research in this area was called the SELFIE (Strengthening Effective Language of Feelings In Education) Project, which involved more than 200 primary school students across three low socioeconomic schools.
The project used animations, photography, videos and emojis from smartphones to rapidly increase the students' use and command of the English language.
Strong literacy skills are associated with more robust employment opportunities, wages, social participation, health outcomes and longevity.
Once NAPLAN becomes digital it will really lend itself to testing a broadened range of literacies that are now the new basics.
- Professor Kathy Mills, Literacies and Digital Culture, Australian Catholic University
The research ran for 2.5 years, successfully teaching upper primary school students how to express emotional language through digital media and technologies.
Professor Mills said the outcomes of the SELFIE Project were very positive. "We found that by taking advantage of children's natural fascination with smartphones, iPads, and all things digital, their vocabulary and English comprehension could be improved," Professor Mills said.
"The Years 4 to 6 students in the SELFIE project went from using quite basic and simplistic emotional language to being able to describe emotions in very sophisticated terms.
"Once NAPLAN becomes digital, it will really lend itself to testing a broadened range of literacies that are now the new basics," she said.
"Typically, we think of books as a way to increase literacy, but not all young people are motivated to learn in this way.
"Using digital technologies as the key, including emojis, we can transform NAPLAN to unlock children's fascination with technology and increase their use and understanding of the English language."
Dawn Rasmussen
I love the writing game. It gets me bouncing out of bed, and dragging my feet at night when I have to finish up for the day. I started at The Bendigo Advertiser as the Creative Services Coordinator, and after many changes, I have ended up with a great 12 years with ACM (love that long service leave too as my secret gardens need tending sometimes). Working from home is tops and I hope I have many more productive times ahead.
I love the writing game. It gets me bouncing out of bed, and dragging my feet at night when I have to finish up for the day. I started at The Bendigo Advertiser as the Creative Services Coordinator, and after many changes, I have ended up with a great 12 years with ACM (love that long service leave too as my secret gardens need tending sometimes). Working from home is tops and I hope I have many more productive times ahead.
