All primary school students in North Lanarkshire, Scotland will get their own whiteboard and set of magnetic letters to help improve their reading and writing skills as part of the Active Literacy project, according to a recent article in the Herald. The implementation comes at an opportune time as studies indicate a certain level of illiteracy among local students. Experts estimate that 1 in 4 students in Scotland finish primary school without achieving basic levels of literacy. Further research shows that the problem festers over time, with only 1 in 3 second year students in secondary school achieving baseline writing competency as recently as 2003.
The main benefits of magnetic dry erase boards and magnetic letters seem to be twofold. First, they’re more affordable than an interactive whiteboard, so you can buy them in bulk without making a huge dent in your finances. Secondly, whiteboards and magnetic letters enable students to learn visually and work hands-on with sounds and letters on their own at home and at school. Repetition breeds familiarity, and having your own fun learning tool at your disposal can make up for the fact that teachers can’t always give students as much individual time as they’d like. Bringing a whiteboard home also gives parents the opportunity to supplement what their children learn at school.
Overall, Active Literacy looks like a promising project, and the latest phase shows just how instrumental a role magnetic dry erase boards can play in teaching students the skills they need to survive in society.
Posted by Taeho Lim
