Focusing on success

Work in every job sector requires research, analysis, and effective communication.

As such, literacy skills have become indispensable tools for success. The ability to read, write, and comprehend information not only forms the foundation for academic achievement; it also plays a significant role in shaping students' future careers. According to Paul Deane, principal research scientist at ETS, "to succeed in the twenty-first century economy, you have to have [literacy] skills that only a small percentage of the population may have needed in the 1920s."

Literacy skills benefit learners

To that end, this article explores three important ways in which greater literacy skills can benefit learners, whether in the classroom or beyond it. 

1. Personalizing with Technology: To address the challenges of improving literacy skills, many schools are turning to tech-based solutions. The right technology can offer immediate auto-grading and diagnostic reviews. As such, educators can provide students with personalized learning experiences to improve their writing skills and guide the revision process. For example, tools like Criterion’s Online Writing Evaluation Service are designed to help students improve their core writing skills through unlimited opportunities to practice independent writing and invaluable automated feedback. Personalizing learning in this manner empowers students to engage with the material at their own pace. 
2. Bolstering Advanced Reading and Writing: Many schools emphasize reading catch-up alongside basic writing skills: grammar, structure, and mechanics. While certainly important, educators need to prepare for advanced writing matters, including intensive workshopping and revising, should students want to claim greater fluency over their literacy abilities. “Schools with better prepared kids,” argues Paul Deane, “can spend more time in writing and cover more ground in writing...When you do that, you get faster skill growth and more motivated kids.” Supporting this kind of well-structured and meaningful content, in turn, has a powerful impact on a student’s future, or, as Deane puts it, “If you can’t write a good admissions essay, you’re already behind the 8-ball.” 
3. Entering the Job Market: The Nation's Report Card by the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) reveals that reading scores have remained relatively stagnant for the past two decades; furthermore, in recent years they have declined due to the pandemic. At the same time, to perform in today's competitive job market, students must possess proficient literacy skills. Travis Park, associate professor of agricultural education at North Carolina State University in Raleigh, wonders “are we creating students who can be lifelong learners, not just the oil changers and mechanics, but the managers, the owners of the business?” His question emphasizes the urgent need for schools to address literacy skills before the job market demands them later: “If you’re in it for that game,” Park says, “then reading is vitally important for [students’] long-term success.”

Personalized learning experiences

Recognize the interconnectedness of reading and writing when personalizing learning experiences.

Educators empower students to face the challenges of the modern world with confidence and competence. Schools and districts can build better-developed students across all subjects with a renewed approach to critical-writing concepts and systematic literacy approaches. Literacy skills unlock a world of opportunities: they are indispensable assets in every learner's journey towards a successful and fulfilling future.

Want to use Criterion’s Online Writing Evaluation Service to improve literacy skills in your classroom?