Specialty Spotlight: Media Literacy

One major goal of our media literacy program is to instill and support a lifelong love of reading in our students. Since reading is the core of both academic and personal competencies, we aim for all of our students to think of themselves as readers. To that end, our media literacy course includes regular library visits.

In the library, reading is not just a quiet, solitary activity. Students listen to a story read aloud, which builds student fluency, comprehension, vocabulary, background knowledge, awareness of genre and text structure, and boosts motivation for reading. Our students also love reading together. Fifth graders recently enjoyed listening to classmate Liam H. read a favorite picture book during their library visit.

As we begin a new year, it is the perfect time to set goals for our reading lives. In the words of the “Book Whisperer” Donalyn Miller: “Recommitting to reading as a school community sends a powerful message about the importance of reading and its value—all year long.”

Heidi Long
Media Literacy Teacher