The Key to Teaching Digital Literacy in 2022 • Simply ELA

The CHALLENGE OF DIGITAL LITERACY

Making sure our students have strong digital literacy skills is a new requirement of educators. Unfortunately, teaching these crucial computer skills too often lands squarely on the shoulders of ELA teachers. This is because writing essays requires typing skills, creating research projects involves knowing how to use Google quickly, and most reading curriculum are digital now.

In the last few years–ESPECIALLY in 2020 and 2021–there has been a truly desperate need to teach our students all the ins-and-out of computers in this internet-dependent world of education. This is not easy.

So, unless you’re lucky enough to teach in a school distract that has a specific technology teacher who has been teaching these vital skills since primary grade levels, you’ve probably had to teach your students these skills yourself–like me.

MY JOURNEY

Personally, I’ve been passionate about using technology effectively in my ELA classroom for years–long before COVID-19 turned all our classrooms fully digital.

So, I’ve had the privilege of spending WEEKS out of my school year teaching my students how to type essays efficiently, use Google toolbars the right way, and maneuver all the websites we use daily.

Every year, 5th graders walk into my classroom not knowing how to open up a Google Doc, let alone use its toolbar effectively; I have students not know the difference between the space bar and the enter key; I have students unable to open a new tab in Chrome without assistance.

Honestly, it can be a long & frustrating road to digital literacy…

So here's my secret:

After all the years I’ve spent pulling my hair out that students haven’t been taught proper digital literacy before 5th grade, I’ve learned something very important:

There’s a lot of power in “double-dipping.”

Here’s what I mean: You can either take an entire week out of your plans to do nothing but teach your students all the ins and outs of Google, typing skills, keyboard shortcuts, and research skills.

OR…

You can double-dip! You can teach all these crucial digital skills WHILE doing another standards-based activity or lesson that fits into you already-existing ELA plans! THAT is the key to teaching digital literacy. Trust me!

Now, you can spend hours and hours creating a resource that accomplishes this task; or you can make it easy and just the one I’m about to give you. FOR FREE!

My favorite tool to Simplify digital literacy!

My resource for double-dipping makes digital literacy SO MUCH EASIER for both me and my students.

It’s a super fun and simple goal-setting activity.

And–here’s the key to making the magic happen effortlessly–it ALSO contains student tips and how-to guides in the margins of each slide to teach them valuable Google tools they will need to succeed.

It’s the perfect combo!

The best part is, my students don’t even realizing I’m teaching them all these important Google tools! They just think they’re doing a fun activity!

Honestly, if you use Google apps (Docs or Slides) in your school at all, you NEED this resource!

I do this twice a year: once in the first week of school (All About Me!) and then again in January (Goal Getters!)

WIN-WIN!

Then, if I can tell a student has forgotten these skills throughout the year, all I have to do is re-assign them this resource on Google Classroom and tell them to read every “Student Tip” on the Slides. SO SIMPLE!

Perfect activity to start a new year!

Use this to teach these skills for the first time, review and refresh their memories, or simply to make sure everyone is on the same page. There’s no wrong way to use it!