(Originally posted at ISTE.org)
STEM is nothing without literacy.
As STEM/STEAM educators, we want to help students think and work like engineers and computational thinkers. But that involves more than introducing students to the design process or teaching them about technology tools. The work of engineers also involves collaboration, communication, global citizenship and literacy skills.
During my tenure as supervisor of the Technology and Engineering Education(TEE) program at Richmond Public Schools (RPS), improving the reading and writing skills of our students was just as important as developing their technical literacy. That’s because even in today’s high-tech workforce, the old-world skills of reading and writing are vital for every career and virtually every aspect of daily life.
I recommend that STEM teachers employ the following four strategies for helping their learners improve their literacy skills.
