Multitasking in Literacy - Bert, Marjorie

Multitasking in Literacy: A Guide for Teachers and Parents

In today's fast-paced world, it is more important than ever for students to be able to multitask. This means being able to pay attention to multiple things at once and to switch between tasks quickly and easily. While multitasking can be a challenge, it is a skill that can be learned and improved with practice.

In her book, "Multitasking in Literacy," Marjorie Bert provides a comprehensive guide for teachers and parents on how to help students develop their multitasking skills. Bert begins by defining multitasking and explaining why it is important for literacy. She then discusses the different types of multitasking tasks that students may encounter, such as reading and writing, listening and speaking, and reading and listening.

Bert also provides a number of strategies that teachers and parents can use to help students improve their multitasking skills. These strategies include:

Providing opportunities for students to practice multitasking. This can be done through games, activities, and real-world tasks.
Encouraging students to set priorities. This will help them to focus on the most important tasks and to avoid getting overwhelmed.
Teaching students how to manage their time effectively. This will help them to stay on track and to avoid feeling rushed.
Providing students with feedback on their multitasking skills. This will help them to identify areas where they need to improve.

"Multitasking in Literacy" is a valuable resource for teachers and parents who want to help students develop their multitasking skills. Bert's clear and concise writing style makes the book easy to understand, and her practical strategies can be easily implemented in the classroom or at home.

Why Multitasking is Important for Literacy

Multitasking is an essential skill for literacy in the 21st century. In today's world, we are constantly bombarded with information from a variety of sources. We need to be able to process this information quickly and efficiently in order to make informed decisions. Multitasking allows us to do this by allowing us to pay attention to multiple things at once and to switch between tasks quickly and easily.

Different Types of Multitasking Tasks in Literacy

There are a variety of different multitasking tasks that students may encounter in literacy. These tasks include:

Reading and writing. When students are reading and writing, they need to be able to pay attention to the text, to their own writing, and to the feedback they are receiving from their teachers or peers.
Listening and speaking. When students are listening and speaking, they need to be able to pay attention to the speaker, to their own thoughts, and to the feedback they are receiving from their teachers or peers.
Reading and listening. When students are reading and listening, they need to be able to pay attention to the text, to the speaker, and to their own thoughts.

Strategies for Helping Students Improve Their Multitasking Skills

There are a number of strategies that teachers and parents can use to help students improve their multitasking skills. These strategies include:

Providing opportunities for students to practice multitasking. This can be done through games, activities, and real-world tasks.
Encouraging students to set priorities. This will help them to focus on the most important tasks and to avoid getting overwhelmed.
Teaching students how to manage their time effectively. This will help them to stay on track and to avoid feeling rushed.
Providing students with feedback on their multitasking skills. This will help them to identify areas where they need to improve.

Conclusion

Multitasking is an essential skill for literacy in the 21st century. By providing students with opportunities to practice multitasking, encouraging them to set priorities, teaching them how to manage their time effectively, and providing them with feedback on their multitasking skills, teachers and parents can help students develop this important skill.