Evaluating the Effectiveness of Contemporary Literacy Teaching Strategies in Chinese Primary Schools: A Case Study of Urban and Rural Disparities
List of Authors
Ng Miew Hoon, Wan Zhonghang
Keyword
literacy teaching strategies, urban-rural disparity, primary education, digital literacy, China
Abstract
The aim of the present study is to explore current literacy pedagogy practices by comparing urban and rural Chinese primary schools. Survey research method was employed in the study and a structured questionnaire was used to gather data from 400 primary school teachers—200 urban and 200 rural primary school teachers—using stratified random sampling. The study also focused on the use and effective variation of a range of literacy strategies in literacy lessons, such as the use of digital tools; visual literacy practices; media literacy instruction; collaborative writing; and critical literacy tasks. Urban and rural teachers reported significantly different usage and perceived effectiveness of technology-enabled and media-access-related strategies, with urban teachers benefiting from greater resources and opportunities for professional development. Hash Code. There was a great endorsement of visual literacy skills from either subgroup. When the effects of these media technologies were statistically controlled, integration of digital tools and media literacy instruction emerged as statistically significant predictors of perceived teaching effectiveness. The results demonstrate the importance of equitable resource allocation and teacher preparation for implementing innovative literacy practices. This study adds to knowledge on how the context of literacy teaching matters and has implications for government to champion effective and inclusive literacy education for all China’s primary children regardless of size of town or city.