Title: The Importance of Teaching Children to Read Maps
Headings: The Importance of Teaching Children to Read Maps
The Importance of Teaching Children to Read Maps
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Content: In fact, the ability to “read” a map, even a very simple one, is a skill that must be learned and can require considerable time and effort. Although nearly everyone acquires the basic map reading skills by the time they have completed the primary grades, that does not diminish the magnitude of these accomplishments for young learners. Also like reading and basic math, learning to read a map is a foundational skill that is an essential prerequisite for subsequently developing a wide range of knowledge and skills. A brief review of the media that children see in their schools, homes, and communities reveals how frequently maps are used to convey important information and relationships. In the most recent National Assessment of Educational Progress in Geography (conducted in 2010), 58 percent of fourth grade teachers reported that they use maps or globes in their instruction at least once a week. For this reason, a delay in learning to read maps or a lack of proficiency in reading maps can be an obstacle to academic and intellectual progress. The 2010 National Assessment of Geography revealed that only 21 percent of fourth graders in the United States were performing at grade level in an assessment that included basic map skills, among other geography content and skills. This number drops below 10 percent for students identified as African-American or Hispanic. Unfortunately, map skills are not taught as consistently across the country as they should be. Nor do many primary grade teachers have the instructional materials or know how to teach map skills.