Impactful ways to teach Literacy and Numeracy through the Arts

National Literacy and Numeracy Week nearly upon us! With the arts linked to “higher performance in literacy, numeracy and science,” now is a great time to explore ARTS:LIVE‘s resources for teachers.¹ On ARTS:LIVE, you will find a range of activities to develop your students’ literacy and numeracy skills through arts learning.

ARTS:LIVE resources provide rich lesson ideas that authentically link literacy, numeracy and the arts. Deliver curriculum-aligned lessons in Visual Arts, Drama, Music, Media Arts and Dance that explore reading, writing, and numeracy in engaging and meaningful ways. Plus, arts learning provides students with opportunities to create, analyse, communicate, problem solve, reflect and collaborate together.

Save time searching for creative ways to teach literacy and numeracy skills. ARTS:LIVE has an abundance of lessons suitable for all primary school levels. Fun and easy-to-use activities can be used as stand-alone lessons, or work into your existing plans to bring National Literacy and Numeracy Week alive.

Here are four courses to get you started…

Fairy Tale Dance

This resource introduces students to Queensland Ballet's Little Red Riding Hood production and invites them backstage to meet the production team. The lesson series combines literacy and movement, and supports students to create their own movement based interpretation of a fairy tale.

View this course

Design a Magazine Cover

Examine how magazine covers are designed to attract attention by using colour, fonts, words and images that appeal to their target audience. Plan and lay out your own magazine cover based on a topic of your choice.

View this course

Introducing Rhythm and Beat

Explore one of music's most fundamental concepts with Introducing Rhythm and Beat, a practical resource designed to help you teach rhythm and beat with confidence across Foundation to Year 6. Through games, songs, videos and hands-on activities, students move, create and perform as they learn to feel a steady beat and recognise rhythmic patterns. Along the way, they'll build aural, coordination and collaboration skills that support both musical and broader learning.

View this course

Portray Yourself

Explore the relationships between subject, artist and viewer through portraiture. Investigate image, identity and representation by exploring some significant portraits in the National Gallery of Victoria's collection.

View this course

Guhn, M., Emerson, S. D., & Gouzouasis, P. (2020). A population-level analysis of associations between school music participation and academic achievement. Journal of Educational Psychology, 112(2), 308–328. https://doi.org/10.1037/edu0000376