"We're focusing on literacy and numeracy this year."
- Jul 13
- 1 min read
I've heard this a lot lately.
And my response is always...
"So are we."
Somewhere along the way, we've started talking as if inquiry, literacy, and numeracy are competing priorities.
I don't think they are.
When students are engaged in high-quality inquiry, they're reading to gather information, writing to communicate ideas, analysing data, asking questions, debating viewpoints, measuring, estimating, interpreting graphs, solving problems, and making decisions.
They're using literacy and numeracy for a purpose.
The most powerful inquiry isn't an "add on" once literacy and maths are finished.
It's where those skills come to life.
Of course, students need explicit teaching in literacy and numeracy. Strong foundations matter.
But once they have those foundations, they need opportunities to apply them in meaningful, authentic contexts.
That's what inquiry provides.
Over the coming weeks, I'll be sharing examples of how schools are integrating literacy and numeracy into guided, structured, and knowledge-rich inquiry—not as separate subjects, but as connected learning.
I'd love to hear your thoughts.
Do you see inquiry as competing with literacy and numeracy... or complementing them?
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