Mod2 Blog1 Defining New Literacies and Why They Matter
The world around us is ever changing, every day we are surrounded by technology and are constantly trying to expand our reach. There is no escaping literacy, from newspapers to books, to magazines, the "old literacy" is still around. But even when we don't surround ourselves with those types of literacy, the majority of Americans will have a form of technology that makes it impossible to escape literacy. Literacy is more than just reading and writing. "If we see literacy as 'simply reading and writing'...we cannot make sense of our literacy experience" (Lankshear 2006, 2). Our curriculum is meant to prepare students for a life outside of the classroom. Which means that the students must work with information and resources that they will actually find out of school. This is where we need to incorporate multiliteracies into our lesson planning. Multiliteracies include the use of modes like "visual, audio, spatial, behavioral, and gestural" (Beecher 2023). Literacy is more than just ink on paper. When students scroll on social media, watch commercials, YouTube videos, or even see memes on the internet they are interacting with a tpye of literacy. Literacy is a unique experience that everyone will "make their own" and we need to allow for that kind of individualism in the classroom as well.
We cannot measure growth solely based on the ability to read and write, especially with our country's growing immigration population. Some schools are lucky enough to offer a specialized English as a Learned Language class and other resources for those students. However that is not always the case, and our educational system should account for that. To measure growth for comprehension in a language that is being learned will give a false score. The student may fully grasp the content and could meet the mark needed to pass, but the student may not be able to express their comprehension in an accurate way. These students might also struggle creating the same meaning as their fellow peers. Due to their differences in culture or interaction with that kind of media it will lend to a different response from every child. In order to show comprehension or growth of any kind, the content needs to be understandable and meaningful to the students. Every time we interact with any form of literacy, we are taking their ideas and internalizing it based upon our own experiences.
Not every school is going to be able to offer a Chromebook and internet at home, nor does every child have access to a cellphone. But we need to embrace the obstacles and still try to reach out to the students and create an environment where we encompass mulitliterature into our curriculum. We can accommodate and modify our tools to try and give the students the best and equal opportunity to succeed. We can bring our classes to the library to use the computer, we can print out online sources if necessary, we can also include visuals to help stimulate class. Our school districts are all different and we need to make the best out of what we are given. As teachers, we are problem solvers, we can adapt to the challenges our ever-changing world presents.
Sources:
Beecher, C. (2023, July 19). Chapter 1. what is literacy? Multiple Perspectives on Literacy. Methods of Teaching Early Literacy. https://iastate.pressbooks.pub/teachingearlyliteracy/chapter/what-is-literacy-multiple-perspectives-on-literacy/
Knobel, M. Lankshear, C. (2007) Sampling "the new" in new literacies
https://narrateannotate.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/lk2007ch1.pdf
I completely agree with the approach of incorporating multiliteracies into lesson planning. As a 6th-grade woodworking teacher, I've been actively implementing these strategies in my own classroom. In my classes, instead of demonstrating every lesson to the entire group, I plan on creating videos and information sheets that students can complete at their own pace. This method allows me to work more individually with students who are struggling. Since my students are working at different speeds, presenting a single demonstration isn't always beneficial for everyone.
ReplyDeleteMy own educational journey provides unique insight into this approach. I started school in America speaking only Spanish, which gives me a deep understanding of the challenges faced by English Language Learners. This personal experience helps me relate to new students who often feel isolated in the school environment. I believe the most important way to learn is through engagement. ENL students bring diverse perspectives that can enrich the classroom experience. For example, last year, I had a student from Ecuador who spoke very little English. This year, I've noticed how her ability to engage with other students has dramatically improved her language skills.
Your approach aligns well with the concept of multiliteracies, which emphasizes the importance of understanding and effectively using multiple forms of literacy and communication in various contexts. It not only addresses the diverse needs of your students but also prepares them for the multifaceted literacy demands of the 21st century. Keep up the excellent work in creating an inclusive, engaging, and forward-thinking learning environment for your students.