BUILDING AND ENHANCING

NEW LITERACIES ACROSS

THE CURRICULUM
Educ 323
Module Description:

 Module 1 introduces students to the subject. It

revives “literacy” and defines the concept of
“new literacies”.
 It also compares and contrast traditional
literacy and new literacy. The module ends with
the discussion on the importance of acquiring
new literacies to cope up with the demands of
today’s society.
Purpose of the Module:

 The module aims to give students a rationale on the

changing concept of literacy, comparing the traditional
view and the modern idea.
 It also has for its purpose to make students realize the
significance of acquiring knowledge and skills on the
so-called “new literacies” as these are necessary life
skills to adapt the changing times.
 The last part of the module gives students an
overview of the many types of new literacy.
 Chapter I
Introduction to New
Literacies
WHAT IS LITERACY?
Literacy…
 defined most simply, is the ability to read and
write.
 isa process by which one expands one’s
knowledge of reading and writing in order to
develop one’s thinking and learning for the
purpose of understanding oneself and the
world.
 is the capacity to communicate using inscribed,
printed, or electronic signs or symbol for
representing language
 is the ability to read identify, understand,
interpret, create, communicate and compute,
using printed and written materials
associated with varying contents.

 Literacy involves a continuum of learning in

enabling individuals to achieve their goals, to
develop their knowledge and potential and to
participate fully in their community and wider
society (UNESCO, 2004;2017)
 is the ability to read, view, write, design,
speak and listen in a way that allows you to
communicate effectively.

 The power of literacy lies not just in the

ability to read and write, but rather in a
person’s capacity to apply these skills to
effectively connect, interpret, and discern the
intricacies of the world in which they live.
Traditional Literacies
vs
“New Literacies”
Traditional literacy…

 “The quality of being literate; knowledge of

letters; condition in respect to education,
esp. ability to read and write”.

 It is the building block for all other literacies;

without it, they would be impossible to
master. (OED Online, “literacy,”2nd ed.)
 foundationalor traditional literacy is about
print on page, or decoding and making
sense of words, images and other content
that a reader can string together and then
begin to comprehend.

 They are the words and pictures students

read and pore over that are contained in
textbooks, novels, standardized tests, and
even in comic books.
New Literacy…
 Their utility lies in online reading
comprehension and learning skills, or 21st
century skills, required by the Internet and
other information and communication
technologies (ICT’s), including content found
on wikis, blogs, video sites, audio sites, and in
E-mail.
 They require the ability not just to “read” but
also to navigate the World Wide Web, locate
information, evaluate it critically, synthesize it
and communicate it-all skills that are
becoming vital to success in this century’s
economy and workforce
 New literacies” that arise from new technologies
include things like text-messaging, blogging, social
networking, podcasting, and videomaking.

 These digital technologies alter and extend our

communication abilities, often blending text,
sound, and imagery. Although connected to older,
“offline” practices, these technologies change
what it means to both “read” and “write” texts
 Literacy, therefore, may be thought of as a moving
target, continually changing its meaning depending on
what society expects literate individuals to do.

 As societal expectations for literacy change, and as

the demands on literate functions in society change, so
too must definitions of literacy change to reflect this
moving target. (Leu, Kinzer, Coiro, & Cammack 2004,
cited in Rosaen & Terpstra, 2010).
 Literacy is no longer an end point to be
achieved and tested but rather a process of
continuously learning how to become
literate.
Importance of
Acquiring New
Literacies
 Thenew literacy requires both the “effective
use” of language and “large amounts of
specific information” about the world (Hirsh,
1998, pp. 2-3).

 Inaddition to traditional literacy, students

also need to learn about how knowledge is
created especially how the most reliable
knowledge is made through scientific
methods.
 21stCentury Literacy is more than just reading
and writing. It is knowing how to learn and
know
 Students need to be able to understand
concepts as tools, which can be used to solve
real-world problems (Fish, 2011, p. 15, 29).
 Students need to know how concepts work
to define and categorize knowledge, and
how concepts can be organized into
conceptual frameworks that interconnect
facts into larger fields of knowledge (Barber,
2012).
 Apart from the obvious changes of literacy
materials over the past few decades, as
educators, we need to take note and expand on
the concept of what literacy skills children are
needing to succeed in this modern world.

 In order to create the best learning environment

in our classrooms for our students, we need to
provide a multiliterate digital-based classroom,
that incorporates both traditional and new age
literacy teaching practices.
 Gee states that the most important variable for
young students for later success in literacy
and content learning in school is the amount
of talk, interaction, and mentoring they have
had from adults early in life (2012)
 In order to create a heavily productive
environment, as educators, we need to be
informed about the continual change of
literacies and embrace multiliteracies.

 We need to encourage oral language and

facilitate for a range of different learning styles
through different forms of literacy.
TYPES OF NEW LITERACIES
 Multicultural

Social Media

New
Financial
Literacies Digital

Ecological Creative

Source: (Ryan, N. http://njryal.weebly.com/how-has-literacy-changed.html )

1. MULTICULTURAL LITERACY

 is about understanding ethnic groups

that compromise the population and
focuses on complex issues of identity,
diversity and citizenship.
2. SOCIAL LITERACY

 is the development of social skills,

knowledge and positive values in
human beings to act positively and
responsively in sophisticated complex
social settings.
3. MEDIA LITERACY

isthe ability to access, analyze,

evaluate, and create media.
4. FINANCIAL LITERACY

 is the ability to make informed

judgements and make effective
decisions regarding the use and
management of money
5. DIGITAL LITERACY

 isthe ability to effectively use digital

devices for purposes of
communication, expression,
collaboration and advocacy in a
knowledge-based society.
6. ECOLOGICAL LITERACY

 isunderstanding the principles of

ecosystems toward sustainability
7. CREATIVE LITERACY

 isthe ability to make original ideas

that have value, and the ability to see
the world in new ways.
End of presentation