21st Century Literacies

Globalization and Multicultural Literacy

Multicultural & Global Literacy

ethnic and cultural perspective, What is Multicultural Literacy?

Multicultural Literacy consists of the skills and ability to identify the creators of knowledge and their
interests (Banks, 1996), to uncover the assumptions of knowledge, to view knowledge from diverse and
to use knowledge to guided action that will create a humane and just world (Boutte, 2008).

Multicultural Literacy then, brings attention to diversity, equity and social justice to foster cultural
awareness by addressing difficult issues like discrimination and oppression towards other ethnicities
(Boutte, 2008). According to Boutte (2008) education for multicultural literacy should help students to
develop the 21st century skills and attitudes that are needed to become active citizens who will work
towards achieving social justice within our communities. Because of the growing racial, language and
ethnic diversity in our country, Multicultural Literacy needs to be transformed in substantial ways to
prepare students to function effectively in the 21 st Century (Boutte, 2008).

By making small changes within the classrooms, it can create big changes globally (Boutte, 2008). As
diversity grows, there is a need for the emergence of multicultural education that is more representative
of the students in today’s classrooms. By teaching students to be advocates for multiculturalism, we are
also sending a message of empathy and tolerance in schools as a need to develop deeper understanding
of others and appreciation of different cultures (Banks, 2003). With this being said, in order for students
to develop these attitudes and skills, it requires basic knowledge prior to teaching students how to
question assumptions about cultural knowledge and how to critique and critically think about these
important cultural issues, which is what essentially makes Multicultural Literacy a 21 st Century Literacy
(Banks, 2003).

What is Global Literacy?

Global Literacy aims to address issues of globalization, racism, diversity and social justice (Guo, 2014). It
requires awareness and action, consistent with a broad understanding of humanity, the planet, and the
impact of human decision on both. Global Literacy also aims to empower students with knowledge and
take action to make a positive impact in the world and their local community (Guo, 2014).
According to the Ontario Ministry of Education (2015) A global citizen should display most or all of the
following characteristics:

●  Respect for humans no matter their race, gender, religion or political perspectives.ϖ
●  Respect for diversity and various perspectives.ϖ
●  Promoting sustainable patterns of living, consumption, and production.ϖ
●  Appreciate the natural world and demonstrate respectful towards the rights of all living
things.ϖ

How are Multicultural and Global Literacy Interconnected?

Every classroom contains students of different race, religion, and cultural groups. Students embrace
diverse behaviors, cultural values, patterns of practice, and communication. Yet they all share one
commonality:  their educational opportunity  (Guo, 2014).

Teachers should teach their students that other cultures exist and that these deserve to be
acknowledged and respected. Integrating a variety of cultural context into lessons and activities, teaches
students to view the world from many angles, creates a respect for diversity and enables students to
learn exciting information. As classrooms become increasingly more diverse, it is important for
educators to acknowledge an address diversity issues and to integrate multiculturalism information into
the classroom curriculum (Guo, 2014).

Revisiting 21st Century Literacies: Multicultural Literacy

FEBRUARY 1, 2016 ~ MS. ZHAO

The last time we looked at the concept of 21st Century Literacies, the focus was on how
to define 21st century literacies and the 21st century learner. We touched upon
communication, the effects of globalization, the influence of technological development, and
engagement in students.
As we progressed through this course, I have not only come to understand this concept more
broadly, but also develop my own understandings and interpretations of 21st century
literacies.
 Source

But for now, let us narrow it down some more and focus on one in particular: multicultural
literacy.

History/Context

Multicultural literacy is adapted from the work of Hirsch

(1988), transforming it into an inclusive—as opposed to exclusive—concept, measuring
Eurocentric accounts of cultural and historical knowledge (Taylor & Hoechsmann, 2011). It
depends less on recalling facts and more on developing the means of measuring cross-
cultural awareness. It is through this that multicultural literacy is intended to address the
complex issues within today’s society.
According to the Ministry of Education (2013), “culture goes much deeper than typical
understandings of ethnicity, race and/or faith. It encompasses broad notions of similarity and
difference” (p. 1). Hence, one of the key practices in the classroom for multicultural literacy
is for teachers to not be colourblind, label students, or use negative connotations in relation
to diverse backgrounds (Hawkins, 2014).

The question then becomes how can multicultural literacy be used in the classroom?

Multicultural Literature

To be able to integrate, use, and make meaning of multicultural texts in the classroom is a
good starting point (Iwai, 2015). Because most books are primarily Eurocentric and tend to
portray animals or characters with characteristics and values of mainstream lifestyles, having
books that contain diverse perspectives allows students to not only be aware of views
different from their own, but also see themselves in relation to those. By having students
reflect on their own lives, they see how ‘rich’ they are in comparison to characters featured
in multicultural literature, which enables them to express their emotions similar to those
characters (Huang & Kowalick, 2014).

However, when selecting and presenting multicultural texts for the classroom, it is important
that teachers engage in authentic instruction. {resenting an occasional book about
ethnic/cultural groups does not teach students to view diversity as the norm. In other words,
reading a few books here and there on diverse peoples sends strong messages about what is
normal and what is not.

This means that it is necessary to fully engage with the texts to ensure (Iwai, 2015):

1. Illustrations accurately reflecting culture, story, people, and events

2. Authentic dialogue is facilitated
3. Descriptions of authentic cultures are used in the text
4. There are portrayal of all people, including both minority and majority, as individuals
5. No stereotyping or tokenism are the basis of texts
6. There are a variety of genres for students to choose from

Interdisciplinary Usage of  Multicultural Texts

One of the major tenets of being an effective teacher is

being able to find opportunities to incorporate different aspects of student learning and
literacy across the curriculum. This is the same with multicultural literacy.

For example, poetry in language arts; issues of social justice in social studies; use of
historical fiction; recipes from a variety of cultures to teach measurement in math; songs and
art forms native to different cultural groups in the arts; and the list continues. Using different
interpretations of the same story (e.g. Cinderella) can also allow students to develop skills in
comparing and contrasting—allowing them to learn about varying cultural issues and
understand how each Cinderella story adapts a pair of glass shoes in its own context.
Iwai (2015) also offers a few other approaches to using multicultural literature:

● Open-Mind Portraits. Students illustrate a character’s face from a story and write the
character’s feelings and thoughts.
● Sketch-to-Stretch. Students draw sketches that illustrate important messages and ideas
from the story, and share their drawings that reflect what the story meant to them.
● Double-Entry Journals. Students write quotes from the story in the left column and
reflections on the quotes in the right column.
● Interactive Writing. Students write their thoughts and reflections about the topic or story
by interacting with their teacher and peers.
● Storyboards. Students select important events from the story and illustrate the sequence
of those events in graphic organizers.

A Critical Look

The Simpsons, 1989 Fox Broadcasting Company

Following the theme of this course however, it is also important to have a critical perspective
as well. So, multiculturalism seems perfect, right? It seems like it can solve all the issues
with racism? Let’s consider this for a moment…

Although multicultural literacy is implored to consider diversity and equity, teachers give
little attention to the sociocultural and sociopolitical issues that mediate teaching and
learning in an increasingly diverse world. Because many are not well versed on diversity
issues and the corresponding knowledge bases, teachers only end up teaching the surface
concepts—that is, the things that individuals can do rather than acknowledge
the institutional factors in place. Although recognizing the centrality of diversity in curricula
and instruction, practices that substantially address the issues are more illusionary than

reality.
Essentially, this means that multicultural education does not equate to antiracist education.
The idea of multiculturalism is used as a mechanism to maintain, contain, and create
difference. For lack of a better word, multiculturalism ‘others’ diversity. It acts as an easy
way out excuse to not discuss the greater issues systemically.

Source

Multicultural literacy incorporates the idea of diversity within learning through content
integration, knowledge construction, and an equity pedagogy that ensures students become
literate in cross-cultural awareness and appreciation. However, when schools take this to
mean including a ‘multicultural day’ or ‘international food day’ during the school year,
oftentimes without follow-ups or teaching the full background and meaning of such
representations of various cultures, this becomes problematic. Students will associate
specific cultures with symbols such as food, clothing, or music rather than fully appreciate
and make meaning from it. Similarly, just asking people to ‘perform’ or teach about their
differences becomes an active form of racism (St. Denis, 2011).

“Inclusion for inclusion’s sake, is not inclusion at all.”

Nevertheless, Ontario’s Ministry of Education (2013) attempts to address this by stating that,
“[it] is not about “cultural celebrations,” nor is it aligned with traditional ideas around
multiculturalism” (p. 2). So, this is at least a step towards a better direction. For me, I believe
that it is important to get to the teacher—so that the ‘hidden curriculum’ that teachers bring
with their values, biases, etc. is one that authentically engages with diversity. It is important
to remember that inclusion for inclusion’s sake, is not inclusion at all. The line between
cultural appreciation versus cultural appropriation is narrow; but it is up to the teacher which
side of the line their students will be on. Although teachers are not teaching students
prejudice, they are also not teaching them not to be prejudiced.

What is Global Competence?

The idea of global competence articulates the knowledge and skills students need in the 21st
century.
Globally competent students have the knowledge and skills to:

1. Investigate the World

Globally competent students are aware, curious, and interested in learning about the world and
how it works.
 2. Recognize Perspectives
Globally competent students recognize that they have a particular perspective, and that others
may or may not share it.

3. Communicate Ideas
Globally competent students can effectively communicate, verbally and non-verbally, with
diverse audiences.

4. Take Action
Globally competent students have the skills and knowledge to not just learn about the world,
but also to make a difference in the world.

The Four Domains of Global Competence

Intercultural Communication
Intercultural communication is the verbal and nonverbal interaction between people from different
cultural backgrounds. Basically, 'inter-' is a prefix that means 'between' and cultural means… well, from a
culture, so intercultural communication is the communication between cultures. Sometimes, this is used
to describe a single person trying to interact in a foreign environment but more often, it is a two-way
street, where people from both cultures are trying to improve their communication.

Now, if you want to learn about intercultural communication, it's important to understand what this is.
But it's also important to understand what it isn't. Intercultural communication is targeted at allowing for
positive and productive interaction. You are not joining this culture, you are not becoming a member of
another society, you are not abandoning your own culture. That would be assimilation and that's not
what we're after.

Intercultural communication is also not simply a language proficiency. Yes, communication requires the
ability to understand language, but just think about how much of your communication with even your
own friends is nonverbal: our body language, our attitudes, the rituals from hand-shaking to the stink eye.
Some researchers estimate that up to 93% of all human communication is nonverbal, although according
to recent studies, it's actually closer to 60%.

Still, that means that more than half of communication is never spoken. So, intercultural communication
is going to take a lot more than just learning a language.

The primary purpose of intercultural communication is to increase understanding of

culturally mediated communication phenomena. Within this goal, there are three distinct
research avenues: culture specific, culture general and intercultural interaction

 Principles of Intercultural Communication

.1. Language, culture, linguaculture. The process of gobalization is characterized by growing
frequency of intercultural encounters, which gives rise of communication failures.
2. Intercultural Mediation. ...
3. Channels of communication.
4. Subconscious elements in communicative behavior.

2. Social Literacy
Similarly, ‘social literacy’ implies a level of skill in being able to form respectful relationships. It
implies learning about the give and take of interacting with others. It includes the delicate,
delightful and sometimes very painful dance of sharing with others and allowing them to be
‘real’ to us—beyond stereotypes and labels and beyond simply being a means to fulfill our own
needs.

Clearly social and emotional literacy can continue being built throughout our lifetime. Perhaps a
hallmark of remaining vibrant and youthful at heart even as we age, is having the courage and
humility to stay in the space of continuous learning about feelings and relationships, knowing
this kind of literacy is never ‘done and dusted’. But for parents and early years educators in
particular, having some tools up their sleeve for building social and emotional literacy with
 young children can help lay the foundations for resilience and connectedness – qualities and
skills that will serve them and others for the rest of their lives.

9 Ways to Teach Social Skills in Your Classroom

Here are some ways in which you can create a more inclusive classroom and support social skill
development in your students: 

1.  Model manners

If you expect your students to learn and display good social skills, then you need to lead by example. A
teacher's welcoming and positive attitude sets the tone of behaivor between the students. They learn
how to intereact with one another and value individuals. For example, teachers who expect students to
use "inside voices" shouldn't be yelling at the class to get their attention. In other words, practice what
you preach. 

2.  Assign classroom jobs

Assigning classroom jobs to students provides opportunties to demonstrate responsibility, teamwork
and leadership. Jobs such as handing out papers, taking attendance, and being a line-leader can highlight
a student's strengths and in turn, build confidence. It also helps alleviate your workload! Teachers often
rotate class jobs on a weekly or monthly basis, ensuring that every student has an opportunity to
participate.

3.  Role-play social situations

As any teacher knows, it's important to not only teach the students a concept or lesson but then give
them a chance to practice what they have learned. For example, if we teach students how to multiply,
then we often provide a worksheet or activity for the students to show us their understanding of
mulitiplication. The same holds true for teaching social skills. We need to provide students with
opportunities to learn and practice their social skills. An effective method of practice is through role-
playing. Teachers can provide structured scenarios in which the students can act out and offer
immediate feedback. For more

4.  Pen-pals
For years, I arranged for my students to become pen-pals with kids from another school. This activity
was a favorite of mine on many different academic levels; most importantly it taught students how to
demonstrate social skills through written communication. Particularly valuable for introverted
personalities, writing letters gave students time to collect their thoughts. It levelled the playing field for
students who had special needs or were non-verbal. I was also able to provide structured sentence
frames in which the kids held polite conversation with their pen-pal. Setting up a pen-pal program in
your classroom takes some preparation before the letter writing begins. You want to ensure that
students have guidelines for content and personal safety.

5. Large and small group activities

In addition to the academic benefits, large and small group activities can give students an opportunity to
develop social skills such as teamwork, goal-setting and responsibility. Students are often assigned roles
to uphold within the group such as Reporter, Scribe, or Time-Keeper. Sometimes these groups are self-
determined and sometimes they are pre-arranged. Used selectively, group work can also help quieter
students connect with others, appeals to extroverts, and reinforces respectful behavior. Examples of
large group activities are group discussions, group projects and games. Smaller group activities can be
used for more detailed assignments or activities.

6.  Big buddies

We know that learning to interact with peers is a very important social skill. It is just as important to
learn how to interact with others who may be younger or older. The Big Buddy system is a great way for
students to learn how to communicate with and respect different age groups. Often an older class will
pair up with a younger class for an art project, reading time or games.  Again, this type of activity needs
to be pre-planned and carefully designed with student's strengths and interests in mind. Usually,
classroom teachers meet ahead of time to create pairings of students and to prepare a structured
activity. There is also time set aside for the teacher to set guidelines for interaction and ideas for
conversation topics. Entire schools have also implemented buddy programs to enrich their student's
lives.

7.  Class stories

There are dozens of stories for kids that teach social skills in direct or inadvertant ways. Find strategies
to incoporate these stories in your class programs. You can set aside some time each day to read-aloud a
story to the entire class or use a story to teach a lesson. Better yet, have your class write their own
stories with characters who display certain character traits. 

8.  Class meeting

Class Meetings are a wonderful way to teach students how to be diplomatic, show leadership, solve
problems and take responsibility. They are usually held weekly and are a time for students to discuss
current classroom events and issues. Successful and productive meetings involve discussions centered
around classroom concerns and not individual problems. In addition, it reinforces the value that each
person brings to the class. Before a class meeting, teachers can provide the students with group
guidelines for behavior, prompts, and sentence frames to facilitate meaningful conversation

9. Explicit instruction
Finally, teachers can carve out a time in their curriculum to directly teach social skills to their students.
Research-based programs such as Second Step provide teachers and schools with explicit lessons for
social development. These programs can provide schools and classrooms with a common language, set
of behavior expectations, and goals for the future. I have used programs such as Second Step in my
classrooms with much success!

What is emotional intelligence or EQ?

Emotional intelligence (otherwise known as emotional quotient or EQ) is the ability to understand, use,
and manage your own emotions in positive ways to relieve stress, communicate effectively, empathize
with others, overcome challenges and defuse conflict. Emotional intelligence helps you build stronger
relationships, succeed at school and work, and achieve your career and personal goals. It can also help
you to connect with your feelings, turn intention into action, and make informed decisions about what
matters most to you.
Emotional intelligence is commonly defined by four attributes:
 1. Self-management – You’re able to control impulsive feelings and behaviors, manage your
emotions in healthy ways, take initiative, follow through on commitments, and adapt to
changing circumstances.
2. Self-awareness – You recognize your own emotions and how they affect your thoughts and
behavior. You know your strengths and weaknesses, and have self-confidence.
3. Social awareness – You have empathy. You can understand the emotions, needs, and
concerns of other people, pick up on emotional cues, feel comfortable socially, and recognize
the power dynamics in a group or organization.
4. Relationship management – You know how to develop and maintain good relationships,
communicate clearly, inspire and influence others, work well in a team, and manage conflict.

Why is emotional intelligence so important?

As we know, it’s not the smartest people who are the most successful or the most fulfilled in life. You
probably know people who are academically brilliant and yet are socially inept and unsuccessful at work
or in their personal relationships. Intellectual ability or your intelligence quotient (IQ) isn’t enough on its
own to achieve success in life. Yes, your IQ can help you get into college, but it’s your EQ that will help
you manage the stress and emotions when facing your final exams. IQ and EQ exist in tandem and are
most effective when they build off one another.

Emotional intelligence affects:

1. Your performance at school or work. High emotional intelligence can help you navigate the
social complexities of the workplace, lead and motivate others, and excel in your career. In fact,
when it comes to gauging important job candidates, many companies now rate emotional
intelligence as important as technical ability and employ EQ testing before hiring.
2. Your physical health. If you’re unable to manage your emotions, you are probably not managing
your stress either. This can lead to serious health problems. Uncontrolled stress raises blood
pressure, suppresses the immune system, increases the risk of heart attacks and strokes,
contributes to infertility, and speeds up the aging process. The first step to improving emotional
intelligence is to learn how to manage stress.
3. Your mental health. Uncontrolled emotions and stress can also impact your mental health,
making you vulnerable to anxiety and depression. If you are unable to understand, get
comfortable with, or manage your emotions, you’ll also struggle to form strong relationships.
This in turn can leave you feeling lonely and isolated and further exacerbate any mental health
problems.
4. Your relationships. By understanding your emotions and how to control them, you’re better
able to express how you feel and understand how others are feeling. This allows you to
communicate more effectively and forge stronger relationships, both at work and in your
personal life.
5. Your social intelligence. Being in tune with your emotions serves a social purpose, connecting
you to other people and the world around you. Social intelligence enables you to recognize
friend from foe, measure another person’s interest in you, reduce stress, balance your nervous
system through social communication, and feel loved and happy .
Building emotional intelligence: Four key skills to increasing your EQ
The skills that make up emotional intelligence can be learned at any time. However, it’s important to
remember that there is a difference between simply learning about EQ and applying that knowledge to
your life. Just because you know you should do something doesn’t mean you will—especially when you
become overwhelmed by stress, which can override your best intentions. In order to permanently
change behavior in ways that stand up under pressure, you need to learn how to overcome stress in the
moment, and in your relationships, in order to remain emotionally aware.
The key skills for building your EQ and improving your ability to manage emotions and connect with
others are:
1. Self-management
2. Self-awareness
3. Social awareness
4. Relationship management

key skill 1: Self-management

In order for you to engage your EQ, you must be able use your emotions to make constructive decisions
about your behavior. When you become overly stressed, you can lose control of your emotions and the
ability to act thoughtfully and appropriately.
Think about a time when stress has overwhelmed you. Was it easy to think clearly or make a rational
decision? Probably not. When you become overly stressed, your ability to both think clearly and
accurately assess emotions—your own and other people’s—becomes compromised.
Emotions are important pieces of information that tell you about yourself and others, but in the face of
stress that takes us out of our comfort zone, we can become overwhelmed and lose control of
ourselves. With the ability to manage stress and stay emotionally present, you can learn to receive
upsetting information without letting it override your thoughts and self-control. You’ll be able to make
choices that allow you to control impulsive feelings and behaviors, manage your emotions in healthy
ways, take initiative, follow through on commitments, and adapt to changing circumstances.

Key skill 2: Self-awareness

Managing stress is just the first step to building emotional intelligence. The science
of attachment indicates that your current emotional experience is likely a reflection of your early life
experience. Your ability to manage core feelings such as anger, sadness, fear, and joy often depends on
the quality and consistency of your early life emotional experiences. If your primary caretaker as an
infant understood and valued your emotions, it’s likely your emotions have become valuable assets in
adult life. But, if your emotional experiences as an infant were confusing, threatening or painful, it’s
likely you’ve tried to distance yourself from your emotions.
But being able to connect to your emotions—having a moment-to-moment connection with your
changing emotional experience—is the key to understanding how emotion influences your thoughts and
actions.
Do you experience feelings that flow, encountering one emotion after another as your experiences
change from moment to moment?
Are your emotions accompanied by physical sensations that you experience in places like your
stomach, throat, or chest?
Do you experience individual feelings and emotions, such as anger, sadness, fear, and joy, each of
which is evident in subtle facial expressions?
Can you experience intense feelings that are strong enough to capture both your attention and that of
others?
Do you pay attention to your emotions? Do they factor into your decision making?
If any of these experiences are unfamiliar, you may have “turned down” or “turned off” your emotions.
In order to build EQ—and become emotionally healthy—you must reconnect to your core emotions,
accept them, and become comfortable with them. You can achieve this through the practice of
mindfulness.
Mindfulness is the practice of purposely focusing your attention on the present moment—and without
judgment. The cultivation of mindfulness has roots in Buddhism, but most religions include some type of
similar prayer or meditation technique. Mindfulness helps shift your preoccupation with thought toward
an appreciation of the moment, your physical and emotional sensations, and brings a larger perspective
on life. Mindfulness calms and focuses you, making you more self-aware in the process.
It’s important that you learn how to manage stress first, so you’ll feel more comfortable reconnecting to
strong or unpleasant emotions and changing how you experience and respond to your feelings. You can
develop your emotional awareness by using HelpGuide’s free Emotional Intelligence Toolkit.

Key skill 3: Social awareness

Social awareness enables you to recognize and interpret the mainly nonverbal cues others are
constantly using to communicate with you. These cues let you know how others are really feeling, how
their emotional state is changing from moment to moment, and what’s truly important to them.
When groups of people send out similar nonverbal cues, you’re able to read and understand the power
dynamics and shared emotional experiences of the group. In short, you’re empathetic and socially
comfortable.

Mindfulness is an ally of emotional and social awareness

To build social awareness, you need to recognize the importance of mindfulness in the social process.
After all, you can’t pick up on subtle nonverbal cues when you’re in your own head, thinking about other
things, or simply zoning out on your phone. Social awareness requires your presence in the moment.
While many of us pride ourselves on an ability to multitask, this means that you’ll miss the subtle
emotional shifts taking place in other people that help you fully understand them.
● You are actually more likely to further your social goals by setting other thoughts aside and
focusing on the interaction itself.

● Following the flow of another person’s emotional responses is a give-and-take process that
requires you to also pay attention to the changes in your own emotional experience.

● Paying attention to others doesn’t diminish your own self-awareness. By investing the time
and effort to really pay attention to others, you’ll actually gain insight into your own
emotional state as well as your values and beliefs. For example, if you feel discomfort hearing
others express certain views, you’ll have learned something important about yourself.
 Key skill 4: Relationship management
Working well with others is a process that begins with emotional awareness and your ability to
recognize and understand what other people are experiencing. Once emotional awareness is in play,
you can effectively develop additional social/emotional skills that will make your relationships more
effective, fruitful, and fulfilling.
Become aware of how effectively you use nonverbal communication. It’s impossible to avoid
sending nonverbal messages to others about what you think and feel. The many muscles in the face,
especially those around the eyes, nose, mouth and forehead, help you to wordlessly convey your own
emotions as well as read other peoples’ emotional intent. The emotional part of your brain is always on
—and even if you ignore its messages—others won’t. Recognizing the nonverbal messages that you
send to others can play a huge part in improving your relationships.
Use humor and play to relieve stress. Humor, laughter and play are natural antidotes to stress. They
lessen your burdens and help you keep things in perspective. Laughter brings your nervous system into
balance, reducing stress, calming you down, sharpening your mind and making you more empathic.
Learn to see conflict as an opportunity to grow closer to others. Conflict and disagreements are
inevitable in human relationships. Two people can’t possibly have the same needs, opinions, and
expectations at all times. However, that needn’t be a bad thing. Resolving conflict in healthy,
constructive ways can strengthen trust between people. When conflict isn’t perceived as threatening or
punishing, it fosters freedom, creativity, and safety in relationships.

3. Media Literacy
"Media and Information Literacy consists of the knowledge, the attitudes, and the sum of the
skills needed to know when and what information is needed; where and how to obtain that
information; how to evaluate it critically and organise it once it is found; and how to use it in an
ethical way. The concept extends beyond communication and information technologies to
encompass learning, critical thinking, and interpretative skills across and beyond professional
and educational boundaries.

Media and Information Literacy includes all types of information resources: oral, print, and
digital. Media and Information Literacy is a basic human right in an increasingly digital,
interdependent, and global world, and promotes greater social inclusion. It can bridge the gap
between the information rich and the information poor. Media and Information Literacy
empowers and endows individuals with knowledge of the functions of the media and
information systems and the conditions under which these functions are performed"

Specifically, it helps kids:

● Learn to think critically. As kids evaluate media, they decide whether the messages make sense, why
certain information was included, what wasn't included, and what the key ideas are. They learn to use
examples to support their opinions. Then they can make up their own minds about the information
based on knowledge they already have.
● Become a smart consumer of products and information. Media literacy helps kids learn how to
determine whether something is credible. It also helps them determine the "persuasive intent" of
advertising and resist the techniques marketers use to sell products.

● Recognize point of view. Every creator has a perspective. Identifying an author's point of view helps kids
appreciate different perspectives. It also helps put information in the context of what they already know
-- or think they know.

● Create media responsibly. Recognizing your own point of view, saying what you want to say how you
want to say it, and understanding that your messages have an impact is key to effective communication.

● Identify the role of media in our culture. From celebrity gossip to magazine covers to memes, media is
telling us something, shaping our understanding of the world, and even compelling us to act or think in
certain ways.

● Understand the author's goal. What does the author want you to take away from a piece of media? Is it
purely informative, is it trying to change your mind, or is it introducing you to new ideas you've never
heard of? When kids understand what type of influence something has, they can make informed
choices.

● When teaching your kids media literacy, it's not so important for parents to tell kids whether something
is "right." In fact, the process is more of an exchange of ideas. You'll probably end up learning as much
from your kids as they learn from you.

Media literacy includes asking specific questions and backing up your opinions with examples. Following
media-literacy steps allows you to learn for yourself what a given piece of media is, why it was made,
and what you want to think about it.

Teaching kids media literacy as a sit-down lesson is not very effective; it's better incorporated into
everyday activities. For example:

● With little kids, you can discuss things they're familiar with but may not pay much attention to. Examples
include cereal commercials, food wrappers, and toy packages.
● With older kids, you can talk through media they enjoy and interact with. These include such things as
YouTube videos, viral memes from the internet, and ads for video games.

Here are the key questions to ask when teaching kids media literacy:

● Who created this? Was it a company? Was it an individual? (If so, who?) Was it a comedian? Was it an
artist? Was it an anonymous source? Why do you think that?
● Why did they make it? Was it to inform you of something that happened in the world (for example, a
news story)? Was it to change your mind or behavior (an opinion essay or a how-to)? Was it to make
you laugh (a funny meme)? Was it to get you to buy something (an ad)? Why do you think that?
● Who is the message for? Is it for kids? Grown-ups? Girls? Boys? People who share a particular
interest? Why do you think that?
● What techniques are being used to make this message credible or believable? Does it have statistics
from a reputable source? Does it contain quotes from a subject expert? Does it have an authoritative-
sounding voice-over? Is there direct evidence of the assertions its making? Why do you think that?
● What details were left out, and why? Is the information balanced with different views -- or does it
present only one side? Do you need more information to fully understand the message? Why do you
think that?
● How did the message make you feel? Do you think others might feel the same way? Would everyone
feel the same, or would certain people disagree with you? Why do you think that?
● As kids become more aware of and exposed to news and current events, you can apply media-literacy
steps to radio, TV, and online information.

Media and Information Literacy

UNESCO has entered the digital literacy fray by publishing what they call five laws of media and
information literacy.  While they don’t use the phrase “digital literacy”, it’s clear that they’re addressing
that field’s concerns.
I’d like to summarize their offerings, then reflect on their strengths and challenges.  tldr: it’s impressive.

This literacy (they call it “MIL”) draws on and synthesizes multiple literacies, including, but also going
beyond, information and media literacy:
Note that it breaks “news literacy” out from “media literacy”.  Also be sure to catch the importance of
freedom of expression, turned into “freedom of information literacy”.  That’s a brave move for a global
organization, since not every nation or other political actor shares that latter value.

The centerpiece is what they call the “five laws of media and information literacy”, summarized in this
helpful infographic:
Law 1 is about multiple information platforms and venues, seeing them as “equal in stature” to each
other.  People should use those channels for “critical civic engagement and sustainable development.”
Law 2 identifies users – all users – as creators, not just consumers, and emphasizes gender equality.

Law 3 reminds us that information can be biased.

Law 4 sees every person as a potential learner and information consumer – even if not everyone thinks
they are.
Law 5 argues that digital – sorry, media and information literacy – is a major curriculum, and even offers
a definition: “access, evaluation/assessment, use, production and communication of information, media
and technology content,” with associated  “knowledge, skills, and attitudes”.

Financial Literacy
What Is Financial Literacy?
Financial literacy is the ability to understand and effectively use various financial skills, including
personal financial management, budgeting, and investing. Financial literacy is the foundation of your
relationship with money, and it is a life-long journey of learning. The earlier you start, the better off you
will be, because education is the key to success when it comes to money.

Read on to discover the ways in which you can become financially literate and able to navigate the
challenging, but critical waters of personal finance. And once you have educated yourself, try to pass the
knowledge on to your family and friends. Many people find money matters intimidating, but they don’t
have to be, so spread the news by example.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

● The term “financial literacy” refers to a variety of important financial skills and concepts.
● People who are financially literate are generally less vulnerable to financial fraud.
● A strong foundation of financial literacy can help support various life goals, such as saving for
education or retirement, using debt responsibly, and running a business.
●
Understanding Financial Literacy
In recent decades financial products and services have become increasingly widespread throughout
society. Whereas earlier generations of Americans may have purchased goods primarily in cash, today
various credit products are popular, such as credit and debit cards and electronic transfers. Indeed, a
2019 survey from the Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco showed that consumers preferred cash
payments in only 22% of transactions, favoring debit cards for 42% and credit cards for 29%. 1

Other products, such as mortgages, student loans, health insurance, and self-directed investment
accounts, have also grown in importance. This has made it even more imperative for individuals to
understand how to use them responsibly.

Although there are many skills that might fall under the umbrella of financial literacy, popular examples
include household budgeting, learning how to manage and pay off debts, and evaluating the tradeoffs
between different credit and investment products. These skills often require at least a working
knowledge of key financial concepts, such as compound interest and the time value of money. Given the
importance of finance in modern society, lacking financial literacy can be very damaging for an
individual’s long-term financial success. Unfortunately, research has shown that financial illiteracy is very
common, with the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) estimating that some 66% of
Americans lack it.2

Being financially illiterate can lead to a number of pitfalls, such as being more likely to accumulate
unsustainable debt burdens, either through poor spending decisions or a lack of long-term preparation.
This in turn can lead to poor credit, bankruptcy, housing foreclosure, and other negative consequences.
Thankfully, there are now more resources than ever for those wishing to educate themselves about the
world of finance. One such example is the government-sponsored Financial Literacy and Education
Commission, which offers a range of free learning resources. 3

Financial literacy can help protect individuals from becoming victims of financial fraud, a type of crime
that is becoming more commonplace—especially during the COVID-19 epidemic, which has caused
customers to move online in high numbers. 4

Strategies to Improve Your Financial Literacy Skills

Developing financial literacy to improve your personal finances involves learning and practicing a variety
of skills related to budgeting, managing and paying off debts, and understanding credit and investment
products. Here are several practical strategies to consider.

● Create a Budget—Track how much money you receive each month against how much you
spend in an Excel sheet, on paper, or in a budgeting app. Your budget should include income
(paychecks, investments, alimony), fixed expenses (rent/mortgage payments, utilities, loan
payments), discretionary spending (nonessentials, such as eating out, shopping, travel), and
savings.
● Pay Yourself First—To build savings, this reverse budgeting strategy involves choosing a savings
goal—say, a down payment for a home—deciding how much you want to contribute toward it
each month, and setting that amount aside before you divvy up the rest of your expenses.
● Pay Bills Promptly—Stay on top of monthly bills, making sure that payments consistently arrive
on time. Consider taking advantage of automatic debits from a checking account or bill-pay apps
and sign up for payment reminders (by email, phone, or text).
● Get Your Credit Report—Once a year, consumers can request a free credit report from the
three major credit bureaus—Experian, Equifax, and TransUnion—through the federally created
website AnnualCreditReport.com.5 Review these reports and dispute any errors by informing the
credit bureau of inaccuracies. Since you can get three of them, consider spacing out your
requests throughout the year to monitor yourself regularly.

 
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the three major credit bureaus are offering free weekly credit reports
through April 2022.6

● Check Your Credit Score—Having a good credit score helps you obtain the best interest rates on
loans and credit cards, among other benefits. Monitor your score via a free credit monitoring
service (or, if you can afford to and want to add an extra layer of protection for your
information, one of the best credit monitoring services). In addition, be aware of the financial
decisions that can raise or lower your score, such as credit inquiries and credit utilization ratios.
● Manage Debt—Use your budget to stay on top of debt by reducing spending and increasing
repayment. Develop a debt-reduction plan, such as paying down the loan with the highest
interest rate first. If your debt is excessive, contact lenders to renegotiate
repayment, consolidate loans, or find a debt-counseling program.
● Invest in Your Future—If your employer offers a 401(k) retirement savings account, be sure to
sign up and contribute the maximum to receive the employer match. Consider opening an
individual retirement account (IRA) and creating a diversified investment portfolio of stocks,
fixed income, and commodities. If necessary, seek financial advice from professional advisors to
 help you determine how much money you will need to retire comfortably and to develop
strategies to reach your goal.

Example of Financial Literacy

Emma is a high school teacher who tries to inform her students about financial literacy through her
curriculum. She educates them on the basics of a variety of financial topics, such as personal budgeting,
debt management, education and retirement saving, insurance, investing, and even tax planning. Emma
reasons that although these subjects may not be especially relevant to her students during their high
school years, they will nonetheless prove valuable throughout the rest of their lives.

Understanding concepts such as interest rates, opportunity costs, debt management, compound

interest, and budgeting, for example, could help her students manage the student loans that they might
rely on to fund their college education and keep them from amassing dangerous levels of debt and
endangering their credit scores. Similarly, she expects that certain topics, such as income taxes and
retirement planning, will eventually prove useful to all students, no matter what they end up doing after
high school.

Components of Financial Literacy

1. The Basics of Budgeting

Creating and maintaining a budget is one of the most basic aspects of staying on top of your finances. In
this modern day, it’s easier than ever to create a budget with the help of websites and apps, such as
Mint.com. It doesn’t matter if math isn’t your strong suit - thanks to these user-friendly tools, everyone
can get help with keeping their finances on track. And, when utilized properly, they'll keep you in the
know about where your money is actually going.

Without following a budget, it’s difficult to hold yourself accountable on where your money is coming
from and what it’s going toward. Mastering the basics of budgeting is where any financial novice should
begin.

Real life: You will very likely need to budget your money as a college student. How much of your money
should you realistically allocate toward clothing, school and apartment supplies as well as late night
pizza dinners. Sometimes, your student bank account app will tell you how much you’re spending and
where. Use that as a guide for how much you should allocate to each category – and stick to it.

2. Understanding Interest Rates

While you may touch upon the concepts within a mathematics course, it’s important to understand
different aspects, like compound interest. Why? Not only can it help you save even more, but it can
make the difference between borrowing a small amount and paying back much more than you need to
for years to come. Understanding the ins and outs of interest can impact your finances more than you
likely realize, so it’s an important concept to gain a better understand of early on in life.

Real life: If you have student loans, you’ll be dealing with interest rates and paying back interest sooner
than you think. To get an idea of how much interest you’ll end up paying on those student loans after
college, check out FinAid’s Loan Payment Calculator. If you haven’t borrowed any money yet for college,
it’s helpful to check out interest rates and estimated loan payments after college to give you an idea of
how much to borrow for college right now.
3. Prioritizing Saving
Obviously, saving is an important aspect of maintaining a healthy financial situation. But, the majority of
students don’t prioritize this aspect as much as they should. It’s easy to ignore things like retirement
since it seems so far off in the future. Learning to save early on can help you gain the knowledge,
practice and set of skills you’ll utilize throughout your entire life. Beginners can start working on this
concept in the simplest sense, like saving money for a higher-ticket item they desire. Working toward a
goal is key here and students need to understand that there’s a lot of value in paying yourself first –
because the bills will always be there. Having peace of mind? Well, that comes with practice, diligence
and patience, all qualities you’ll develop when mastering your savings skill set.

Real life: Set a small savings goal for yourself to start. Maybe it’s $5 or $10 a week. Whatever you
decide, increase the amount you save per week once your initial goal is easy and achievable. It’s also
smart to keep a “rainy day fund.” This is money that you can dip into when the air conditioning goes out
in your car or you have to buy an unexpected flight home.

4. Credit-Debt Cycle Traps

Meaning: it’s much easier to lose credit than gain it, and many students don’t realize how easy it is to
ruin their credit. Or how difficult it can be to regain credit – before it’s too late. That’s why it’s crucial to
provide knowledge on debt earlier than later. Credit can be an extremely useful tool – if it’s managed
correctly. Making rash decisions when you’re young can end up costing you throughout adulthood so it’s
important to grasp the concepts and tools behind responsible credit practices as early on as possible.
Real life: You may find that as soon as you arrive on campus, you’re flooded with credit card offers. Just
because you’re out of Mom and Dad’s house and finally “on your own,” this doesn’t mean you should
sign up for any and every card – and then go crazy. If you do need a credit card for emergency purposes,
compare offers to discover which one is the best for you and your student budget. Then when you do get
one, use it responsibly. If you have student loans, you’ll have plenty of debt to pay after college; make
sure you have very little credit card debt to tackle as well.

5. Identity Theft Issues & Safety

In this modern day and age, identity theft is more prevalent than ever. Since everything is digital
and just about everyone has shopped online at one point or another, your financial information
is more vulnerable to fraud. Understanding this concept, along with preventative measures, like
password protection and limiting the amount of information shared online can be the key to
maintaining safe accounts or, inversely, can lead to financial ruin. While it’s not a fool proof
science (people can be safe and things do still happen) it’s important to safeguard your finances
as best as possible to avoid the threats that exist.

Real life: If your social media accounts are public, consider switching them to private – or limit
how much detailed information you post. Also, never browse or make online purchases on a
public computer. With that, never use your credit card in a public setting. Wait until you get
home to make those purchases. Finally, make sure your passwords are strong. A strong
password typically requires an uppercase letter, number and symbol.
Core Competencies of Financial Literacy:
1.Earning
"Earning" refers to bringing money home from a job, self-employment, or return on various
investments. Most individuals earn money via employment in the form of a paycheck. The
average employee pays between 28-30% of their gross income in taxes and other deductions
before receiving their net income or take-home income. It is extremely important to understand
gross versus net in a paycheck, in addition to understanding the federal, state and local
individual income tax imposed on citizens and residents of the USA. 

College students need to fully understand the concept of earning in order to determine their
future potential earnings prior to committing to a specific specialization in their educational
goals. It is advisable for all students to take time, ask questions, and explore career tracks
before they declare a desired major of studies. This is not to say that a student should not
pursue his or her passion, this is to get students to make a plan for future earning potential
once they graduate from college. Regardless of what your goals are, education is an
investment in your future, so make sure you are satisfied with your return on this investment.

2. Saving and Investing

"Saving" and "Investing" deals with the understanding of financial institutions and services
available to you. First of all, you should have a saving and a checking account to manage your
own financial transactions. Start SAVING EARLY and PAY YOURSELF FIRST to help you
understand the concept that saved money grows over time which also leads you to explore
long-term investments for retirement planning.

3.Spending
"Spending" is probably the most important concept because it is a personal reflection of your
values, lifestyle, and your financial behavior. Differentiating between NEEDS and WANTS is the
basic concept of controlling spending.  Budgeting is the most powerful and impact-full tool you
can adopt to control spending to allow for saving and investing.

4.Borrowing
"Borrowing" is acquiring debt to create assets. Most students have to borrow student loans to
finance their educational goals, and with a financial plan for repayment, they can turn this
investment in their education to their advantage. Mortgages or loans to buy homes are another
form of borrowing or acquiring debt to create assets. Business loans to create self-
employment opportunity or build a business, and real estate investments, are also good
examples of how borrowed money can be turned into assets and wealth accumulation.

5.Protecting
"Protecting" deals with insurance, ID theft, and retirement planning. The idea is to stay
protected at all levels in your life; on personal, health, and social levels. You will need to
understand risk management, insurance coverage, identity theft protection, fraud, and scams,
in order to master self and family financial protection in life.
 Digital Literacy
It refers to an individual's ability to find, evaluate, and compose clear information through writing and other
media on various digital platforms. It is evaluated by an individual's grammar, composition, typing skills and
ability to produce text, images, audio and designs using technology.  an individual's ability to find, evaluate,
and compose clear information through writing and other media on various digital platforms. It is
evaluated by an individual's grammar, composition, typing skills and ability to produce text, images,
audio and designs using technology. 

Digital literacy means having the skills you need to live, learn, and work in a society
where communication and access to information is increasingly through digital technologies like
internet platforms, social media, and mobile devices.

One essential component of digital literacy when it comes to the field of pedagogy is deep learning, of
which there are six core skills:
Collaboration. The ability to work collaboratively with others, with strong interpersonal and team-
related skills.
Creativity. ...
Critical thinking. ...
Citizenship. ...
Character. ...
Communication.
Ethics for Technology Use in the Classroom
● Take care of technology equipment. ...
● Explore appropriate and safe sites for learning and research. ...
● Copyright law, Fair Use Act and Creative Commons matter. ...
● Help prevent cyberbullying. ...
● Self-image is important. ...
● Make use of netiquette. ...
● Always give credit to original source

Ecological Literacy or Ecoliteracy

Ecological literacy (also referred to as ecoliteracy) is the ability to understand the natural systems that
make life on earth possible. To be ecoliterate means understanding the principles of organization of
ecological communities (i.e. ecosystems) and using those principles for creating sustainable human
communities. The term was coined by American educator David W. Orr and physicist Fritjof Capra in the
1990s[1][2] – thereby a new value entered education; the "well-being of the earth". [3]
An ecologically literate society would be a sustainable society which did not destroy the natural
environment on which they depend. Ecological literacy is a powerful concept as it creates a foundation
for an integrated approach to environmental problems. Advocates champion eco-literacy as a new
educational paradigm emerging around the poles of holism, systems thinking, sustainability,
and complexity.
What are the 7 principles of environmental science?

● 1.) Nature knows best. ...

● 2.) All forms of life are important. ...
● 3.) Everything is connected to everything else. ...
● 4.) Everything changes. ...
● 5.) Everything must go somewhere. ...
● 6.) Ours is a finite earth. ...
● 7.) Nature is beautiful and we are stewards of God's creation!

Environmental education is a process that allows individuals to explore environmental issues, engage
in problem solving, and take action to improve the environment. As a result, individuals develop a
deeper understanding of environmental issues and have the skills to make informed and responsible
decisions.

The components of environmental education are:

● Awareness and sensitivity to the environment and environmental challenges

● Knowledge and understanding of the environment and environmental challenges
● Attitudes of concern for the environment and motivation to improve or maintain environmental
quality
● Skills to identify and help resolve environmental challenges
● Participation in activities that lead to the resolution of environmental challenges

Environmental education does not advocate a particular viewpoint or course of action. Rather,
environmental education teaches individuals how to weigh various sides of an issue through critical
thinking and it enhances their own problem-solving and decision-making skills.

Arts and creativity Literacy

Arts literacies help students develop design-thinking, creativity and critical thinking—all skills said to be
important for the future workforce. ... They use arts-specific vocabulary, metaphors, embodiment, and
other more demanding ways to express themselves through using their art. Arts literacies help students
develop design-thinking, creativity and critical thinking—all skills said to be important for the future
workforce. ... They use arts-specific vocabulary, metaphors, embodiment, and other more demanding
ways to express themselves through using their art.

This include:

1.Visual literacy
2.Eye/hand/brain coordination
3.Verbal creativity
4.Visual creativity
5. aesthetics