Enhancing Literacies Across Curriculum

Building & Enhancing New Literacies Across Curriculum
Unit 1: Understanding Literacy
To become fully literate in today’s world, students

must become proficient in the new literacies of 21st-century technologies. As a result, literacy
educators have a responsibility to effectively integrate these new technologies into the
curriculum, preparing students for the literacy future they deserve.
Literacy teaching and learning need to change because the world is changing. We are
living amidst major changes, changes creating new ways with words, new literacies and new
forms of learning.
In this unit, you will learn about literacy according to its meaning and types, and its
importance to individuals, community and to education.
Unit objectives
At the end of this unit, you are expected to:

√ define the key concepts that are related to literacy
√ compare the basic concepts of traditional and 21st century literacies and skills
√ explain the features and critical attributes of the 21st century literacies
√ discuss concepts of globalization and multicultural literacy
√ synthesize importance of literacy to individuals.
Topic A: Understanding Literacy According to its Meaning
Learning Objectives
At the end the lesson, you are expected to:
1. define what literacy is;
2. compare traditional/conventional and 21st century literacies and skills; and
3. demonstrate understanding on the importance of these literacies across various
contexts or across the curriculum.
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Presentation of Content
Now read the texts that follow. Try to understand what they convey as suggested
by the section headings.
Knowing the Definitions of Literacy
In today’s world, the definition of literacy has changed. It is no longer acceptable to only teach
students classic literacy skills. Of course, these are important, but if we as teachers focus solely on these,
we are leaving out a large chunk of literacy skills that are necessary in today’s society, the so-
called new literacies. Having new literacy skills is not an option – it’s a must. Thanks to technology ,
the world is getting smaller, and we are communicating with people globally on a regular basis.
Literacy
Varied opinions speak on the connection of literacy and the curriculum. While others do
not directly accept the existence of a relationship, others acknowledge it. As described by Cronin
(2014), literacy is the ability to decode text and to produce text to make meaning. Literacy is
both a science and a skill. It is the mechanics of reading and writing. It is the foundation for all
word-based communication.
Literacy is a continuum of learning enabling individuals to achieve their goals, to develop

their knowledge and potential, and to participate fully in their community and wider society.
UNESCO 2003
Literacies are actualized according to a particular context in time and in space in which
they operate. Given the nomadic tendencies of literacies; they are not wed to a context, but are
taken up in unpredictable ways across various contexts/curriculum. Reading is both intensive
(disruptive) and immanent. Literacies involve constant movement in the process of becoming
other. There is potentiality in releasing literacy from its privileged position as the printed word
by not allowing it to govern all other literacies. In this way, literacies open themselves to what is
not already given. In short, literacies are about reading, reading the world, and self as texts.
What is Traditional/Conventional Literacy?
Activity 1. Define traditional/conventional literacy as illustrated by the pictures below:
Answers here!
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Traditional/Conventional literacy is defined as the quality of being literate; knowledge

of letters; condition in respect to education, specifically refers to reading and writing that follow
the form, content, and use of standard conventions (Koppenhaver, 2000). It is built on
discoveries and understanding made during the emergent literacy phase of development.
Traditional/Conventional Literacy is the ability to access and express information through

both reading and writing. It is vital in all subject areas. First, for the field of education, much of
the subject matter that students will be expected to learn will be taught to them from a textbook.
What this really means is that students will have to take responsibility for their own learning,
both in and beyond high school, by making meaning from text. Second, students will need to be
able to give voice to their own thoughts and demonstrate an understanding of material through
writing. On an immediate or practical level, this will be necessary for students to display their
level of comprehension to their teachers. In the larger picture, being able to communicate clearly
with others is necessary in order to succeed in all subject areas.
It is important to note that traditional literacy does not mean reading and writing in their
simplest forms. Instead, it means being able to access written works in such a way as to achieve a
level of understanding that allows critical thinking.
According to the National Reading Panel report (NRP; NICHD, 2000), in order to
produce and understand conventional literacy an individual must develop phonemic awareness,
phonics, vocabulary, fluency, and comprehension of connected text.
21st Century Literacy
Activity 2. Read the quotation below, then do the task as indicated.
The illiterate of the 21st century will not be those who cannot read and write, but
those who cannot learn, unlearn, and relearn. ~Alvin Toffler
What is 21st century literacy? Explain and relate your answer to the concepts you derived from
the learning you acquired from the quotation.
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Activity 3. Open this link - 21st Century Skills:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BHiby3m_RyM
Analyze the content of the video and write your analysis on a clean sheet of paper or send your
analysis to your teacher’s email account.
What is 21st century literacy?
21st Century Literacy is a collection of many higher order skills. When a student is
able to critically evaluate the reliability of diverse sources of knowledge in order to construct
knowledge, he/she is considered 21st century literate.
It also entails openly arguing with diverse groups of people in order to explain and prove
the truth. But we cannot forget that these 21st century skills are built on the foundation of
traditional literacy: reading, writing, and basic mathematics. Knowledge is the essential first step
to good communication and effective action. Truth has to be actively constructed by critical
thinkers through meticulous and rigorous scientific methods. And this truth needs to be
effectively communicated to diverse audiences through arguments in order to direct collective
action to solve real-world problems.
21st Century Literacy is more than just reading and writing. It is knowing how to learn
and know. Utilizing scientific research on cognition and meta-cognition, students need to
understand how the brain creates and uses subjective knowledge, and the different processes that
create objective knowledge. 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).
Students need to be able to understand concepts as tools, which can be used to solve real-
world problems (Fish, 2011, p. 15, 29). Most importantly, students need to recognize threshold
concepts (Land, Meyer, & Smith, 2008), which enable new ways to see and know the world.
Two of the most important threshold concepts involve learning to see writing as two separate
tools: it is both a tool for thinking and knowing, and it is a tool for communicating knowledge
and persuading people to see the truth. Psychologists call this holistic understanding “meta-
cognition,” which means "thinking-about-thinking" and "thinking-about-doing." Such higher
order thinking enables us to better understand ourselves (both our strengths and limitations),
which then enables us to know better and perform better (Dunn, Saville, Baker, & Marek, 2013).
Students need to be able to do, not just know (Wenger, 1999).
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Some Features of 21st Century Teaching and Learning
Here are some critical features of 21st Century Education:
1. Integrated and disciplinary. In an integrated and interdisciplinary teaching, lesson is

link to other disciplines or to life-experiences. Lesson in subject matter is also a vehicle
for values inclusion. As a consequence, lesson is never dull.
This is how the basic subjects must be taught according to the P21 Framework of 21 st
Century Skills. Core subjects such as 1) English, reading, or language arts; 2) World
languages; 3) Arts; 4) Mathematics; 5) Economics; 6) Science; 7) Geography; 8) History;
9) Government and Civic must be interwoven or integrated with 21 st century
interdisciplinary themes like 1) global awareness; 2) financial, economic, business and
entrepreneurial literacy ; 3) civic literacy; 4) health literacy; 5) environmental literacy.
The P21 Framework states that mastery of core subjects and the 21 st century themes are
essential for all students in the 21st century.
2. Technologies and multimedia. This is another feature of 21st century education.

Learners are techno-savvy. Computers, the internet, and the WWW are as much a part of
millennials’ lives as telephones and televisions are to previous generation. The learners of
today spend more time using electronic media – an average about 7 hours per day – than
they do in perhaps any other activity except sleeping ( Rideout, Foehr, & Roberts, 2010).
It is best for teachers to present lessons in digestible morsels, not lengthy expositions.
Teachers must use engaging but rather brief lecture starters, such as personal vignettes,
demonstrations, puzzles, and short movie or video clips.
Considering that the learners are techno-savvy, teachers are expected to use technology to
enhance their teaching. Teacher must therefore be digitally literate, meaning, he/she must
be able to find, evaluate, utilize and create information using digital technology.
3. Global classrooms. The classroom in the 21st century has become global. Education in
the 21st century exposes students not only to national concerns but also to global concerns
such as climate change, global warming, respect for cultural diversity, peace education,
education for sustainable development. With global classrooms, learners’ diversity has
increased. Thus the need to integrate respect for all people regardless of creed, culture,
color in all lessons.
4. Creating/Adapting to constant personal and social change and life-long learning

The world is changing at breakneck speed. Millenials must be equipped with skills to
adapt to the changing world to succeed and to be happy in the 21 st century. They must be
flexible to thrive in a changing environment. Einstein once said, “ The measure of
intelligence is the ability to change.”
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Learners must be empowered for lifelong learning by being taught life skills. P21
Framework of 21st century skills enumerates the following life skills: 1) flexibility and
adaptability; 2) initiative and self-direction ; 3) social and cross-cultural skills; 4)
productivity and accountability; 5) leadership and responsibility.
5. 21st Century skills. To succeed in work and life in the 21 st century, millennials must
master the following students’ outcomes for 21st century. Teaching of the millennials
must therefore be focused on the 21st century skills. This begins with the development of
core academic subject knowledge and understanding among all students. Those who can
think critically and communicate effectively must build on a base of core academic
subject knowledge instruction, students must also learn the essential skills for success in
today’s world, such as critical thinking, problem solving, communication and
collaboration.
6. Project-based and Research-driven. Education in the 21st century emphasizes “data,

information, and evidence-based decisions making.” For the millennials to be taught the
21st century skills, there should be more problem-based and project-based learning in
classes instead of just seatwork and whole -class instruction. This allow students to
collaborate, work on authentic problems and engage with the community. Millennials are
not content with soft data. They are research-driven that is why they work both hard data.
Traditional Classroom vs. 21st Century Classroom (From http//www.21stcenturyschool.com)
Traditional Classroom 21st Century Classroom

Time-based Outcome-based
Focus: Memorization of discrete facts Focus: What students know, can do and are
like after all the details are forgotten.
Lessons focus on the lower level of Learning is designed on upper levels of
Bloom’s Taxonomy – knowledge, Bloom’s – synthesis, analysis, and
comprehension and application. evaluation (and include lower levels as
curriculum is designed down from the top.)
Textbook-driven Research-driven
Passive learning Active learning
Learners work in isolation – classroom Learners work collaboratively with
within 4 walls classmates and others around the world-
the global classroom
Teacher-centered: teacher is center of Student-centered: teacher is
attention and provider of information facilitator/coach
Little to no student freedom Great deal of student freedom
Discipline problems- educators do not trust No discipline problems- students and
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students and vice versa. No student teachers have mutually respectful

motivation relationship as co-learners: students are
highly motivated
Fragmented curriculum Integrated and interdisciplinary curriculum
Grades averaged Grades based from what was learned
Low expectations High expectations- “if it is not good it is
not done”. We expect and ensure that all
students succeed in learning at high levels.
Some may go higher-we get out of their
way and let them do that.
Teacher is judge. No one else sees student Self, peer, and other assessments. Public
work, audience, authentic assessments.
Curriculum/School is irrelevant and Curriculum is connected to students’
meaningless to the students. interest, experiences, talents and the real
world.
Print is the primary vehicle in learning and Performances, projects, and multiple forms
assessment. of media are used for learnings and
assessments.
Diversity in students is ignored. Curriculum and instruction address student
diversity.
Literacy is the 3 R’s – reading, writing and Multiple literacies of the 21st century-
math aligned to living and working in a
globalized new millennium- aural and
visual literacy, financial literacy, eco-
literacy, cyberliteracy, emotional literacy,
physical fitness/health, and global
literacies.
Factory model, based upon the needs of 21st century model
employers for the industrial age of the 19 th
century. Scientific Management
Driven by the NCLB and standardized Driven by exploration, creativity and 21 st
testing mania. century skills.
Application
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Compare and explain the basic concepts of traditional and 21st century literacies and
skills. Use the Venn diagram below.
TRADITIONAL LITERACY 21ST CENTURY LITERACY
Explanation here!
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Feedback
Congratulations! The first lesson in this unit is about to end. Give yourself a pat on the
shoulder. To officially end your learning experience, write your reflection and conclusion by
completing this graphic organizer.
I am certain that I learned about...

1.
I think there is still a need to learn more about...

2.
I could apply what I learned by...

3.
Topic B: Literacy According to Its Types
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Learning Objectives
At the end of the lesson, you are expected to:

1. define literacy according to its types
2. differentiate the types of traditional and 21st century literacies
3. demonstrate understanding on the importance of these traditional and 21st century literacies in
all areas of the curriculum.
Presentation of content
1. TRADITIONAL LITERACY AND ITS TYPES

1. Basic Literacy has been defined as form of abilities to read, write and do basic
arithmetic or numeracy. Barton (2006) asserts that the notion of basic literacy is used for
the initial learning of reading and writing which are applicable to all areas of instruction;
and focus on low-level literacy instruction; for example, decoding words or teaching
basic sentence structures.
What are the three basic literacy skills?
a. Ability to read with comprehension
b. Ability to compute simple equations
c. Creative thinking and problem-solving
2. Comprehension Literacy is the understanding and interpretation of what is read. To

be able to accurately understand written material, children need to be able to decode
what they read, make connections between what they read and what they already
know, and think deeply of what they have read.
Six Levels of Comprehension
 Literal is the understanding of information and facts directly stated in the text. It
is recognized as the first and most basic level of comprehension in reading.
Students can employ literal comprehension skills to better locate information
efficiently.
 Inferential is the ability to process written information and understand the
underlying meaning of the text. This information is then used to infer or
determine deeper meaning that is not explicitly stated. Inferential comprehension
requires readers to make predictions using facts from texts.
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 Appreciative is the ability to comprehend author’s point of view, purpose, tone,

and etc. based on clues in the text. This could be applied to determine author’s
purpose, message, and etc. for whole texts, like a statement, quotes, reasons,
examples, scenarios author may have included. Response to text based on
personal reaction or reflection.
 Critique is the ability to make decisions or making judgements, such as whether
the text or author is accurate and reliable, or discern if a statement is a fact or
opinion. It is also the ability to response to text based on author’s use of language,
reaction to author’s ideas, values and style.
 Evaluative comprehension requires the reader to move beyond the text to
consider what they think and believe in relation to the message in the text. It is the
ability to make judgment of text based on facts or opinion, appropriateness or
validity.
 Essential is the ability to look at the big ideas and themes from text or look at the
world view that the text brings up, and applies the themes to today’s world.
3. Functional or Practical Literacy is reading and writing linked to everyday tasks. It

means a literacy that measures ability to perform tasks to function effectively.
In 1978, UNESCO’s General Conference adopted a definition of functional literacy

which states that : A person is functionally literate who can engage in all those
activities in which literacy is acquired for effective functioning of his group and
community and also for enabling him to continue to use reading, writing and
calculation for his own and the community’s development.
Therefore, functional literacy is the ability to use reading, writing and numeracy
skills for effective functioning and development of the individual and the community.
In today’s world, the mechanisms by which we access and produce information

have been completely transformed, changing the fabric of our daily lives and producing a
generation unlike any we’ve never seen.
As teachers, part of our responsibility is helping our students to acquire these 21 st

century literacies without abandoning our commitment to the traditional literacies that
have defined the education of the previous 20th centuries.
Toward this end, we have to figure out how to inject our discipline with these new
tools and ways of communication as concepts such as reading, writing, listening and
speaking take on new dimensions in the media age.
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2. 21ST Century Literacy and Its Types
1. Globalization and Multicultural

Globalization is the process of interaction and integration among people, companies and
governments worldwide. It is the integration of national economies through trade,
investment, capital flow, labor migration and technology. It is the free movement of
goods, services, and people across the world in a seamless and integrated manner. It can
be thought of to be the result of the opening up of the global economy and the
concomitant increase in trade between nations.
Global Literacy aims to empower students with knowledge and take action to make a
positive impact in the world and their local community ( Guo,2014).
Multicultural Literacy consist of the skills and ability to identify the creators of
knowledge and their interests, to uncover the assumptions of knowledge, to view
knowledge from diverse ethnic and cultural perspective, and to use knowledge guided
action that will create a humane and just world (Boutte,2006).
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.
Education for multicultural literacy should help students to develop the 21 st 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 21st century.
By making small changes within the classroom, it can create big changes globally. 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.
So in order for students to develop these 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 essentially
makes multicultural literacy a 21st Century Literacy ( Banks, 2003)
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.
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Teachers should teach their students that other cultures exist and that these deserve to be
acknowledge 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 an exciting information. As classrooms become
increasingly more diverse, it is important for educators to acknowledge and address
diversity issues and to integrate multiculturalism information into the classroom
curriculum.
2.Social Literacy means the presence of social skills, knowledge and positive human values
that support ability in human beings to act positively and responsively in range of complex
social settings and their ability to successfully and deliberately mediate his/her world, family
member, worker, citizen and lifelong learner.
Social Literacy from the perspective of the social -cultural theory, is more than the ability to
read and write, and more than mastering literacy skills. Children learn literacy through social
interaction between themselves and children and/or adults in or outside school. Adults can use
books, games, toys, conversations, field trips and stories to develop the literacy practices
through fun. For a person to be socially literate, she must possess communication skills,
emotional intelligence and customer service skills.
3. Media Literacy provides a framework to access, analyze and evaluate, create, reflect and
act on messages in a variety of forms- from print to video to the internet. It builds an
understanding of the role of media in society as well as essential skills of inquiry and self
-expression necessary for citizens of a democracy.
Integrating Media Literacy Across the Curriculum
1. Teaching with media and technology
2. Making connections with out-of-school literacies
3. Developing information access and research skills
4. Strengthening message analysis skills
5. Composing messages using multimedia
6. Exploring media issues in Society
7. Sharing ideas and taking action
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Types of Media
books movies
newspapers television shows
magazines
Print Image
Sound Digital
radio videogames
music internet
email & CP
KEY CONCEPTS OF MEDIA LITERACY

 All messages are constructed.
 Each medium has different characteristics, strengths, and a unique language of
construction.
 All messages contain embedded values and points of view
 People use their individual skills, beliefs, and experiences to construct their own
meanings from messages.
 Messages must be considered within a social, political and economic context.
 Media and media messages can influence beliefs, attitudes, values, behaviors, and the
democratic process.
4. Financial Literacy is understanding how you can build your personal wealth.
The President’s Advisory on Financial Literacy defines financial literacy as the ability to use
knowledge and skills to manage financial resources effectively for a lifetime of financial well-
being.
Five Core Competencies of Financial Literacy

These five (5) core competencies or principles of financial literacy deliver most of what you
need to know to reach for a life of financial security and freedom.
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 Earning refers to bringing money home from a job, self-employment, or return on

various investments. As a college student, you need to fully understand the concept of
earning in order to determine your future potential earnings prior to committing to
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. Regardless of what your goals are, education is an investment in your future.
 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.
 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.
 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 debts 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.
 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.
5. Cyber/Digital Literacy means the ability to use computer technologies effectively and to
simultaneously understand the implications of those actions. It is also important to know
where to go to find reliable and accurate resources in cyberspace, otherwise known as cyber
intelligence.
It is also about being able to make sense of digital media, through meaningful and sustainable
consumption and curation patterns that improve and individual’s potential to contribute to an
authentic community. This includes the ability to analyze, prioritize, and act upon the
countless digital media 21st century citizens encounter on a daily basis.
Four Principles of Digital Literacy

1. Comprehension. This principle is simply the ability to extract implicit and explicit ideas
from a media.
2. Interdependence. It is how one media form connects with another, whether potentially,
metaphorically, ideally, or literally. Due to the sheer abundance of media, it is necessary
that media forms not simply co-exist, but supplement one another.
3. Social Factors. Sharing is no longer just a method of personal identity or distribution, but
rather can create messages of its own. Who shares what to whom through what channels
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can not only determine the long-term success of the media, but create organic ecosystems
of sourcing, sharing, storing, and ultimately repackaging media.
4. Curation. Speaking of storing, overt storage of favored content through platforms such
as pinterest, pearltrees, pocket and others is one method of ” save to read later.” But more
subtly, when a video is collected in a You Tube channel, a poem ends up in a blog post, or
infographic is pinned to pinterest or stored on a learnist board, that is also a kind of
literacy as well – the ability to understand the value of information, and keep it in a
way that makes it accessible and useful long term.
Elegant curation should resist data overload and other signs of digital hoarding, while also
providing the potential for social curation – working together to find, collect, and organize
great information.
6. Eco-literacy refers to the ability to understand the interactions between human systems –
transportation, energy, building, commerce and industry and natural systems.
Educating for Eco Literacy is a way to shape awareness and engagement with these issues for
life.
Eco-literacy is a way of cultivating a deeper connection to ecosystems an emotional
connection to our wider world, this in turn shapes sustained attitudes and beliefs around the
value and importance of the environment for human existence.
7. Arts and creativity literacy is a concept that looks beyond sitting with a book. It is a
“holistic” approach, in that it incorporates activities that can strengthen reading skills, but are
more focused on broader learning. In many cases it is an activity that on the surface doesn’t
even look like it’s related to literacy or learning to read
Research shows that using an across the curriculum increases student engagement. Art builds
21st century readiness and develops the 4 C’s : Creativity, Critical thinking, Communication
and Collaboration skills.
Application
Explain how these literacies increase student’s engagement in the 21st century
classroom.
Feedback
Create a poster out from the lessons learned in this topic. Apply your
computer skills. If you don’t have a computer, use your smart phones then send it to your
teacher’s email address.
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Topic C: 21st Century Literacy Skills
Learning Objectives
At the end the lesson, you are expected to:
1. explain the features and critical attributes of the 21st century skills; and,
2. synthesize importance of literacy skills to individuals
Presentation of Content
What do you need to know about 21st century literacy?
Photo from: https://www.battelleforkids.org/networks/p21
21st century literacy has all the higher order thinking skills combined . As a student,
you need to remember that in order for you to be called 21 st century-literate, which is
expected of you, you need to have that ability of critically evaluating how reliable any
information is that you encounter in reading or listening. In that way, once you filtered the
information objectively, then you can already qualify to the construction of knowledge that
is guided with scientific approaches.
To be a 21 st century literate does not happen just like that. You have to remember that
it builds on the foundation of the traditional literacy that you were once taught in your
early years of schooling -the essentialist, they say, would know: reading, writing and
‘rithmetic (basic mathematics). Without you having rich bank of knowledge on those
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literacies, it would be impossible for you to construct new forms of knowledge built and
processed after rigorous scientific methods.
The kind of student you are in the 21st century is one who keeps learning and doing
more than how it was in the past. You may have already done great accomplishments when
you were able to read, write, compute and argue. That is good. That is given. But more
importantly, you have to have more of new literacy skills, such as critical thinking,
scientific reasoning, and multi-cultural awareness (NCTE, 2008; Wagner, 2008; Grubb,
2003, p. 3; Sagan, 1996, p. 325).
There are three major categories of 21 st Century Literacy, adapted from Stauffer (2020), as
shown below:
Photo taken from: https://www.aeseducation.com/blog/what-are-21st-century-skills
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CATEGORY 1
Learning skills, otherwise known as 4 C’s, teaches
students about the mental processes required to adapt and
improve in a modern work environment.
These skills vary in terms of importance, depending on

your individual career aspirations. But, in simple terms,
such as the following, you can differentiate between and
among the 4 Cs.
 Critical thinking: You find solutions to

problems.
 Creativity: You think outside the box
 Collaboration: You work with others.
 Communication: You exchange information with
others.
Critical thinking is a very

important skill a teacher must have.
As for you who will be future
teacher, you need to have this. There
will come some times when you will
have to face different kinds of
problems in your classroom, among your
students or so. And when you will soon be
faced with such, you need to sort things out
and make something fruitful or meaningful
out of the problem. Or now that you are
learning without the supervision of your
teachers, critical thinking is there to let you figure out stuff for yourselves.
Creativity is equally important as a means of adaptation. This

skill empowers you to see concepts in a different light, which
leads to innovation. In any field, innovation is key to making
more of what may be less. Your chosen profession, teaching,
requires much of this especially in terms of making resources possible for learners, and
in terms of making learning a fun and a memorable experience to students. If you want
to develop creativity as a skill you can own, you have to understand that things change.
If you want to be that future teacher who wants to be loved in your ways of teaching,
19
you should put in mind that as you grow old, generations are also changing, and so
should be your ways of teaching, still relevant and timely for your present age of
learners.
Collaboration means getting students to work together, achieve

compromises, and get the best possible results from solving a
problem. This may be the most difficult concept in the four C’s. But
once it’s mastered, it can bring groups of people back on shape. The
key element of collaboration is willingness. For you to successfully
collaborate with others, you have to take note that there are some of
your ideas that you should sacrifice and not insist. You have to be welcoming of
suggestions that may better the results of your activity.
Communication is the glue that brings all of these educational

qualities together. It is a requirement for anyone or any organization
to maintain productivity and profitability. It’s crucial for students,
like you, to learn how to effectively convey ideas. Much more when
you are already a practicing teacher, you need to master how it is to
deliver ideas effectively among different personality types. If you
are able to do that now, that you are still preparing, then, you have the potential to avoid
of even eliminate confusion in your future classes.
You should remember that without understanding proper communication, students in

the 21st century will lack a pivotal skill to progress their future careers.
After you have understood the four learning skills, you are up to understand information that you
receive or encounter; thus, the literacy skills as follows:
20
CATEGORY 2
Literacy skills (IMT) focuses on how students can discern
facts, publishing outlets, and the technology behind them.
There’s a strong focus on determining trustworthiness and

reliability of sources and information to separate factual
from fake news or falsified information flooding the internet.
They’re sometimes called IMT skills, and they are each

concerned with a different element in digital comprehension.
 Information literacy: Understanding facts, figures,

statistics, and data
 Media literacy: Understanding the methods and outlets
in which information is published
 Technology literacy: Understanding the machines that
make the information age possible
Information literacy
is the foundational skill,
especially during this time
when learning materials are
accessed online. If you have
this literacy, it would help you
understand facts that you encounter online. More
importantly, it teaches you how to separate fact
from fiction. It is crucial these days for you,
students to identify and filter honesty on their own.
Otherwise, you can fall prey to myths,
misconceptions, and outright lies.
Media literacy is the practice of identifying publishing methods,

outlets, and sources while distinguishing between the ones that are
21
credible and the ones that are not. Just like the previous skill, media literacy is helpful
for finding truth in a world that’s saturated with information. With media literacy, your
perspective as students it to search for trustworthy information, and not just settle for
taking what seems credible, credible.
Technology literacy goes another step further to teach

students about the machines involved in the iinformation age. As
computers, cloud programming, and mobile devices become more
important to the world, the world needs more people to understand
those concepts. With technology literacy, you are given the basic
information you need to understand what gadgets perform certain
tasks, its hows and whys. It is about understanding how technology
works on purpose. You might even be one of its future creators or breed developers
once you have embraced learning its deeper know-how and technicalities.
Now, you are already reminded of how it is to be well-informed and to be prudent about
information, media and technology. Being literate in any of these does not mean you are already
21st century holistic. There is more to keep you rounded with the 21st literacy skills.
22
CATEGORY 3
Life skills (FLIPS) take a look at intangible
elements of a student’s everyday life. These
intangibles focus on both personal and
professional qualities.
These skills pertain to someone’s personal life,

but they also bleed into professional settings.
 Flexibility: When you shift or deviate from plans as

needed
 Leadership: When you motivate someone or a group of
people to accomplish a goal
 Initiative: When you start projects, strategies, and plans
on your own, with full dependence on the self
 Productivity: When you maintain efficiency even during
times of distractions
 Social skills: When you meet and network with others for
mutual benefit
Do you think you already have at least any of those? If you are not
sure, read through and evaluate it to yourself whether you have it,
or you need to rediscover it for your own advantage.
Flexibility is the expression of

someone’s ability to adapt to changing
circumstances. Perhaps, this is one of the most
challenging qualities to learn for students
because it’s based on two uncomfortable
ideas:
23
1. Your way isn’t always the best way.

2. You have to know and admit when you are wrong.
That’s a struggle for most of you, especially in your generation when you can know
any bit of information at the drop of a hat
Flexibility requires you to show humility and accept that you will always have
something to learn even when you think you have already come across it. You have to
remember that a secret to a long-term success in your chosen profession is flexibility. In
whatever organization you may be in, in the future, there will be circumstances that will
challenge you on how you react and adapt with changes.
Leadership is someone’s preference for setting goals,

walking a team through the steps required, and achieving
those goals collaboratively. Whether you are a newbie or a
seasoned employee, a subordinate or a boss, everyone, in
any profession needs leadership skills for several reasons.
Once you have this skills, you have a better way of
understanding the decisions of people under you or over
you. It may be of a help to see how it is for any of you, in
whatever position because one day, you might also experience being on top, and by
then, you already have learned enough of the things you should maintain or avoid.
That gives ambitious students, like you, the expertise you need to grow
professionally and lead whole corporations.Leadership alone isn’t enough to get ahead
though.
Initiative is a pre-requisite to any start. Not everybody has this,

naturally. Some people just need to learn it. And you, students,
are not exempt to the ones needing to learn this. This must be
one of the hardest skills to learn and practice, especially now that
you are self-learning or home-schooling. No one in authority is
watching over you. That means, you are on your comfort zone. You
only do as required in your classes. You may not even do more.
But, if you have initiative, you can actually make your quarantine
classes productive. You can read other materials to aid your learning. You can still put
your best to try understanding concepts no matter how difficult they may seem. That is
initiative. You are doing more than what is required. No one may serve a witness except
yourself. Sometimes, it’s spending an extra 30 minutes before sleep, wrapping up things
learned within a day in any subject. No one sees you doing this except yourself.
On some notes, this skill usually earns rewards. But you must check your intention
once you show off your initiative. Are you doing something our of your character to do
as you deem needed or are you eyeing for something as a reward? Remember, initiative
also speaks of your ethics.
24
Productivity. Your ability to complete work in an

appropriate amount of time. It is getting MORE done in
LESS time. If you understand strategies concerning
production, you are being equipped with better ways of
gaining more. That also means you have become efficient in
terms of flexibility, leadership, and initiative.
Social skills make the success story of any person a continuum.

You are to become a teacher. There is no way you should not be
socially-skilled. You will not be able to build harmonious
relationship inside your classroom if you do not have enough of
these social skills. In fact, if you have these, you can be an
excellent teacher who will forge long-lasting relationships.
As students, social skills do not only concern the way you relate with your teacher
or parents. They also have a strong reminder on matters of etiquette, manners,
politeness, and small talk. That means some students (you might wanna consider
yourself) need to learn them in an educational setting instead of a social setting (not in
Facebook, Instagram or twitter).
For you, it’s another skill to add to your lives.
25
Application:
Reflect on the following pictures with captions and relate which of the 21st century skills
is concerned. Explain by citing examples. Use atleast 50-100 words.
1.
2.
26
Feedback
Evaluate yourself in terms of the 21st century skills by using the checklist below. After
doing the checklist, discuss which of the specific skills you consider are priorities for
development, the soonest time possible.
I have the skill in

I do not have this My skill in this area
21st Century Skills this area but still
skill yet is well-developed
need improvement
Creativity
Collaboration
Critical Thinking
Communication
Information
Media
Technology
Flexibility
Leadership
Initiative
Productivity
Social Skill
27
Reflection
Cite at least three skills you consider are priorities you need to develop on.
Discuss your top priorities and give reasons. Use at least 100-150 words.
Using the concept map below, synthesize the importance of atleast five skills to you as a
future licensed professional teacher.
21st century
skills and ME
28
CLOSURE
Good Job! This time, try your 21st century skills and do the activity below.
Activity 1. LIGHTS, CAMERA, ACTION!

Today, you are the superstar, and so get ready for the camera. Now, write a short story
on how literacy helped you become the person you are today, and the person you will
become in the future and then use it to create a video vlog.
29
References
Barber, J. P. (2012). Integration of learning: A grounded theory analysis of college students'
learning. American Educational Research Journal 49(3): 590-617.
Dunn, D. S., Saville, B. K., Baker, S. C., & Marek, P. ( 2013) Evidence-based teaching: Tools
and techniques that promote learning in the psychology classroom. Australian Journal of
Psychology 65: 5–13.
Fish, S. (2011). How to write a sentence and how to read one. New York: Harper.
National Council of Teachers of English (NCTE). (2008, Nov 19). The NCTE definition of 21st
century literacies. Retrieved
from http://www.ncte.org/positions/statements/21stcentframework .
SEAMEO Innotech. (2012). Flexible Learning Solutions Unit. Retrieved from:

http://iflex.innotech.org
Solmerano, E. ( 2019. Adventures in 21st Century Literature from the Philippines and the World
Stauffer, B. (2020). What are 21 st century skills. Applied Educational Systems. Retrieved
from: https://www.aeseducation.com/blog/what-are-21st-century-skills
30

Enhancing Literacies Across Curriculum

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Enhancing Literacies Across Curriculum

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Building & Enhancing New Literacies Across Curriculum

Unit 1: Understanding Literacy

To become fully literate in today’s world, students

At the end of this unit, you are expected to:

Topic A: Understanding Literacy According to its Meaning

Knowing the Definitions of Literacy

Literacy is a continuum of learning enabling individuals to achieve their goals, to develop

Activity 1. Define traditional/conventional literacy as illustrated by the pictures below:

Traditional/Conventional literacy is defined as the quality of being literate; knowledge

Traditional/Conventional Literacy is the ability to access and express information through

21st Century Literacy

Activity 2. Read the quotation below, then do the task as indicated.

Activity 3. Open this link - 21st Century Skills:

What is 21st century literacy?

Some Features of 21st Century Teaching and Learning

Here are some critical features of 21st Century Education:

1. Integrated and disciplinary. In an integrated and interdisciplinary teaching, lesson is

2. Technologies and multimedia. This is another feature of 21st century education.

4. Creating/Adapting to constant personal and social change and life-long learning

6. Project-based and Research-driven. Education in the 21st century emphasizes “data,

Traditional Classroom vs. 21st Century Classroom (From http//www.21stcenturyschool.com)

Traditional Classroom 21st Century Classroom

students and vice versa. No student teachers have mutually respectful

TRADITIONAL LITERACY 21ST CENTURY LITERACY

I am certain that I learned about...

I think there is still a need to learn more about...

I could apply what I learned by...

Topic B: Literacy According to Its Types

At the end of the lesson, you are expected to:

1. TRADITIONAL LITERACY AND ITS TYPES

2. Comprehension Literacy is the understanding and interpretation of what is read. To

Six Levels of Comprehension

 Appreciative is the ability to comprehend author’s point of view, purpose, tone,

3. Functional or Practical Literacy is reading and writing linked to everyday tasks. It

In 1978, UNESCO’s General Conference adopted a definition of functional literacy

In today’s world, the mechanisms by which we access and produce information

As teachers, part of our responsibility is helping our students to acquire these 21 st

2. 21ST Century Literacy and Its Types

1. Globalization and Multicultural

How are Multicultural and Global Literacy Interconnected?

KEY CONCEPTS OF MEDIA LITERACY

Five Core Competencies of Financial Literacy

 Earning refers to bringing money home from a job, self-employment, or return on

Four Principles of Digital Literacy

Topic C: 21st Century Literacy Skills

What do you need to know about 21st century literacy?

Photo from: https://www.battelleforkids.org/networks/p21

Photo taken from: https://www.aeseducation.com/blog/what-are-21st-century-skills

These skills vary in terms of importance, depending on

 Critical thinking: You find solutions to

Critical thinking is a very

Creativity is equally important as a means of adaptation. This

Collaboration means getting students to work together, achieve

Communication is the glue that brings all of these educational

You should remember that without understanding proper communication, students in

There’s a strong focus on determining trustworthiness and

They’re sometimes called IMT skills, and they are each

 Information literacy: Understanding facts, figures,

Media literacy is the practice of identifying publishing methods,

Technology literacy goes another step further to teach

These skills pertain to someone’s personal life,

 Flexibility: When you shift or deviate from plans as