MODULE 1: INTRODUCTION OF KEY CONCEPTS

Objectives:
At the end of the lesson, the pre-service teacher should be able to:
1. compare the basic concepts of traditional and 21st century literacies and skills;
2. explain the features and critical attributes of the 21st century literacies.

A. DEFINITIONS OF TRADITIONAL LITERACIES

Literacy is the ability to use written language actively and passively. It is also the
ability to read and write one's own name and further for knowledge and interest, write
coherently, and think critically about the written word. The inability to do so is called
illiteracy or analphabetism. Visual literacy includes in addition the ability to understand
all forms of communication, be it body language, pictures, maps, or video.
Evolving definitions of literacy often include all the symbol systems relevant to a
particular community. Literacy encompasses a complex set of abilities to understand
and use the dominant symbol systems of a culture for personal and community
development. In a technological society, the concept of literacy is expanding to include
the media and electronic text, in addition to alphabetic and number systems. These
abilities vary in different social and cultural contexts according to need and demand.
The primary sense of literacy still represents the lifelong, intellectual process of
gaining meaning from a critical interpretation of the written or printed text. Key to all
literacy is reading development, a progression of skills that begins with the ability to
understand spoken words and decode written words, and culminates in the deep
understanding of text.
Reading development involves a range of complex language underpinnings
including awareness of speech sounds, spelling patterns, word meaning, grammar and
patterns of word formation, all of which provide a necessary platform for reading fluency
and comprehension. Once these skills are acquired the reader can attain full language
literacy, which includes the abilities to approach printed material with critical analysis,
inference and synthesis; to write with accuracy and coherence; and to use information
and insights from text as the basis for informed decisions and creative thought.
Traditional Literacy
Traditional Literacy is defined as the integration of listening, speaking, reading,
writing and critical thinking. It includes a cultural knowledge which enables a speaker,
writer or reader to recognize and use language appropriate to different social situations.
To further explain what is literacy and how it is different to traditional literacy, please
open the link provided for you. https://prezi.com/pwv0xwhw_jo5/traditional-literacy/

Functional Literacy
How is literacy different from functional literacy? Literacy is usually defined as the
ability to read, write, and do math. But what do we mean by reading? People may be
able to read the words in a document, but can they grasp its arguments or
analogies? How about writing? Students may be able to write or type sentences, but
can they express complete, cogent thoughts? Then there’s math. Workers may be
able to count numbers, but do they know how to analyze graphs, interpret statistics, or
plan budgets? These are skills needed to make decisions and function well in daily life.

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DILBERT © Scott Adams. Used By permission of ANDREWS MCMEEL SYNDICATION. All rights reserved.

Clearly, reading or writing words and numbers is not enough to assess

literacy. People need to be able to understand and use those words and numbers for
practical purposes, such as deliberating ideas and solving problems. This broader
definition of literacy is called functional literacy.
Functional literacy refers to the practical skill set needed to read, write, and do
math for real-life purposes, so people can function effectively in their community. This
definition comes from the United National Educational, Scientific and Cultural
Organization, or UNESCO, an international agency that researches education, science,
and communication.
In the U.S., functional literacy is assessed by the National Assessment of Adult
Literacy, or NAAL. NAAL is put together every few years by the National Center for
Education Statistics, a research division of the Institute of Education Sciences in the
Department of Education. This research classifies literacy according to four levels:
1. Below Basic Literacy: reading and writing words and numbers in very simple
documents.
Examples: locating easily identifiable information on a chart; signing a form; adding a
dollar amount to a deposit slip.
2. Basic Literacy: performing simple skills to understand short texts.
Examples: reading a pamphlet; using a TV guide; comparing ticket prices.
3. Intermediate Literacy: performing challenging skills to understand long texts.
Examples: looking up information in a reference book; summarizing a long article;
placing an order and calculating the cost.
4. Proficient Literacy: performing creative and critical thinking skills to understand
dense or complex texts.
Examples: comparing viewpoints in editorials; interpreting statistical graphs;
measuring and calculating the costs of food items per ounce.
Notice that as we advance from Below Basic to Basic, Intermediate, and Proficient, we
go from simple tasks to more and more complex skills.

Kinds of Functional Literacy

1. Media Literacy is the ability to access, evaluate, and create messages through
different types of media. Its purpose is to turn people from mass consumers into
thoughtful citizens who aren’t susceptible to propaganda or advertising.
2. Religious Literacy is the ability to interpret religious scriptures and communicate
with different faiths. Religious literacy is important for combating fundamentalism
(e.g., religious fanaticism) and prejudice (e.g., Islamophobia).
3. Financial Literacy is the ability to manage finances and make decisions about
money. Whether you’re a consumer, a business owner, or a voter, understanding
financial budgets, interest rates, and savings is an essential life skill.
4. Computer Literacy is the ability to use computers. This skill set can range from
basic competency (i.e., using applications like email and Microsoft Office) to
advanced knowledge (e.g., programming and computer science).
5. Legal Literacy is the ability to comprehend laws so you are able to follow policies
and legal procedures.
6. Scientific Literacy does not necessarily mean memorizing facts; rather, it is
knowing how to conduct experiments and identify evidence that supports or
contradicts preconceived beliefs or hypotheses.
7. Health Literacy is the ability to understand healthcare information, particularly for
making medical decisions or lifestyle choices about nutrition, exercise, sleep, and
other factors that affect physical and mental well-being.
8. Civic Literacy (a.k.a. Civics) is awareness of how government works as well as
your rights and responsibilities as a citizen and voter.

Functional Literacy and Technology

Now, because our society is so high-tech, there are two key points emphasizing
functional literacy by connecting it to technology.
1. Functional literacy is primarily about skills or applied knowledge. It’s only secondarily
about facts or subject-matter knowledge.
For example, scientific literacy doesn’t mean you have memorized the intricacies of how
quantum computers work. Instead, it means you know how to ask questions and apply
methods of verification or falsification that make such technologies possible.
2. Functional literacy keeps our high-tech society functioning. The kinds of functional
literacy mentioned are relative to today’s highly complex, technological society, but that
doesn’t make them any less valid.
For instance, the ancient Greeks got-by fine without media literacy or computer literacy,
but that’s because they didn’t have digital networks. If these examples of functional
literacy are unique to our high-tech society, we evidently need them.
Early/ Emergent Literacy
Emergent literacy is the term used to describe the reading and writing experiences
of young children before they learn to write and read conventionally (Teale & Sulzby,
1986). Emergent literacy begins at birth, regardless of whether or not a child has a
disability. For older emergent literacy learners, it is important to keep all activities age
respectful.
Emergent literacy is commonly defined as the behaviors of reading and writing that
lead to conventional literacy and “comprises all of the actions, understandings and
misunderstandings of learners engaged in experiences that involve print creation or
use” (Koppenhaver & Erickson, 2003, p. 283), and these experiences are not only
necessary but closely related to later literacy outcomes (Justice and Kaderavek, 2004).
Emergent literacy behaviours and understandings are directly related to opportunity
and experience. Students with significant disabilities often have the fewest learning
opportunities and experiences that lead to literacy.
 Students who are emerging in their understandings of literacy are working to
understand the functions of print and print conventions. Developing phonological
awareness, alphabet knowledge, and important receptive and expressive language
skills will eventually allow students to use reading and writing to interact with others.
Emergent readers and writers are making discoveries and learning about literacy when
they explore literacy materials, observe print within the natural environment, interact
with conventional readers and writers, and see models of how and why print is used
(Teale & Sulzby, 1992).
Examples of emergent literacy behaviors may include interpreting a story through
pictures rather than through text, manipulating books in nonconventional ways (e.g.,
looking at the book from back to front or holding it upside down), scribbling, and the use
of invented spelling (Clay, 1993; Koppenhaver, 2000).
An emergent reader is one who is interested in books but can’t yet read them
independently or may be able to read some words but requires continued support to
make meaning from print. It could also be a student who is not yet interested in reading
books. An emergent reader may have not yet developed intentional or symbolic means
of communication.
An emergent writer is one who is learning to use written language to express
communicative intent, and beginning writing is defined as starting with emergent writing
(drawing, scribbling, and writing letters) and ending with conventional writing abilities,
usually acquired by second or third grade for typically developing children. (Strum, Cali,
Nelson, & Staskowski, 2012)
Regular participation in reading and writing activities plays a central role in
supporting typical children’s understandings about print. Research in emergent literacy
shows that students with significant disabilities, including those with complex
communication needs, can benefit from the same type of literacy activities used with
typically developing children but may require more time and opportunity. Regular
participation in reading and writing activities plays a central role in supporting
understandings about print for ALL students.
 Many of the studies and literature surveys the last four decades have a common
finding: nothing replaces sound early literacy instruction, even when taking into
consideration recent technical advances.
If students with significant disabilities are not exposed to reading and writing materials,
how can they learn to use them?

Old assumptions about Emergent Literacy

An emphasis on functional skills, rote memorization, and readiness activities
typically take precedence over in-depth literacy instruction (Skotko, Koppenhaver, &
Erickson, 2004). Literacy development for 70-90% of students with significant
disabilities rarely approached conventional literacy skills expected for typically
developing students (Koppenhaver and Yoder, 1992).
 Literacy is learned in a predetermined, sequential manner that is linear, additive, and
unitary.
 Literacy learning is school-based.
 Literacy learning requires mastery of certain pre-requisite skills.
 Some children will never learn to read.

New thinking about Emergent Literacy

Holistic and explicit instructional approaches to balanced literacy that include
daily reading, writing, and word study are critical for all learners, including those with
significant disabilities (Erickson, Koppenhaver, & Cunningham, 2006; Sturm & Clendon.,
2004).
 Literacy is learned through interaction with and exposure to all aspects of literacy (i.e.
listening, speaking, reading, and writing).
 Literacy is a process that begins at birth – there are no prerequisites.
 Literacy abilities/skills develop concurrently and interrelatedly.
 All children can learn to use print meaningfully.

From an emergent literacy perspective, reading and writing develop concurrently

and interrelatedly in young children, fostered by experiences that permit and promote
meaningful interaction with oral and written language (Sulzby & Teale, 1991), such as
following along in a big book as an adult reads aloud or telling a story through a drawing
(Hiebert & Papierz, 1989).
Through the concept of emergent literacy, researchers have expanded the purview
of research from reading to literacy, based on theories and findings that reading, writing,
and oral language develop concurrently and interrelatedly in literate environments
(Sulzby & Teale, 1991)

Literacy and Basic Skills

The mandate of the UNESCO Institute for Lifelong Learning (UIL) is to promote
lifelong learning with a focus on adult and continuing education, literacy and non-formal
basic education. In addition, UIL is contributing to UNESCO’s priority focus on literacy
by strengthening national capacities to scale up quality, inclusive and gender-sensitive
literacy programmes.
UIL’s main activities in Literacy and Basic Skills
1. Promoting holistic, integrated and cross-sectoral approaches to literacy through
advocacy, networking and partnership activities.
2. Facilitating policy dialogue with key officials and assisting them to integrate literacy
and basic skills into national education policies and development strategies.
3. Conducting action-oriented and policy-driven research and disseminating the results
in order to improve the quality and relevance of literacy policies and programmes.
4. Making available evidence-based knowledge and examples of innovative literacy
and numeracy policies and programmes.
5. Developing the capacities of literacy stakeholders.

B. DEFINITIONS OF THE 21ST CENTURY LITERACIES Home

With the wealth of information that can be easily accessed through various media -
the Internet, TV, radio, printed materials, formal and informal instruction - how do we
guide our students in learning skills or competencies that have great use for them to
adjust to the demands of the 21st century? A 21st century teacher must be familiar with
the new literacies, or new areas of learning, that you have to emphasize and prioritize
when handling teaching and learning activities.
 21st Century Literacies Description
The Arts and Creativity This literacy can be manifested in
creative ways of problem-solving and
expressed through the production of
various art works. Teachers and
students need to be more adept in the
arts and manifest creativity in various
activities.
Eco-literacy This entails acquiring knowledge about
climate change, pollution, loss of
natural habitats and biodiversity as well
as the impacts of environmental
problems on human lives. Moreover,
solutions on how these environmental
problems could be addressed must
also be practiced. Teachers and
students need to develop awareness of
the environment.
Cyber literacy/Digital Literacy (Information This competency is based on the
and ICT Knowledge) reality that societies and workplaces
have now become more information-
driven. Workplaces of the 21st century
rely heavily on electronic (digital) forms
of data storage and management as
well as in the area of communications.
Teachers and students need to
develop familiarity and skills in the use
of computers, the internet and other
information technologies.
Financial Literacy Teachers and students are expected to
be knowledgeable about the basics of
 economics and financial management.
This way, you as a teacher, can extend
the skill into livelihood activities,
entrepreneurship, and wise handling of
personal finances.
Media Literacy Teachers and students are expected to
be knowledgeable and skilled in the
area of communications particularly the
media. Teachers and students must
learn how to discern news and
information based on the forms and
contents as to how these information
are transmitted via various forms of
media.
Social/Emotional Literacies You and your students need to acquire
social skills that are attuned to the
norms of your current society.
Emotional intelligence must also be
developed to be able to effectively
manage the stresses of a fast-paced
21st century society.
Globalization and Multicultural Literacy You and your students need to develop
a culture of respect for cultural
diversity. There is value in having a
perspective as a global citizen whose
local actions can have an impact on
the wider global arena. You also have
to understand how world events may
also affect you and your community at
the local level.
C. FEATURES OF THE 21st CENTURY TEACHING AND LEARNING
The term "21st-century skills" is generally used to refer to certain core competencies
such as collaboration, digital literacy, critical thinking, and problem-solving that
advocates schools the need to teach to help students thrive in today's world.
The term “21st century” has become an integral part of educational thinking and
planning for the future. Educators and administrators are actively searching for ways to
prepare students for the future, and the educational system has been evolving faster
than ever before.
 Various studies have shown us that rote memorization is not an effective learning
strategy and that teacher-centered classrooms (versus student-centered classrooms)
may not be the most efficiently structured ones for student engagement.
Nowadays, we don’t live in the same world. Society is a mix of many different beliefs
and cultures. Globalization has opened up the world and allowed people to connect in
new and exciting ways. We blend traditions and create unique belief systems that are
not taught in any classroom, but are developed through our life experiences and
passions. We transmit our values and cultures without the expectation of them being
adopted by our audience – just accepted by them.
As always, at its core, the role of education is to prepare students to become active,
successful, and contributing members of society. The essence of education’s role has
not changed.
Society has changed. We cannot adequately prepare students for the society that
exists today or will exist tomorrow, if we continue to prepare them for the society that
existed yesterday. In order to prepare students to play their role in the 21st-century
society we are a part of, a few things need to be considered when deciding how
education will look in our schools and classrooms.
1. Instruction should be student-centered.
The days of lecturing teachers has passed – though not entirely. While student-
centered learning is strongly encouraged in the 21st century, this does not mean that
the teacher can never give a lecture again. Instead, it means that the main source of
knowledge in the classroom should not be the teacher. Education is no longer about
listening to the teacher talk and absorbing the information.
In order to contribute to society, students will need to be able to acquire new
information as problems arise. Then, they will need to connect the new information with
the knowledge they already have and apply it to solving the problem at hand. They will
not be able to call upon a teacher for answers, so will need to have ‘learned how to
learn’ on their own.
In this classroom model, the teacher would act as a facilitator for the students.
Instead of passively receiving information, the students would gather information on
their own, under the guidance of their teacher. Different learning styles are encouraged,
and students have an enhanced sense of motivation and responsibility. They engage in
many different types of hands-on activities, as well as demonstrate learning in many
different ways.
2. Education should be collaborative.
Students must learn how to collaborate with others. Society today has people
collaborating across the globe. How can students be expected to work with people from
other cultures, with different values from their own, if they are not able to work with the
people they see each day in their classroom?
Students should be encouraged to work together to discover information, piece it
together, and construct meaning. Collaboration should also be dynamic. Students
should learn how to recognize the different strengths and talents each person can bring
to a project, and change roles depending on those attributes.
Schools should also be collaborating with other educational institutions around the
world to share information and learn about different practices or methods that have
been developed. They should be willing to alter their instructional methods in light of
new advancements.
3. Learning should have context.
Student-centered does not mean that the teacher gives up all control of the
classroom. While students are encouraged to learn in different ways, the teacher still
provides guidance as to the skills that need to be acquired. The teacher can make a
point of helping students to understand how the skills they are building can be applied in
their lives. Students will be much more motivated to learn something that they can see
the value in.
Since we are no longer preparing students for specific tasks and roles, we need to
take a more general approach and teach them the skills that are useful in any situation.
Lessons have little purpose if they do not have any impact in a student’s life outside of
the school.
4. Schools should be integrated with society.
In order to prepare students to become responsible citizens, we need to model what
a responsible citizen is. Schools will often work at accomplishing this by creating events
for the school community, by encouraging students to join committees or take part in
school projects, and by occasionally helping the community around them with activities
such as food drives or neighborhood clean-ups.
Education needs to help students take part in this global community and find ways of
impacting more than just their neighborhood. This doesn’t mean that they do not need
to learn the value of helping others around them and protecting their immediate
environment, but that they should also be learning about how they can help and protect
a world further away from them, but also closer all the time.

D. CRITICAL ATTRIBUTES OF THE 21ST CENTURY EDUCATION

The world of teachers and students is expected to continue to change dramatically
throughout the 21st century and beyond. There is a paradigm shift in the way teaching
and learning is delivered. A 21st century teacher needs to develop essential knowledge,
skills, attitudes, and values to be able to cope with these changes and to help your
students address them as well. A modern-day teacher needs to be aware of the critical
attributes of the 21th century education and must strive to understand them in order to
integrate them in teaching.
1. Integrated and Interdisciplinary
Nowadays, knowledge is no longer distinctly divided into clear-cut learning chunks or
separate subjects. Education in the 21st century is characterized by linkages among
various subject areas in an integrated manner. The new approach promotes the
utilization of learning from various disciplines.
This critical attribute implies that teachers need to review the school curriculum and
identify strategies or ways on how different subjects can be effectively linked to enhance
the learning experiences of students.
For example, music and algebra can be linked together in the discussion of
fractions. The time signature of music uses fractions; as such, you, as a good teacher,
can certainly apply this to both your music or math classes.
2. Technologies and Multimedia
Education in the 21st century makes full use of available Information and
Communication Technology, or ICT (e.g., computers and the internet) as well as
multimedia (e.g., using audio- and video-based instruction) to improve teaching and
learning activities. The ability to find, evaluate, utilize, and create information using
technologies and multimedia, or digital technology in general, is referred to as digital
literacy. As a teacher, some of your day-to-day activities – writing reports, creating
multimedia presentations, and communicating or exchanging information with your
colleagues and students online – require different levels of digital literacy. As such, it is
important for you to develop your digital literacy skills so that you can in turn pass these
on to your learners.
This critical attribute implies that your school will need to acquire and use computers
and various multimedia equipment to enhance learning to the best extent possible.
Training is also needed for teacher-users as part of a bigger “technology plan.”
3. Global Classrooms
Education in the 21st century aims to produce global citizens by exposing students
to the concerns of the region and other countries. They are encouraged to react and
respond to issues as part of their roles as global citizens.
This critical attribute implies that teachers need to include current global
issues/concerns, such as peace and respect for cultural diversity, climate change, and
global warming, in classroom discussions.
4. Creating/Adapting to Constant Personal and Social Change, and Lifelong
Learning
Education in the 21st century subscribes to the belief that learning does not only
happen inside the school and during one’s schooling years. Learning can take place
anywhere, anytime, regardless of one’s age.
This means that teachers should facilitate students’ acquisition of KSAVs that go
beyond academics. Learning should take place not only for the purpose of passing
exams, but also for transferring knowledge to real life situations. The curriculum should
be planned in such a way that the students will continue to learn even outside the
school’s portals.
5. Student-Centered
Education in the 21st century is focused on students as learners. It is tailor-fit to
address the individual learning needs of each student. Differentiated instruction is
common in 21st century classrooms, where diverse student factors are taken into
account when planning and delivering instruction. A teacher can structure learning
environments that address the variety of learning styles, interests, needs, and abilities
found in classroom.
This critical attribute implies that teachers should act as facilitators of learning — not
as “sages on the stage” but as “guides on the side.” Learners should be given
opportunities to discover new knowledge, learn with one another, and create their own
learnings.
6. 21st Century Skills
Education in the 21st century promotes the skills needed to be productive members
of today’s society. It is not enough for students to learn the basic skills of reading,
writing, and numeracy, but should develop in themselves skills that would help them
cope with life and work in 21st century communities. These skills include, among others,
critical and creative thinking skills, problem solving and decision making, and ICT
literacy and skills. A teacher is expected to possess these 21st century skills before he
can help his students develop these skills.
7. Project-Based and Research-Driven
Among the critical attributes of 21st century education is the emphasis on data,
information, and evidence-based decision making. It relies heavily on student-driven
activities to encourage active learning. This implies that teachers of the 21st century
need to be knowledgeable about research to guide their students’ learning through self-
directed activities, such as learning projects within and outside their classrooms.
Investigatory projects showcased in many science fairs across Southeast Asia and in
the world are examples of research-based activities of students.
8. Relevant, Rigorous and Real-world
Education in the 21st century is meaningful because it is rooted in real life day-to-
day activities of learners. It can be applied to the realities of the present and includes
what students need to develop to enable them to become productive members of the
21st century.
This critical attribute implies that topics are taught using current and relevant
information and linked to real-life situations and context. A 21st century teacher needs
to be updated on the current trends, developments, and issues in the school,
community, and in the world, so that teaching will be relevant to the lives of the
students. Newspapers, TV and radio news, and the internet are good sources of
relevant and up-to-date information that can be accessed.

E. BASIC STRATEGIES FOR DEVELOPING LITERACY

Research on reading indicates that good readers use a variety of strategies to make
sense of what they read. This is often referred to as making meaning, or literacy
strategies. The same research has shown that effective readers use specific strategies
when reading that show they understand or comprehend what they are reading. The six
strategies are: making connections, visualizing, inferring, questioning, determining
importance, and synthesizing.
1. Making Connections
The brain is a learning machine. Everything you do, think, and wonder has the
potential to be stored as a neuron, or a cell in your brain. These neurons form
communities by branching out and connecting to other neurons. The neurons are
grouped by similarities, forming memories that make sense. For example, the
understanding of the word 'round' helps you understand and make connections to
several objects, including the moon or a ball.
Connections are a way to relate or link information. You make a real-life connection
when you take information and relate it to something you have seen or done yourself.
When you make real-life connections between what you already know and what you are
reading, it can help you better understand what you are reading.
Reading is no exception. When children read, they're reminded of previously stored
knowledge, or schema. The books they read can be connected in three ways:
1. text to self: reminding children of something that happened in their own lives;
2. text to text: when a book reminds them of another they've read;
3. text to world: when the text reminds them of something they've seen in the world at
large.
Encourage readers to make connections first to “text to self”, then “text to text”, then
“text to world”.
Example: The story of The Adventures of Tom Sawyer written by Mark Twain.
 In this story, an orphan named Tom Sawyer goes through many adventures. One
time, Tom and his two friends ran away to an island and the townspeople thought Tom
and his friends had drowned. Tom got word of this and wanted to sneak back into town
to see for himself how sad they were.
Tom wrote Aunt Polly a note on a piece of bark so she wouldn't worry about him.
Suddenly, his aunt and others arrived when Tom was leaving the note by her bed. Tom
hid under her bed until she fell restlessly asleep. Tom managed to slip away and he
cautiously rowed his boat ashore a mile up from the village.
Let's take a look at the meaning of the words 'adventure' and 'cautiously' from the story:
Adventure means to go on exciting journey or trip.
Cautiously means to move in a careful way.
Now, let's try to make real-life connections to these words.
Text to Self
When making connections to yourself, you want to think about things in your life you
have already done or seen. Use your own experiences to find a connection.
Take 'adventure' for example. Can you think of anything you've done that relates to an
adventure?
Text to World
When making connections to the world, you are relating what you are reading to what's
going on around you.
2. Visualizing
Visualizing refers to our ability to create pictures in our heads based on text we read
or words we hear. It is one of many skills that make reading comprehension possible.
All readers make mental pictures, or visualizations, of the words they read. When
readers visualize the text, they are then able to understand elements of the story, such
as plot, in a deeper way.
Importance of Visualizing
1. Visualizing strengthens reading comprehension skills. Students gain a more
thorough understanding of the text they are reading by consciously using the words to
create mental images.
2. Students gain more deliberate practice with this skill, the act of visualizing text
becomes automatic. Students who visualize as they read not only have a richer reading
experience but can recall what they have read for longer periods of time. (Harvey &
Goudvis 2000)
3. Visualizing creates a personal link between the readers/listeners and the text.
Readers, who can imagine the characters they read about, for instance, may become
more involved with what they are reading. This makes for a more meaningful reading
experience and promotes continued reading.
How Can You Make It Happen?
Visualizing is a skill that can be helpful in many domains, and while it is often
associated with teaching early readers, even experienced readers can benefit from
practice with this skill. When selecting a text for a visualizing activity, start with a piece
that contains descriptive language and strong verbs and that lends itself to conjuring
vivid images. It is not necessary to start with an entire book—even a well-crafted
sentence or short paragraph can provide a rich springboard for a visualizing lesson.
To make learning visible, have children draw and talk about mental pictures that a story
prompts.
Example: Say, "I am going to describe a picture made up of shapes. Listen carefully to
the description. If you like, you can close your eyes and try to create a picture in your
mind as I talk. When I am done, you can draw the picture I've described."
"There is a square in the middle of a page. It has a circle inside it. There is a triangle
on top of the square."
3. Questioning
Questioning is the beginning for understanding the thinking stuff of a brain.
Questioning is the basis for all learning. Questions that students ask or teachers ask
students allow students and teachers both to assessment what they know and how to
progress toward better and deeper understanding as effective questions lead not only to
answers, but to more questions.
All readers ask questions as they read. They wonder what will happen next, or what
a character is thinking, or when the story will shift. By asking questions, children engage
with the text and become more deeply involved, which allows them to understand and
comprehend in a rich, powerful way.
Students who are reading novels can think about questions such as, "If you were
going to make a movie based on your book, who would you want to play the main
characters?" "What would the scenery look like?" and "Where would you want to do the
filming?" These questions get at the imagery created in the mind of the readers and
encourage those readers to share their mental pictures in their responses.
The Purposes of Questioning
a) to interest, engage and challenge students;
b) to check on prior knowledge and understanding;
c) to stimulate recall, mobilizing existing knowledge and experience in order to create
new understanding and meaning;
d) to focus students’ thinking on key concepts and issues;
e) to help students to extend their thinking from the concrete and factual to the
analytical and evaluative;
f) to lead students through a planned sequence which progressively establishes key
understandings;
g) to promote reasoning, problem solving, evaluation and the formulation of
hypotheses; &
h) to promote students’ thinking about the way they have learned.
4. Inferring
The skill of inferring is closely related in the fields of science and literacy. As a
reading strategy, inferring requires readers to use prior knowledge and the information
stated in a text to draw conclusions.
Making an inference involves using what you know to make a guess about what you
don't know or reading between the lines. Readers who make inferences use the clues in
the text along with their own experiences to help them figure out what is not directly
said, making the text personal and memorable. Helping students make texts memorable
will help them gain more personal pleasure from reading, read the text more critically,
and remember and apply what they have read.
 While inferring can be difficult for students, it is often necessary to understand the
full meaning of a text. As with other reading comprehension strategies, students need
explicit instruction in how to make inferences and when to apply the strategy. Teachers
can support students as they develop proficiency with this skill through discussion of
wordless picture books, and activities like charades.
As books become more complex, the plot becomes less straight-forward. Not all
information is directly given to a reader, and we are left to connect the dots, or infer, on
our own. For example, in the story 'Little Red Riding Hood', we know the wolf is mean
and selfish because of the way he acts, not because the story actually tells us so. We've
inferred this important concept.
5. Determining Importance
Determining importance is a strategy that readers use to distinguish between what
information in a text is most important versus what information is interesting but not
necessary for understanding. This practical reading strategy enables students to
distinguish between the most and least important information presented in textbooks
and nonfiction reading.
Although teachers find this strategy difficult for many students to accurately execute,
it is essential to comprehending complicated nonfiction text. As teachers we need to
explicitly and systematically teach our students how to extract the most important
information they read.
To help students make connections with the strategy of determining importance, we
bring a bag filled with camping items to the classroom. We tell the students that they
must choose five of the most important items needed for an imaginary camping trip and
list a compelling reason for each item chosen. Once the students have had the
opportunity to select and think about their chosen supplies, they turn to a partner and
discuss their decisions.
In order to help students build their skill and confidence in this strategy, we must
provide explicit instruction and ample opportunities for guided practice. Books generally
contain a lot of information! However, not all information is important to the plot of the
story.
6. Synthesizing
The most complex reading strategy, synthesizing, is the process of merging ideas
over the course of a text in order to further understanding. Like summarizing,
synthesizing requires readers to read the full story. However, synthesizing doesn't just
happen at the end of the book; rather, it happens as the reader gets new information.
The reader pieces new insights together to understand and make new predictions
throughout the book.
This complex strategy can be taught at any age. By its nature, it should be taught after
students have had practice with the other five strategies.
Guide Questions:
1. Define the different traditional literacies;
2. Describe the 21th century literacies;
3. Identify the features of 21st century teaching and learning;
4. Describe the critical attributes of the 21st century education; and
5. Describe the basic strategies for developing literacy.
Answers to Guide Questions:
1. Traditional Literacy is defined as the integration of listening, speaking, reading,
writing and critical thinking. It includes a cultural knowledge which enables a
speaker, writer or reader to recognize and use language appropriate to different
social situations.
Functional literacy refers to the practical skill set needed to read, write, and do
math for real-life purposes, so people can function effectively in their community.
Emergent literacy is the term used to describe the reading and writing experiences
of young children before they learn to write and read conventionally (Teale & Sulzby,
1986). Emergent literacy begins at birth, regardless of whether or not a child has a
disability. For older emergent literacy learners, it is important to keep all activities
age respectful.
Basic literacy is to promote lifelong learning with a focus on adult and continuing
education, literacy and non-formal basic education.
2. Descriptions of the 21st Century Literacies
The Arts and Creativity. This literacy can be manifested in creative ways of
problem-solving and expressed through the production of various art works.
Teachers and students need to be more adept in the arts and manifest creativity in
various activities.
Eco-literacy. This entails acquiring knowledge about climate change, pollution,
loss of natural habitats and biodiversity as well as the impacts of environmental
problems on human lives. Moreover, solutions on how these environmental
problems could be addressed must also be practiced. Teachers and students need
to develop awareness of the environment.
 Cyber literacy/ Digital Literacy (Information and ICT Knowledge). This
competency is based on the reality that societies and workplaces have now become
more information-driven. Workplaces of the 21st century rely heavily on electronic
(digital) forms of data storage and management as well as in the area of
communications. Teachers and students need to develop familiarity and skills in the
use of computers, the internet and other information technologies.
Financial Literacy Teachers and students are expected to be knowledgeable
about the basics of economics and financial management. This way, you as a
teacher, can extend the skill into livelihood activities, entrepreneurship, and wise
handling of personal finances.
Media Literacy Teachers and students are expected to be knowledgeable and
skilled in the area of communications particularly the media. Teachers and students
must learn how to discern news and information based on the forms and contents as
to how these information are transmitted via various forms of media.
Social/Emotional Literacies The teacher and students need to acquire social skills
that are attuned to the norms of your current society. Emotional intelligence must
also be developed to be able to effectively manage the stresses of a fast-paced 21st
century society.
Globalization and Multicultural Literacy The teacher and students need to
develop a culture of respect for cultural diversity. There is value in having a
perspective as a global citizen whose local actions can have an impact on the wider
global arena. You also have to understand how world events may also affect you
and your community at the local level.
3. Features of the 21th century education are:
 Instruction should be student-centered.
 Education should be collaborative.
 Learning should have context.
 Schools should be integrated with society.
4. Critical attributes of the 21st century education
 Integrated and Interdisciplinary
 Technologies and Multimedia
 Global Classrooms
 Creating/Adapting to Constant Personal and Social Change, and Lifelong Learning
 Student-Centered
 21st Century Skills
 Project-Based and Research-Driven
 Relevant, Rigorous and Real-world
5. Basic strategies for developing literacy
1.Making Connections
2. Visualizing
3. Questioning
4. Inferring
5. Determining importance
6. Synthesizing
Assessments #1
PSTs (in groups) will create a poster on the different literacies. The small groups will
present their outputs.

Assessment #2
Divide the class into two groups. Each group prepares a graphic organizer to present
attributes of 21st century teaching and learning.
Process: discussion of concepts and effective use of charts and/or diagrams.
Output: simplified ideas, information showing the attributes of 21st literacies visually
presented through the different graphic

Assessment #3
Class observation: PSTs observe class instruction considering strategies, integration of
21st literacies, instructional materials used, etc.
Process: Field notes will be taken to document the observation.
Output: Observation Report

References:

https://mindfultechnics.com/what-is-functional-literacy/

Copyright J. M. Beach. 21st Century Literacy: Constructing & Debating Knowledge.

Austin, TX: West by Southwest Press, 2013.

http://www.21stcenturyschools.com/20th_vs_21st_Century_Classroom.htm

https://www.definitions.net/definition/literacy

https://prezi.com/pwv0xwhw_jo5/traditional-literacy/)