Introduction to 21st Century Literacies

Literacy

Dictionaries define literacy as being able to read and write (Literacy, Literate, n.d.). Although it is the ultimate thesis of this chapter that such a traditional definition no longer suffices in the information age, a thorough understanding of literacy and its past nuances will give us a solid foundation in exploring and discussing the “new” literacies of the 21 st century and why possessing them is now mandatory for both teachers and students and students in all levels of education.

The word “literacy” stems from the word “literate,” which means appeared in the 15th century and is in turn derived from the Latin word litteratus, meaning “( a person) marked with letters” – that is, “distinguished or identified by letters” – and it carried with it the idea that such a person was cultured and educated. Since the subjects of the time (e.g., grammar, logic, arithmetic, geometry, etc.)all had written texts (which were composed of letters) that had to be studied the ability to read and write was therefore of prime importance, leading to the strong association of being “literate” with the ability to read and write.

Miller (1973) divides this conventional concept of literacy into three subcategories:

Basic Literacy

it is the ability to correspond visual shapes to spoken sounds in order to decode written materials and translatethem into oral language. Simply put, it is the ability to recognize letters and words. This would be akin to recognize letters “b-a-s-a” forms the word basa in Filipino, even without understanding what it means

Comprehensive Literacy

it is the ability to understand the meaning of what is being read. To capitalize on the example above,this would be like knowing that basa can mean either “either” or “to be wet.”

Functional or Practical Literacy

it is the ability to read (i.e., decode and comprehend) written materials needed to performeveryday vocational tasks. This is the equivalent of reading the text “Ang bata ay nababasa,” and being able to understand thatbasa here refers to reading and not to being wet.

To better address the need for teachers to be literate in these new literacies, this book discusses and explores them in the ensuing chapters, namely:

Globalization and Multicultural Literacy discusses how our increasing ability to communicate with almost anyone, anywhere, in real-time requires new skills and attitudes in interacting with people with cultures, perspectives, worldviews, and priorities different from our own, particularly with the end-view of not only peace and understanding, but also mutual benefit and productivity.

Ecoliteracy and Artistic and Creative Literacy explore the emerging demands for knowing how to effectively and sustainably manage the natural resources that our increased industrialization and demands for productivity are so rapidly eating up.

Finally, Critical Literacy addresses the increasing need to discern the underlying (and often tacit) messages behind the new "texts" of the 21st century, particularly in an ever-increasingly multicultural society where ideas, cultures, and ideologies vie with one another for power and dominance in the minds of the masses.

Enhance

Digital Storytelling can be broken down into following six steps:

1. Writing — Write about a particular story from your life. The story must have a central theme.

2. Developing a Script — Develop a script that identifies the important points of your story.

3. Creating a Storyboard — Create a storyboard that visually organizes the flow of the story. Assign a particular image to portions of the script.

4. Locating Multimedia — Use search engines to locate photos and videos. Photos and videos from one's collection may also be used.

5. Creating the Digital Story — Record the voiceover for your movie. Create the movie using the software that is available to you.

6. Sharing and Uploading — Share your story in class and upload your work online.

Traditional Literacy is the ability to read and write.

The conventional concept of literacy can be divided into sub-categories:

1. Literacy, which is the ability to recognize letters and words;

2. Comprehension Literacy, which is the ability to understand the meaning of what is being read; and

3. Functional/Practical Literacy, which is the ability to read written materials needed to perform everyday vocational tasks.

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