New Literacies
I think that is is very important to teach new literacies as part of my ELA instruction. I think that teachers have to adapt to the digital age, and incorporate these skills in ELA instruction. Many of the skills encompassed by new literacies align closely with ELA standards, making them a natural fit within the curriculum. For instance, students learn to comprehend information on websites, identify main ideas, and analyze supporting evidence. These are skills that directly correlate with reading comprehension standards. It also teaches them critical thinking skills when they evaluate information given to them on various platforms. This skill is essential given the vast amounts of information at their fingertips. By preparing students to effectively engage with digital media, we equip them with the tools needed to thrive in the modern world.
There are several obstacles that teachers will face as we try to tame new literacies. The biggest obstacle is the changing landscape of technology. Technology is evolving rapidly, and it poses a challenge for teachers to keep pace. Teachers would need ongoing professional development to stay updated. Another obstacle is curriculum constraints. If the school district has not updated their curriculum recently, it may not align well with new literacy instruction. This misalignment poses a hurdle for teachers who must find ways to bridge the gap between existing curriculum and the incorporation of new literacies. I find as a teacher there is not much extra time in my day, if any at all. Educators with outdated curriculum will struggle with finding extra time to instruct students on new literacies. Overcoming the challenges of a rapidly changing technological landscape, addressing curriculum constraints, and finding dedicated time for instruction are crucial for successful integration.
Hey Katelyn, I really appreciate your point about how many of the skills gained by working with new literacies are absolutely aligned with ELA standards in both private curriculums and the Common Core. That is something most teachers must consider when choosing what to incorporate in class, and helps clarify how we should view "new literacies".
ReplyDeleteHi Katelyn, I love that you point out what Hutchinson and Colwell (2015) do as well that “when digital technology is integrated into literacy, the goal is still to help students become literate. The focus is not on the technology, but on literacy goals” (p. 2). The technology is just the medium or text that we are using to build those essential literacy skills. And, because we know that most of the texts students will consume will be digital, using digital mentor texts is key in our instruction.
ReplyDeleteHello Katelyn. what you said about students learning critical thinking skills when they are evaluating information online is a very relevant topic. One of the authors I came across recently, Dr. Heidi Hayes Jacobs, Director of the Curriculum Mapping Institute, talks a lot about this in her book "Leading The New Literacies". She echoed what you said about students needing this skill to thrive in this modern world. It's not enough to simply have access to information, we have to make sure students can sift through deceptive and false information too.
ReplyDeleteHi Katelyn! I like how you pointed out that students could use digital text to find the main idea in the text. I know that I use a lot of traditional text for that skill, but now I'm thinking about how I can incorporate that into digital literacies. We use iPads in my classroom and I'm sure I could find a way that students could use online tools to annotate an online text as well.
ReplyDeleteI also find that time is one of my biggest issues. In order to teach the literacy skill, you have to teach how to use the internet and evaluate websites first. Students are very quick to believe whatever they read online, including social media. I think it is an important skill for students to learn, but I struggle with time management to teach it.