MODULE 1

in
ED 107:
BUILDING AND ENHANCING NEW
LITERACIES ACROSS THE CURRICULUM

Course Description:

This course introduces the concepts of new literacies in the 21st century as an
evolving social phenomena and shared cultural practices across learning areas.
The 21st century literacies shall include (a) globalization and multi-cultural
literacy, (b) social literacy, (c) media literacy, (d) financial literacy, (e) cyber
literacy / digital literacy, (f) eco-literacy (g) arts and creativity literacy. Field
based-interdisciplinary explorations and other teaching strategies shall be used
in this course.

Student/ Program Outcomes:

1. Develop pedagogical content knowledge and 21st century skills and

competencies of future teachers
2. Analyze the concepts of new literacies in the 21st century as an evolving
social phenomenon and shared cultural practices across learning areas
3. Acquire critical literacy highlighting critical thinking and evaluation of
information in this contemporary knowledge production age
4. Clearly define instructional design that would aid the teacher in facilitating
logical. Interactive classroom discourse and exchanges

TECHNICAL REQUIREMENTS:

Flash Drive player, Windows Internet Explorer, Online classroom platform

WEEK 1

Topic

Traditional or Conventional Literacy Expanded views of Literacy in the 21 st

century
Three sub-categories of Conventional literacy
Basic Literacy
Comprehension Literacy
Functional or Practical Literacy

Objectives:

1. Develop a clear and practical understanding of Traditional or Conventional

Literacy from Expanded views of Literacy in the 21st century
2. Differentiate the three sub-categories of Conventional literacy
3. Increase awareness of evolving perspectives on literacy
4. Pause and reflect on their own literacies

Preliminary Activity:

The contemporary age is characterized by knowledge and information production,

industrialization and increasing cultural and global integration. For us to thrive in the
global community, we need to possess new skills, competencies and dispositions as
emerging technologies, industries and relations have become more complex and
intricate. In other words, we need to respond to the needs and demands of the 21 st
century.

Why do you think it is important for you, future teachers to possess new skills,
competencies and dispositions in this age of 21st century?
__________________________________________________________________

Discussion:

Traditional or Conventional Literacy

The word “literacy” stems from the word “literate” which first appeared in the 15th
century and is in turn derived from the Latin word “literatus”, meaning “a person marked
with letters”, that is distinguished or identified as cultured and educated. The ability to
read and write was therefore of prime importance to being “literate”.

Miller (1973) divides this conventional concept of literacy into 3 sub-categories.

 1. Basic Literacy – It is the ability to correspond visual shapes to spoken sounds in
order to decode written materials and translate them into oral language or simply
the ability to recognize letters and words.
2. Comprehension Literacy – It is the ability to understand the meaning of what is
being read.
3. Functional or Practical Literacy – It is the ability to read and comprehend written
materials needed to perform everyday vocational tasks.

Expanded views of b Literacy

UNESCO (2004) – Literacy is the ability to identify, understand, interpret, create,

communicate and compute using printed and written materials associated with varying
contexts.
Mkandawire (2018) – Literacy is a form of knowledge, competence and skills in a
particular field or area.

Three things have been critical in the rise of new literacies:

1. Increased reach- We are communicating with more people, from more diverse
cultures, across vaster distances than ever before.
2. Increased means of communication- We are communicating in more ways and at
faster speeds than ever before
3. Increased breadth of content – We are communicating about more things than
ever before.

Listen further on this view of Literacy

https://youtu.be/K1E5LTa3K8s

Work on the following:

Research on more definitions of expanded/ modern view of literacy.

_____________________________________________________________________

Answer the following questions.

1. Given the traditional/ conventional concept of literacy, how literate are you?
______________________________________________________________________
 2. How deep is your level of comprehension?
______________________________________________________________________

3. What do you think are the changes in the 21st century that have led to the rise of
new literacies?
_____________________________________________________________________

Post Activity

Using a graphic organizer, compare and contrast the traditional concept of literacy to
the modern view of literacy.