REPORT IN LITERACY IN SOCIAL STUDIES: Definition and Scope, Disciplinary, and Visual Literacy

DEFINITION AND SCOPE OF LITERACY REPORTER: Mr. Errol D. Alcantara

• According to UNESCO, literacy is the ability to identify, understand, interpret, create, communicate and compute,
using printed and written materials associated with varying contexts. Literacy involves a continuum of learning in
enabling individuals to achieve their goals, to develop their knowledge and potential, and to participate fully in
their community and wider society.

• 3 Key Features of Literacy Definition

o Literacy is about the uses people make of it as a means of communication and expression, through a
variety of media;
o Literacy is plural, being practiced in particular contexts for particular purposes and using specific
languages;
o Literacy involves a continuum of learning measured at different proficient levels.

• Scope of Literacy in Social Studies

o Literacy encompasses the knowledge and skills students need to access, understand, analyze and evaluate
information, make meaning, express thoughts and emotions, present ideas and opinions, interact with
others and participate in activities at school and in their lives beyond school.

DISCIPLINARY LITERACY

• Disciplinary literacy (DL) is defined as the confluence of content knowledge, experiences, and skills merged with
the ability to read, write, listen, speak, think critically and perform in a way that is meaningful within the context
of a given field. Disciplinary literacy requires the educator to take the content and context into account when
choosing literacy techniques. Each subject area has a language and point of view all their own; students read and
write differently in different subjects. It means that we use literacy to help students understand our content, not
that we use content time to teach basic literacy skills.
• Disciplinary literacy is an advanced form of literacy that builds upon what Shanahan and Shanahan call basic and
intermediate literacies. Disciplinary literacies are different than Content Area literacies or content area reading
where reading teachers use sources from the disciplines to reinforce moregeneral literacy skills. As we will see,
disciplinary literacies are unique to the content or disciplinary areas and thus require different strategies when
being introduced and used in the classroom.

• What is Disciplinary Literacy in Social Studies?

o Disciplinary literacy (DL) in social studies means that teachers are using thoughtfully chosen literacy
techniques to teach students social studies objectives (not using social studies to learn literacy objectives).
It is using reading, writing, speaking, listening, and performance skills to enhance social studies learning.
 • Main Foci of DL in Social Studies
o Considering point of view (how would a geographer view something different than a historian, for
example)
o Specialized vocabulary (ex: bias, stereotype, "truth" means different things in English class than in a
history class).

VISUAL LITERACY

• Visual Literacy is being aware of how we experience images, video, and other forms of multimedia. Images must
be evaluated in a similar way to written texts. Like text, images can be used accurately, deliberately, misleadingly
or carelessly. Some images, like texts, can be interpreted in different, sometimes contradictory, ways.
• Visual literacy is a set of abilities that enables an individual to effectively find, interpret, evaluate, use, and create
images and visual media. Visual literacy skills equip a learner to understand and analyze the contextual, cultural,
ethical, aesthetic, intellectual, and technical components involved in the production and use of visual materials.
• What is Visual Literacy in Social Studies?
o Visual literacy is not just restricted to art history and film studies it is important for everyone. Maps can
show geographical information much better than a verbal or textual description. Charts and graphs can
clearly describe the growth or decline of population, financial performance of a company, etc.
• What is Visual Literate Person?
o A visually literate individual is both a critical consumer of visual media and a competent contributor to a
body of shared knowledge and culture.
• Characteristics of a Visual Literate Person
o Determine the nature and extent of the visual materials needed
o Find and access needed images and visual media effectively and efficiently
o Interpret and analyze the meanings of images and visual media
o Evaluate images and their sources
o Use images and visual media effectively
o Design and create meaningful images and visual media
o Understand many of the ethical, legal, social, and economic issues surrounding the creation and use of
images and visual media, and access and use visual materials ethically.