Critical literacies

Critical literacy is an instructional approach that encourages students to actively analyse texts and uncover any underlying messages. There are various theorists that have written of critical literacy (such as Freebody and Luke, 1990 and Friere and Macedo, 1987) that provide us with the needed mechanism for viewing children's text production.

Luke and Carrington (2002) argue for "a kind of critical literacy that envisions literacy as a tool for remediating one's relation to the global flows of capital and information, bodies and images". This identifies the notion that critical literacy holds transformative potential for people interacting with texts that can never be politically or socially neutral (Carrington and Robinson, 2009).

In any critical perspective of literacy, we are sent back to  Freebody and Luke's 'Four Resources' that suggest that within the essential meaning making and code-breaking of a text, a pragmatic and critical competence are also necessary (Luke and Freebody, 1999). As teachers, we need to be ensuring that they are always thinking critically of a text or literacy from, whatever modality it is in the form of. This can be from teaching a student what a reliable source is, to ensuring that they are questioning and exploring the text in order to understand the meaning and purpose.

References:

Carrington, V. & Robinson, M. (2012). Digital Literacies, 'Social Learning and Classroom Practices'. SAGE Publications, London, England.

Pictures and Clips:

angelamaiers.com (n.d) ‘Four resources’ Retrieved from http://www.angelamaiers.com/images/
2008/07/19/four_resource.png

photobucket.com (n.d) ‘Globe’ Retrieved from http://s1295.photobucket.com/user/victoriadrake91
/media/tumblr_mamifcPSEx1rt5smro1_500_zps573bb6b2.gif.html?sort=3&o=33

Youtube.com (n.d) ‘Critical Literacy In Elemntary’ Retrieved from http://www.youtube.com/
watch?feature=player_embedded&v=giITaOoMntY

 

Text production in contemporary times

                  In this contemporary time, we have very much entered a digital age. An extremely large portion of our text production is online, and most of the rest refers to online discussion. Channel 10 updates their Facebook status in regard to what is happening later on in the news; newspapers release an article online long before it hits the newspaper stands; instead of books being released, we have e-books and online journals. This rollover from printed text to online text has started hitting our schools as well, as it is no longer only an option to have students produce text on paper. They can write about their weekend on their Emodo (students' version on Facebook), for their peers to comment on, or publish it in their class blog. Students can even email their teachers their homework, instead of writing it out and handing it in. 

               Linguistic text, however, is not the only text that students (and teachers) can use. Students can create animations, film their own mini-movies, publish a pod-cast, there are so many different ways that teachers can allow students to be expressive in the classroom. Text production, however, is a subject of learning that teachers must be extremely careful with. It is easy to let students use slang metalanguage and incorrect grammar when not always producing linguistic texts, therefore, teachers have to ensure that students' literacy aptitude does not falter when using multiple text types.

                 As teachers, we must also ensure that we are not simply assuming that our students know how to use all forms of text type. It is something that must be taught, and understood thoroughly by the teacher, in order to ensure correct student learning.

References:

 

Pictures and Clips:

Cartoonady.com (n.d) Retrieved from http://mgleeson.edublogs.org/files/2012/02/20120210-205344.jpg

Photobucket.com (n.d) Retrieved from http://s1295.photobucket.com/user/victoriadrake91/media/
timthumbphp_zpsf41c1e97.jpg.html?sort=3&o=7

thinkcritically.weebly.com (n.d) Retrieved from http://thinkcritically.weebly.com/uploads/2/9/0/5/
2905332/9532389.jpg?358

Visual.ly (n.d) Retrieved from http://visual.ly/60-seconds

How multiliteracies considers authenticity, choice, making connections, diversity and social justice

                 

Multiliteracy, if used correctly in the classroom, can allow a teacher to break diversity barriers that may exist with some students. Whether a teacher has students with learning disabilities (or physical disabilities), students with Aboriginal backgrounds or speakers of other languages, ensuring that their pedagogical approach includes multiliterate views and instruction, they can change the way that their diverse students build an understanding of work undertaken in the classroom (Healy, 2008).

                 Multiliteracies also allow for students to progress and/or develop their own learning. If they specifically know that they lean towards a style of learning through their own interests, a teacher may be able to teach strategies so that students know how to retain knowledge or build understanding. A musically inclined student that struggles with mathematics may be sought to write and record a song about the times tables in order for them to find a method to successfully remember them, or a child that struggles with science can create an animation on how to do an investigation. Multiliteracy allows students to further engage without them 'switching off', and also enhances their own understanding.

References:

Pictures and Clips:

 Knewton (n.d) ‘The Gamification of Education Infographic’ Retrieved from http://www.knewton.com/gamification-education/

Photbucket.com (n.d) ‘Kids Earth’ Retrieved from http://s1295.photobucket.com/user/
victoriadrake91/media/hstickmankidsearth_zps3fa5b96d.jpg.html?sort=3&o=1

Youtube.com (n.d) ‘Teaching in the 21^st Century’ Retrieved from http://www.youtube.com/
watch?feature=player_embedded&v=OTIBDR4Dn2g

Learning opportunities across the KLAs

                 Integrating multiple literacies in lessons is easily one of the best ways that we can ensure meaning making is taking place within the classroom. It allows for our students to be given the opportunity to receive a deeper understanding of what is being taught.

              As children, we are constantly told 'a picture is worth a thousand words', but are we allowing that type of learning within our classroom? Are we teaching as well as showing, and are we allowing our students to do the same? If we allow multiliteracy within the classroom, we can more easily integrate learning across the KLAs: For instance, if the children are struggling with the concept of poems, the teacher can show them a music clip that uses visual and auditory semiotics in order to teach how to write a poem through singing (using, for example, this particular clip):

              If teachers can effectively use multiliteracies within their own style and pedagogy, they can ensure that their students are building their knowledge of the field, their understanding of concepts and development of vocabulary knowledge (Walsh, 2010).

Using multiliteracy methods across all KLAs in the classroom allows students to further show and develop their knowledge and understanding. For example, if we are teaching Creative Arts (specifically drama),  we can have the children create an animated storyboard script and then film their play, or for a science lesson, children can create a claymation in order to demonstrate how to build a bridge. There are many ways we can provide more learning opportunities in the school environment for our students.







References:

Walsh, M. (2010). Multimodal literacy: What does it mean for classroom practice?, Australian Journal of Language and Literacy, 33(3). 211–239

Pictures  and Clips

Creative Arts (n.d) ‘Creative Arts’ Retrieved from http://newdaygeneration.org/images/sized
/images/uploads/CreativeArtsPic2-697x390.jpg

Aoyama, E. (2003) ‘A Picture is worth a thousand words’ Retrived from http://rpsb.us/nitro
/images/pic_thousand_words.jpg

Youtube.com (n.d) ‘Engage Me’ Retrieved from http://www.youtube.com/watch?
feature=player_embedded&v=ZokqjjIy77Y

Nesbitt, K. (n.d) My Parents Sent Me To The Store, ‘A Funny Kids Poem’ Retrieved from http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=8AaFtT_M39Q

The design elements

One of New London Groups key ideas in multiliteracy is the increasing complexity and inter-relationship of different modes of meaning, which has identified six major elements, or semiotic systems:

• Linguistic
• Visual
• Auditory
• Gestural
• Spatial
• Multimodal

         Any types of text or literacy can include 1 or more of these elements, and we are finding more and more that digital literacies include multiple forms. For instance, if we watch a youtube ad such as the following:

                 We are introduced to a minimum of three semiotic systems:

Visual: We are given both dull colours and colours that represent the Cadbury brand such as the purples and greys. We are drawn to finding and watching the eyebrows move and are constantly scanning the video to find more clues. The clip uses a range of angles in order to engage the audience, and you can see that the children are looking straight at the viewer, as if the performance is for them.

Auditory: We hear the music that is played, which is linked to the visual as the eyebrows are moving in time to the music.

Linguistic: We are given the clue at the end with the cadbury logo and advertisement for the chocolate, which allows us to make meaning of the clues given to us throughout the clip, as well as the beginning where we are given the hint of the cadbury glasses pouring.

                 As we can see, it is an assortment of semiotic systems/design elements that allow us to engage in a deeper understanding of the text. However, while this particular text is multimodal, texts do not always have to be so. It is merely a method that can be used in order for a teacher to find multiple ways to engage all of their students in a meaningful way. This said, children have to be able to look at each semiotic system separately and understand how they can learn from this.

References:

New London Group. (1996). A Pedagogy of Multiliteracies: Designing Social Futures, 36(1), 60-92

Cadbury Chocolate Advertisement. (2009). Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TVblWq3tDwY

New and emerging types of texts and social practices

                 In the social world, everything to do with technology and digital literacies is becoming the norm. Instead of calling a person, we are facebooking them to ask about their day. Instead of writing invitations, a person tweets about a party they are holding, inviting people to come. To find out about someone's life, we can merely read their blog. This is the world that our new generation is being brought into, and so it makes sense that these are things that they are already being immersed in as a social practice in their home environment.

                     Carrington and Robinson (2009), state that in using technology as a classroom resource "teachers can build on young people's existing interests in social uses of technology and take them further in their learning". Social practices can therefore be used as a tool to facilitate learning in the classroom, allowing for children to engage in their interests. They also state that:

                "It is incumbent upon teachers and policy makers to help structure the learning that many are participating in out-of-school literacy practices, so that we can value this our-of-school learning, provide further challenges and ensure universal access to these learning opportunities."                                   (Carrington and Robinson, 2009)

References:

Carrington, V., Robinson, M. (2009). Digital Literacies: Social Learning and Classroom Practices. London: SAGE Publications Ltd.

Pictures and Clips:

2005-2013. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.tumblr.com/tagged/technology

Eating Cereal. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.tumblr.com/tagged/blogging



Look Darling. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://jeffreyhill.typepad.com/.a/6a00d8341d417153ef01287714113b970c-pi


Never talk. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.tumblr.com/tagged/blogging
 

Youtube.com (n.d0 ‘Evolution Of Time’. Retrieved from http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=
player_embedded&v=4NGZ2GAN7CI