LESSON 3:
NEW LITERACIES,
FUNCTIONAL LITERACY
AND MULTILITERACY
Learning Objectives:
Discuss new
literacies and their
impact on the
teaching-learning
process
Draw relevant life
lessons and
significant values
from personal
application of
functional literacy
Describe a
multiliterate
teacher and
functional
literacy
Analyze a research
abstract on new
literacies and their
implications on
teaching and learning
Cite how functional
literacy and new
literacies can be
integrated in the
curriculum and
practiced in the
classroom
Make a project
plan or action
plan that
presents
functional literacy
in action
NEW LITERACIES
Between 1950 and 1970, the development of literacy, both operational and
functional was established.
During this period, literacy was defined as reading and writing skills
necessitated for activities in modern society (Gunes, 2000) Beyond the
1990s, literacy had stated to diversity in the light of technological
developments, change of living conditions in the cities, and the new
necessities. Hereafter, literacy then became multi-faceted.
Literacy used in various types (Altun, 2005)
- Computer literacy
-Technology literacy
Internet literacy
Media literacy
Later on, it became lifestyle along with a person's entire life in
a society such as
- information literacy
- cultural literacy, and;
- universal literacy
Kress (2003) posited that literacy can only happen when having a
kind of potential content through interaction with the text
NEW LITERACIES
Primary English Association (2015)
- 21st Century Literacy has expanded to include social change, increasing
field expertise and digital technologies.
- To be literate requires comprehension, selection and use of multimodal
codes and conventions to interpret and express ideas, feelings and
information.
- Subject-specific literacies are recognized to require the application of
specialized knowledge and skills, information skills, and the creative and
imaginative language.
- Literacy in the 21st century, therefore, demands the ability to perform and
act confidently, efficiently and ethically with a wide range of written and
visual, print, live digital or electronic text types according to purpose
- 21st Century Literacy combines cross-curricular capabilities also called
"multiliteracies" and now commonly referred to as "New Literacies" This
broad skills include visual literacy, information literacy, cultural literacy
and digital literacy dynamics.
NEW LITERACIES
Leander (2003) noted new literacies are often flexible,
continuous and open, where online and offline lives
and "literacyscapes" merge. Thus, when a literacy
practice becomes a mindset with concept of Web 2.0 it
can be regarded as a new literacy. New technologies
enable and enhance these practices in a way that is
highly complex and exciting for students.
EXPLORING THE NEW NEW
LITERACIES
1. MULTICULTURAL LITERACY
- about understanding ethnic groups
that comprise the population and
focuses on complex issues of identity,
diversity and citizenship
2. SOCIAL LITERACY
- the development of social skills, knowledge
and positive values in human beings to act
positively and responsibly in sophisticated
complex social settings.
7 New Literacies
that stressed in
the 21st Century
Curriculum
EXPLORING THE NEW NEW
LITERACIES
3. MEDIA LITERACY
- the ability to access, analyze, evaluate
and create media
4. FINANCIAL LITERACY
the ability to make informed judgements and
make effective decisions regarding the use and
management of money
7 New Literacies
that stressed in
the 21st Century
Curriculum
EXPLORING THE NEW NEW
LITERACIES
5. DIGITAL LITERACY
- the ability to effectively use digital
devices for purposes of communication,
expression, collaboration and advocacy
in knowledge-based society.
6. ECOLOGICAL LITERACY
understanding the principles
of ecosystems toward
sustainability.
7 New Literacies
that stressed in
the 21st Century
Curriculum
7. CREATIVE LITERACY
- the ability to make original
ideas that have value, and the
ability to see the world in new
ways.
THE TRUTH ON 21ST CENTURY
LITERACIES ACCORDING TO RESEARCH
The National Council of Teachers of English (2013)
came up with research that reveals the following:
1. As new technologies
shape literacies, they
bring opportunities for
teachers to foster
reading and writing in
more diverse and
participatory contexts.
3. Research on electronic
reading workshops shows
that they contribute to the
emergence of new
literacies.
2. Sites, like literature's Voice
of
the
Shuttle,
online
fanfiction, and the Internet
Public Library, expand both
the range of available texts
and the social dimension of
litearcy.
4. Research also shows
that digital technology
enhances writing and
interaction in several
ways
THE TRUTH ON 21ST CENTURY
LITERACIES ACCORDING TO RESEARCH
The National Council of Teachers of English (2013)
came up with research that reveals the following:
5. K-12 students, who
write with computers,
produce compositions of
greater length and higher
quality are more engaged
with motivated toward
writing than those who do
not write with computers.
7. Both typical and atypical
students, who receive an
online response to writing,
revise their works better
those participating in
traditional method.
6. College students, who keep
e-portfolios, have a higher rate
of academic achievement and
overall retention rate than
those who do not keep eportfolios.
hey
also
demonstrate a greater capacity
for metacognition, reflection
and audience awareness.
FUNCTIONAL LITERACY
- defined by UNESCO through William S. Gray in his
Teaching of Reading and Writing (1956) as adult training to
meet independently the reading and writing demands placed
on them.
- It stresses the acquisition of appropriate verbal, cognitive and
computational skills to accomplish practical results in specific cultural
settings dubbed as survival literacy and reductionist literacy.
REFERRING TO FUNCTIONAL LITERACY,
UNESCO STATES THE FOLLOWING
1. Literacy programs should
be integrated to and
correlated with economic
and social development
plans.
2. The eradication of illiteracy
should begin with population
sectors, which are highly
motivated and need literacy
for their own and their
country's benefit
3. Literacy programs should
be linked with economic
priorities and carried out in
areas undergoing rapid
economic expansion.
4. Literacy programs must
impart not only reading and
writing but also professional
and technical knowledge
leading to greater
participation of adults in
economic and civic life
REFERRING TO FUNCTIONAL LITERACY,
UNESCO STATES THE FOLLOWING
5. Literacy must be an
integral part of the overall
educational system and plan
of each country
6. The financial need for
functional literacy should
be met with various
resources, as well as be
for economic
investments.
7. The literacy programs
should aid in achieving main
economic objectives(i.e.
increase in labor
productivity, food
production,
industrialization, social and
professional mobility,
creation of new
manpowerand
diversification of the
economy.)
SIGNIFICANCE OF FUNCTIONAL LITERACY
APPROACH ARE:
1. starts in the workplace
2. uses a diagnostic approach
3. identifies turning points in economic life that
may act as an incentive to learning
4. assesses the limits of a short-term
intervention
5. looks for generic skills
FUNCTIONAL LITERACY
Gunes (2000) posited that functional
literacy constitues the second level of
literacy next to basic literacy, in
which literacy and mathematical
information and skills can be utilized
in one's personal, social, economic
and cultural endeavors. Therefore
the essence in functional literacy is
to learn basic related information
and skills and use them in daily life.
Functional literacy level comprises
both technical and functional skills
while encompassing social,
citizenship, and economic roles
- defined by UNESCO through
William S. Gray in his
Teaching of Reading and
Writing (1956) as adult
training to meet independently
the reading and writing
demands placed on them.
- It stresses the acquisition of
appropriate verbal, cognitive and
computational skills to accomplish
practical results in specific cultural
settings dubbed as survival literacy
and reductionist literacy.
FUNCTIONAL LITERACY
Capar (1998) cites that a functional
literate person is someone who is one
step ahead of literacy and maintains
literacy activity throughout his/her
life in order to keep living and
effectively accommodate
himself/herself to his/her
surroundings. It is therefore an
ongoing process.
- UNESCO defines functional
literacy as the ability of an
individual to take part in
significant activities in
professional, social, political
and cultural aspects in a
society, where he/she lives
using his/her literacy skills (De
Castel, 1971, Goksen, Gulgoz
and Kagitsibasi, 2000; as cited
in Savas, 2006)
FUNCTIONAL LITERACY
Hatch (2010), defines it base on
the American Heritage College
Dictionary (AHCD).
Accordingly, the word
"functional" means "building
capacity" and "literacy" as
"reading and writing skills".
Therefore, it is the capability
to proficiently read and write
that can be used in daily life
routines.
Knoblauch and Brannon
(1993), as cited in Jabusch
(2002) distinguish basic
literacy and functional literacy
as having the expression
"functional" to indicate
performance with texts,
including mathematics.
The Education for Global Monitoring Report
(UNESCO, 2006) states that the functional literacy
means the ability to make significant use of activities
involving reading and writing skills that include
using information, communicating with others and
following a path of lifelong learning necessary for
the ability to express him/herrself in daily life.
UNESCO's definition also adds that functional
literacy includes those skills essential for both
official and unofficial participation, as well as those
which are necessary for national change and
development that can be used to aid an individual in
contributing to his/her own development and that of
his/her family and society.
The National Statistics Authority defines functional
literacy can be concluded as an activity that
contributes to the developemnt of an individualand the
society, including the ability to use information and
skills related to listening, speaking, reading, and
arithmetic necessary for daily life in social, cultural
and economic aspects effectively.
IMPROVING FUNCTIONAL
LITERACY IN THE PHILIPPINES
Page 10
MANUYO (2019)
based on 2013 Functional Literacy, Education
and Mass Media Survey (FLEMMS), the country
registered a 90.3% rate, which means that nine
out of 10 Filipinos aged 10-64 were functionally
literate. In 2003, there were still gaps at the
community level. In study conducted by World
Vision, results showed that the proportion of
girls and boys aged 11-13, who were functionally
literate, placed at a critical rate of 44% or below
50% of the students were able to read with
comprehension by the end of their basic
education.
INTEGRATION OF NEW
LITERACIES IN THE CURRICULUM
Page 10
The Multiliterate Learner
Today, the internet and the other forms of
information and communication technologies
(ICTs) are redefining the nature of reading,
writing and communication. New literacy skills
and practices are required by each new ICT as it
emerges and evolves. Thus, these new literacies
need to be integrated into the curriculum to
prepare students for successful civic
participation in a global environment.
INTEGRATION OF NEW
LITERACIES IN THE CURRICULUM
Page 10
Students would desire for:
1. teachers who use ICTs skillfully for teaching
and learning
2. peers who use ICTs responsibly and who share
their knowledge
3. a literacy curriculum that offers opportunities
for collaboration with peers around the world
4. Instruction that embeds critical and culturally
sensitive thinking into practice, standards and
assessments that include new literacies
5. leaders and policy makers who are committed
advocates of ICTs for teaching and learning
6. Equal access to ICTs for all classrooms and
students.
CORIO et. al., (2008)
Four
common
elements
Four
as broader
common
dimension
elements
sasofbroader
new
literacies
dimensions
of new
literacies
4
The internet and other ICTs Page
require
new social pratices, skills,
strategies and dispositions for their
effective use
New literacy are central and full civi,
economic, and personal participation in a
global community
New literacy rapidly change as defining
technologies change
New literacy aare multiple, multifaceted,
thus, they benefit from multiple lenses
seeking to understand how to better
support the students in a digital age.
Impact of
new
literacies on
instruction
there are multiple ways to view
the chages in literacy and
communication emerging from
new technologies ( Labbo and
Reinking, 199)
Grisham and Wolsey,(2009),
additional changes are taking place
in literacy instruction
Henry (2008), engagement in literacy
activities is being transformed today
like at no other time in history.
Leu, et. al. 2004) changes in literacy are
confronted by innovation, that the new
literacies of today will be replaced by even
newer ones tomorrow as new ICTs
continuously emerge in a more globalized
community of learners.
MULTILITERACIES
IN THE
EDUCATIONAL
REFORM
21st Century Skills may be
taught in a wide variety of
school settings. Teachers
may advocate teaching
cross-disciplinary skills,
while schools may require
21st century skills in both
instruction and assessment
processess.
The concept of 21st century skills is motivated
by the belief that teaching students the most
relevant, useful, in-demand and universally
applicable skills should be prioriized in
todaysschools
Students need to be taught different skills
that should reflect the specific demands of a
complex, competitive, knowledge-based,
information-age, technology driven economy
and society
Educational strategies, that include authentic,
outcome-based learning, project-based learning
and performance-based learning tend to be cross
disciplinary in nature. Students complete research
project, create multiple technologies, analyze and
process information, think creatively plan out the
process, and work collaboratively in teams with
other students
ASSESSMENT OF
MULTILITERACIES
Assessment
moves
from
usual
memorization of facts and disconnected
process
to
demonstration
of
understanding through application in a
variety of contexts. Real world audiences
are important part of the assessment
process, including self-assessment
Preparing teachers for multiliteracies
Page 4
New London Group (1996) underscored multiliteracies as multimodal ways of
communications between and among other
languages using diverse channels within
cultures and an ability to understand
technology and multimedia. As such, applying
multiliteracies to teaching offers a new
classroom pedagogy that extends and helps
manage classrooms.
Biswas (2014) asserted that one
challenge for educators is to helps
students create a sustainable literacy
development throughout schooling, so
that the students can develop strong
literacy skills.
Preparing teachers for multiliteracies
Page 4
(Bosheim, et.al., 2008) Multiple and New
Literacies require students to integrate
technology-enhanced educational tools into
their work.
Ajayi 92011) teacher education must prepare
teachers to teach ,ultiliteracies in their schools
where there is a critical gap between
multiliteracies and classroom pedagogy
Pennington, (2013) Given globalization and
technological changes, teaching
multiliteracies is indispensable to literacy
teaching and learning in 21st century.
Newman (2002) in Biswas (2014) suggests that teachers
integrated
four components of multiliteracies in
Page 8
teaching
1.
Situated Practice
leads the students
towards meaningful
leaning by integrating
primary knowledge
3. Critical Framing
teaches students how to
question diverse
perceptions for better
learning experiences
2. Over Instruction
guides students to the
systematic practice of
learning process with
tools and techniques
The Third Objective
4. Transformed Action
teaches students to apply
the lessons they learn to
solve real life problems
Research shows that effective instruction in 21st Century
literacies takes an integrated approach, helping students
understand how to access, evaluate, synthesize, andPage 10
contribute to information. ( New London Group, 1996).
Teachers insist to:
Teachers insist to:
1. Encourage students to reflect regularly on
the role of technology in their learning
2. Create a website and invite students to use it
to continue class discussions and bring in
outside voices.
3. Give students strategies for evaluating the
quality of information they find on the
internet
4. Be open about one,s own strengths and
limitations with technology and invite
students to help
Research shows that effective instruction in 21st Century
literacies takes an integrated approach, helping students
understand how to access, evaluate, synthesize, andPage 10
contribute to information. ( New London Group, 1996).
Teachers insist to:
Teachers insist to:
5. Explore technologies students are using
outside the classroom and five ways to
incorporate them into one's teaching
6. Use wiki to develop multimodal reader's
guide to a class text.
7. Include a broad variety of media and
genres in class texts.
8. Ask students to create a podcast to share
with an authentic audience
Research shows that effective instruction in 21st Century
literacies takes an integrated approach, helping students
understand how to access, evaluate, synthesize, and
contribute to information. ( New London Group, 1996).
Teachers insist to:
Teachers insist to:
9. Give students explicit instruction
about how to avoid plagarism in a digital
environment
10. Refer to the partnership for
21st Century Skills website
Research shows that effective instruction in 21st Century literacies
takes an integrated approach, helping students understand how
to access, evaluate, synthesize, and contribute to information. (
New London Group, 1996).
For school and policy maker
1. Teachers need both intellectual support for
effective 21st Century literacy instruction
2. School needs to provide continuing opportunities for
professional development as well as up-to-date technologies
for use in literacy classrooms.
3. Address the digital divide by lowering the number of
students per computer and by providing high quality
access (broadband speed and multiple locations) to
technology and multiple software packages
4. Ensure that the students in literacy classes have
regular access to technology
Research shows that effective instruction in 21st Century literacies
takes an integrated approach, helping students understand how
to access, evaluate, synthesize, and contribute to information. (
New London Group, 1996).
For school and policy maker
5. Provide regular literacy-specific professional development in technology
for teachers and administrators for all levels, including higher education
6. Require teacher preparation programs to include training
in integrating technology into instruction.
7. Protect online learners and ensure their
privacy.
8. Affirm the importance of lteracy teachers in helping
students develop technological proficiency
9. Adopt and regularly review standard for
instruction in technology