"The distinctive contribution of the approach to literacy as social practice lies in the ways in which it involves careful and sensitive attention to what people do with texts, how they make sense of them and use them to further their own purposes in their own learning lives" (Gillen and Barton, 2010, p. 9).
Since I was a young child, to me, literacy meant learning how to read a text and learning how to write. I knew it was important to be able to read and write well because that is what was driven into me as a student. I believed I would not be able to succeed in life without these skills. It never occurred to me that literacy may mean much more than knowing how to read a book and write a "good" essay or piece of writing. It was always clear who the students were that struggled with these skills. These students would either not want to read in front of the class, leave the classroom for extra help, or struggle when reading. (I cannot imagine how this effected the children's self esteem and motivation.) I was not aware of the fact, until I began my teaching education, that there are many influences that have impacted these students to have these difficulties with literacy and other skills. I had never considered this because I came from a family who always encouraged my reading and it was something that I was lucky to have never struggled with. The readings this week have opened my eyes to literacy and the different social impacts it has on people.
I feel that the quote above is stating that the way we present and/or teach literacy will have an impact on the "active citizen". That social impact will depend on the way these skills are shown to these "citizens'. I interpreted this as meaning the ways in which these skills are taught. Literacy must be taught in a way that will help the "citizen" grow in their own lives. Meaning that these literacy skills will not only help them grow academically (become better readers) but will also help them grow socially. I have seen many changes throughout my educational career in the way literacy is taught in classrooms. As a fourth grade teacher, I know that it is crucial to provide these students with different strategies for learning. By having different learning techniques it allows all the students the opportunity to grow in their "learning lives". Having the students be able to read the story is an important part. However, that is just a small piece to a much bigger puzzle. We dig in to each story and dissect different parts of it. It is crucial that they are able to make connections with their own lives to situations that are happening in the story. This area is where I see some of my students struggle. I related to Lankshear and Knobel in Chapter 1 when they were discussing social classes often struggling with literacy. The majority of my students who struggle with understanding the deeper meanings of stories are my students who lack the experiences necessary to be able to connect with these characters and these situations. It is hard because, as a teacher, I cannot make these experiences for them outside of school. I think having students work in groups may have some positive impact on the situation. The students who do not have those experiences can hear the experiences of their fellow classmates. Although this isn't as effective as their own experiences it could still help the students relate to the characters and situations in the story.
Incorporating technology into the classroom is of high importance in my school district. Throughout my college classes, substitute teaching experiences, student teaching experiences, and my professional teaching experiences I have come to see many of the positive impacts that technology has on students. Technology allows the students to interact in a positive and fun way. Almost every student I have had loves using computer programs, iPad's and/or Kindle's. The students have so much fun using this equipment that they do not even realize they are learning. They are able to learn in an environment that is fun for them. When they are interested and engaged in the learning process it creates lasting knowledge. The more familiar the students become with these types of equipment the more technologically savvy they will become. I was hired a little over year ago for my position. Part of the requirement for my job was to be technologically educated. It was important that I was comfortable and efficient with computers and other types of technology. Being comfortable and familiar with these types of technology are so crucial for the students success in the future. By incorporating these technologies into literacy education it benefits the students in their educational lives and their in their social lives as well. I feel that the more professional development and training courses teachers receive on new technology and new literacies the more effective the classroom will be in giving these students knowledge they will use their entire lives.
References
Lankshear, C & Knobel, M. 2011. Literacies: Social, Cultural and Historical Perspectives. New York. Peter Lang Publishing.
Thank you for your insights Emily!
ReplyDeleteI know for many families, the use of electronic devices is by far a more familiar mode of literacy viewed in everyday life. It makes sense that a student may be more comfortable or inclined to read in this way.
One issue that I have encountered is how the use of e-reading or online homework can single out families without these devices or who have limited access to them. Did the student you mentioned develop reading other media? How did you encouraging reading at home? (Sending books/magazines/papers home with a child seems more accessible than providing the resources for e-reading.)
I am sensitive to this because I am familiar with families, who feel pressured by their teachers and school to purchase devices that they are not financially or culturally comfortable doing.
I would love to hear your thoughts!
As a teacher in a low income school I have many students in my class who do not have access to either these electronics or internet access at home. There are grants that teachers can apply for to have iPad's or Kindle's in their classroom so they can incorporate them into their classroom activities. This way students who do not have access to these types of technology or internet can learn how to use them while also learning in a fun and interesting atmosphere. I do provide my students will supplemental activities to do at home if they do have access to a computer and the internet. However, this is NEVER a requirement as I am very aware some families cannot afford these luxuries. This is why I implement technology and the use of technology into every day lesson plans.
ReplyDeleteHi Emily
DeleteDoes you school have open computer labs that students could access outside of the classroom? I work in a college and while we assume that students all have a laptop to work with some students actual do not. I try to be conscience of this and allow computer lab times as much as possible.
Hi Jenn,
DeleteYes, my school does have a few computer labs. Teacher's must sign them out at specific times though. Student's are not allowed to go unless the teacher has done so. However, I take advantage of this quite often. I think it is great, especially for my students who do not have computers at home, for them to get educated on the technology they will be using throughout their educational and most likely their professional lives.
Emily, I thoroughly enjoyed your post. Thank you. I grew up dirt poor in Albany NY projects during the 1960-70s, and saw first hand the differences in how students were being "educated". The vast majority of the curriculum back then was structured solely for the benefit of the "white" students. Our education had very little color, and when I look back at the materials, they were filled with half-truths and outright lies at best. These materials were designed with a very specific purpose by educators and government authorities who had an agenda that didn't really include the students. I think in many ways this is what Gillen and Barton meant when they stated "careful and sensitive attention to what people do with texts" (Gillen and Barton, 2010). It is very easy to manipulate children and adults alike if they are presented with very limited resources to gain their presumed acceptable level of "literacy". This is why curriculums have to be constantly reviewed and revised, ensuring that the end result is a diverse understanding of the world around us.
ReplyDeleteEmily, I thoroughly enjoyed your post. Thank you. I grew up dirt poor in Albany NY projects during the 1960-70s, and saw first hand the differences in how students were being "educated". The vast majority of the curriculum back then was structured solely for the benefit of the "white" students. Our education had very little color, and when I look back at the materials, they were filled with half-truths and outright lies at best. These materials were designed with a very specific purpose by educators and government authorities who had an agenda that didn't really include the students. I think in many ways this is what Gillen and Barton meant when they stated "careful and sensitive attention to what people do with texts" (Gillen and Barton, 2010). It is very easy to manipulate children and adults alike if they are presented with very limited resources to gain their presumed acceptable level of "literacy". This is why curriculums have to be constantly reviewed and revised, ensuring that the end result is a diverse understanding of the world around us.
ReplyDeleteHi emily,
ReplyDeleteExcellent post. I teach in a college where students can not set down their electronic devises at all! I use a computer during in class lectures and I can't count on both hands how many times I have to stop and tell someone to put their phone away or to get off Facebook on their laptops. Unfortunately not all students understand that using these in a classroom is a luxury and that not everyone can have them. To think 15 years ago I sat in the same seats at them (I too went to FIT) and had to take notes by hand! I try to provide students with in class or in computer lab time to work on projects because I do understand that not everyone has a computer at their disposal and i've learned to not assume that everyone has them in the dorm room. I feel that technology being used as a tool in a classroom is a wonderful idea because it gives us the teacher access to relevant, and current information to use during lessons.
This is a very interesting post. A few semesters ago (during my work on my first Master's Degree) I did a literature review on the illustration as narrative in the children's picture book. It was at a time when my own daughter, a kindergartner at the time, was beginning to show struggles in reading. Much like you I grew up thinking literacy was the ability to read and write effectively. I never had trouble reading, but recall the children in my elementary school that did. Today my daughter still struggles with reading. In fact, she is dyslexic. However, she has spectacular reading comprehension skills. I thought about her a lot while doing my literature review on illustration several months ago and as I read your post I couldn't help but to be reminded of just how much literacy goes beyond a page of text. I believe it was in Gillen and Barton’s work that they discussed how digital media requires a less linear approach to deconstructing and reconstructing information, relying on a more complex ability to mesh written word with images and often a variety of other media to build an understanding of what you are reading (Gillen & Barton, 2010, pg. 9). To me it was interesting that Gillen and Barton propose that this is more difficult than simply reading a text because this is a skill children utilize while learning to read. They use clues in pictures to help navigate the text, and later in more complex picture stories develop a more in-depth understanding of the literature with the aid of the image. Now as adults we are doing this again as new literacies develop across digital media. Understanding what it means to be literate is much more complex than simply reading and writing.
ReplyDeleteReferences
Gillen, J. and Barton, D. (2010). Digital Literacies. London Knowledge Lab Institute of Education. Retrieved from http://eprints.lancs.ac.uk/33471/1/DigitalLiteracies.pdf
I agree Monika!Comprehension of what the students read is so important. I have many students that can read at a high rate with very few errors. However, some of these students have a hard time telling me what the story was about or defining key features. Literacy is so much more than just being able to read the text. Thanks for your response!
DeleteI, too, teach in a district where the addition and implementation if technology is becoming more of the norm. IT is very difficult for me to find ways to integrate technology for basic level French without the content being very immature compared to that of the maturity level of my students. I also related to your post when you talked about access to technology and that there are many children in your district without it at home. It mirrors my student population.
ReplyDeleteMoving on to the work you do with your students, one place I have liked and so do my students is voki.com. There is also voki classroom. I have used the avatars here for my students to give presentations in French, without them standing in front of their class feeling vulnerable and awkward. They love it. I can see elementary children using this to describe characters they read about, or give presentations for those kids who have anxiety.
Thanks Megan! I am going to look into that. I always love new ideas for my classroom. Keep them coming! :)
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