"New Literacies" at Curriculum Council

District Leaders Engage in New Literacies Sort

Today we had the opportunity to work with our Curriculum Council on New Literacies. The idea of "new literacies" focuses on ways in which meaning making and communication systems are changing under new conditions that include, but are not limited to, the proliferation of digital electronics. As educators we need to re-envision how we engage with students to harness contemporary social practices that our students are already using without our help.

The following chart exemplifies the ways in which we currently teach literacy versus the ways students interact with literacy in their lives outside of school.  Click on the image below for a larger view.

In order to bridge the gap between what's happening in and outside of school, we shared some examples of new literacies that many students are engaged with. They blog, chat, text, publish online and give each other feedback in highly collaborative ways. Click on the image below to see the examples.

Our students are increasingly becoming digital natives and we need to meet them where they are! Watch the video to see what students are up to.

Happy blogging, tweeting and snapchatting!

Nathalie Longree-Guevara, Sasha Kirkman & Maria Vlahiotis