Introduction

This topic explores several definitions of literacy and what being literate means in the
multiplicity of contexts in the 21st century, with the goal of raising awareness in students who
might be presently unaware of the evolving perspectives on literacy and giving teachers the
opportunity to pause and reflect on their own literacies even as they attempt to teach the new
literacies to their students.

Intended Learning Outcomes

At the end of the lesson the students are expected to:

1. definitions of conventional literacy; and

2. expanded views of literacy in the 21st century.

Discussion

INTRODUCTION TO 21st CENTURY LITERACIES

Traditional or Conventional Literacy

The word “literacy” stems from the word “literate”, which first appeared in the 15 th
century and is in turn derived from the Latin word litteratus, meaning “a person marked
letters” – that is, “distinguish or identified by letters” – and it carried with it the idea that such
a person was cultured and educated.
Since the subjects of the time (e.g. grammar, logic, arithmetic, geometry, etc.) all had
written texts (which were composed of letters) that had to be studied, the ability to read and
write was therefore of prime importance, leading to the strong association of being “literate”
with the ability to read and write.

Miller (1973) states that conventional concept of literacy is divided into three-sub
categories:
1. Basic Literacy – it has the ability to correspond visual shapes to spoken sounds in
order to decode written materials and translate them into oral language. In other
words, it is the ability to recognize letters and words, even without understanding
what it means. For example, b-a-s-a in Filipino.
2. Comprehension literacy – it is the ability to understand the meaning of what is being
read. For example, basa can mean either “to read” or “to be wet”.
3. Functional or Practical literacy – it is the ability to read (e.i., decode and comprehend)
written materials needed to perform everyday vocation tasks. This the equivalent of
reading the text “Ang bata ay nagbabasa.” And being able to understand that basa
here refers to reading and not being wet.

The conventional view of literacy has two things for literacy to exist:

1) A text (consisting of symbols and grammar) to be read; and

2) A meaning or message being communicated by the text for the reader to extract.

Without a text, there would be nothing to read; without meaning, the text is reduced to a
series of incomprehensible doodles.

Module 1 (week 1-2): Introduction to 21st Century Literacies

Expanded Views of Literacy

Despite the ubiquity of the traditional view of literacy, Roberts (1995) says that, “in
the past 50 years, hundreds of definitions of literacy have been advanced by scholars, adult
literacy workers, and programme planners,” with even the UN Educational, Scientific, and
Cultural Organization (UNESCO, 2006) acknowledging that literacy as a concept has proven
to be complex and dynamic, it being continually defined and interpreted in multiple ways.

According to UNESCO (2004), 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. “

In this vein, Mkandawire (2018) more succinctly posits that literacy is “a form of
knowledge, competence, and skills in a particular field or area,” being supported by
UNESCO (2006), Barton (2007), and Mkandawire, Simooya-Mudenda, & Cheelo (2017),
which acknowledge that - as we have just pointed out – modern views appear to equate
literacy with knowledge

This shift in the definition of literacy from “reading and writing” to “knowledge” is
especially important as we explore the “new” literacies of the 21 st century that seem far-
removed from the contexts upon which conventional literacy is based.

Literacy in the 21st Century

The “new” literacies arose from the increasing availability of communication

technologies that were once unavailable to the average individual.

Technologies like blogging and vlogging, social networking, and even text-messaging
change and expand both the extent and the form of our communication-blending text, sound,
and images in ways unforeseen and unprecedented (Richardson, 2014).

Three things have been critical in the rise of the new literacies:
1. Increased Reach – we are communicating with more people, from more diverse
cultures, across vaster distances than ever before.
2. Increased Means of Communication – we are communicating in more ways and at
faster speeds than ever before.
3. Increased Breadth of Content – we are communicating about more things than ever
before.

Answering such complex questions requires new sets of skills and knowledge - ones that
occur in the school system have never had to teach before. With these changes in with whom,
how, and why we communicate, new literacies are required not only to make sense of the
changes, but also to use these new technologies and paradigms in meaningful and productive
ways – something required not only of students, but of teachers as well.

Module 1 (week 1-2): Introduction to 21st Century Literacies

 New literacies have risen to increased breadth of content. These new literacies are
globalization and multicultural literacy, social and financial literacy, media and cyber/digital
literacy, ecoliteracy, artistic and creative literacy, and critical literacy.

SUMMARY
● Traditional literacy is the ability to read and write.

● The traditional or conventional concept of literacy can be divided into subcategories:

1. Basic literacy, which is the ability to recognize letters and words;
2. Comprehension literacy, which is the ability to understand the meaning of
what is being read; and
3. Functional/Practical literacy, which is the ability to read written materials
needed to perform everyday vocational tasks.
● Modern views of literacy equate it with knowledge.

Name: Date:

Course/Yr/Section: Score:

Exercise

Compare and contrast the traditional concept of literacy to the modern view of
literacy. Use the venn diagram. (20pts).

Module 1 (week 1-2): Introduction to 21st Century Literacies

Learning Activity

Lesson Planning and Lesson Demonstration: Prepare and deliver a lesson that
incorporates some of the new literacies. (20pts).

Reflection

Module 1 (week 1-2): Introduction to 21st Century Literacies

 Read the questions and instructions carefully. Write your answers on the space provided.

1. Given the traditional/conventional concept of literacy, how literate are you?

2. How deep is your level of comprehension?

3. Which of the new literacies are you knowledgeable in? Which of the new literacies do
you lack knowledge in?

4. As a pre-service teacher, what kind of written materials should you be able to read
and understand? Are you reading these materials? How well can you understand
them?

5. Although reading education in the Philippines aims to develop Functional/Practical

literacy in learners, what level of literacy is being developed when classroom
practices focus more on memorization rather than on understanding and application?

Suggested Readings

Erickson, K., & Koppenhaver, D. (2020). Teaching Students Significant Disabilities to Read
and Write. Comprehensive Literacy For All.

Resources and Additional Resources

Alata, E. & Ignacio, E. (2019). Building and enhancing new literacies across the curriculum,
first edition. Rex Book Store, INC.
Barton, D. (2007). Literacy: an introduction to the ecology of written language. Oxford, UK:
Blackwell.
Miller, G. A. (1973). Linguistic communication: perspective for research. Newark, Del.:
International Reading Association.
Mkandawire, S. B. (2018). Literacy versus language: Exploring their similarities and
differences. Journal of Lexicography and Terminology, 2(1).
Richardson, W. (2014). New literacies in the classroom. Retrieved from
https://modernlearners.com/new-literacies-in -the-classroom.

Module 1 (week 1-2): Introduction to 21st Century Literacies

Roberts, P. (1995). Defining literacy: paradise, nightmare, or red herring? British journal of
Educational Studies, 43(4), 220-228.
United Nations Education Scientific and Cultural Organization (2004). The plurality of
literacy and its implications for policies and programmes. Retrieved from
http://unesdoc.unesco.org/images/0013/001362/136246e.pdf.
United Nations Education Scientific and Cultural Organization (2006). Education for all
global monitoring report. Retrieved from
https://www.unesco.org/education/GMR2006/fullchapt6_eng.pdf.

Module 1 (week 1-2): Introduction to 21st Century Literacies