Multiliteracies in ELA Classrooms

Technology is advancing and the use of multiliteracies in classrooms are increasing. Adolescents (and adults, for that matter) spend more time in front of a computer screen than in front of a printed book, especially since Web 2.0 and Web 3.0 have surfaced. Throughout history, there’s been anxiety around issues surrounding literacy, particularly when focusing on adolescents. When television came into existence, society assumed that adolescent’s literacy levels would decrease. The same anxiety appeared with the invention of computers, laptops, cellphones, etc…. I argue that such anxiety is present because society generally thinks of literacy as reading and writing only. All forms of literacy—whether visual, digital, etc…—are important, and to have students literate in multiple forms of literacies should be paid attention to within a classroom setting.

In terms of literacy as reading, why does it matter what one is reading? Whether one is reading young adult literature, e-books, signs, text messages, or labels, one’s literacy is developing, is it not?  I would argue that reading anything is better than reading nothing at all. The same argument can be applied to writing. However, this does not mean that I am suggesting that students write and read at a lower level; instead, I am saying that placing the blame on the internet is unnecessary. For example, many argue that plagiarism has increased because of the internet. Rather than blaming the internet, wouldn’t it be more effective to instruct students on plagiarism? And, rather than dismissing Wikipedia, wouldn’t it be more effective if we taught students to use it as a starting point? Wikipedia is a great resource/tool but should not be privileged over academic articles, and this should be further reinforced by the teacher. 

Moreover, I strongly believe that adolescents are more aware/educated now than they were a few centuries ago. The world of knowledge is at their fingertips. Nowadays, there’s a “how to” video on almost every subject/topic on YouTube, which I find phenomenal. Furthermore, to say that adolescents are not intelligent to use register is discriminatory towards a group of people. Being able to switch back and forth between standard English and informal speech is a skill. The same logic applies to texting; “Textspeak” must also be valued because it too is a particular skill. Again, the role of the teacher is important here. Teachers should teach their students to be able to write both formally and informally rather than value one over the other. 

First Weblog Entry – Word count: 445

Lesley S. J. Farmer’s article “I See, I Do: Persuasive Messages and Visual Literacy” emphasizes the importance of raising students’ awareness of how visual literacy and persuasive messages are created and structured for viewer consumption. Farmer argues that “while persuasive images surround students daily, young people often overlook the subliminal impact of those messages” (P. 33). They merely absorb every media outlet they encounter without thinking twice about what implications these visuals have. Advertisements, photos, and other types of visual sources are filled with elements that cater to our interests. Visual elements such as colours and shapes are used strategically to peak or maintain interests yet are so entrenched in our lives that we do not give them a second thought. By providing students with methods they can use to properly analyze the persuasive messages and other forms of visual literacies that they are being exposed to every day, students will gain more knowledge about the world around them. They will understand why certain visual codes change our perceptions and how we can use this knowledge to our advantage. Teachers can also provide students with information regarding how visual codes can be received differently depending on a persons’ background or previous knowledge. Messages within images can be complex and multi-faceted as different people can interpret images in vastly different ways.

It is also greatly important that students learn how to both create and deconstruct various kinds of visual literacies so they can more critically process whatever they encounter. Teachers can get students to use editing programs or other kinds of technology so that they more deeply explore visual literacies on a more personal level. Students will learn even more about how visual literacies and media affect them through creating their own images. To further the effectiveness of this practice, students can even break down the choices they make in the creation of their images and analyze how their peers respond to them. Farmer states that “digital tools … make it much easier to manipulate images in order to convince and persuade viewers” (P. 32). As technology advances, the ways that people can modify images and implement their messages increases dramatically. This can be both beneficial and detrimental to society. People can create more complex messages that challenge viewers to think more deeply about the content of the image and all social or cultural ideas behind it. However, people can also more easily hide negative subversive messages in images that trick people into subscribing to what they want. The best way to help students interact with visual literacies is to empower them with the knowledge to understand and break down the images constantly circling around them.

Question for the Seminar Lead Project:

What are the most important aspects teachers should be aware of when creating technology rich activities for students to explore visual images?

Work Cited

Farmer, Lesley S.J. (2007). I See, I Do: Persuasive Messages and Visual Literacy. Internet @ schools, 14(4), p. 30-33.

First of all, I believe that this a great article to end this class with as it speaks to our efforts to improve the curriculum by incorporating multiliteracies  in our ELA  classrooms. Hannah Arendt, a well spoken political theorist, once said,“…we are all the same, that is, human, in such a way that nobody is ever the same as anyone else who ever lived, lives, or will live.” We need to realize the uniqueness not only of students and ourselves, but also the uniqueness of the era we live in.

Kress (2000) argues that our current educational system is in a stagnant state in that it is entrenched in educating a 19^th century audience for the stability of the times, rather than catering to our 21^st century students with, “an education for fluidity, for instability” (139). I believe that one needs to adopt a growth mindset in order to contend and take into consideration the claims expressed within the contents of this article. Kress notes that we live in a pluralistic society and I consider this characteristic as a requirement for change as action often comes from the plurality of society. It is within these societies that individuals collaborate to exchange views and build something new, something that is reflective of our current state. In addition, I would like to believe that educators always want to improve not only their lessons, but also more importantly, their approach to meet the needs of today’s students.  We undoubtedly belong to a profession that consists of lifelong learners. However, in all fairness, it is important to note that it may take anywhere between 20-30 or even 40 years before meaningful change takes place with regard to establishing a new and successful literary approach in our schools (Mackey, 2012). Nevertheless, we need to consider ourselves as designers who not only shape the leaders of tomorrow, but who continually design as, “designs speak of choices: choices which reflect the interests of their designer…”(143). Let then our interests lie in adapting our work, in whatever role we find ourselves, so that our pedagogy is consistent with the demands of today’s world.

In continuation on the theme of change, Kress notes that, “ ‘To learn’ was not supposed to mean ‘to change’” (140). We as educators are privileged with the role of educating the leaders of tomorrow, people who will implement change, if necessary, wherever they may find themselves. It is also our responsibility to act as role models so in a sense, we ourselves should not be afraid to seek and speak of change, if not implement change within our practice. It may be argued, that teachers are not administrators or that first year teachers should “go with the flow,” but as we become more experienced and develop our networks, we too may be in a position to if not directly implement change, to influence the process of change. Over time we may develop the courage to speak with our department heads and/or administrators about particular approaches, programs or even the selection of available books and resources.

Kress, Gunther. “A curriculum for the future.” Cambridge journal of education 30.1 (2000): 133-145.

Mackey, M. (2012). Mixing Media. In James, K., Dobson, T.M., Leggo, C., Eds. English in Middle and Secondary Classrooms: Creative and Critical Advice from Canada’s Teacher Educators. Toronto: Pearson.

(I apologize if some of you have seen my post on E-Literature before, but I cannot find it on our blog. I am re-posting it below….)

In retrospect when looking back at my educational experiences, I find that electronic literature may not only be a literary genre that is underrepresented, but it may also be underestimated in our 21^st century learning environments. English Language Arts (ELA) education has and continues to revolve around canonical texts, texts that have many available resources and recognition in our schools. Educators in ELA should be exposed to the electronic literature genre by means of workshops during professional development days or speakers who speak to the skilful elements within these stories during teacher education programs. I strongly believe e-literature is a unique literary genre as it allows the reader to engage with the text at a different level due to the represented multimodalities of electronic writing. When reading in this genre, the reader will encounter multimedia content, animation, links and many other fascinating aspects. Educators should familiarize themselves with this genre, because incorporating such non-traditional, interactive fiction may actually make the study of literature more appealing to our students. Implementing electronic literature may simply bring us closer to our students in that we make an effort to relate our content knowledge to their world in this digital era.

The Electronic Literature Organization has published two volumes of E-Literature and it is crucial to remember that some of the stories found within these collections, may be underdeveloped as they come from the early stages of this genre. Prior to this presentation in this multimedia class, I was not aware of electronic literature or the notion that it is informed by computer games, animations and graphic design.  I believe that all educators, regardless of their speciality and core/elective courses, should see as many examples as possible of this genre to merit further investigation and implementation. Once some examples are found, educators may also be hesitant to incorporate these into the curriculum due to the fact that these books are read on a computer. Fortunately as part of my inquiry into this genre, I encountered an essay by Chris Mott that teases out some of the questions educators may pose. Here is a list of the questions that he addresses in the course of his work:

1. Why should I teach electronic literature?
2. How can I hep my students whoa re frustrated or confused by electronic literature?
3. How do I help my students profit from the similarities and difference between print and electronic literature?
4. How do we discuss a text that is not the same fro everyone?
5. How do I assign reading?
6. What sorts of assignments and exercises (intellectual tasks) are most relevant and effective?
7. How do I teach in a medium/material I have not mastered?
8. Which pieces should I teach?
9. What resources are available to help me teach electronic literature?

I will be addressing many of the practical suggestions Mr. Mott offers in respect to these questions during the E-Literature presentation. Here is a link to the essay  http://newhorizons.eliterature.org/essay.php@id=3.html

Also, it is worthwhile to mention that there are many other essays on the Electronic Literature: New Horizons For the Literary website that may help inform your understanding of electronic literature.

http://newhorizons.eliterature.org/essay.php.html

A showcase of electronic literature can be found at http://eliterature.org/news/showcase/

Hayles, N. K. (n.d.).       Electronic Literature: What is it?    . Electronic Literature Organization. Retrieved July 2, 2013, from http://eliterature.org/pad/elp.html

Mott, C. (n.d.). Electronic Literature: New Horizons For The Literary :: Essays. Electronic Literature: New Horizons For The Literary . Retrieved July 4, 2013, from http://newhorizons.eliterature.org/essay.php@id=3.html

In his article “A Curriculum for the Future”, Gunther Kress makes a strong case for the notion of “changing with the times”. The idea of prioritising and rethinking current curriculum is incredibly important in my opinion, as it is foolish to assume that the present system is without fault. Kress’ statement about “the coming era demand[ing] an education for instability” (133) is so incredibly profound. I did my seminar presentation on e-literature, and one important aspect of that subject was the notion of thinking about and preparing for the future, as change has become so rapid today. Putting these readings together really emphasizes the notion that nothing is constant, and this definitely makes me think critically about how I will deal with curriculum in my future classroom.

At its very core, the goals of education have changed (Kress 134), and I strongly feel that we must also follow suit. What the norm was even 10 years ago is not necessarily a reality today. During my practicum, I encountered many teachers who seemed to be comfortable and settled in their methods of teaching. By this, I mean that many of them refused – and frankly didn’t see the point – of trying new, innovative ways of teaching. When talking to a teacher about wanting to utilize different forms of technology in the classroom, I was told on more than one occasion to stick to “what works”, which in this case meant giving students notes and worksheets. This, to me, seemed like such a primitive way of communicating with my students, but looking back on it now, I see why a newer way of reaching students can seem fearful to some teachers.

Changing how one has always done something, especially when the ‘newer’ way of doing it can seem daunting, is reason enough to deter one from making modifications to their instruction. To be honest, I do not do well with change, but when it comes to teaching, what makes me more willing to try new things is the idea of reaching my students on a greater level. The potential of providing my students with a deeper connection to school content is so incredibly exciting to me that the fear that comes with change disappears. I truly believe that there is so much room for improvement when it pertains to school curriculum, and the only way that this development can take place is if we make it a priority to plan not only for now, but the future. Nothing in life is stable – especially teaching – and to become comfortable with a primitive mode of doing things would be an incredible disservice to our students.

Works Cited

Kress argues that the education system today is embedded in a time and place that no longer exists- that it was cemented in a time of stability.  He now refers to “a different kind of social subject” (138) to which the educational system doesn’t match.  He writes that “the social subject educated […] for an era of social and economic instability is deeply different to the social subject of the preceding era: a citizen/worker/professional who was educated toward the stabilities of well-defined citizenship or equally stable subjectivities as a participant in stable economies” (139).  He also claims that “the social mores, cultural values, forms of the economy and the social organizations of 1955 had more affinity with those of 1855 than they have with those of 1995” (133).  This gave me pause.  The Industrial Revolution, two world wars and massive migration to North America seems rather significant to me.  What can compare to these events between 1955 and 1995?  Vietnam, Korea, the fall of the Berlin Wall, the break-up of Yugoslavia?  These are all significant events, but certainly not as influential as the events previously mentioned between 1855 & 1955.  My sense is, and given the context of this course, that it is the advent of the computer and the digital world that helps Kress to make this claim.  I agree that since 1955 the world has changes significantly.  In an academic context we could understand this as the shift from Modernism to Post-Modernism

The concept of Modernism has its roots in the Industrial Revolution and crystallized during the First World War.  Post-Modernism cannot be understood without the foundation of Modernism, but is characterized by a rejection of the tenets of Modernism.  It is a disambiguation of what we thought we knew, and what we think we can come to know.

Multiple (digital) literacies are characterized as a shift away from traditional literary texts, ways of knowing and achieving meaning, but we can’t understand these new literacies without traditional based language and literary forms.  Multiple literacies embrace a new space-time continuum and reflect a post-modern socio-cultural conundrum.  Kress notes the market based economy has transcended a state based allegiance (141), though I’m not convinced the two are that separate.  Digital literacies are embedded in a place that is always open, and are upheld by (if not initiated by) business interests and much of it seems to be a deviation from what is meaningful.  Digital literacies are characterized in a post-modern era as a cacophony of voices and formats which may actually serve a purpose of consumption rather than idea-making.  Much is said and suggested of what the English classroom is for in our post-modern times, and how canonical literature serves an ideal of a world gone by.  During my university English classes I always appreciated the simple delivery, the loose adherence to time (course schedule, due dates), the often simple class syllabi which didn’t have any charts, shading, text boxes and the like, and a rejection of the use of power-point or Prezi.  Everything was scaled down to its core idea, without the need to be delivered with fancy dressing or false advertising.  It was a space for confronting complex ideas and theories in as simply a way as possible.  In our multi-modal reality, I think this simple approach is more important than ever.

Are there opportunities in the post-modern high school English class to embrace the concept of multi-literacies?  Absolutely.  Without question there are some very valid avenues for non-traditional learning, expression and communication, but to me the English teacher ought to attempt to slow the pace down a bit, and nurture the old-fashioned and out of style introvert.  Multiple literacies reflect a world that is changing at a rapid pace, but change has always occurred.  What is unique to our time is the rapidity of the change.  In fact change in this time might be more mediated illusion driven by corporate/state interests, rather than a result of personal agency.  What is true is that we are living our lives at a pace that is snowballing out of control, leading us to unprecedented states of anxiety, depression and general unhappiness and dissatisfaction.  We need to slow down and enjoy the moment.  What better way than to relax in your favourite rocking chair with a good book, canonical or otherwise?

-Adam

In his article “Curriculum for the Future” Gunther Kress outlines the reality of current curricular needs. He does this by  labelling the curricular needs of the past as a program for ‘stability’, while labelling today’s curricular needs as program for ‘instability’. At first, I was curious what this was all going to allude to. When I thought of past stability I though of the industrial revolution and the shaping of good citizenry. But what about today’s curricular needs of instability? It’s hard to imagine what today’s generation is going through in regards to job niching, myself entering into a well-established and age-old profession. However, Kress educates us preservice teachers on what to teach so that our students will be successful in creating careers for themselves in “tomorrow’s instability”. To summarize the past-present situation, Kress notes:

“Economies founded on services and information do not (necessarily) need
the knowledge of the subjects of the older curriculum. Instead of attitudes and dispositions to ®xed knowledge, both the economy of services and the
economy of information demand the ability to design: to design objects
(whether as texts or as commodity of any kind) and to design processes (whether
in entertainment, in business or in education). The ability to design, an aptitude
in using the resources available for making (whether the making of representations for communication or the making of objects for consumption) differs
fundamentally from the aptitudes and dispositions previously needed, prized
and rewarded.

The ability to design, it seems, is taking over the past need for the ability to recite canonical texts. As a final thought in this course, this is indeed very wise advice. Knowing this, I feel more comfortable assigning creative projects with various media instead of fussing over Shakespeare and Steinbeck. But what of these texts? Is there no longer value in teaching text-based literary analysis? And what about regular literacy? Surely, students still need to be able to articulate themselves with correct syntax and signifiers of the English language—spell check cannot write for you. I guess that this will all be  fine balancing act in our practice as teacher. Thinking back to our “Curriculum & Knowledge” course, teachers are indeed the ones who decide what is important for the current generation to know.  Perhaps it all goes back to the purpose of schooling and who will be in “charge”, as concluded by Kress:

“I have assumed the continued existence of the school, even if in greatly changed form, but the school will only
retain its place if it, or those who are responsible for it, face the question of the ®t between curriculum and the new shapes of work and leisure around the
school and if the question of wider purposes for each subject in the curriculum
can be satisfactorily answered.”

I guess the answers will come soon, in tomorrow’s instability.

Kress, Gunther. “A curriculum for the future.” Cambridge journal of education30.1 (2000): 133-145.

Some children in my neighbourhood drew some pictures that reminded me of the class, and how much media is present in today’s childrens’ lives.

This is one of the projects from my Grade 9 Challenge class. We did Les Misérables as a novel and for their final story two of the students told the novel through Twitter interactions.
From twitter, the account is: jeanvaljean0418     (that’s a zero)
the password is: lesmis1234

Message from the students:”It would be best if you went to the very bottom of the timeline and read your way up to see Les Mis retold through Tweets. You can view the individual accounts of the main characters by going to Jean Valjean’s ‘following’ and clicking on their accounts”

I think it’s interesting that Melanie brought up the story of her teacher not accepting her paper written through MSN messenger because through reading this project, I felt my students had such an amazing grasp on the novel that they were able to take the text and re-write it very humorously. They were able to the important parts of the text and write it in a very limited character space.

Enjoy!

Katherine Spilsted

Litextracy?

In the current digital age, texting and literacy come together to form a paradoxical relationship. While our youth are reading and writing more than ever, their various forms of electronic communication are generally disregarded as “not real writing.” We have to understand that language is constantly changing, and texting has become the written lingua franca of our youth today. In “Instant Messaging and the Future of Language,” Baron argues that linguistic and behaviour innovation often begins with adolescents (30). Real writing or not, it is an inevitable change that is accompanied by changes in educational, cultural, and social attitudes and values.

Wts wrng w/ txtin’?

There is no doubt that texting is often perceived as a corruption of language and the root cause for our youth’s degrading literacy skills. Teachers notice texting language slowly creeping into formal writing assignments. Not only does texting affect student work, it also affects student performance and work ethics in class because of the distraction.

However, pushing those thoughts aside…

AFAIC, txtin cn b a gr8 thng

We have to reconsider what literacy means. As Carrington states in “Txting: the end of civilization (again)?”, we must understand literacy today to “extend beyond the ability to encode and decode print” (172). Literacy is the ability to decode information in various formats, make meaning from it, and encode it into ideas to be communicated to others. The language of text is a register in its own right, and it is not exactly dictated by Standard English grammar and spelling rules. In the wake of constant and rapid technological advancements throughout the past century, what we are witnessing is an evolution of language. In fact, I see potential in texting for literacy development.

We as teachers should understand that because texting is a mode of communication most common to high school students today, it would be almost ridiculous to disregard and ban the cellphone. While this new technology brings on new challenges for teaching and learning, new opportunities exist as well. The most crucial thing to do is to “make certain [our students] understand the difference between creativity and normative language use” (Baron 31). We have the responsibility to hold discussions with our students on the importance of knowing our audience and how that affects the language we use when we communicate in different contexts.

L8R,

Christina (blog post #2)

Baron, N.S. (2005). Instant messaging and the future of language. Communications of the ACM, 46(7), 30-31.

Carrington, V. (2005). Txting: the end of civilization (again)? Cambridge Journal of Education, 35(2), 161-175.