Literacy Refined

Definitions of Literacy

•Merriam – Webster: Ability to read and write
•Ability to read, write, communicate
•David Warlick - Using information to accomplish goals
•The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO): "ability to identify, understand, interpret, create, communicate, compute and use 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."
•Association of College and Research Libraries (ACRL) - Information literacy is a set of abilities requiring individuals to “recognize when information is needed and have the ability to locate, evaluate, and use effectively the needed information.”

Foundational Literacies
•Alphabet/spelling
•Summarize
•Oral Communications
•Decode words/Phonics
•Response to literature
•Reading fluency
•Comprehension
•Contextual meaning
•Cueing: Graphophonic (Letter/sound relationships), syntax(grammar) and semantic (meaning)
•Transaction: text has no “absolute meaning” depends on readers’ perspective

New Literacies
As defined by The New Literacies Perspective
1.Questioning
2.Searching
3.Evaluating
4.Synthesizing
5.Communication

Multiplicity of Web Literacies
As defined by the New London Group (2000)

1. Media forms
Icons
Colors
Hyperlinks
Animations
Menus/Scroll Bars/Tabs
Audio & podcasts
Video
Images
Charts/Graphs
Pop Up Text
Interactive Graphics
Virtual Realities
Ads (when to ignore)

2.Internet Communications
Search engines
Web pages
Email
List-servs
Discussion groups (asynchronous)
Chat rooms
IM
Video conferencing
Blogs
Wikis
Multi-user games

3.Global Communications
Co-constructing knowledge
Author’s intent (motive behind the message)
Understanding cultural differences (assumptions)
Appropriate content for audience
Digital Citizenship

Based on information from:
Leu, D. J., Kinzer, C. K., Coiro, J. L., & Cammack, D. W. (2004). Toward a theory of new literacies emerging from the internet and other information and communication technologies. In Ruddell, R.B. & Unrau, N.J., (Eds.), Theoretical models and processes of reading (5th ed.). (pp. 1570–1613). Newark, DE: International Reading Association.