Professionally Attempting New Literacies
As a current English Language Arts teacher, I am frequently trying to incorporate new literacy practices into my special education and general education classrooms. Many of my students are reading below grade level, some two or more grade levels, which automatically puts those students at a huge disadvantage currently and later on in life (Beecher, 2023). Audio books are commonly used as accommodations for my special education caseload, but I use those resources to support all of my students. This year, I discovered a website called Bookshare that I started using in my self-contained classes as part of their assistive technology. Then, I later created accounts for all my students after seeing how accessible the platform is. Bookshare allows my students to follow along with a digital text while listening to the audio. They are able to customize the appearance of the digital text (text color, background color, font, font size, line spacing, etc.) while also customizing the audio (language, accent, speed, volume). It gives students control over their learning and exposes them to different forms of digital literacy. Having access to media to address learning deficits while also supporting students as a whole relates to new literacies and our changing world. As our world changes and evolves, we need to be changing and evolving with it (Beecher, 2023; Sang, 2017). Using interactive and digital media is a huge support to my students and fosters higher student engagement. A big takeaway was the need for students to take part in new literacies to be successful in life in a variety of ways (Beecher, 2023; Sang, 2017). I have had numerous conversations and lessons with my students about the great and convenient approach of finding information online, while also making judgements on the validity because of how collaborative the internet it is and how anyone behind a screen can be publishing that information (Sang, 2017). The effort needs to be made on how to appropriately adjust and learn digital skills such as narrowing down your results and evaluating the sources to adopt the practice of new literacies (Beecher, 2023). With this effort, we are promoting strengthening executive functioning by critically thinking (Beecher, 2023). Overall, new literacies can be great if taught correctly.
Promoting Equity and Access in Education
This definition of literacy can be very problematic in inclusive educational spaces that focus on providing equity and access to all students. Sometimes, equity means that a student isn’t physically writing an assignment but maybe typing or using speech-to-text. Sometimes, equity is using visuals such as videos, pictures, or symbols to tell a story instead of words. The same message can be relayed through different media. I have students with very high reading comprehension scores but very low decoding scores. So, they may not be able to physically “read” all the written text, but they are still gathering information and content through a different form of it. This goes beyond special education. Students need representation of their cultures, backgrounds, languages, etc. in the classroom (Sang, 2017). If literacy is only focusing on one dialect, we are then excluding a large population of our students who are not fluent in speaking, reading, or writing in English. Those students don’t have the same access to the curriculum and their English-speaking peers.
How can we fix this?
More expansive ideas of new literacies address the issues of equity and access in educational spaces by evolving from that old definition of literacy and promoting the use of digital technologies. Digital technologies make it capable to differentiate texts to best support your learners. Traditional reading and writing can be taken over by hands-on, engaging lessons where students are still learning the content without sitting and reading a book, old-school style.
References
Beecher, C. (2023). Chapter 1. What is Literacy? Multiple Perspectives on Literacy. Methods of Teaching Early Literacy. https://iastate.pressbooks.pub/teachingearlyliteracy/chapter/what-is-literacy-multiple-perspectives-on-literacy/
Sang, Y. (2017). Expanded Territories of “Literacy”: New Literacies and Multiliteracies. Journal of Education and Practice, 8.
Thank you for sharing such a thoughtful and relevant reflection on how you're using digital tools like Bookshare to support all learners in your classroom. Your post illustrates the need to advocate for a more inclusive, adaptive, and evolving understanding of literacy that reflects both our students' needs and the realities of a digitally mediated world.
ReplyDeleteI was particularly struck by your point about students with strong comprehension but low decoding skills. This is a powerful reminder that traditional assessments of literacy often overlook the diverse ways students access and process information. Your use of audio-supported texts, customizable features, and assistive technologies reflects a strong commitment to equity, providing not just equal access, but the right kind of access for each learner.
I also appreciate your emphasis on teaching students how to critically evaluate digital information. In my own classroom, I’ve noticed that when students are empowered to question sources and make intentional digital choices, their engagement and ownership of learning increase dramatically. Your integration of these conversations into your daily practice is something I’d love to explore more in my own teaching.
Lastly, your point about how literacy can and must look different depending on a student’s needs resonates deeply. Redefining what it means to “read,” “write,” or “tell a story” is essential for fostering both inclusion and academic rigor. Thank you for highlighting how technology can be a tool for transformation, not just accommodation.