New Literacies
In the "Thriving as a Networked Individual" chapter of Networked, the authors define a set of new literacies: graphic, navigation, context/connections, focus, multi-tasking, skepticism, and ethical literacy. These are not new to teaching, whether you teach ESL or any other subject, but the fact that the mastery of these literacies now takes place in the online world, in which the relative weight of each differs from what it is in the tangible world, should make us rethink our lessons. Here are some ideas I have for ESL classrooms...please feel free to add/suggest changes!
Graphic Literacy: In addition to evaluating the infographics which are now part of many new ESL textbooks (21st Century Communication comes to mind), it would be helpful for students to learn to make their own visual representations of information. Students can be asked to sign up for the free version of a easelly and create their own infographics to share ideas and perspectives on environmental issues or friendship or acculturation.
Navigation Literacy: Students might illustrate the nodes or signposts they follow when researching a presentation topic online...a graphic bibliography of sorts which would show not only their sources (usually presented in alphabetical lists) but the way in which those sources are linked to each other. They can learn and show how to navigate from mass media (a Time Magazine or New Yorker article) to the original work quoted in the article to the organization to which the author belongs, etc.
Context/Connection Literacy: Students can learn to build context/connections by posting their information and thoughts on discussion boards or blogs so that their classmates, from a variety of cultures, can add comments and perspectives to enrich initial understanding. Students can gain a greater understanding of their topic as they work to link and assimilate the bits of information they have gathered. Making this activity a graded part of any project will encourage participation.
Focus Literacy and Multi-tasking Literacy: These literacies are timeless. We can help students learn both skills by having them set up timelines for group or individual projects and having them check in at each point with a tool like Google Calendar. They can plot out all of the tasks they need to complete for their projects in one place and consciously leave time for their other responsibilities.
Skepticism Literacy: In an ESL course, we cannot depend on a student's ability to fully evaluate the language that appears in a social media interaction, which is one of the major indicators we might use in what the book quotes H. Rheingold as calling "crap detection." We need to include more activities designed to help students identify the language of opinion vs. fact (hyperbole vs. verifiable numbers, extreme language like always, never, etc.); determine the validity, perspective, and agenda of different organizations (look at the websites of different local organizations to determine what they do and what their purpose is); and search for verification across different valid websites (we can ask for multiple sources).
Ethical Literacy: For any project or post, ask students to add links to verify information/facts they post and give proper credit to avoid plagiarism. They can research events like the current facebook/Cambridge Analytica issues and debate the ethical responsibilities of platforms/apps and relate those to their own ethical responsibilities as individual online creators.
Graphic Literacy: In addition to evaluating the infographics which are now part of many new ESL textbooks (21st Century Communication comes to mind), it would be helpful for students to learn to make their own visual representations of information. Students can be asked to sign up for the free version of a easelly and create their own infographics to share ideas and perspectives on environmental issues or friendship or acculturation.
Navigation Literacy: Students might illustrate the nodes or signposts they follow when researching a presentation topic online...a graphic bibliography of sorts which would show not only their sources (usually presented in alphabetical lists) but the way in which those sources are linked to each other. They can learn and show how to navigate from mass media (a Time Magazine or New Yorker article) to the original work quoted in the article to the organization to which the author belongs, etc.
Context/Connection Literacy: Students can learn to build context/connections by posting their information and thoughts on discussion boards or blogs so that their classmates, from a variety of cultures, can add comments and perspectives to enrich initial understanding. Students can gain a greater understanding of their topic as they work to link and assimilate the bits of information they have gathered. Making this activity a graded part of any project will encourage participation.
Focus Literacy and Multi-tasking Literacy: These literacies are timeless. We can help students learn both skills by having them set up timelines for group or individual projects and having them check in at each point with a tool like Google Calendar. They can plot out all of the tasks they need to complete for their projects in one place and consciously leave time for their other responsibilities.
Skepticism Literacy: In an ESL course, we cannot depend on a student's ability to fully evaluate the language that appears in a social media interaction, which is one of the major indicators we might use in what the book quotes H. Rheingold as calling "crap detection." We need to include more activities designed to help students identify the language of opinion vs. fact (hyperbole vs. verifiable numbers, extreme language like always, never, etc.); determine the validity, perspective, and agenda of different organizations (look at the websites of different local organizations to determine what they do and what their purpose is); and search for verification across different valid websites (we can ask for multiple sources).
Ethical Literacy: For any project or post, ask students to add links to verify information/facts they post and give proper credit to avoid plagiarism. They can research events like the current facebook/Cambridge Analytica issues and debate the ethical responsibilities of platforms/apps and relate those to their own ethical responsibilities as individual online creators.
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