Development of 21st Century Literacies

Building and Enhancing New Literacies Across the Curriculum

Literacy Development

• vital part of your child’s overall development.

• a natural process that begins at birth
• foundation for doing well at school, socializing with others, developing independence, managing money
and working.

Building blocks for literacy:

• Speak
• Listen
• Understand
• Watch
• Draw

An adult, parent, or teacher can help with all these areas of the child’s early literacy development by:
communicating with the child, reading together, playing with rhyme and other sounds with the child.

Stages of Literacy Development

Stage 0 (Pre-Reading)
Ages 6 months to 6 years old
• Learner starts pretend reading
• There is a shared responsibility between the child and the parent
• Implement dialogic / interactive reading (processing what the text is about)
• Implement the labeling of objects verbally

Stage 1 Initial Reading, Writing, Decoding

Ages 6 and 7 years old
• Sounding out words
• Aims to further develop phonological awareness
• Utilize letter-sound knowledge

Phonological Awareness - Phonological awareness is made up of a group of skills. Examples include

being able to identify words that rhyme, counting the number of syllables in a name, recognizing
alliteration, segmenting a sentence into words, and identifying the syllables in a word

Stage 2 Confirmation and Fluency

Ages 7 and 8 years old
• Transitioning from learning-to-read to reading-to-learn
• Children have the ability to read simple, familiar stories and selections with increasing fluency.
• The learner’s skills are extended through guided read-alouds of more complex texts
• Teachers and parents become role models for fluency in reading
• It will help learners if teachers and parents will read aloud texts to them daily and ask the learners to do
the same. Start off with short words to complex ones.
• Adults need to engage in conversations with children to help them learn new words and their meanings.
And during reading, it is important to pause to define unfamiliar words and discussing the book upon
completion of reading.

Stage 3 Reading to learn the New

Ages 9 to 13 years old
1. Start to teach specific comprehension strategies
2. Reading is used to learn new ideas, to gain new knowledge, to experience new feelings, to learn new
attitudes, generally from one or two points of view / use a variety of tools to learn new words, such as
dictionaries, thesauruses, reference guides, word parts (prefixes, base words, etc.) and contextual clues
(Westberg, et al., 2006).

Examples of Comprehension strategies:

• comprehension monitoring, using graphic and semantic organizers, answering questions, generating
questions, recognizing textual structures, summarizing, and identifying main ideas and important details.

Comprehension strategies can be taught through direct explanation, modeling, guided practice and application.

Stage 4 Synthesizing Information and Applying Multiple Perspective

Ages 14 to 17 years old
• Adults should encourage learners to refine interest, pursue areas of expertise, and develops the literacies
reflective of the years ahead in post-school contexts (International Reading Association, 2012)
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 • Learners are required to access, retain, critique and apply knowledge and concepts.
• Effective instruction includes ample opportunities to discuss disciplinary content and explore how these
disciplines apply to the world outside the school walls.
• Learners gain access to and instruction with multimodal as well as traditional print sources.

Stage 5 Critical Literacy in Work and Society

Adulthood
• "Literacy" stratifies greatly in adulthood, since our reading and writing habits are shaped by educational,
cultural and employment factors that become increasingly diverse in the post-school landscape. In
professional and specialized settings, individuals are required to synthesis information from a diverse
range of sources in order to form conclusions, shapes audiences’ views, and navigate multiple points of
views (or perspectives).

12 Principles of Effective Literacy Learning

[from Case Technologies to Enhance Literacy Learning (CTELL), 2004]

1. Connecting literacy instruction with the linguistic, cultural, home backgrounds of the learner -
Making connections to a child's language, culture, and home background is necessary for reading and writing
success. Reading achievement and the development of positive reading attitudes are linked to instruction that
builds on children's socio-cultural and linguistic backgrounds before they enter school.

2. Developing emergent literacy skills, behaviours and attitudes - Emergent literacy refers to the early
literacy concepts, skills, and positive attitudes that serve as the foundation for future reading and writing
success. This includes demonstrating how to read printed materials from left-to-right, one-to-one matching of
spoken and written words, letter recognition, high frequency word recognition, letter/sound relationships, and
other early skills.

3. Phonemic awareness instruction - it is the ability to break down spoken language words into individual
phonemes—the smallest unit of spoken language. Phonemic awareness exercises help children learn to
recognize and manipulate sound patterns in spoken language.

4. Decoding instruction - also known as “phonics instruction”. The purpose of phonics instruction is to teach
students how to decode, or sound out words by teaching them the most common sound-spelling relationships.
This ability to decode is critical to reading success.

5. Comprehension instruction - The goal of reading is to understand what you're reading. Reading is a
frustrating, pointless game of word calling if you don't understand what you're reading. When students ask
questions and talk about books they've read or books that have been read to them, they're fostering
comprehension skills.

6. Independent reading - it can increase enjoyment while also improving reading fluency and comprehension.
The more one reads, the better one becomes at reading. The more one reads, the more familiar one becomes
with words and language. The more one reads, the more fluent a reader becomes. The more one reads, the
easier it is to maintain the mental effort required to understand complex texts.

7. Fluency instruction - Reading fluency is defined as the ability to read accurately, fluently, and expressively.
It helps students develop an expressive reading style, recognize common words, and pay attention to
punctuation cues when they independently reread texts at a conversational rate.

8. Integrating reading and writing activities to enhance the learning of both - Integrating writing and
reading instruction improves both areas of achievement. Children can learn text structures and language by
reading a variety of genres, which they can then apply to their own writing. Reading also gives young people
prior knowledge that they can incorporate into their stories.

9. Encouraging enthusiasm for reading and writing - Connecting reading and writing in instruction
methods, fostering peer collaboration, and providing opportunities for purposeful sharing of student writing all
help to generate enthusiasm. Students' enthusiasm and motivation grow when they read and write about topics
that engage their intellect, curiosity, and imagination.

10. Using technology wisely with early literacy development - Technology gives students valuable
opportunities to learn new literacy skills. Early elementary students who have access to computers and Internet
technologies can develop foundational skills in both traditional and digital literacy.

11. Assessing early and providing appropriate instructional intervention - Monitoring students' early
literacy development through ongoing classroom assessments and then planning lessons and instructional
interventions based on the diagnostic data obtained improves achievement.

12. Developing teachers’ knowledge, analytical skills and abilities to orchestrate the many facets of
language, literacy and learning - Teachers engage in effective practice when they use their knowledge to

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 improve student learning. They not only advance students' understandings, but they also, in the end, add value
to the larger community of people.

Theories that Support the Development of 21st Century Literacies

What is a THEORY?
A theory is an idealized representation of reality that helps us explain some natural phenomena. It is an idea or
thought pattern about a particular subject matter and how it should be perceived.

I.Constructivist Theories
Constructivism emphasizes the individual child and defines indicators of development as the child
continues to grow. Children actively construct knowledge based on their stage of development and previous
knowledge. As children engage with their environment, they create internal mental structures to comprehend
their experiences (Piaget, 1962).

A. Jean Piaget’s Cognitive Developmental Theory

Jean Piaget’s cognitive developmental theory is a form of constructivism. According to
cognitive developmental theory, children construct their own learning through interactions and
experiences in the environment. Piaget (1962) argued that we are constantly organizing our world
by categorizing information and determining ways of applying this information.

Piaget’s stage theory places an emphasis on seeing the child move forward from one set
of capacities to the next more complex set of capacities. It emphasizes the process of observing
what the child’s behaviors and skills reflect about their thinking. This approach is helpful for
educators because it fosters an understanding about where the child is and gives a map for where
the child needs to progress next.

II. Socio-Cultural Theories

Sociocultural theories bridge the gap between constructivist approaches and ecological
approaches by emphasizing cooperation. These theories emphasize the immediate environment and
include educators’ analysis of children’s observable skills and behaviors to present children with the next
valuable learning moment.

A. Lev Vygotsky’s Sociocultural Learning Theory

Vygotsky’s sociocultural learning theory emphasizes the social aspect of children
constructing their learning (1986). Vygotsky believed that cognitive growth was a result of
interactions between people, after which a child internalizes learning. According to this theory,
children learn most effectively by engaging meaningfully with someone who is more experienced.

B. Marie Clay’s Emergent Literacy Theory

Emergent literacy is the idea that learning literacy actually begins at a very early age, long
before official lessons in school. This term is used to describe the knowledge a child has of reading
and writing before reaching the age where those skills are taught. Emergent literacy argues that
right after birth, children are already in the process of becoming literate.
Emergent literacy theorists believe that children’s listening, speaking, reading, and writing
skills which children experience in the home set up are all interrelated and that they are
strengthened by literacy rich home environments (Kaunda, 2019). Components of a literacy rich
home environment that promote literacy in children include; having books and print materials
available in the home with caregiver’s reading, allowing children to scribble by providing platforms.

III. Ecological Theories

Ecological theories emphasize the child’s system and context. Ecological theories of human
development focus on the interrelationships between broader environmental systems and their impact
on a child’s development. In contrast to the theoretical approaches presented earlier, ecological theories
look more broadly at the complex levels of the child’s environment and how this impacts learning.

A. Ecological Theory of Human Development

The ecological theory of human development emphasizes the contextual
interrelationships that exist between individuals, families, the physical environment, the
community, and the cultural norms and values of a society. Each of these relationships exerts
contextual influence on the individual and is depicted by concentric circles embedded within one
another.
Literacy interactions that a child experiences in their environment influence the family and
vice versa, causing influential rippling in and out. Children first learn what is familial and
contextual. Development is influenced by multiple systems, including the family, school,
neighborhood, and larger ecologies that encompass more immediate systems (Bronfenbrenner
& Morris, 2006). These systems are the context in which children learn.

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 B. Freire's Critical Literacy Theory
Paulo Freire (1985) defined critical literacy as the capacity to analyze, critique, and
transform social, cultural, and political texts and contexts by having a thorough understanding of
the experience of the student. Freire went on to suggest that in order to truly reach students, one
must be aware of their problems, struggles, and aspirations, while also considering the power
dynamics implicit in the ideas and materials they are exposed to and the relationships they
develop. Additionally, these understandings should be followed by a reciprocal exchange and a
willingness for action in ways that would meet the learner where they are.

Strategies to Support the Development of Early Emergent Literacy Skills

1. Modelling reading and writing behaviors

2. Embed the use of objects, symbols or words throughout the child’s day
3. Incorporate rhythm, music, finger plays and mini games
4. Provide opportunities for handling and exploring reading and writing materials
5. Teach print and book awareness
6. Teach name, name sign and/or personal identifier of child and those the child interacts with on a regular
basis
7. Embed literacy learning activities into routine

Other Strategies that Support 21st Century Literacy Development

o Restating of Explicitly Stated Information from a Text
 Quotations - needs to be identical to the source material and uses a narrow segment of
the source, matching the document word for word.
 Paraphrasing - involves selecting a passage from the source and translating it into your
own words.
 Summarizing - requires you to put the main idea/s into your own words and only including
the main point/s in your writing. Summaries are supposed to be significantly shorter than
the original text.
o Seeing Relationships of Information and Clustering Ideas
 Clustering - is a structured technique based on associative principles. It helps equip
students with tools in arranging words, ideas, phrases, concepts, etc.
 Mind-mapping - a creative method used for generating, organizing, and remembering
several concepts.
o Bringing Out Implied Information
 The duty of mutual confidence and trust. This refers to the notion that both parties
should act in a manner that will not erode trust in one another. This means they should
not partake in deceptive practices, abusive behavior, or impose unfair conditions.
 The duty of fidelity. This is a term common in employment contracts that assumes that
an employee will not act against the interests of their employer. Examples could include
working with an employer’s competitor or misusing company assets. Post-employment
restrictions are not covered by the duty of fidelity.
 The duty of pay. This is an implied term that may also be an expressed term. That a
worker will be paid does not need to be expressly stated since legislation demands it, but
most contracts will state the amount that a worker is to be paid, making it expressed.
 The duty of reasonable care. This assumes that an employer will provide safe working
conditions for their workers during employment.
 The duty of reasonable care for references. Employers do not have to give references,
but it is assumed that if they do, it will be done with care and in such a manner as to be
beneficial to the employee.
o Interpreting Visuals (e.g., graphs, charts, etc.)
 Being able to use and understand graphs helps in assessing and comparing data.
Infographics can also be interactive.
o Critical, Creative, and Elaborative Comprehension
 Comprehension - the ability to know and understand what you read.
• Skills under comprehension - Retelling, Recalling, Text Structure, Text Features,
Independent Vocabulary Figuring-out Strategies, Understanding Figurative
Language
 Critical Thinking - the ability to discern whether you should believe what you read or not.
• Four markers of critical thinking - Interpretation, Verification, Reasoning, Logical
Thinking.

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References:

Day, J.N., A.P. McDonnell, et al. (2005). Enhancing Emergent Literacy Skills in Inclusive Preschools for Young Children
with Visual Impairments. Young Exceptional Children 9(1):20-28.

Early Emergent Literacy. (n.d.). Literacy for Children with Combined Vision and Hearing Loss.
http://literacy.nationaldb.org/index.php/early-emergent-literacy/

Erickson, K.A. & D. Hatton, et al. (2007). Literacy in Early Intervention for Children with Visual Impairments: Insights for
Individual Cases. Journal of Visual Impairment & Blindness 101(2): 80-95.

Henry, L. A., Castek, J., Roberts, L., Coiro, J., & Leu, D. J. (2004). Case technologies to enhance literacy learning: A new
model for early literacy teacher preparation. Knowledge Quest, 33(2), 26.

Koppenhaver, D.A. & K.A. Erickson (2003). Natural Emergent Literacy Supports for Preschoolers with Autism & Severe
Communication Impairments: Topics in Language Disorders 23(4):283-292

Prepared by:
Group 2 – Menorca | Salcedo | Sandoval | Romano | Remulta | Provido

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