Literacy And Contemporary Literacy

Literacy in the traditional educational context of Australia emphasised reading, writing, listening and speaking (Yelland, et. al., 2008), however in a modern context, literacy encompasses the confidence and disposition to interpret meaning from a range of texts, and express ideas both digitally and non-digitally. In contemporary Australian society children must be taught the skills needed to interpret and make meaning from a wide range of multimodal texts to meet the demands of 21st Century life. Therefore, it can be argued that the most essential literacy skills needed for life in the 21st Century may not be traditional reading and writing. This essay will aim to define contemporary literacy, including the importance of multi literacies,

The term multiliteracies, according to McLachlan et. al. is used to capture the complexity of texts, both hard copy and digital, that include spatial, gestural, visual and verbal elements in a range of communication mediums (2012, p. 65). Multiliteracies are therefore the many forms of literacies such as videos, websites, blogs and information charts to name a few, that have expanded with technology, and encompass much more than the standard platforms of reading and writing that are associated with traditional literacy. Rather than teaching the traditional forms of literacy, schools must now focus on teaching the business of communication, including making meaning from different forms of texts, and understanding that influences such as culture, gender, life experience and social status can shape the contexts of texts (New Learning, n.d.). This is important because to contribute to society in the future, one must have the capability to communicate with others and participate in meaningful discussion about issues that may not exist yet, both skills learnt through literacy. As addressed by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation, literacy is a driver for sustainable development in that it enables greater

For example, Box Hill North Primary School’s literacy policy states in the aims provided that student’s will “speak, listen, read, and write with enjoyment, purpose, effect and confidence in a wide range of contexts” (Box Hill North Primary School, 2014, p. 1), which is an exact aim of the Australian Curriculum. Schools need the curriculum to guide them and shape the lessons that will be taught and therefore it is logical that their policies will reflect the curriculum in some