New Literacy Studies

In my opinion, New Literacy Studies is studying the ways people communicate meaningful content through two or more digital technologies (video, image, audio, digital print, etc.) and how they interact with the content they share. This model is different than the traditional literacy model, because it allows people to collectively participate in the ‘literature’ they consume and not be confined to interpreting an individual’s content. Also, the content focuses on social contextualization and is not created just through print material. Popular Cultural practices can help us understand New Literacies because these practices examine hegemonic and alternative social behaviour through multiple digital literacies. For example, Alverman discusses boys playing computer role playing games to create unique identities different from their every day selves (pg. 6). From the perspective of New Literacies, these adolescents are learning to engage with different forms of literacy: gaming language, the visuals in the game, and interacting with other gamers. Moreover, they are reflecting on how their individuality does or does not align with the dominant ideologies in their society. Similarly, Alverman brings up Heath, who argues children are socialized into different literacies, so a universal set of literacy skills in not as important as the approach to literacy instruction (pg. 5). Consequently, New Literacies teaches students how to critique all forms of literacy they will come across, instead of telling them what ‘literature’ they should consume. As Alverman argues, “If the goal is to support students in becoming critical readers and writers, teachers would need to provide class time for discussing the “new” texts.” (pg. 31). By using New Literacy Studies approach, teachers are helping students challenge and question the content they will encounter outside of the classroom.

Popular culture also helps students engage with literacy because the practices allow them to be creators of culture too. Beavis believes in today’s postmodern world, “expertise and authority are collectively distributed, thereby blurring distinctions between teachers and learners” (pg. 22). Therefore, pop culture is making adolescents autonomous because they establish their individuality choosing what type of literacy to interact with. Some examples include, social media profiles, blogs, online fan clubs for T.V., music or movies, and Youtube channels. These platforms encourage adolescents to create unique content and to judge the content of others. As a result, students are developing a voice in the literacies that exist around them, instead of accepting the identity literature might place on them. As educators, by discussing new literacies we can help students be open to listening to new ideas that might challenge their beliefs, especially beliefs that have only been learned through one type of literacy.

Here's a link to a fantastic comic for starting a discussion with your students about the difficulty of open mindedness: