Who knew there was so much to learn about literacy?? I grew up as an avid reader. I was the kid at recess sitting under a tree and reading the "boring" chapter books. I grew up thinking "literacy" was simply the ability to read and write. I thought "text" was simply words on a page.
Then, sweet, little, innocent me attended El Ed 323.
Oh, how wrong I was.
Literacy isn't just knowing how to read and write! Text definitely ISN'T just words on a page. There are texts all around us (whether you agree or not). Text can be anything you can "read" (another loose term that I have defined as understand): a book, a poem, a picture, a symbol, body language, facial expression, an outfit. Yeah, you saw that right. Take that and swish it around in your head for a minute. It kind of throws you for a loop, doesn't it? Well, there are so many different types of texts and literacies in the world around us! As functioning (hopefully) humans in our society, we have developed these literacies and have gained the ability to read these texts. Think about it. You see a person walking down the sidewalk in a nice suit and tie. They have their hair combed nicely, they're carrying a briefcase, they are walking confidently. You picture it? Well as you see that person, you probably come to a conclusion about them. Maybe you think they're an important business big-wig who is headed to an important meeting. Whelp. That person was just a text, and you just read them.
But literacy and text is more than that, especially in regards to applying literacy development in a classroom. You see, without realizing it, we have been able to develop creative literacies, social literacies, and more. As elementary school teachers we will be given an incredible opportunity to expand our students' literacies. We can help them explore the texts they will already be familiar with, and we can introduce them to new texts.
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