As I move further into TL studies, my teacher hat is becoming adorned with new perspectives and considerations. I don’t think my TL studies will result in a full hat switch, but, in keeping with the metaphor, a much fancier hat. Perhaps a hat for many occasions?
My understanding of literacy has certainly grown! I think that I have long held to a definition found in just about any English syllabus- that of competency in reading, writing, listening, speaking, observing. That within each of these competencies reside significant complexities, and I have spent much time focused on the complexities of learning to read and then reading to learn.
Over the last few months I have encountered so many terms attached to literacy: computer literacy, media literacy, civil media literacy, digital literacy, network literacy, and metaliteracy to name a few. Mercifully, there are umbrella terms which group these distinctions. From all of this I have become more focused on the state of literacy- the human being who is confidently able to engage with the world around them. That being literate means able to traverse more and more dimensions of existence be it enjoying a film, filling out tax forms, developing opinions on current topics encountered. I think, too, this sometimes means being aware of these abilities and appreciating it. In this respect, it overlaps heavily with any modern notion of information literacy concerned with participating in society, such as the one defined by Chartered Institute of Library Information Professionals (2018), ” to reach and express informed views and to engage fully with society.” Literacy means being informed, but also entertained and able to interact with the complex media and messages around us all the time.
CILIP, 2018. https://infolit.org.uk/definitions-models/
