L ITERACY IN E DUCATION {In the 21 st Century}

W HAT IS L ITERACY ??? The definition of literacy has evolved from "the ability to read and use printed materials at an extremely basic level" to "using printed and written information to function in society, to achieve one's goals and to develop one's knowledge and potential" (2003 National Assessment of Adult Literacy).

Leading educators share advice on how to prepare students to be successful in our changing world. L ITERACY E DUCATION FOR THE 21 ST C ENTURY In an annual gathering of minds, Scholastic brought together its National Advisory Council (NAC) for a forum on the topic "Preparing Our Students for 21st Century Literacy." Six leaders from very different corners of the education industry shared their ideas on what literacy means today and how educators can help students acquire the skills they need to succeed in modern society. The event had two reoccurring themes: "Literacy" education needs to go beyond teaching traditional reading skills Educators must look to multiple forms of literacy instruction to make learning meaningful RE-THINK TRADITIONAL TEACHING STANDARDS James Warford, CEO of the Florida Association of School Administrators and former Chancellor of the Florida Department of Education, emphasized the need to consider which approaches will work best with today's kids. In addition to the urge to "become smarter," 21st century students expect to interact with information in new ways, but most schools are not yet offering them opportunities to learn how to do this well.

T OOLS TO A ID L ITERACY In the 21 st Century

T OOLS & S OLUTIONS FOR 21 ST CENTURY STUDENTS, TEACHERS, AND PARENTS : Instructional materials that help teachers meet the changing requirements of No Child Left Behind and that meet the remediation needs of those students who have fallen behind. iTools like Scholastic RED® to help teachers efficiently integrate new technology into their teaching methods. Flexible, customizable, personalized materials to address the different learning levels of different students, and more guidance on how to implement new teaching tools. Information on how teachers can conduct effective read-aloud sessions. Tools that foster students' engagement with text, including technology, video, audio, and other companion pieces to use in combination with print. Ways to wrap lessons taught through various media around a central question or idea, and use technology to promote discussion of instructional topics. Integration of reading instruction into all subject curricula. A focus not only on younger children entering the educational "pipeline," but on older students too. Help in re-conceiving the role of school librarians and equipping them with tools to help teachers improve students' literacy. Guidance to help students assess the relative value and veracity of the information they receive online. Tools to strengthen the relationship between students, teachers and parents.

WHAT DO YOU THINK ABOUT MEDIA LITERACY? AS FUTURE EDUCATORS, WE MUST ACCEPT CULTURAL CHANGES AND LEARN HOW TO ADEQUATELY ADDRESS OUR STUDENTS IN A WAY THAT WILL LEAD THEM TO ACADEMIC, SOCIAL, AND FUTURE SUCCESSES. Media Literacy Children are exposed to persuasive messages in the media every day. The average American child sees in excess of 30,000 television commercials for various products each year. By the time a student graduates high school "he or she will have spent twice as much time in front of the television set as in the classroom" p. 9). The influence and pervasiveness of television is evident in children's basic values, clothing choices, and interpersonal interactions. Since most commercials and other media messages are constructions of reality that have a specific purpose--usually to sell a product or advocate an idea--children need to understand how to evaluate and analyze critically the values and ideologies that accompany these products and ideas. In short, children need to be media literate. Through media education students learn how to identify such ideological messages and analyze the underlying values that are communicated.

L ITERACY Multiple literacy's are present in our world today. Here are a few to name: Media Literacy* Visual Literacy* Basic Language Literacy* Historical Literacy* Cultural Literacy* Scientific/Mathematical Literacy* Political/News Media Literacy* All * affect education.

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