critical reflection
These pedagogical frameworks that endorse multiliteracies in the classroom prove to refocus literacy teaching to include the augmentation of students’ social and cultural experiences (Iyer & Luke, 2010). Adopting pedagogies that “teach students to analyse tasks, problem solve, identify resources and self monitor in real-life contexts” assists developing effective multiliteracies curriculum (State of Queensland, 2002, p. 27). Corroboratively, Iyer and Luke (2010) assert the transformation of multiliteracies pedagogy should aim to foster students’ social and cultural literacies.
Within a personal, professional context, multiliteracies pedagogy needs to be realised and reconceptualised to more effectively accommodate for the changing nature of students’ literacy needs to obviate the void in such learning. Currently, literacy teaching and learning focuses heavily on traditional literacy, demanding the explicit teaching of grammar, spelling, punctuation and reading comprehension independent to course or genre content outlined in Term or Unit Plans. A severe void in multiliteracies pedagogy needs to be addressed in order to meet students’ changing needs in a multi-modal, multiliteracies context (State of Queensland, 2002b; Ludwig, 2003).
Given that the first two of the three dimensions of multiliteracies pedagogy – “multimedia and technology, cultural and linguistic diversity [and] critical literacy” – is already accommodated for, in the technological competence and students’ osmotic learning of various linguistic elements through multi-modal texts, it is essential that curriculum delivered in classrooms does not reject the social and cultural aspects teachable through critical literacy (State of Queensland, 2002b, p. 13). For a personal, professional context, higher emphasis needs to be placed on the teaching of critical literacy, particularly because students can examine underpinning societal values, attitudes and beliefs (State of Queensland, 2002b). Adopting a multiliteracies pedagogy will allow teachers to foster students’ “[active participation] in social change, to be designers of social futures” (State of Queensland, 2002b, p. 14).
As can be seen through the transformation and reconceptualization of the chosen Unit Plan, emphasis has been appropriately given to developing students’ understanding of the social, cultural and historical contexts underpinning the central text. This transformation is supported by Kalantzis and Cope’s Learning by Design framework which accentuates the teaching and learning of these aspects of critical literacy through the framing of knowledge processes: Experiencing, Conceptualising, Analysing and Applying (New Learning Online, n.db). Supporting this transformation, is the notion that “Literacy must be about taking available designs… and designing new ones… in order to redesign social futures” (State of Queensland, 2002b, p. 15).
Structuring and designing curriculum that aims to transform the teaching and learning of multiliteracies in Queensland high schools should look to Kalantzis and Cope’s Learning for Design model, which seamlessly allows both teacher and student to become immersed in social and cultural literacies that have been previously unmapped in the curriculum of the personal, professional context. Providing a social and cultural context for curriculum delivery will allow teachers to negotiate and reconcile conflicting literacy agendas, as current literacy curriculum focuses heavily on the teaching and learning of traditional literacy – punctuation, reading comprehension, spelling and grammar – all of which are taught in isolation to the central themes or texts that are the apparent focal point of current Units or curriculum, allowing for an “inclusive, holistic focus on literacy” (Iyer & Luke, 2010, p. 19). At the coalface, teachers will be able to better meet the changing needs of students in today’s educational environment, providing effective pedagogical focus on both traditional and socio-cultural literacies delivered through a seamless curriculum that will allow them to become active, functioning members of an increasingly global community.
Within a personal, professional context, multiliteracies pedagogy needs to be realised and reconceptualised to more effectively accommodate for the changing nature of students’ literacy needs to obviate the void in such learning. Currently, literacy teaching and learning focuses heavily on traditional literacy, demanding the explicit teaching of grammar, spelling, punctuation and reading comprehension independent to course or genre content outlined in Term or Unit Plans. A severe void in multiliteracies pedagogy needs to be addressed in order to meet students’ changing needs in a multi-modal, multiliteracies context (State of Queensland, 2002b; Ludwig, 2003).
Given that the first two of the three dimensions of multiliteracies pedagogy – “multimedia and technology, cultural and linguistic diversity [and] critical literacy” – is already accommodated for, in the technological competence and students’ osmotic learning of various linguistic elements through multi-modal texts, it is essential that curriculum delivered in classrooms does not reject the social and cultural aspects teachable through critical literacy (State of Queensland, 2002b, p. 13). For a personal, professional context, higher emphasis needs to be placed on the teaching of critical literacy, particularly because students can examine underpinning societal values, attitudes and beliefs (State of Queensland, 2002b). Adopting a multiliteracies pedagogy will allow teachers to foster students’ “[active participation] in social change, to be designers of social futures” (State of Queensland, 2002b, p. 14).
As can be seen through the transformation and reconceptualization of the chosen Unit Plan, emphasis has been appropriately given to developing students’ understanding of the social, cultural and historical contexts underpinning the central text. This transformation is supported by Kalantzis and Cope’s Learning by Design framework which accentuates the teaching and learning of these aspects of critical literacy through the framing of knowledge processes: Experiencing, Conceptualising, Analysing and Applying (New Learning Online, n.db). Supporting this transformation, is the notion that “Literacy must be about taking available designs… and designing new ones… in order to redesign social futures” (State of Queensland, 2002b, p. 15).
Structuring and designing curriculum that aims to transform the teaching and learning of multiliteracies in Queensland high schools should look to Kalantzis and Cope’s Learning for Design model, which seamlessly allows both teacher and student to become immersed in social and cultural literacies that have been previously unmapped in the curriculum of the personal, professional context. Providing a social and cultural context for curriculum delivery will allow teachers to negotiate and reconcile conflicting literacy agendas, as current literacy curriculum focuses heavily on the teaching and learning of traditional literacy – punctuation, reading comprehension, spelling and grammar – all of which are taught in isolation to the central themes or texts that are the apparent focal point of current Units or curriculum, allowing for an “inclusive, holistic focus on literacy” (Iyer & Luke, 2010, p. 19). At the coalface, teachers will be able to better meet the changing needs of students in today’s educational environment, providing effective pedagogical focus on both traditional and socio-cultural literacies delivered through a seamless curriculum that will allow them to become active, functioning members of an increasingly global community.