The Affect of Literacies on Future Educators

As a future educator, it is extremely valuable for me to be knowledgeable of the various types of literacies and how to utilize them effectively to ensure that an inclusive, engaging, and thought-provoking classroom environment is being created and maintained, not just for the benefit of the students but for myself as the teacher as well.  As James Paul Gee wrote in “Literacy, Discourse, and Linguistics: Introduction,” successful teaching requires discourse and deep conversation to help students become capable of making do with what they have, resistant students and employees, and gain a higher level of knowledge about knowledge (Gee, p. 13-14).  This mentioning of discourse and conversation can occur through various literacy outlets, whether digital, technology, or multimodal, all of which aid in creating well-rounded, knowledgeable, and confident students.  In today’s society, teachers who approach their teaching in an interdisciplinarity method offer their students a more complex and meaningful way to receive and process the given information.  Not only does this allow the students the opportunity to form deeper connections to the topics because of the level and quality of information presented, but with the addition of using multiple literacies within the classroom, the students can also expand their ideas, dig deeper into their views, and communicate their findings in ways more effective than simply writing an essay or orally presenting their discoveries in front of the class.  Students and teachers alike are now able to create multimodal presentations that can include images, videos, and hyperlinks, utilizing the advanced technology that they have complete access to on a daily basis to emphasize the points they are making and help their audience feel more intrigued and connected to their peer’s findings.  As a student myself and a future educator, the ability to formulate projects, activities, and lessons using multiple literacies allows me to think more critically, create more inviting and successful products, and continuously learn the best way to approach, tackle, and communicate the tasks I am presented with for the long term benefit of my students.

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