New Literacies

 In the past there has been a sole focus on traditional methods of print in the cars room, however with the technology so rapidly evolving new conceptions of reading and wringing have emerge. Because the internet was so rapidly adopted over so many places, teachers must confront this new type of literary. While most schools today have internet access the average student in the U.S. spend about twelve minutes a week at the computer. This is hardly enough time for students to learn the new literacies that the internet brings.

            While there are problems and challenges with trying to bring new literacies into the classroom, the teacher can over come these challenges if they realize the importance of these new literacies and embrace the changes that come with it. This article, "Literacy Instruction with Digital and Media Technologies" by Diane Barone, and Todd E. Wright, focuses one teacher that has successfully intergraded technology into his classroom. Todd Wright is a teacher at Fernely Elementary, in Nevada. In his classroom students are issued their own personal laptops. The laptops are used by students throughout the day. Students up load files to be used for the day, do constrictive bell work activates, use instant messaging to discuss with partner, sequence events of a story, blog about books that they are reading, participate in Internet-based center activist all during the first part of the day. The students use the internet respond to an interactive writing prompt, which they save electorally into a folder for later visitation. Students download their home from the classroom server for the night.

            Fernley Elementary School's goal is that 80% of instruction would be supported with technology in the fourth and fifth grades. The school started by investing n a computer lab, and moved to having several classrooms with one-to-one laptops. Todd says that brining technology to the classroom has been a source of creativity and enthusiasm. Apple as worked with Todd to provide professional development for all of Fernely Elementary. Students at Fernely have become so proficient with new literacy because the school carefully scaffolds new literacies for all students. New literacy instruction begins in kindergarten.

            The question on everyone's mind of course, is if this new technology increases student leaning. A lot of the new literacy skills not those that are assessed on standared test so it is hare to measure the additional knowledge that the students might have gained. Since 2002 Fernley has made adequate yearly progress every year.

All in all Todd's class room exemplify integrating new literacies into the classroom. We know from our reading and class lecture that it is really important to teach student use of new literacies that come with technology. Solely using paper and pencil is highly impractical for preparing students for the world we live in to day. Even though students are not assessed on the skills that new literacies bring, it is still important to teach them. A good literacy teacher can certainly prepare students for standardized test using these new literacies.