(M2.1) New Literacies in the Secondary Math Classroom: Why Expanding Our View of Literacy Matters
If we want equity and access in education, we as educators must continue on our lifelong journey of education and broaden our understanding of literacy.
As a secondary math teacher, I have come to realize that literacy isn’t just about reading and writing words on a page, especially not in today’s world. The concept of “new literacies,” which includes all the different ways we create and share meaning beyond just print text, really hits home for me. It is about understanding and communicating through videos, images, digital tools, and more, all within real-life social contexts (Knobel & Lankshear, 2007).
In math classrooms, this is especially important. Math itself is a language, full of symbols, graphs, and multiple modes of representation. But when we think about literacy so narrowly, just as reading traditional English texts, we miss out on so much (Beecher, 2023). For many students, especially those learning English as a new language (ENL), the challenge is not just math content; it is also understanding the language and symbols used to explain math. From my experience, my ENL students often come with limited comprehension skills even in their native language. This makes it even harder for them to keep up when all instruction and notes are in English, often translated or simplified, but still leaving them confused.
The generally accepted, traditional literacy models focus on one “correct” way to read and write, usually in English. This narrow view will unintentionally exclude students who bring diverse cultural and linguistic backgrounds to the classroom (National Council of Teachers of English, 2019). If we want equity and access in education, we as educators must continue on our lifelong journey of education and broaden our understanding of literacy.
The theory of multiliteracies (Sang, 2017) offers a more expansive approach. The New London Group, as mentioned by Sang, recognizes that literacy now involves many modes, from digital media to gestures and visuals, and it varies by context. This means we, as a system, must value students’ home language, cultures, and ways of communicating as assets rather than deficits. When students are allowed to connect learning, and as I have seen, especially math learning, to their own experiences and cultural identities, they engage more deeply and confidently.
This means incorporating multiple modes of teaching and learning in classrooms, more specifically for me, in my math classroom. Using videos, interactive simulations, and collaborative digital tools can make abstract math concepts more accessible. Encouraging students to explain their thinking through drawings, gestures, or multimedia presentations lets them express understanding in ways beyond just writing formulas or paragraphs in English. As the year is coming to a close, I am challenging my Geometry students with an end-of-year group project on a mathematician. They have the freedom to choose the material they want to engage with as well as the mode of delivery (International Literacy Association, 2018).
Ultimately, new literacies, even in math classrooms, promote inclusion by meeting students where they are, respecting their diverse identities, and preparing them for a rapidly changing world where communication goes far beyond print. For my ENL students, this is a lifeline; it is the difference between feeling lost and feeling empowered to succeed.
By embracing new literacies, I will not just teach math; I will teach students how to be critical thinkers, creators, and collaborators in an interconnected world.
References
Beecher, C. (2023). Chapter 1. What is Literacy? Multiple Perspectives on Literacy. Iastate.pressbooks.pub. https://iastate.pressbooks.pub/teachingearlyliteracy/chapter/what-is-literacy-multiple-perspectives-on-literacy/
International Literacy Association . (2018). LITERACY LEADERSHIP BRIEF Improving Digital Practices for Literacy, Learning, and Justice More Than Just Tools. https://www.literacyworldwide.org/docs/default-source/where-we-stand/ila-improving-digital-practices-literacy-learning-justice.pdf
National Council of Teachers of English. (2019, November 7). Definition of Literacy in a Digital Age. NCTE. https://ncte.org/statement/nctes-definition-literacy-digital-age/
Sang, Y. (2017). Expanded Territories of “Literacy”: New Literacies and Multiliteracies. Journal of Education and Practice, 8(8), 16–19. https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/EJ1139059.pdf
Vanek, J. (n.d.). Digital Literacy This Brief (M. Fedele-McLeode, C. Moore, & M. Movit, Eds.). https://www.air.org/sites/default/files/TSTMDigitalLiteracyBrief-508.pdf
Allie -
ReplyDeleteI had not thought of new literacy from a math perspective! I was so interested to read the connections you made from the article concepts to the work done in your math classroom. When thinking of math as a language, I see many parallels between new literacy and the math program our school utilizes. Rather than teaching how to solve equations through direct instruction, students work in groups to solve math problems set in relevant, relatable scenarios. An emphasis is placed on problem solving and the ability to persist, and the assessments are scored holistically to reflect students' understanding and ability to communicate their thinking. Thank you for sharing your perspective and allowing me to draw a new connection!
Hi Allie,
ReplyDeleteIt is fascinating to hear the success stories and challenges of teachers in different curriculums and subjects. In physical education, the majority of my new literacy concepts come from visual demonstrations and videos. After reading your blog on the mathematics side of things, I can see how detrimental new media and modes of promoting literacy can be such a success. It is a helpless feeling seeing a student who cannot understand the language. We do all we can to help them but in my case when I can only speak english, I rely heavily on technology and demonstrations. To me, mathematics is a universal language that regardless of background, can be learned. The new technological age seems to be a way into creating a warm environment for students through mathematics. I look forward to seeing your insight as we go thru this course!
Hi Allie,
ReplyDeleteWhile I have had numerous ENL students in my general education classes, this past fall, I taught my first section of ENL Meteorology. This was a truly eye opening experience for me and allowed me to learn new skills as a teacher. I also felt that many students lacked skills in their native language, which made learning new material challenging. It's difficult for students to learn a new language with limited skills in their primary language.
New literacies is an inclusive definition that acknowledges the various backgrounds that our students come from. It's interesting (and shocking) to think that previous definitions of literacy were largely centered around just the English language, but how can we expect our students to be "literate" in English, without acknowledging their native language? The previous definition of literacy is extremely limiting to and failed to consider and include all of our students.