Option A: The role of multiple literacies in second language literacy

As a special education teacher, I see students struggling to read all the time. The school district I work in has a large low-socio economic class. What this means is that kids are coming to school not knowing how to read, and can't get help from home because their parents are illiterate as well.

I think the concept of multiple literacies for second and third language learners is a great way to help them enhance their skills. The concept of multiple literacies can be summed up in my opinion as a way for students to engage in literacy skills that are outside of the classroom. These include at home, within the community or just reading outside of school. "Out-of-school literacy practices in multiple languages must be considered equally consequential in the overall development of students’ identities." I never heard of this theory before but I think it is awesome. For example, one boy named Anton, was looked after by his older sister. She had him help her with her school work, and would create lessons for him to do. This helped him improve his literacy skills outside of school. I think that parental involvement is number one in getting students to succeed in literacy. I believe it is important to have parents read to their students and be involved in their school life. Here, Anton only had his sister because his mother was always working. I think that whoever it may be, the time out of school is needed to enhance those skills.

I really liked the classroom examples that were given in the reading by Hanenda. For example, I really connected with one point and I am actually going to start using it in my self-contained 8th grade social studies classroom! We have current event days every friday where I have my students look up an article either in a newspaper or online. They have to read it and write a paragraph on it describing it or asking questions about the article. I have the students chose the article they are interested in so it helps to engage them in the reading. I never before thought of doing this with my struggling readers in that class. In the article, they describe "Examining multiple and conflicting texts [e.g., reading the same event described by different newspapers or by different individuals who participated in the same event]. I could use this with my current events. I am going to now print off articles from The NY Times and a local newspaper and use these two different newspapers so the students can see the conflicting texts. I think this is a great idea and will really help my struggling readers!!