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Literacies today are changing to being more technology based. With easy access to free resources and content from a global space, we can learn more about perspectives that sit outside our physical space. Students now have to learn to be more critical of the information they are taking in, as there are so many avenues to pull from.
- Olivia, Adeline, Andrew

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Based on the articles by Harste and Dwyer, we believe that literacies today are any form of communication. Literacies communicate meaning through various different mediums, and can even include transmediation aspects. Dwyer emphasized the different uses of communication and how it can connect and empower individuals to interact with the world and participate in society. We feel that in today's world full of technology, literacy's use is increasingly important to connect individuals worldwide. Specifically in the junior classroom, an example of literacy use would be students reading a text and then performing a dance to express their understanding of it. This allows younger students to showcase their understanding through a medium appropriate to their age. Like any subject, if an educator doesn't understand the subject, or in this case, literacies, students will not get exposure to the broad skillsets that are associated with it, and their learning will be hindered.
- By Jade, Emily, Michael, Luiza

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Literacies today include cultural groups having different ways of understanding making meaning based on material. Content can mean different things to groups depending on context, cultures, and schooling. For example, social practices that a particular set of people value can determine their interpretation (pg.90).

When an educator understands what counts as literacy in the classroom, they can help children have different perspectives and learn in their preferred way. Students interpret literacy differently and if given the chance they can submit their work in different forms.

-Chelsie and Kira

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Literacies today are things in the world that provoke a sense of thought. How the people, places and things around us have us take our interpretations and consider its conceptions. What we as the group drew from the readings is the importance of exposing students to texts besides works like books. If it provides a sense of meaning, it’s a text. Within the classroom, the implications of this that the teachers would influence students to enhance their critical thinking by asking questions like how, when, why, and what of the things they enjoy. This even implies that teachers should bring the classroom outside to learn more about literacy.

- Michael, Amy, Shane

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Literacy is anything that contains ‘language.’ Language, in this case, is anything that falls under ‘a form of expression.’ Under this definition, art, music, mathematics, movement, non-verbal communication, etc. are part of language.

We want to encourage students to develop their critical thinking and creativity skills, as well as to express themselves in a way that makes most sense to them. As each student is unique in their way of learning, this approach to language can enhance their understanding of the lessons that are taught to them.
- Julia, Tyler and Zeina

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"To be literate is to be able to elect what identity one wants to take on. Our goal needs to be to create agents rather than consumers of text" (Harste, 2014, 100)

Literacy is the ability to think critically, express freely, interpret, and make meaning from different media forms beyond the traditional text form.  Today literacy goes beyond what it was when we were in school and the emphasis was on reading and writing. Now literacy is also about making connections to culture, history, and across curriculums. Literacy does not mean reading a text and "understanding" it. It means finding different layers of meaning and multiple perspectives within a form of media.

Naila, Ashley, Victoria

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Literacies today have a completely different meaning than they did when we were in school. Our groups understanding is that literacies today deal more generally with comprehension as a whole. With the vast amount of knowledge that is readily available with a few taps on your phone, it's important for students to be able to understand what they are reading and the underlining messages. Today students need to be able to think critically and evaluate sources thoroughly.

-Shelby, Brendan, Emily M., Indira

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The following literacies can support students’ educational development, which can be bolstered by ways educators utilize teaching.

Types of literacies: Media literacy, global literacies, language literacies, financial literacy, numeric literacy, transmediation, music literacy, etc.

Meaning making is moving across different sign systems and has been shown to generate new ideas and insights. It is supposed to support student comprehension.

Language study allows students to explore language through analysis of deconstruction, to gain a deeper and critical understanding of how language works.

Inquiry based learning is the opportunity to explore students own inquiry questions using reading, writing, and other sign systems.

However, regardless approaching different media forms (e.g. media, tv, etc), is something that students may not develop in formal education. Therefore, its important for educators to consider for their classrooms.

Taylor, David, Ashton

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We spoke about literacies today being any form of communication that invigorates discussion, as mentioned by Harste in their article. If it provokes greater thought, and allows us to examine our positionally, personally reflect, and critically analyze, then it can be considered literacy. That is why there is a digital aspect to literacy now, and why art, music, motion, and reading all fall under the umbrella of new literacy. It is important for educators to understand that literacy can be so many things because some students react to learning through different literacies better than others, especially now as technology takes a bigger role in the classroom.
- Cassandra, Dante, Hadi & Mary

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The following are a few examples of literacies in the junior classroom. Reading, writing, poems, visual art, music, dance, conversation, media, movement, and different forms of language and communication (sign language). Literacy as meaning-making is socially constructed - a social practice. Within different contexts and cultures, it can take on different forms.

It is critical that educators understand the diversity of meaning-making that exists in order to allow for students to show their understanding and development of literacy skills through a variety of modalities. Students should be given free rein to make meaning in ways that they see fit - to encourage genuine and authentic learning and comprehension, to engage students, and to connect their learning to their lives and the broader community and world.

- Maralyne, Nader, Abbie, Lucas