In today’s world, it’s not enough to know how to read and
write. To be considered literate in modern society, at the bare minimum you
must be able to locate information and communicate using technology. Digital literacy
is necessary. However, there are many other forms of literacy that we educators
must teach our students.
Adult health literacy has grown exponentially during the
pandemic. People have learned to create and attend online healthcare visits. They
can use a variety of resources to make important healthcare decisions and
initiate conversations about treatment options with their providers. Overall,
people possessing these skills have greater health than their less informed counterparts.
It’s imperative that we ensure our students are health literate.
Another literacy that must be a part of education is
financial literacy. Adults who do not understand how the economy functions, the
relationship between salary and education, and how to make sound financial
decisions for themselves and their families are not financially literate. Early
in the education process, we must begin to provide opportunities for students to
understand the complexities of how money makes the world go round.
Finally, critical literacy is the most important skill that
we can teach our students. Critical literacy involves diving deeper into what
is immediately visible. By interacting with text, images, and other
information, students develop a greater understanding and context for what they
see. They are able to respond by assembling appropriate resources.
Communication and power do not work in only one direction when students possess
critical literacy.
21st Century literacies are not optional. Class time needs to be allocated to all the skills that are necessary to understand the way the world works today. Many children are already digitally literate. Now teachers need to incorporate other literacies into the curriculum to help students become productive people in our society.
