Rethinking Literacy in Pre-K: Embracing New Literacies for Equity and Belonging
As a Universal Prekindergarten (UPK) Director, I witness firsthand how young children come into our classrooms with a rich variety of experiences, languages, and ways of communicating. Every day, I see children using gestures, storytelling, drawings, songs, and play to make sense of the world around them. These are not just moments of creativity, they are powerful acts of literacy. In both my professional and personal life, the concept of new literacies has deeply shaped how I think about communication, learning, and the purpose of early education.
https://www.beginlearning.com/parent-resources/learning-through-play/ New literacies go beyond reading and writing in the traditional sense. They encompass the many ways people understand, interpret, and express meaning through digital tools, visual arts, oral language, movement, and culturally rooted practices. In my personal life, I rely on new literacies daily, from using voice memos to communicate quickly with family, to interpreting infographics online, to helping my nieces and nephews learn through YouTube videos or interactive storytelling apps. These practices have become second nature, and I believe they should be just as natural in our classrooms. Students have access to a diverse range of texts and resources. Interacting with various formats and genres not only provides fresh insights but also encourages intentional use of these tools to match specific purposes and foster new ways of thinking (NCTE Position Statement, 2019).
Unfortunately, in many educational spaces, especially in early childhood, literacy is still narrowly defined. The traditional model focuses heavily on print-based reading and writing in academic English, often disregarding the diverse ways young children already communicate. This narrow lens can be especially problematic in a UPK setting where our goal is to provide equitable access to education for all children, regardless of their linguistic or cultural backgrounds.
When we limit literacy to just one form, print text in one dialect, we risk labeling some children as "delayed" or "deficient" when in reality, they are simply expressing themselves in different but equally valid ways. The New Literacy theory offers broader perspectives on the concepts and extent of literacy and its education. It suggests that literacy encompasses not just traditional printed and written texts but also includes the various representations of the target language facilitated by digital technologies (Sang, 2017). A child who tells elaborate stories through play, who uses home language to explain their thinking, or who draws vivid pictures to describe their world is already showing strong literacy skills. But if we fail to recognize these as legitimate forms of literacy, we miss an opportunity to build on their strengths AND we contribute to systemic inequities in early education.
The effective use of digital technologies does not disguise the ongoing educational inequalities in schools. While technology can foster diverse learning experiences, it cannot serve as a permanent solution to the impacts of systemic oppression; instead, it can highlight critical areas for advocacy within public education (International Literacy Association, 2018). That's where the power of new literacies comes in. By embracing a broader, more inclusive understanding of literacy, we can:
- Validate diverse linguistic and cultural backgrounds by encouraging children to share stories and experiences in their home languages.
- Incorporate multiple modes of expression such as art, music, movement, and digital media as valid and valuable forms of communication.
https://tunetist.artstation.com/
- Promote equity by designing learning environments that honor and reflect the ways all children learn and communicate, not just those aligned with dominant cultural norms.
- Foster early digital literacy by introducing age-appropriate technologies that help children explore, create, and communicate in multimodal ways.
In doing so we don't just teach children how to read and write, we teach them that their voices matter, their stories belong, and their ways of making meaning are worthy of celebration. That's the foundation of true equity in early childhood education.
- How can we support prekindergarten educators in recognizing and valuing the diverse literacies children bring into the classroom?
- In what ways can we partner with families to incorporate home languages, cultural traditions, and storytelling into classroom literacy practices?
- What are some practical strategies for integrating digital and multimodal literacy tools in developmentally appropriate ways?
- How do we assess literacy growth equitably when children express themselves in such varied ways?
Hi, first let me start by saying I love the pictures you incorporated into your blog! I also work with younger children and I notice how much learning they do by themselves through play and interacting with each other. I enjoy working with this age because as educators, we can make learning so much fun for them. They definitely enjoy the songs, movements and visuals. I like the point you made about how we typically label children as "delayed" or "deficient" when we limit literacy. I didn't think about it in this way up until this point.
ReplyDeleteHi Laniya
ReplyDeleteThanks for your kind words and I am happy you enjoyed the pictures. It turns out that I thoroughly enjoy blogging. I have always enjoyed writing but never realized that I would like this as much as I am. It is always to great to connect with someone else who works with younger children and recognizes the power of play in learning. You are right, at this age, learning can be and should be joyful, engaging, and full of movement, music, and visuals.
I also appreciated your reflection on how we sometimes unintentionally label children when we view literacy too narrowly. it is such an important mindset shift, to recognize and value the many ways children express themselves and make meaning, even if it does not look like the traditional reading or writing yet. When we expand our definition of literacy, we also expand the possibilities for every child to succeed and be seen for their strengths.
I enjoyed your reply and I am loving hearing from other passionate educators.