Why do we call it Communications Literacy?

Traditional schools usually have time set aside for language arts and/or English; however, we believe that communication goes beyond traditional print-text modalities. In modern life, it is not enough to read literature and write academic paragraphs/essays. Communication comes in many forms. Literacy across a broad range of platforms is vital to the development of humans in the 21st century, and students need to understand the messages they receive and the messages they share with the world.

 

Goal

Students must recognize that communication occurs through many channels, such as infographics, videos, pictures, speeches, social media, and games. Each channel presents different constraints and different opportunities. Students will come to understand the high level principles of communication and practice applying them.

 

Methodology

In addition to daily reading and writing, students constantly engage in a variety of communication projects and formats.  For example, students give speeches, create videos, and design informative graphics. Students also enjoy silent reading everyday, which gives them the opportunity to choose a book and read for pleasure. To guide our efforts, we have developed the Communications Literacy toolkit: