New roles for literacy teachers in the age of multiliteracies: A sociocultural perspective

Abstract

The classical definition of literacy 'the ability to read and write' presupposes that literacy is something individual, static, universal, and solely cognitive. However, the new literacy approach of the post-structuralism underscores the significance of texts in context, differing values, meanings and the notion of multiliteracies. Traditional conception of literacy privileges some and marginalizes some others in the society and in the classroom which is a social space. This study aims at redefining the term literacy and multiliteracies in the postmodern world and presenting new roles for literacy teachers for the practice in Turkish literacy classrooms. © 2009.