Module 5: Inclusive Literacy
What Makes Literacy Inclusive?
The term literacy makes us think about books and students learning to read and write using printed words on paper, but in fact literacy is broader than this. Literacy goes beyond being able to communicate, to take in, and to share information in a wider variety of ways.
Literacy is closely tied to quality of life. A person who uses symbolic communication on an AAC device is limited to the few thousand symbols available to them, but a person who has learned to use the alphabet has an infinite number of words they can create to express themselves. Literacy instruction in schools must reflect the diversity of the school and community. We need to prepare students to use literacy by ensuring the use of:
- Materials, both traditional and technology-based, that represent the home, school, local community, and national and international cultural communities
- Direct, explicit literacy instruction
- Time for repetition and practice
- Different types or forms of literacy that represent the skills they need to learn:
- Visual (understanding and using photos, symbols, videos)
- Textual (accessing written words, magazines, news)
- Digital (accessing and interpreting digital sources of information, video games, websites)
- Technological (navigating and developing responsible use of iPads and computers such as social media)
With these materials and different forms in mind, teachers can consider their students’ individual learning styles. Then activities can be designed that include a range of options in which literacy is accessible for all students, including books, magazines, dance, movies, photos, symbols, and audio texts.