Learning

Guide

Supporting Student Development of Competencies:

Apply Multiple Literacies
This learning guide shares several strategies and ideas related to
supporting student development of the competency Apply Multiple
Literacies. Some of the strategies and ideas shared are ones you
may have already used with your students. The shift is to become
intentional about highlighting/discussing how these tried and true
strategies support the development of one or more competencies.

This learning guide is designed for use by

professional learning communities, leaders,
learning coaches and teachers, or as a self-paced
study to explore practical strategies to support student
development of Albertas competencies across the
curriculum and in every classroom.

Use this Learning Guide after viewing

Apply Multiple Literacies and Alberta Educations
competency indicators related to
Apply Multiple Literacies.

Learner Profile: Successful development of the Apply Multiple Literacies competency results in a learner who can
effectively apply a wide range of literacies in the context of his/her everyday experiences to understand information
and create knowledge. This learner appreciates that being skilled in multiple literacies leads to deep and broad
understanding and enables him/her to make positive contributions to the community.

Key Strategies/Ideas:

Understand the definitions of various literacies:

o Literacy is interacting with and making meaning of your
world. Literacy is learned, applied and developed through
a variety of experiences in and beyond the classroom walls.
o Numeracy is the confidence and habits of mind to engage
with, critically assess, reflect upon and apply quantitative
and spatial information when making judgments and
decisions or taking action in all aspects of daily living.
o Technological literacy is the ability to responsibly,
appropriately and effectively use technology tools to
access, manage, integrate, evaluate, create and
communicate information.
o Financial literacy is the ability to understand how money
works in the world: how someone earns or makes it, how
he/she manages it, how he/she invests it and how he/she
uses it to help others.
Albertas Learning and Technology Policy Framework (LTPF)
describes a vision of student-centred learning in which
students are enabled and supported to use technology to
create and share knowledge.
Explore how software and web applications can assist in the
creation and sharing of knowledge.
Utilize organizations such as Junior Achievement and banking
institutions to provide support in teaching the basics of
business, financial literacy and work readiness.
Explore opportunities to collaborate with second language
teachers in your school to design projects/learning
opportunities that support the application of multiple
literacies.

Acknowledgement:
This Professional Learning Guide was developed by the Edmonton
Regional Learning Consortium and funded through a grant from
Alberta Education to support implementation. It is provided for free
in support of improved teaching and learning under the following
Creative Commons license.

Questions for Reflection and Discussion:

Use the Concentric Circles (Inner-Outer Circle Discussion)

Protocol to discuss the following questions:
o How is the definition of literacy different from reading and
writing?
o How is the definition of numeracy different from
mathematics?
Literacy and numeracy are incorporated in all
subjects/disciplines. Find references to literacy and numeracy
in the Programs of Study for the grade level/subject you teach.
The emphasis on technology should be on how students
create and share knowledge instead of using technology as a
way to present information. Where is the emphasis in your
classroom? How can you facilitate this shift?
Reflect and discuss why learning more than one language is an
important literacy for all students.
What other strategies have you used to support student
development of the competency Apply Multiple Literacies?

For more information:

Literacy and Numeracy, Alberta Education
Learning and Technology Policy Framework, Alberta Education
Google A-Z, iGoogle
Educational Change and Leadership, Dave Edyburn ERLC
Google Apps for Education: Alberta Summit 2013 Resources, Ed
Tech Team
Digital Storytelling: What it is and What it is NOT, Curriculum
21.com
Protocols, Expeditionary Learning, Engage NY