Abstract:
In the transition from the twentieth to the twenty-first century, literacy has undergone a fundamental change in the shift from page to screen as the dominant basis for communication. In a communications environment characterised by multimodality – integration of modes of linguistic, visual, audio, gestural and spatial modes of meaning – young people require a broadened repertoire of literacy capacities.
Educational authorities with responsibility for literacy policy have responded in terms of curriculum, and assessment advice within a context of rapidly changing forms of multimodal communication. This paper details the early twenty-first century response of one educational authority, the Department of Education, Victoria, in reviewing early years literacy curriculum and assessment in light of the rapid developments in digital communications.
Educational authorities with responsibility for literacy policy have responded in terms of curriculum, and assessment advice within a context of rapidly changing forms of multimodal communication. This paper details the early twenty-first century response of one educational authority, the Department of Education, Victoria, in reviewing early years literacy curriculum and assessment in light of the rapid developments in digital communications.