Multiple Literacies and Success for All: An Analysis of Ontario Educators' Survey Responses

Abstract

This essay reports on the survey findings of a study examining the teaching and evaluation strategies used by teachers in the classroom. The study focussed on 304 French and English schools in Ontario representing both urban and rural Ontario school boards. The essay begins with a review of the literature and highlights key points noted by educational theorists and practitioners regarding the importance and challenges of literacy education. We then move to discuss our discursive framework with regards to employing cognitive and social constructivism as theoretical lenses. Survey responses are presented under the broader categories of teaching and pedagogical practice and evaluation of teaching strategies. In analyzing the survey results, we highlight the following as being effective in the promotion of critical literacy: a teacher's own knowledge; pedagogical skills and approaches; the level of school and off-school/local knowledge of students; the affirmation of the identity, culture and history of learners, as well as one's knowledge of the local community.

Literacy, Diversity and Education: Meeting the Contemporary Challenge

“…In Berger, Forgette-Giroux and Dei (2007) we argue that rethinking schooling processes for youth and adult learners is rupturing the dominant conception of literacy with the focus on the intersection of ethnicity/race, gender, class, sexuality and [dis]ability. Critical literacy enables learners to understand not only how education affects social issues, but also, how racism, social oppression and socioeconomic status determine life chances for different bodies in society (see also D'Amico 1999;Corley, 2003).…”