Abstract:

Venezky (1995) defines traditional view of literacy as a “minimal ability to read and write in a designated language, as well as a mindset or a way of thinking about the use of reading and writing in everyday life. Contemporary views of literacy have broadened, however, to also include processes of speaking and listening, viewing, drawing, and creating a range of texts (Gee, 2009). Critical literacy is now considered to be a key component of literacy (Woodrow, Arthur & Newman, 2012). Researchers and scholars have begun to talk about how literacy should be seen as a broader concept (Thames & York, 2004). Literacy is now commonly seen to have several meanings, for example technological, mathematical, and visual literacy as multi-literacies. The presentation describes a study that examined early childhood educators’ beliefs and practices in two early childhood centres in East London, in the Eastern Cape Province in South Africa. The study sought to understand early childhood educators’ literacy beliefs and knowledge, and how these consistently inform the development of literacy learning environments in in their classrooms.
A qualitative research design was used to compare the two centres to draw out emergent literacy themes. The outcome of the study contributed to the body of knowledge informing research as to how these educators viewed multi-modal literacy practices. An interpretative approach was the most appropriate for the study. Hence two case studies design was chosen to gain phenomenological insight and understanding of these early childhood educators’ beliefs and knowledge when developing literacy practices.

Keywords:

Literacy development, multi modal, literacy practices, literacy environments.