Evans (2004): 'Literacy Moves On'

When children aged 3-11 were asked what their out of school interests were, the majority mentioned multi-media activities and reading and outside play bearly featured. Evans argues that technologies influence children's activities, which in turn influence their Literacy. New literacies are emerging and schools are not keeping up. In particular, children aren't being prepared for a changing world. I think that what children are taught in school has to relate with what is happening in the world, otherwise all we are doing is topping up their non-transferable, unusable, irrelevant knowledge.There is no longer one rule for anything; children need to know how to adapt themselves to different situations.

Digital technology is no longer in a box with a lid that is opened when it's taught and then closed: It is an integral part of life and children are actually living their lives "with and through" it. If this is true, then why did many children I saw in ICT lessons struggling with the software? I think that children are immersed in technology, but only as far as they are allowed. Often, children's work with computers, for example, is not quite complete: Computers are already set up for them, or are on; if a problem arises, pupils are by no means encouraged to try to fix it. Additionally, software used is often a Primary package, which is so simplified it doesn't quite transfer to real usage.

As technology is changing, Evans puts forward, so is Literacy. The definition of text is evolving to include chunks of discourse, television etc. Classroom Literacy needs to recognis new forms of text and give them definite place in the curriculum.

Lastly, the use of popular culture in class continues to be debated. Many teachers are against it, feeling that children 'get enough at home'. Perhaps we should ask ourselves why children study what they study anyway.