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Unit 2 - Globalization, Multi-cultural, Arts and Creative, Social, and

Ecological Literacies in Education

2.0 Intended Learning Outcomes

At the end of this unit, you will be able to:
a. Discuss the value/s of Globalization, Multi-cultural, Artistic and Creative, Social, and
Ecological Literacies in Education;
b. Defend the effects of globalization, culture, arts, society, and ecology in a learner’s growth
and development;
c. Present the different issues in teaching all the above-mentioned literacies; and
d. Classify the role of parents and teachers in teaching all these literacies to students of
today.

2.1 Introduction
In this unit, you will be learning a lot about the varied literacies in our educational
system. You will find out that the term ‘literacy’ is not confined to one’s ability to read and
write, but is rather concerned with other factors that will help an individual achieve a holistic
development. As you read the whole material, be mindful of and internalize these literacies
because these will guide you in becoming a well-versed teacher in the future and in molding
the future generation as well to be the persons that we want them to be in our society.

2.2 Globalization, Multi-cultural, Arts and Creative, Social, and Ecological

Literacies in Education
GLOBALIZATION
Globalization is the process of interaction and integration between people, business
entities, governments and cultures from other nations, driven by international trade and
investment and supported by information technology (Levin Institute, 2017).
To better illustrate this, consider two people from different countries, for example the
Philippines and South Korea. Let us say they meet in college and become good friends, so that
the Korean comes to be treated like a member of the Filipino's family. After some time, the
Korean returns to her own country, but something has changed -- she notices an aspect of her
culture that she finds herself wishing to be more Filipino. She knows very well that she cannot
change Korean culture as a whole, so she decides to just change herself. She does not change
everything, of course -- just a little saying here in there; she is still obviously Korean, but she
just does a few things differently from those who have never been to the Philippines. The
Korean is very happy with the changes she has made to her life that makes it just a little more
Philippines.
Now let us say that when we look at the person from the Philippines, something similar
has taken place; the Filipino, while still being Filipino through and through, has made a few
changes in your life as a result of her experience of Korean culture through her friend during
their years in college. Some of her friends have also noticed it and have made similar little
changes in their own lives.
Because our exposure to the concept of globalization has largely been through an
economic lens, it is tempting the limit globalization as something that concerns economists and
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businessmen. But globalization and its effects import or export and Foreign Direct Investment
(FDI). Notice that in our illustration, the friends of the two people in question were affected by
their interaction even if they themselves had never been to Korea or had not met a Filipino.
Now you scale this up to the point where it is not just two people from two different nations
interacting, but millions of people, from nearly two hundred different countries where we are
no longer integrating just languages or mannerisms or food recipes, but everything from styles
of clothing, forms of entertainment, education, technology, manufacturing, ways of doing
business, ideas and whole worldviews. This is globalization as we know it today.
Globalization as a phenomenon is not new. Nations and cultures have been interacting
and integrating with one another for millennia. Consider how ancient Greek culture was so
widespread across the Mediterranean that even the Egyptian could speak their language, and
how Rome was so inspired by Greek culture that they adopted it wholesale. consider how so
much of the Chinese, Arab, and Indian cultures have become part of our own; did not happen
recently, but even during centuries before, there was even a political entity known as the
Philippines.
What is different now, however, is the speed at which globalization is happening, its
overall scope, and its effects on the lives of ordinary people. Not only are we interacting with,
learning from, and integrating knowledge gleaned from other cultures and nations at an
unprecedented rate, there is now also a sense that no matter where one lives or how limited is
one's face-to-face interaction with members of another nation or culture and the how limited
one's time spent online, globalization and its effects are inescapable. Even remote villages will
be exposed to the latest KPOP hit, if they have access to a radio. If they produce rice, they will
also feel the effects of more affordable rice imports from Thailand and Vietnam. If they have
access to a kerosene stove, they will feel the effects of the fluctuations in oil prices originating
from Arab nations. All these things take place without having to know anyone from or
anything about Korea, Thailand, Vietnam, or the Middle East.

The Effects of Globalization

The effects of globalization are multi-dimensional. It shown earlier, they range from
economic to cultural on both national and individual levels. Meyer (2020) summarizes the effects of
globalization as follows:
* Economic, political, and military dependence and interdependence between nations;
* Expanded flow of individual people among societies;
* Interdependence of expressive culture among nations; and
* Funded blow of instrumental culture around the world.

Economic Dependence/Interdependence
When the term globalization entered the Philippine public mindset in the early 90s, it was
popularly understood to be a mainly the economy phenomenon, and the negative one at that. The
idea that foreign-owned businesses could come into the country and freely "set-up shop", thereby
choking-out local industries was not a welcome thought, even though it was erroneous.
While Philippine society has come to realize that this early perspective represented a shallow
understanding of globalization, the fact of the matter is that globalization has brought economic
development to our society as a whole. By attracting Foreign Direct Investment (FDI), new
technologies, employment opportunities, and money have come into the country. The phenomenon
of a taxi driver owning multiple smartphones to browse social media while stuck in traffic because
of the rise of the number of vehicles on our roads is a testament to this fact.
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This does not mean, however, that there have been no negative effects of globalization.
Kentor (2001) notes that foreign capital dependence increases income inequality in four ways: (1) It
creates a small, highly paid class of elites to manage these investments, who create many but usually
low-pay jobs; (2) Profits from these investments repatriated, rather than invested in the host country,
therefore inhibiting domestic capital formation; (3) Foreign capital penetration tends to concentrate
land ownership among the very rich; and (4) Host countries tend to create political and economic
climates favorable to foreign capital that in turn limit domestic labor's ability to obtain better wages.
In simple words, "the rich become richer, and the poor become poorer."
Hout (1980) observes that international dependence (another word for globalization) tends
to suppress adult wages, which in turn perpetuates the role of children as economic necessities (the
familiar saying "Kapag maraming anak, maraming katulong sa hanapbuhay"), leading to explosive
population growth.
In a chain of negative effects of population growth creates a large sub-sector of society that
is insulated yet competes for resources with the rest of the population. Coupled with the economic
inequalities in which this society is couched, this encourages political instability resulting in policies
that favor the redistribution of income, which in turn discourages investment which then slows
economic growth.

Political and Military Dependence/Interdependence

A survey conducted in late 2018 found that three in five Filipinos believe that the United
States would intervene on behalf of the country in case of war (Viray, 2018). Despite the current
very conservative instance of the US on its foreign policies, this can be taken as evidence of the
Philippines' dependence on both the political and military power of the US in order to maintain its
sovereignty as a nation in the Southeast Asia region. Similar things can be said of Russia and the
many communist nations throughout the world.
The point is that where there are some forms of economic dependence/interdependence,
political dependence/interdependence is not far behind, as the participating nations strive to
protect their investments and interests in one another.

Expanded Flow of Expressive and Instrumental Culture

Expressive culture, as the term suggests, deals with how a particular culture expresses itself
in its language, music, arts, and the like. Globalization encourages the monetization of these cultural
artifacts and their export/import among participating cultures; the increased consumption of which
changes the consuming culture. Case in point, KPOP music and culture were a relatively niche
occupation ten years ago, with a very few people aware of its existence, let alone actual fans. Today,
it is practically ubiquitous in Philippine society, alongside the consumption of all things Korean,
from skin-care products to instant noodles.
Instrumental culture, on the other hand, refers to "common models of social order" (Meyer,
2000) – that is, models pr ways of thinking about and enacting national identity, nation-state policies
both domestic and foreign, socio-economic development, human rights, education, and social
progress. A simple example of this is the Philippine educational system; closely patterned after the
American educational system, education leaders in the country closely follow the educational
trends in America and select European countries, perceiving them to be the global leaders in the
field. While this has served is to an arguably satisfactory degree in American education eventually
show-up in Philippine education, albeit five to ten years removed.
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Expanded Flow of People among Societies

The fact that globalization encourages the movement of people between nation-states should
come as no surprise to us. The Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) estimates that there were 2.3
million Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs) during the period of April to September 2017, who were
responsible for up to 205.2 billion pesos in remittances (Philippine Statistics Authority, 2018).
Meyer (2000) observes three reasons for this: socio-economic, migration, political expulsion,
and travel/tourism.
Socio-economic migration explains the Philippines' OFW phenomenon. Filipinos travel
abroad to find better economic opportunities for themselves and their families for lack of said
opportunities here.
Political expulsion, on the other hand, has more to do with trying to escape the political
climate of a particular country, thereby forcing an individual to seek asylum (and ultimately,
resettlement) in another more favorable country.
Travel for the sake of leisure (i.e., tourism) is a strong indicator of economic development as
more and more Filipinos are able to finance short-term travels abroad, fueled by curiosity that is fed
by social media and enabled by globalization.

MULTICULTURAL LITERACY
As cultures begin to mix and change as result of globalization, conflicts inevitably arise over
identity, values, and worldviews. This situation consequently needs for a literacy that enables us to
quickly and easily identify and resolve such conflicts, preferably before they even begin. This has
come to be misunderstood as multicultural literacy.
Multicultural literacy is a set of skills and knowledge is difficult to define because of how it
changes depending on the contexts in which it is discussed. For example, multicultural literacy as
defined in American literature is different from how it is deployed in a more European context.
In America, multicultural literacy has very strong leanings toward knowing or identifying
the poly-ethnic origins of knowledge with the express goal of fostering equality, diversity, and
social justice. This is in direct response to the "Euro-centric" and "white-dominant" traditions of
education that in the eyes of American, cultural minorities (particularly the blacks) is a form racial
injustice. This is very foreign to the Philippine context, which despite having our own deeply
ingrained traditions of discrimination, does not have the same issues of discrimination as in the
United States, nor the same amount of hostility. Nevertheless, the fact that the perceived need for
multicultural literacy stems from a slighted sense of justice for "the other" (that is, any individual,
group, or culture that another individual, group, or culture considers "not of us" for any reason)
cannot be ignored in our attempts to pin down a functional definition of multicultural literacy for
ourselves.
Meanwhile, in Europe, multicultural literacy comes more in the form of intercultural
communication competence (ICC), which is defined by Dusi, Messeti, and Steinbach (2014) as a
composite of skills, abilities, attitudes, personality patterns, etc. necessary for clear and productive
communication with cultures other than our own. Similarly, Fantini (2006) defines it as "a complex)
of abilities needed to perform effectively and appropriately when interacting with others who are
linguistically and culturally different from oneself."
Clearly, the broader and more magnanimous European definition of multicultural literacy is
more for the Philippine context, even if the exact definition of what ICC consists of is still being
hotly debated. For the purposes of this book, it would also be wise to include how justice contributes
to the literacy; that is, there would be no discussion on multicultural literacy if not for the lack of
justice in a multicultural discussion or discourse.
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It is paramount to realize that under this definition, a "different culture" is not just limited to
"someone from another country," but could also include someone whose gender, economic
background, religious beliefs, sexual orientation, or even sense of fashion is different from our own.
The skills and knowledge required for one to be multi-culturally literate are not mere
language skills, since it is assumed that some medium of communication already exists between
two cultures. Rather, true multicultural literacy consists of perspectives, attitudes, and beliefs about
other cultures that affect the manner in which we communicate and the motives behind our
communication. Here are some examples:
1. Be selfless -- An attitude of selflessness -- one that is less concerned with how I feel and
more concerned with how I am making others feel -- is crucial to multicultural literacy,
as soon much of the offense and conflict associated with the meeting of different cultures
is the result of a "me first" attitude: I should be accommodated, you should be the one to
adjust to me, I should feel comfortable with you before I make efforts to make you feel
comfortable, etc. Such selflessness is not instinctive to people, and is especially difficult
when one feels insecure of oneself and identity.
2. Know that good and useful things can (and do) come from those different from us -- Hand-
in-hand with a dismissive attitude toward another culture is the idea that nothing good
can come from them. Furthermore, there is a tendency to ignore or outright dismiss
evidence to the contrary. Simply acknowledging that good ideas and products have come
from cultures we might not like goes a long way in preparing our minds to perceive them
as being equally valuable.
3. Be willing to compromise -- Any significant interaction with someone from a different
culture is governed by the principle of "He/She wants something, and I want something."
In other words, cultures do not interact out of pure magnanimity. If both of you are
willing to give the other what they want, well and good. But what happens when one or
both are unwilling to give the other wants? There must be a compromise; a reciprocal
adjustment of demands and expectations to accommodate what the other party is willing
to give.
4. Accept that there are limits -- At some point however, one or both cultures will be
unwilling/unable to adjust their wants for the sake of the other any further. Beyond this
point, the productivity of the interaction drops and one must either change the purpose
of the interaction or walk away, excepting that what you want cannot be had from that
particular source. Attempting to force the other party to adjust (when you refuse to do
the same) only results in misunderstanding, hurt, and conflict. The sooner we accept this,
the sooner we can set realistic expectations of one another.

Issues in Teaching and Learning Multicultural Literacy in the Philippines

A number of important issues stand in the way of Philippine educators attempting to learn
multicultural literacy for themselves and teach it in turn to others, which are different from what
can be found in Western literature, particularly those of the United States.

Conflicting Requirements for Peace

When all is said and done, the heart of multicultural literacy is peace among different cultures
-- that is, productive and non-violent interaction. It is easy to assume that all cultures value peace
to the same degree and are therefore willing to make the same compromises in order to attain it, but
this is not necessarily true.
For example, the Israeli/Palestinian conflict, which is really a conflict over territory: Both
sides desire peace, but they do not desire it enough to be willing to compromise. In a very real sense,
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both sides would rather love in perpetual conflict with one another rather than give-up their claim
to the land which each side believes is rightfully theirs.
On a more personal, immediate front, I am reminded of an activity a fellow teacher
conducted in her class where she asked her students to write down how they defined "peace." One
student revealingly wrote: "Peace is when I get what I want."

Nationalistic and Regionalistic Pushback

The increasing demand for multicultural sensitivity, inclusion, and diversity in the recent
years has also given rise to resistance from groups who believe that their identity is being "watered-
down" by the needed compromises.
Case in point is the recent proposal of "Ortograpiya ti Pagsasao nga Ilokano" by the officials
of the Komisyon ng Wikang Filipino (KWF) in October of 2018. The proposal was met with intense
backlash from group of Ilokano writers and language advocates over the "incompetence in
preparing the Ilokano orthography that didn't conform with the existing orthography being used
by the Ilokano writers and experts," claiming that the proposed orthography was based on Tagalog
and not Ilokano and that the commission's attempts to compel the regional language to conform the
standards of the Ortograpiyang Pambansa (National Orthography) would "destroy identity of the
Ilokano language" (Dumlao, 2018).
In the ensuing online firestorm, one particular individual commented in how such regional
pride is out of step with modernity, particularly with our need to be united as a country. Now this
sentiment is consistent with the multicultural literacy of being able to put aside differences for the
sake of a common goal, but notice how for the Ilokanos, national unity (as far as language is
concerned) is not worth the cost of giving-up their ability to determine the orthography of their
language for themselves.
Such issues become even more complex and clouded when they come to a head with
economics, social injustice, and religion. What is to be done when accommodating the idiosyncrasies
of another culture means decreased economic opportunities for the members of my culture? What
about when we must decide between gender equality and retaining a venerable, historical
institution like the Boy Scouts of the Philippines? What about if, for the sake of peace, one culture
must compromise on its religious values? We might think that people are worth it, but what if the
other culture believes otherwise?
We see here that while multicultural inclusiveness is by and large a good thing, it comes at a
cost. Part of the identity of the host culture becomes diluted and lost -- the inevitable result of the
compromises necessary for it to have some form of multicultural understanding. In effect, pushing
for multicultural inclusion might very well be asking some cultures to decide which has more value:
Inclusion or Identity?
We must be aware that these questions are easier to answer for the culture that wants to be
accommodated (because it will cost them nothing), rather than the one that must do the
accommodating.

The Persistence of the Problem

On the surface, multicultural literacy might seem to just be a matter of "good common sense",
and understandably so, no one actively desires to experience discrimination regarding what they
know and what they can and cannot do simply on the basis of race, ethnicity, or in the case ofnthe
Philippines, region of origin. It, therefore, makes perfect sense to collectively refrain from such
behavior under the assumption that "If you don't do it it to me, I won't do it to you." And yet, to our
horror and shame, the practice persists. Worse, we sometimes find ourselves participating in and
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justifying such discriminatory behavior -- if only online and not in real life (as if anything written
or posted online is not, in fact, in real life).
Therefore, the primary issue that educators face in teaching multicultural literacy to their
students and learning it for themselves is "Why does this problem persist?" Or to put it in another
way, "Despite all out advances in science, technology, and culture, why is this still a problem today?
Boutte (2008) suggests that issues of discrimination in all its forms (racial, religious, tribal,
cultural, etc.) are really issues of hatred, which she defines in an educational setting as "the lack of
compassion and the lack of respect for the rights of others", and that such hatred must be fought
and its roots must be attacked, because for as long as hatred exists in the human mind, real peace
will be impossible (Vreeland, 2001).
If this is true, then it leads to some interesting questions: For one, what is the root of this
hatred? Boutte (2008) suggests that, at least in an educational context, such hate is often
unintentional, but is usually the result of a lack of education. Now if a lack of education is to blame,
then a lack of education in what, exactly? Is it awareness of the existence of those different from us?
Is it awareness that those different from us are worthy of respect?
The former is unlikely: Thanks to the Internet; we are very much aware of the existence of
people and cultures that are fundamentally different from us, yet this has done nothing to mitigate
the hatred that Boutte speaks of. The latter question is promising, but presumes that something
exists in all individuals -- regardless of color, language, religion, education, social status, etc. -- that
is worthy of respect. If this is true, what is this something? How do you teach it?
To date, no literature exists within academia that gives a definitive, authoritative, and final
answer to these questions.

The Question of Value

Another issue in teaching and learning multicultural literacy is better posited as a question:
"Why should I treat people of another culture with respect?"
It might seem that the answer to the question is a simple one: for peace. But as we have seen
earlier, not everyone values peace to the same degree. What if, for a certain culture, it is easier to
just destroy anyone who opposes them rather than expend the effort needed to come to a mutual
understanding?
Such statements might sound crass, but only if we believe that we, as a society, are above
such things. How many times have we broken "small" laws and etiquette -- running red traffic lights
"because no one is there to catch me", or asking a vendor at a flea market or tiangge to list a different
price on the other receipt that what an item is worth -- because it is more convenient than to do
otherwise? How many times have we been selfish in our decision-making, not thinking about, not
caring about its implications for others? And how many times have we justified such behavior
"because of the circumstances" or "because everyone else is doing it?"
In other words, "Why should I value another culture, another society, another person more
than myself and my own?" If we subscribe to Dawkins (2016) concept of a "selfish gene" -- where on
a genetic level, the more two individuals are genetically similar to one another, the more sense it
makes to behave selflessly toward one another and selfishly toward others who are different -- then
we can easily frame the issue of discrimination of cultural discrimination and injustice as one of
both genetics and survival. This means that the injustice you experience is necessary for my survival,
and therefore it is in my best interests (genetic and otherwise) that I maintain the status who -- or
reverse it, as the case may be. Educators like Freire (2000) had recognized and written against such
a monstrous perspective -- and rightly so -- but have also admitted that when the oppressed are
freed from their oppression, they inevitably become the new oppressors.
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If such perspectives seem horrible to us (and that should), it is because the question of the
value of humanity, both individually and collectively as a culture, makes no sense without
subscribing to some absolute moral standard -- one that is true and right for all people, regardless
of race, color, or creed. But in today's society where such absolutes are reduced to matters of
perspective, there remains no final and sensible answer to the question.

Enhance
A majority of research on multicultural literacy stems from the West, specifically the United
States, and focuses on teaching teachers to be more multicultural in their pedagogies.
*Learn about other cultures. Banks (1991a) posits that the first step to teaching
multiculturalism is knowing about cultures that are not your own. It follows that if you, the teacher,
knows only your own culture, then you will be unable to teach your students to appreciate a culture
that is different from your own.
*Familiarize yourself with how discrimination and prejudice appear in your own culture.
Boutte (2008) and Baks (1991b) agree that teachers must be able to identify and confront patterns of
discrimination and prejudice in their own lives before they can teach their students to do the same.
For example, when someone you just met says he or she is from Mindanao, what words immediately
come out to your mouth in response? Do they express genuine acceptance, or do they betray same
long-held preconceptions about people from the region?
*As you are, so will you behave. Key to genuine multicultural literacy is core values -- that
is, what you, the teacher, really believes about people who are different from you; not the kind of
belief that you can just say you possess when talking to your class, but the kind that determines
your behavior when you think no one is watching.
Simply out, if you do not truly believe that those who are different have cue equal to your
own, it will show, and your students will detect it. It will be seen in the words you use, in the
expression on your face, in the change of your behavior when you think no one can see, etc. The
converse is also true: If you do believe others have value equal to your own, no matter their social
class, educational background, skin color, or regional accent, it will show; and what is shown is
what students will learn.
*Model more, tell more. Young students, by nature, will have difficulty in exercising empathy
toward those who are different from them. The ability is there, but it naturally lack practice. It is
therefore not enough that teachers tell them to be more compassionate -- you, the teacher, must
model for them what empathy and compassion for others look like on a day-to-day basis.

Wrap up
*Globalization is the process of interaction and integration between people, business
entities, governments, and cultures from other nations, driven by international trade and
investment and supported by information technology.
*Multicultural Literacy is the knowledge and skills necessary to ensure that any
communication with a culture different from our own is clear, productive, and respectful such that
their differences are celebrated and neither culture is demeaned or treated as inferior.
*The skills and knowledge required to be multi-culturally literate are:
1. Selflessness;
2. Knowledge that good and useful things can (and do) come from those different from us;
3. Willingness to compromise;
4. Acceptance that there are limits; and
5. Idea that cannot be friends with everyone.
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*The issues in teaching and learning multicultural literacy in the Philippines are the
nationalistic/regionalistic pushback, the persistence of the problem, and the question of value.

Questions to Ponder

Read the questions and instructions carefully. Write your answers on a separate sheet of
paper. (5 points each)
1. What makes a person Filipino? If a person has Filipino parents but is born in another
country, is he/she still a Filipino? What about if a person with foreign parents is born and
raised in the Philippines, is he/she a Filipino? Explain your reasoning.
2. Have you interacted with people who have a different culture from yours? How was your
interaction with them? Was it clear? Was it productive? Was it respectful? What could
you have done for a better interaction?
3. What is your attitude toward people who have a different culture from yours? Do you
celebrate how they are different from you? Do you look down on them?
4. Consider regional discrimination in the Philippines: If a woman speaks Cebuano or Bisaya
in Manila, she is often assumed to be a maid or yaya; If a man speaks Tagalog with a
heavy, provincial accent, he is often assumed to be a laborer, driver, or involved in some
form of manual or servile labor. What are your own discriminatory practices?
5. What skills and knowledge you need to improve in to become multi-culturally literate?

ARTISTIC AND CREATIVE LITERACY

Artistic literacy is defined in the National Coalition for Core Arts Standards: A Conceptual
Framework for Arts Learning (2014) as the knowledge and understanding required to participate
authentically in the arts. While individuals can learn about dance, media, music, theater, and visual
arts through reading, print texts, artistic literacy requires that they engage in artistic creation
processes directly through the use of materials (a.g., charcoal or paint clay, musical instruments or
scores) and in specific spaces (e.g., concert halls, stages, dance rehearsal spaces, arts studios, and
computer labs).
Researches have recognized that there are significant benefits of arts learning and
engagement in schooling (Eisner, 2002; MENC, 1996; Perso, Nutton, Fraser, Silburn & Tait, 2011).
The arts have been shown to create environments and conditions that result in improved academic,
social, and behavioral outcomes for students, from early childhood through the early and later years
of schooling. However, due to the range of art forms and the diversity and complexity of programs
and research that have been implemented, it is difficult to generalize findings concerning the
strength of the relationships between the arts and learning and the casual mechanisms
underpinning these associations.
The flexibility of the forms comprising the arts positions students to embody a range of
literate practices to:
*Use their minds in verbal and non-verbal ways;
*Communicate complex ideas in a variety of forms;
*Understand words, sounds, or images;
*Imagine new possibilities; and
*Persevere to reach goals and make them happen.
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Engaging in quality arts education experiences provides students with an outlet for powerful
creative expression, communication, aesthetically rich understanding, and connection to the world
around them. Being able to critically read, write, and speak about art should not be the sole
constituting factors for what counts as literacy in the Arts (Shenfield, 2015). Considerably, more
dialogue, discussion, and research are necessary to form a deeper picture of the Arts and creativity
more broadly. The cultivation of imagination and creativity and the formation of deeper theory
surrounding multimodality and multi-literacies in the Arts are paramount.
Elliot Eisner posited valuable lessons or benefits that education can learn from arts he
summarized these into eight as follows:
1. Form and content cannot be separated. How something is said or done shapes the content
of experience. In education, how something is taught, how curricula are organized , and how
schools are designed impact upon what students will learn. There "side effects" may be the real main
effects of practice.
2. Everything interacts: there is no content without form and no form without content. When
the content of a form is changed, so too, is the form altered. Form and content are like two sides of
a coin.
3. Nuance matters. To the extent to which teaching is an art, attention to nuance is critical. It
can also be said that the aesthetic lives in the details that the maker can shape in the course of
creation. How a word is spoken, how a gesture is made, how a line is written, and how a melody is
played, all affect the character of the whole. All depend upon the modulation of the nuances that
constitute the act.
4. Surprise is not to be seen as an intruder in the process of inquiry, but as a part of the
rewards one reaps when working artistically. No surprise, no discovery, no discovery, no progress.
Educators should not resist surprise, but create in the conditions to make it happen. It is one of the
most powerful sources of intrinsic satisfaction.
5. Slowing down perception is the most promising way to see what is actually there. It is true
that that we have certain words to designate a level of intelligence. We describe somebody else
being swift, bright, or sharp, or fast on the pickup. A speed in its swift state is a descriptor for
those we call smart. Yet, one of the qualities we ought to be promoting in our schools is a slowing
down of perception: the ability to take one's time to smell the flowers, to really perceive in the
Deweyan and not merely and not merely to recognize what one looks at.
6. The limits of language are not the limits of cognition. We know more than we can tell. In
common terms, literacy refers essentially to the ability to read and to write. But literacy can be re-
conceptualized as the creation and use of a form of representation that will enable one to create
meaning -- meaning that will not take the impress of language in its conventional form. In addition,
literacy is associated with high-level forms of cognition. We tend to think that in order to know, one
has to be able to say. However, as Polanyi (1969) reminds us, we know more than we can tell.
7. Somatic experience is one of the most important indicators that someone has gotten it right.
I did and related to the multiple ways in which we represent the world through our multiple forms
of literacy is the way in which we come to know the world through the entailment s of our body.
Sometimes one knows a process or an event through one's skin.
8. Open-ended tasks permit the exercise of imagination, and an exercise of the imagination
is one of the most important of human aptitudes. It is imagination, not necessity, that is the mother
of invention. Imagination is the source of new possibilities. In the Arts, imagination is a primary
virtue. So, it should be in the teaching of mathematics in all of the sciences, in history, and indeed
in virtually all that humans create. This achievement would require for its realization a culture of
schooling in which the imaginative aspects of thee human condition were made possible.
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Characterizing Artistically Literate Individuals

How would you characterize an artistically literate student? Literature or art education and
art standards in education cited the following as common traits of artistically literate individuals:
*Use variety of artistic media, symbols, and metaphors to communicate their own ideas and
respond to the artistic communications of others;
*Develop creative personal realization in at least one art form in which they continue active
involvement as an adult;
*Cultivate culture, history, and other connections through diverse forms of genres of
artwork;
*Find joy, inspiration, peace, intellectual stimulation, and meaning when they participate in
the arts; and
*Seek artistic experiences and support the arts in their communities.

Issues in Teaching Creativity

In his TED talks on creativity and innovation, Sir Ken Robinson (Do schools kill creativity?,
2006; How to escape education's death valley?, 2013) stressed paradigms in the education system
that hamper the development of creative capacity among learners. He emphasized the school
stigmatize mistakes. This primarily prevents students from trying and coming up with original
ideas. He also reiterated the hierarchy of systems. Firstly, most useful subjects such as Mathematics
and languages for work are at the top while arts are at the bottom. Secondly, academic ability has
come to dominate our view of intelligence. Curriculum competencies, classroom experiences and
assessment are geared toward the development of academic ability. Students are schooled in order
to pass entrance exams in colleges and universities later on. Because of this painful truth, Robinson
challenged educators to:
*Educate the well-being of learners and shift from the conventional learnings toward
academic ability alone;
*Give equal weight to the arts, humanities, and physical education;
*Facilitate learning and work toward stimulating curiosity among learners;
*Awaken and develop powers of creativity among learners;
*View intelligence as diverse dynamic and distinct contrary to common belief that it should
be academic ability-geared.

Enhance
In "First Literacies; Art, Creativity, Play, Constructive Meaning-Making", McArdle and
Wright asserted educators should make deliberate connections with children's first literacies of art
and play. A recommended new approach to early childhood pedagogy would emphasize children's
and body experience through drawing. This would include a focus on children's creation,
manipulation, and changing of meaning through engaged interaction with art materials (Dourish,
2001), through physical, emotional, and social immersion (Anderson, 2003). The authors proposed
four essential components to developing or designing curriculum that cultivates students' artistic
and creative literacy. Such approaches actively encourage the creative constructive thinking
involved in meaning making which are fundamental to the development of the systems of reading
writing, and numbering.
1. Imagination and pretense, fantasy and metaphor
A creative curriculum will not simply allow, but will actively support play, and playfulness.
The teacher will plan for learning and teaching opportunities for children to be, at once, who they
are and who they are not, transforming reality, building narratives, and mastering and
manipulating signs and symbol systems.
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2. Active menu to meaning-making

In a classroom where children can choose to draw, write, paint, or play in the way that suits
their purpose and/or mood, literacy learning and arts learning will inform and support each other.
3. Intentional, holistic teaching
A creative curriculum requires a creative teacher, who understands the creative processes,
and purposefully supports learners in their experiences. Intentional teaching does not mean drill
and rote learning and, indeed, endless rote learning exercises might indicate the very opposite of
intentional teaching. What makes for intentional teaching his thoughtfulness and purpose, and this
could occur in such activities reading a story, adding a prop, drawing children's attention to a
spider's web, and playing with rhythm and rhyme. Even the thoughtful and intentional imposing
of constraints can lead to creativity.
4. Co-player, co-artist
Educators must be reminded of the importance of understanding children as current citizens,
with capacities and capabilities in the here and and now. It is vital for teachers to know and
appreciate children and what they know by being mindful of the present and making time for
conversation, interacting with the children as they draw. Teachers must try to avoid letting the busy
management work of their days take precedence and distract them from the 'being'.

Wrap Up
*Creativity can be defined as the process of having original ideas that have value.
*All children have capacity for innovation and creativity.
*Schools should work the word educating the whole-being of the child.

Questions to Ponder

Read the questions and instructions carefully. Write your answers on a separate sheet of
paper. (5 points each)
1. What is your personal definition of creativity?
2. Recall some of the creative classroom activities you had in school. What made them
creative?
3. Is creativity the same with innovativeness? Read various definitions on these two concepts
and organize your notes using a Venn diagram.
4. Refer to characteristics of artistically literate students. Examine yourself tell wether you
possess any of the characteristics mentioned.
5. Explain this quote from Picasso: All children are born artists. The problem is to remain as
an artist as we grow up.

SOCIAL LITERACY
Social literacy concerns itself with the development of social skills, knowledge and positive
human values that enable human beings to act positively and responsibly in range of complex social
setting. It is the knowledge on how to behave and treat other people in a way that is morally upright,
just and equitable with the view of promoting positive and productive relations that are free from
unfair prejudices, hate, and discrimination. These three descriptions will be explained below.
By morally upright, we refer to thoughts, speech, actions, and motivations that adhere to
standard of right and wrong. On the other hand, just a refers to a speech, actions, and behaviors that
are in-line with a fixed standard of justice -- a system that promotes and rewards good and at the
same time punishes wrongdoing. Any system of justice, whether national, regional, or local,
LEARNING PACKET 2

requires a body of rules or laws by which to measure and administer rewards and punishment.
Equitable are the speech, actions, behaviors, and decisions the treat others fairly, regardless of
background or circumstances. Not to be confused with the equality, which connotes a fixed
standard of treatment for all people, equity seeks the good of others, and labors to find means by
which everyone gets "what they need" rather than simply "everyone gets the same thing in the same
amount."
Peers and schools play a formative role on the social skills development of children. These
social skills are often expressed as consisting of three inter-related components; social cognition,
social perception, and social performance (Arthur, Davison & Stow, 2000). Increasing emphasis has
been placed on the last component, particularly in terms of outcomes. Social skill is defined in
literature as 'the ability to interact with others in a given social context in specific ways that are
socially acceptable or valued and at the same time personally beneficial, mutually beneficial, or
primarily beneficial to others.’
There are several types of social skills that must be mastered for a child to be socially adopted.
These range from the ability to initiate, maintain, and end a conversation to reading social signals
to more complex skills such as solving problems and resolving conflict (Lawson, 2003). The
following examples represent some of the fundamental principles of relating well to others.
Children with social skill deficits can be taught these skills directly by parents, teachers and/or
professionals using the strategies of modeling, role-playing, rehearsal, and practice.
*Greeting - Children develop relationships with peers by interacting with them. The first
step in a social interaction is greeting someone. Greeting others is done not only with words like
"Hi!" or "How are you?" but with facial expressions, tone of voice, and gestures such as a nod or a
wave. The non-verbal part of greeting someone is just as important as the words. It is not so much
what one says but how he or she says if that lets people know he or she is glad to see them.
*Initiating Conversation - In order to carry on a conversation, a child must be able to initiate,
maintain and close conversation appropriately. This requires good listening and attention skills as
well as the ability to take turns and probe for missing information. Being a good conversationalist
requires turn-taking and reciprocity. Children have to listen as well as talk. If they do not show an
interest in what the other person has to say, they probably will not be interested in talking.
Impulsive children often have trouble knowing when to talk and when to listen.
*Understanding the listener - Once a conversation is initiated, it has to be maintained. In
order to do that, it is important to understand the audience one is talking to. A socially adept child
quickly and unconsciously identifies and categorizes his listener, measures what he or she has
planned to say against the anticipated response of the listener, and then proceeds, alters, or avoids
what she has planned to say. He or she knows that talking to authority figures is not done in the
same way when talking to peers. I misread of the of the listener leads to a misunderstood message
and potential social rejection. To converse in a socially appropriate manner, children must be able
to take the perspective or point of view of the other person, i.e., think the way they think. To do this,
a child must pretend that he or she is the listener and think about what he or she needs to hear to
understand what is being said.
*Empathizing - Empathy is more than perspective-taking; it means that one is able to feel
what the other person feels. Empathy allows one to connect with other people. Other children often
think of children who lack empathy as mean, unkind, or self-centered.
*Reading Social Cues - It is very important to read social cues in a conversation. Cues are
the hints and signals that guide as to the next thing to say or do. Social cues can be verbal or non-
verbal. Verbal cues are the words that the other person is saying. Tone of voice is an important part
of verbal cues. Good detectives pay very close attention to nonverbal cues.
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*Previewing or Planning - Conversations also require the one previews or thinks about what
effect the words or actions may have on the listener before she says or does them. If the impact will
be negative, one cannot just what she might say or do.
*Problem-Solving - Problems and conflict are often a part of social interactions. Someone
may not agree, get angry, insult, or become aggressive at something that one says. How one reacts
to these conflicts depends on how good her problem-solving skills are. Conflicts cannot be avoided
in are often necessary to "clear the air". Turning a conflict from a "win-lose" situation to a "win-win"
situation is the best way to resolve conflict. This requires negotiation and compromise, give-and-
take that results in a situation where all parties can live with and help maintain friendships.
*Apologizing - Everyone makes social mistakes at one time or another. A person with good
social skills is confident enough to make a sincere apology for her error. This is a courageous act
and is the quickest and easiest way to collect a social blunder. In reality, other people usually have
a higher opinion of someone who apologizes for making a mistake. Apologizing is a sign of humble
in mature character when one commits mistakes.

The Role of Parents and Teachers in Teaching Social Skills to Children

Parents typically play a major role in teaching children social skills. Parents can directly teach
social skills by modeling, role-playing, and providing opportunities for their child to rehearse and
practice new skills. They should encourage and praise the child for successfully using a new skill.
Professionals typically intervene only when children are having substantial social difficulty with
peers. These individuals can implement a structured, guided, and effective programs that often
involve group work with peers. Children must then generalize the skills they learn in the group the
school and other personal social situations.
School is the place where children spend the majority of their time with peers. It is, therefore,
a natural and perfect setting for children to learn and practice social skills. Well teachers do not have
to teach a class in social skills, they can take advantage of every opportunity to help children
improve their social skills. They should be alert to teasing and bullying of children that are rejected
or ignored by their peers. They should work cooperatively with the children's parents to prevent
the humiliation, embarrassment, and distress that befall these children. Pairing a socially inept child
with a socially adept one, involving children in cooperative instead of competitive learning
exercises, identifying and acknowledging the strengths of all children, understanding social
weaknesses and creating an environment in which diversity is accepted and celebrated can greatly
enhance all children's social abilities, sense of belongingness, and self-esteem not just in the
classroom but in life as well.

Issues in Teaching Social Literacy

How children develop their social literacy is intrinsically a contextual matter and is not
something that can be easily traced in a linear or developmental fashion. The acquisition of social
literacy is a complex process that is historically and culturally conditioned and context-specific.
Children learn through social practices, both explicit and implicit, and become human through
social interaction. Nevertheless, it is also the case that children engage in social activity before they
are taught it; in other words, children are disposed to be social before they learn what sociability is
all about.
There are two distinct ways of answering the question on how children learn to live socially
with each other and with adults. The first view is normative and communal. From their culture,
children learn customs that provide them with a guide to act in ways that minimize conflict. The
second view is pragmatic and individualistic. The social order of children is created by explicit and
implicit agreement entered into by self-seeking individuals to avert the worst consequences of their
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selfish instincts (Arthur, Davison, & Stow, 2000). In the last view, social order is dependent on
sanctions and formal agreements. Rules are obeyed because they confer personal advantage on a
child. In the normative view, children are persuaded of the moral force of acting socially through
their voluntary associations with others, both in their immediate circle, such as the family, and in
the wider community, for example, through membership of a church or club. The child in this
normative view not only know the correct behavior but will perform the role without any need for
regular, conscious reference to the rules governing it.
Teaching social literacy in schools is not as easy as it appears to be due to subjective standards
of morality and inherent human capacity to judge and make excuses.

Subjective Standards of Morality

The natural outcome of postmodern philosophies is that truth and morality are considered
subjective and open to individual interpretation. This can be seen in the current culture, where
actions and behavioral patterns that were once considered bad have now become acceptable -- so
much so that many now consider them to be even good. When the standard of measure between
good and bad changes, this gives us license to change as well and open the gates to all kinds of
abuse. This, in effect, pulls the rug out from under any and all attempts at true justice and
equitability, since they themselves rely on that fixed moral standard.
Interestingly, many of those who insist on a subjective moral standard will be the first to demand
for a fixed moral standard when they themselves fall victim to a subjective morality's inevitable
outcome.

Human Nature
While we would all like to believe that people are inherently good, experience has taught us
that the inherent goodness of humanity is, at best, unreliable. Sometimes, it is there, open, it is not.
We are quick to champion the cause of moral uprightness, justice, and equity, but balk when our
words and actions come under their scrutiny. In other words, we insist that others be judged
according to a fixed moral standard, but invoke a subjective one when our own behavior is
questioned. We demand justice when we perceive ourselves to be victims of wrongdoing, but we
surround ourselves with excuses when we do wrong. We insist that others treat as equitably, but
are reluctant when treating others with equity costs more than we expected.

Situational Awareness in the Workplace

While casual office attire has become the norm in many offices, job interviews typically
require more formal dress and behavior to demonstrate a level of respect. Stories prevail of young
adults showing up to interviews in casual clothing, textin, or using phones during job interviews or
even bringing their parents with them. Such behavior demonstrates a lack of situational awareness
about what is appropriate to do in different social circumstances. While college classrooms or the
actual office atmosphere may allow for a more casual dress code, students need to be taught what
is socially acceptable in terms of dress or behavior for them to stand out above their colleagues. An
ability to read social situations illustrates the strength to employers -- quickly picking up on a client's
mood or expectations in various business for cross-cultural situations can be the difference between
success and failure.

Social Intelligence in Technological Communication

Text-speak and technology use have affected many young people's ability to communicate.
While email has deformalize of the communication process, students is still need to ensure their
writing denotes respect and provides enough context for professor (or future employers) to readily
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respond. In addition, text-speak has reduced students' ability to communicate using correct
grammar. Through studying particular communication genres and what they demand, students can
learn more about what individual situations demand in terms of the formality of communication.
For example, if a professor signs an e-mail with "Dr. Smith", this is a fairly good indication that he
expects to be addressed as such and not informally by his first name.

Social Intelligence in Traditional Communication

While e-mail has taken over as the primary method of communication, traditional modes of
discourse is still exist. For example, many employers still expect cover letters in addition to resumes,
and the lack of a "thank you" note for a gift is often perceived as more than a simple social oversight.
An ability to craft these types of documents illustrates an understanding of social expectations and
denotes a level of respect and appreciation. While not related to the traditional educational canon
learning to properly write a cover letter for business letter or a "thank you" card not only teaches
students that these documents exist in are often necessary but also shows them how to craft such
documents, saving them time and energy in the future.

Enhance
Today's students have grown up with the internet that they have become inseparable from
their gadgets. Blake (2017) offers helpful reminders to young professionals in terms of social skills
in the modern age. This situation underscores the importance of educating students in what could
be called social literacy to ensure their academic and career success.

Wrap Up
 Social literacy concerns itself with the development of social skills, knowledge, and positive
human values that enable human beings to act positively and responsibly in range of
complex social settings.
 Social skills range from the ability to initiate, maintain, and end the conversation to reading
social signals to more complex his skills such as solving problems and resolving conflict.
 The modern age calls for young professionals to develop situational awareness in social
intelligence in both technological and traditional communication to succeed in their
academic and career endeavors.
 Peers and if schools play a formative role on the social skill development of children.

Questions to Ponder

Read the questions and instructions carefully. Write your answers on a separate sheet of
paper. (5 points each)
1. Are you more of a listener or a talker? Which social skill/s do you think you need to
develop? In what ways can you develop it/them?
2. If you were a parent at this time, what would you teach your children on social literacy?
How would you teach them?
3. How do teachers educate children of social literacy, nowadays? What specific content and
learning experiences are there in the curriculum that develop social literacy?
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ECOLOGICAL LITERACY

The development of ecological understanding is not simply another subject to be learnt but
a fundamental change in the way we see the world. - John Lyle, 1994.
We are now at a critical point with many environmental issues such as climate change and
rampant environmental destruction. Alienation from nature greatly contributes to the aggravation
of these environmental problems. Ecological literacy is important to business, and political leaders
and to all levels of education.
Ecological literacy refers to an individual's understanding not only of ecological concepts,
but also of his or her place in the ecosystems (Means & Alison, 2009). The term ecological literacy
was first introduced by David Per in 1989 in his essay "Ecological Literacy". He indicated that
knowing, caring, and practical competence form of foundation for ecological literacy. He pointed
out that the root of environmental crisis is the individual's inability to think ecologically patterns,
system of causation, and long-term effects of human actions" (Orr, 1994). Thus, he emphasized the
importance of experience in one's natural environment that can enable you to shift perspective from
one of an economic emphasis to one of balance amongst economics, ecology, and cultures.
Orr (1992) also argued that the ecologically literate person understands the dynamics of the
environmental crisis, which includes an understanding of how people have become so destructive.
Therefore, identifying schools students' ecological literacy levels is a necessary step investigate their
behavior, attitudes, sensitivity, and behavioral intention. In order to create awareness among
students, it is important to foster correct knowledge to ensure positive approach to the environment
(Hates, Eskonheimo, Myllytaus, & Luukkanen, 2006). Kahyaoglu (2009) also stated that positive
attitudes and values toward the environment are occured with a new knowledge. Developing
environmentally responsible behavior requires korrect about climate change, the cause of warming,
carbon emissions, and carbon footprint (Kuo & Chen, 2009).
There has been an increasing concern with enhancing "ecological literacy" in society. The
current literature and ecological literacy emphasizes the role of scientific knowledge and ecological
thinking in identifying cause-effect relationships in socio-environmental systems, in order to allow
more enlightened decision-making; therefore, its primary pedagogical goals are cognitive and
experimental. In this, it differs from the broader concept of environmental and behaviors, and thus
also contains affective and moral pedagogical goals (McBride at al., 2013).
Ecological literacy is meant to enable conscious and participant citizens to make informed
decisions or take action in environmental issues (Jordan et. al., 2009). Efforts in this direction include
books by experienced ecologists for the general public, of which two outstanding examples are
Levin (2000) and Stobodkin (2003).

Characterizing an Ecoliterate Person

Dr. Tom Pin (2002) of Lakehead University characterized an ecologically literate person of
the 21st century as the "responsible, lifelong learner who strives to improve the human condition
and the environment within the context of self, human groups, the biosphere, and the ecosphere."
The ecologically literate person in order to achieve the aforementioned ultimate goal should
become:
*An inquirer, who actively secures the basic skills and knowledge in order to carry out
ecological responsibilities. This also enables her to reach her own potential and place in the
physical and natural environment;
*A reflective learner, who understands the value and limitations of human knowledge, the
power and limitations of the natural world, the role of intuition in real life pursuits, and
the role of self as it is manifested in one's personal narrative;
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*Intelligently self-directed, who engages in self-appraisals, sets new learning objectives,

develops plan to achieve those objectives, carries out all those plans in a flexible inquiry-
directed manner, and reflects on the whole process;
*Morally responsible, who governs actions with precepts (responsibility, seeking justice and
equality for all) that maintain harmonious relationships;
*Ecologically responsible, who embodies, ecological ideals in daily life; and
*Seek self-transcendence, who moves beyond the limitations of personal ego by identifying
with human groups (past and future), flora and fauna, ecosphere, that transcend the
individual life in scope and time.
The ecologically literate person of the 21st century has a positive view of life, grounded in
the faith of interconnectedness, and has the capacity to competently perform significant life work
and related tasks. Such a view enables her to look upon the human experience positively and all
living things compassionately.

Wrap Up
*Ecological literacy refers to an individual's understanding not only of ecological concepts,
but also of his or her place in the ecosystem.
*Ecological literacy is a form of transformative education that requires a shift in three related
areas: perception (seeing), conception (knowing), and action (doing).
*The ecologically literate person of the 21st century has a positive view of life, grounded on
the face of interconnectedness, and has the capacity to competently perform significant life,
work, and related tasks.

Questions to Ponder
Read the questions carefully. Write your answers on a separate sheet of paper.
1. In "Ecological Literacy among Secondary School Students", Adawiah and Norizan (2013)
identified essential ecological concepts that students need to understand. Let us see how well you
understand these concepts by writing on the corresponding column the key ideas. (1 point each)
Concepts Key Ideas
1. The Ecosystem
2. Materials Cycling
3. Life History Strategies
4. Ecosystem Fragility
5. Ecological Adaptation
6. Environmental Heterogeneity
7. Species Diversity
8. Density Dependent Regulation
9. Maximum Sustainable Yield
10. Predator-Prey Interactions
2. What environmental issues and concerns move you and provoke you to action? What
efforts and practical steps do you do influence others to take action? (5 points)

Conclusion
Good job! In this unit, you were able to grasp tantamount knowledge about the different
literacies in education and across the curriculum. Congratulations and keep it up!  Now, let us
assess and enhance further your skills as you explored these literacies in your readings.
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Evaluation

Name: ____________________________________ Professor: _____________________________

Year Level: ________________________________ Date: _________________________________

Directions: Read the questions and instructions carefully. Write your answers on separate sheets of
paper and attach all of your answer sheets onto this page.

Globalization and Multi-cultural Literacy (5 points for each question)

1. Describe globalization and explain what multicultural literacy is.

2. How can you teach multicultural literacy in the classroom?

Artistic and Creative Literacy (5 points for each question)

1. How should arts learning be structured so that students can begin to think like an artist?
2. What are some best practices in teaching that create an active student-centered learning
environment?
3. What are the 21st century skills for personal dispositions that are important goals for
students in arts education.

Social and Ecological Literacies

1. How do computer technology and social media affect your social skills and that of your
peers? Cite positive and negative impacts of digital technology to communication. (5
points)
2. Make a list of do’s and don'ts in the school and the workplace in relation to social and
ecological literacies. Present them creatively through an infographic. (10 points)

************

2.3 References
Alata, E. J. and Ignacio, E. J. (2019). Building and Enhancing New Literacies Across the
Curriculum. Philippines: REX Book Store, Inc.

2.4 Acknowledgment

The images, tables, figures, and pieces of information contained in this learning packet
were taken from the reference cited above.
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WRITE-UP Scoring Rubric

4 / VERY 2 / NEEDS 1 /
5 / EXCELLENT 3 / AVERAGE
INDICATORS GOOD IMPROVEMENT UNACCEPTABLE

Ideas This paper is clear This paper is The writer is Topic is not well- As yet, the paper has
and focused. It holds mostly focused, beginning to defined and/or no clear sense of
the reader's attention. and has some define the topic, there are too many purpose or central
Relevant details and good details even though topics. theme. To extract
quotes enrich the and quotes. development is meaning from the
central theme. still basic or text, the reader must
general. make inferences
based on sketchy or
missing details.
Organization The organization Paper (and The organizational Sentences within The writing lacks a
enhances and paragraphs) are structure is strong paragraphs make clear sense of
showcases the central mostly enough to move sense, but the order direction. Ideas,
idea or theme. The organized, in the reader through of paragraphs does details, or events
order, structure of order, and the text without not. seem strung together
information is makes sense to too much in a loose or random
compelling and the reader. confusion. fashion; there is no
moves the reader identifiable internal
through the text. structure.
Sentence The writing has an The writing The text hums The text seems The reader has to
Fluency easy flow, rhythm, mostly flows, along with a choppy and is not practice quite a bit in
and cadence. and usually steady beat, but easy to read orally. order to give this
Sentences are well invites oral tends to be more paper a fair
built, with strong and reading. businesslike than interpretive reading.
varied structure that musical, more
invites expressive mechanical than
oral reading. fluid.
Conventions The writer The write The writer shows The writer seems to Errors in spelling,
demonstrates a good understands reasonable control have made little punctuation,
grasp of standard good writing over a limited effort to use capitalization, usage,
writing conventions conventions range of standard conventions: and grammar and/or
(e.g., spelling, and usually writing spelling, paragraphing
punctuation, uses them conventions. punctuation, repeatedly distract
capitalization, correctly. Paper Conventions are capitalization, the reader and make
grammar, usage, is easily read sometimes usage, grammar the text difficult to
paragraphing) and and errors are handled well and and/or read.
uses conventions rare; minor enhance paragraphing have
effectively to enhance touch-ups readability; at multiple errors.
readability. would get this other times, errors
piece ready to are distracting and
publish. impair readability.
Presentation The form and The format The writer's The writer's The reader receives a
presentation of the only has a few message is message is only garbled message due
text enhances the mistakes and is understandable in understandable to problems relating
ability for the reader generally easy this format. occasionally, and to the presentation of
to understand and to read and paper is messily the text, and is not
connect with the pleasing to the written. typed.
message. It is eye.
pleasing to the eye.