BLC18

In order to navigate the vast and changing landscape of communication, we need to be chameleons. Each new tool, app, or platform, not only brings with it a set of rules or “grammar” that is necessary to use it, but also requires a deeper understanding in order to communicate effectively with it. This session aims to explore how we can approach modern day forms of communication in elementary education, and teach students right from the start to be thinkers with and through these tools. Teaching strategies from traditional literacy instruction can easily be adopted and applied to digital platforms. Ultimately, we want to help our students develop skills and strategies to be fluent communicators in the world they live in. Our hope is that they will be able to transfer and develop these strategies from one tool to the next, preparing them for whatever the future of communication may bring.