New Approaches to Literacy: Multiliteracies, Functional and Critical Pedagogy

Abstract

This paper aims to introduce a new perspective on literacy (reading and writing) as a result of our ever-changing world, i.e. multiliteracies. In the social setting where information and communication technology is developing rapidly and effective communication requires more than mastering linguistic knowledge, traditional literacy is no longer appropriate. Accordingly, traditional literacy teaching practices are not adequate to meet the needs of the modern society. Therefore, calls for reforms in literacy teaching and learning have been supported in many countries. Functional and Critical pedagogies are being increasingly applied throughout in the world. However, little attention to these pedagogies have been paid in Vietnam. This paper attempts to call for a change in literacy education in Vietnam by introducing contemporary approaches to literacy applied in the world with the purpose of providing teachers with more pedagogical choices in their classrooms in an effort to improve students’ literacy competence, which can help them integrate well into the globalized world of knowledge era.