M3: Blog Post 3 - Leveraging Tools, Texts, and Talk in My Teaching Context

Defining New Literacies and Why They Matter

    There are many ways for students to access information in the 21st century.  Educators have the ability and duty to help curate access for their students and instruct how to utilize various technologies.  New platforms have opened up a world of data at our fingertips; navigating this landscape takes time and skill.  But what is music literacy, and how does it differ in this digital age?
    Literacy in its basic form is the ability to read and write, yet is also encompasses different communities sharing and communicating (National Council of Teachers of English).  Classically trained musicians read music when they practice or perform a piece, and some write original and/or arrange previously written music.  Decoding music to perform it as written is thought as being literate in the musical community.  There are various forms in which music can be written, the earliest being pressed into clay tablets with a wedge stylus using cuneiform.  Our current technology has changed how music is not only written, but how is it created.  Music literacy can be defined as “reading, writing, and playing of music, as well an understanding of cultural practice and historical and social contexts” (Wikipedia Contributors).  Reading and interpreting lyrics, whether in one’s native tongue or otherwise, is a component that adds another dimension to this art form, and is also considered part of literacy.  
    New literacies encompass the use of ever-changing technology, like YouTube, texting/messaging apps, videos, platforms like Instagram and TikTok, and so many others (Sang 16).  In music, one must interpret the lyrics or the phrasing, understand the underlying story behind the words or the overall piece, and use one’s imagination to create nuances, including movement, to the interpretation.  There are plenty of tools available for people to create music that doesn’t utilize standard notation, and yet it can be reproduced for others to perform (““Musical Literacy” and the Relevance of Music Notation - NAfME”).  Learning music is like learning a new language; regardless of one’s home language, students in my class start learning this language together.  I use the platform QuaverEd in my lessons daily for it not only contains a multitude of resources, but also interactive ways to play with music and create digitally.  My students are writing their own lyrics but also composing backing tracks to use while performing.  Students don’t need to be able to read and write using academic English in order to do this (they can write in their home language as well) but QuaverEd gives each student the opportunity to use technology to not only create but to use their imaginations.  
    Teaching music to English Language Learners has been made much easier by the use of technology.  I can use the internet to look up music from particular cultures and in specific languages.  Sometimes they have lyrics, sometimes notation, other times it is merely a recording as some languages do not have a written form, therefore their music is oral as well.  I have been able to create interactive lessons for students to be able to have instructions read, visually presented, and also interpreted.  Music is a subject where different languages and cultures are celebrated and explored.  I have to expand literacy to include movement, since American Sign Language is a visual language, with body movement and facial expression comprising part of how the language is used.  I shared a video with my students that was taken by myself at the New York State Fairgrounds during a concert.  I was able to upload it into a streaming platform to share with them, so they could see it, replay portions, and answer questions.  This video showed how American Sign Language interpreters were expanding the language in a more creative way during live performances.  Many bands are blown away by how the interpreters move and express their lyrics, music, and beats.  I wouldn’t have thought to look for these interpreters to record if I had not seen a video on YouTube with a woman explaining how she does her job with flair.  Newer technologies help to bridge cultural differences and engage learners at all levels as well as encourage teachers to look into different ways to create and implement lessons.  However, if imagination is not encouraged and expanded, then music literacy fails to be.   How can educators help their students to find and use their imaginations, especially when so many just want the answer immediately?  How can current technologies build upon older constructs but also expand the possibilities of self-expression and creation for our students?    

References
““Musical Literacy” and the Relevance of Music Notation - NAfME.” Https://Nafme.org/, nafme.org/blog/musical-literacy-and-the-relevance-of-music-notation/.
National Council of Teachers of English. “Definition of Literacy in a Digital Age.” NCTE, 7 Nov. 2019, ncte.org/statement/nctes-definition-literacy-digital-age/.
Sang, Yuan. “Expanded Territories of “Literacy”: New Literacies and Multiliteracies.” Journal of Education and Practice, vol. 8, no. 8, 2017, pp. 16–19, files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/EJ1139059.pdf.
‌Wikipedia Contributors. “Musical Literacy.” Wikipedia, Wikimedia Foundation, 11 Oct. 2019, en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Musical_literacy.