Information Literacy

Welcome!

Jacquelyn Whiting
Isn't it telling that we have adopted the word "viral" to describe the spread of media posts? It connotes infection, danger, and a need for inoculation while at the same time, many of us (including me on this site) hope that the content we disseminate will do just that—spread exponentially. The ongoing conversations that will take place on this page are intended to strengthen our information savvy and our capacities for nurturing information literacy in the members of our learning communities. I invite you to join the conversations and engage with me and each other to these ends.

Jacquelyn Whiting
Instructional Coach and Technology Integrator, Connecticut

Valuing Students' Linguistic Repertoires

by Jacquelyn Whiting
The term "multilingual learner" reframes how I think about students who are learning English. It creates a vision that is asset-based and not filtered through a deficit lens. I am not multilingual, or even bilingual, and I see this as a personal deficit. These students—some starting at very young ages—are developing capacities and proficiencies that make them valuable global citizens. By referencing their growth rather than their needs, we validate their identities and teach all students to value multicultural experiences and communities The deeper I dive into this collaboration and my own learning about culturally responsive teaching and multilingual learners, the more I realize how many layers of literacy are involved for both the students and the educators. Previously, when I planned information literacy lessons and considered obstacles to quality information access, I thought about vetting sources, understanding bias, crunching data, and even social-emotional self-awareness. This is the first time I have considered the language in which the information is constructed.  Read More >>