The Proverbial Rock and Hard Place: The Realities and Risks of Teaching in a World of Multiliteracies, Participatory Culture, and Mandates

This column revisits the concept of multiliteracies as originally proposed by the New London Group. Particular attention is given to the saliency of multiliteracies in light of the technological and educational policy changes and pressures that have occurred since the mid 1990s. The relationship of multiliteracies to participatory culture and the ethos of Web 2.0 is considered. and a brief review of four recent studies provide insight into how teachers can use multiliteracies to prepare students for critical engagement in the world while supporting literacy development. It is suggested that despite political pressures to narrow curriculum to meet accountability measures, ignoring the promise of multiliteracies places students at high risk for further marginalization.