Bloomsbury Handbook of Literacy

This collection of international, research-informed case studies gives a unique range of perspectives on the state of literacy in the twenty first century, as both a discipline and a function of everyday life. Expanding the focus of current debate beyond Western, English speaking contexts, it challenges received wisdoms and lays out the huge variations in what literacy is and what it is for.

Taking a thematic approach, the chapters examine literacy in its broadest sense. In section one they focus on early literacy development and the family in different global contexts. Section two tackles assumptions about the teaching of literacy from across continents, and foregrounds the place of multilingualism in classrooms. This is followed by chapters focussed on literacy and social adversity that shed light on the challenges faced by those denied access to literacy education and learning resources. In the fourth section, authors unravel the complexities of assessing literacy and the challenges of fitness for purpose for diverse learners. Finally, the book explores digital literacy and AI in school settings, and questions their use as tools for scaffolding teaching and learning.

This handbook captures the richness and diversity of different approaches to literacy, and widens the horizons that determine how we examine it and the factors that relate to it.