The Importance of Non-Print Texts in the ELA Classroom
“Media study does not replace text. It broadens and deepens our understanding of texts.” Philip M. Anderson, “Visual & Verbal Thinking” in Media Literacy, A Reader I started out my research with a large topic, and as I thought more critically about the relevance to my teaching practice, I landed on non-print texts in the classroom. Digital literacy is an evolving topic as our world shifts focus to a more online, short video, way of spreading news. This was the motivation to narrowing my options down to non-print texts. This isn't to say that the other options, poetry and drama, are less relevant in today's world, they are still topics that I would love to learn more about, but it's to say that I want to stay caught up in the best practice and keep my teaching materials interesting and engaging for my future students! "What are non-print texts?" Non-print texts are any form of communication that doesn't rely on the traditional printed words. These texts u...