CHAPTER 3 Social Literacy OBJECTIVES At the end of this chapter, you should be able to: + develop understanding of the working defnition of social literacy: + explain the roles of parents and teacher's in teaching social skis to children; and : + discuss and examine issues in social literacy. Social literacy concerns itself with the development of social skills, ‘and positive human vaives that enable human beings to act Positively and responsibly in range of complex social settings, Itis the knowledge knowledgeee | of how to behave and i aa : Neat other people in a way that is morally upright, ust. and equitable, with a view of promong Bostive ond peewee Gt are free from unfair prejudices hate, and discrimination. These three Gescriptions willbe explained belo, Mute By morally uptight, we e ret ions, and motivations that achore 10.6 ca yey Stet to thoughts, speech, action rl of ight at he other hand, just refers to speech, actions, and behaviors Pee ea a fixed standard of justice—a system that Promotes and rewards good and at the same time pores wrongdoing. Any system ofjustice, whether national. regional. orlocal, TSqUEeS a Body of rules oF laws by which to measure and administer rewards and punishment. Equitable are the speech, actions, behaviors, and decisions that treat others fairly, regardless of background or circumstances. Not to be confused with equality, which connotes a fixed standard of treatment for all Beople, equity seeks the good of others, and labors to find means by which Svetene gets “what they need" rather than simply “everyone gets the same thing in the same amount.” Peers and schools play a formative role on the social skils development of Children, These social skills are often expressed as consisting of three inter-related components: social perception, social cognition and social performance (Arthur, Davison, & Stow, 2000). Increasing emphasis has been placed on the last component, particularly in terms of outcomes. Social skill is defined in literature as “the ablity to interact with others in a given social context in specific ways that are socially acceptable or valued and at the same time personally beneficial, mutually beneficial, or primarily beneficial to others." There are several types of social skills that must be mastered for a child to be socially adept. These range from the ability to initiate, maintain, and end a conversation to reading social signals to more complex skills such as solving problems and resolving conflict (Lawson, 2003). The following examples represent some of the fundamental principles of relating well to others. Children With social skill deficits can be taught these skils directly by parents, teachers, and/or professionals using the strategies of modeling, role-playing, rehearsal, and practice. + Greeting - Children develop relationships with peers by interacting with them. The fist step in a social interaction is greeting someone. Greeting others is done not only with words like "Hil" or “How are you?" but with facial expressions, tone of voice, and gestures such os nod or a wave. The nonverbal part of greeting someone is just os important as the words. It is not so much what one says but how he/ she says it that lets people know he/she is glad to see them, + Initiating Conversatlon-Inordertocary ona conversation, a child must be able to initiate, maintain and close conversation ‘Appropriately, This requires good listening and attention skills, as well as the ability to take cies Across the Curriculum 36 [| Builting anc Enhancing New Literacies A —_——} ae Sn ne tums and probe for missing information. Being a good conversationalist requires tutn-taking and reciprocity. Children have to listen as welll as talk. If hey do not show an interest in what the other person has fo say, they probably will not be interested in talking, Impulsive children offen have trouble knowing when to talk and when to listen. Understanding the listener - Once a conversation is initiated, it has to be maintained. In order to do that, It is important to understand the audience one is talking to, A socially adept child quickly and unconsciously identifies and categorizes his listener, measures what he/she has planned to say against the anticipated response of the listener, and then proceeds, alters, or avoids what she has planned to say. He/She knows that talking to authority figures is not done in the same way when talking to peers. A misread of the listener often leads to a misunderstood message and potential social rejection. To Converse in a socially appropriate manner, children must be able to take the perspective or point of view of the other person, i.e., think the way they think. To do this a child must pretend that he/she is the listener and think about what he/she needs to hear to understand what is being said. Empathizing - Empathy is more than perspective taking; it means that one is able to feel what the other person feels. Empathy allows one to really connect with other people. Other children often think of children who lack empathy as.mean, unkind, or self-centered. Reading Social Cues = It is very important to read social cues in a conversation. Cues are the hints and signals that guide us to the next. thing to say or do. Social cues can be verbal or nonverbal. Verbal cues are the words that the other person is saying. Tone of voice is an important part of verbal cues. Good detectives pay very close attention to nonverbal cues. Previewing or Planning — Conversations also require that one previews ‘or thinks about what effect the words or actions may have on the listener before she says or does them. If the impact will be negative, ‘one can adjust what she might say or do. Problem-Solving - Problems and conflict are often a part of social interactions. Someone may not agree, get angry, insult, or become aggressive at something that one says. How one reacts to these conflicts depends on how good her problem solving skills are. Conflicts cannot be avoided and are offen necessary to “clear the air.” Turning a contiict from a “win-lose” situation to a "win-win" situation is the best way to resolve conflict. This requires negotiation and compromise, give and take that results in a situation where all parties can live with and help maintain friendships. CHAPTER 3 Socialtiteracy | 37ee Apologizing ~ Everyone makes social mistakes 0 APerson with good social skills is confident enou apology for her err easiest way toc have a higher opin o Mistake. APologizing is a sign of humble and mature one commits mistakes, to Children The Role of Parents and Teachers in Teaching Social Skills i the major role in teachin ba cece eset seca Skil by Modeling, role-p rer itios for he chid to rehearse and practice new ski pera praise the child for successfully using a new si Soe oee tarvene ofly when ehiicren are having Sins typically ieLieh individuals can implement structured, with peers. 38 uilding and Enhancing New Literacies Across the Curriculum | Building ing New Literacies A <<< time or anothe,, ; oa make a sincere 4 is the quickest ang 1 people Usually haracter when '9 children social skills. laying, and providing ill. They should |. Professionals antial social difficulty Suided, ‘and effectiveprograms that offen in generalize the skills the situations, sf then. Volva group work wilh poors. Children mu: Y lean in the group to school and olher personal social School is the place where children spend the majorly of their time with peers. Its, therefore, a natural and perlect selling for children to Jean and practice social skill. While teachers do not have 1o leach a clas in social sil, they can take advantage of every opportunily to help children improve their social skils. They should be aler! fo teasing and bullying and aware of children that are rejected or ignored by their peers. They should work cooperatively with the children's parents to prevent the humiliation, embarrassment, and distress that befall these children, Pairing a socially inept child with a socially adept one, involving children in cooperative instead of competitive Jearning exercises, identifying and acknowledging Ihe strengths of all children, understanding social weaknesses, and creating an environment in which diversity Is accepte' and celebrated can greatly enhance all children's social abililies, sense of belongingness, and self-esteem, not just in the classroom but in life as well. Issues in Teaching Social Literacy How children develop their social literacy is intrinsically a contextual matter and is not something that can be easly traced in a linear or developmental fashion, The acqukition of social literacy 's a complex process that is historically and culturally conditioned and context-specitic. Children learn through social practices, both explicit and implicit, and bécome human through social interaction, Nevertheless, it Is also the case that children engage in social CHAPTER’ Social Literacy | 39i isposed fo b: Activity before they ore taugh’ it: in other words, children are GBPOS fe social before they leam what sociability is all about. leon Ere 2% two distinct ways of answering the ques learn to live socially with each other and with adults. The i ond communal, From theit culture, children learn customs that provide nen with a guide to act in ways that minimize confict. The second view s Prictnctc ond individuals. The social order of children is created by explicit and implicit agreements entered into by self-seeking individuals fo avert he Worst Consequences of their selfish instincts (Arthur, Davison, & Stow, 2000). In this ot View, social orderis dependent on sanctions and formal agreements. Rules ar obeyed because they confer personal advantage on a child. In the normative view, children are persuaded of the moral force of acting socially through their voluntary associations with others, both in.their immediate circle, such as the family, and in the wider community, for example, through membership of a church or club. The child in this normative view will not only know the correct behavior but will perform the role without any need for regular, conscious reference to the rules goveming it. fon on how children fist view is normative Teaching social iteracy in schools is not as easy as it appears to be due to subjective standards of morality and inherent human capacity to judge and make excuses. Subjective Standards of Morality The natural outcome of postmodem philosophies is that truth and morality are considered subjective and open to individual interpretation. This can be seen in the current culture, where actions dnd behavioral pattems that were ‘once considered bad have now become acceptable—so much so that many now consider them to be even good. When the standard of measure between good and bad changes, this gives us license to change as well and opens the gates to all kinds of abuse. This, in effect, pulls the rug out from under any and all attempts at true justice and equitably, since they themselves rely on a fixed moral standard. Interestingly, many of those who insist on a subjective moral standard will be the fist to demand for a fixed moral standard when they themselves fell victim to a subjective morality's inevitable outcome, Human Nature While we would all like to believe that people are inh experience has taught us that the inherent goodness of humanity a cca unreliable: Sometimes itis there, often it's not. We are quick to champion ine cause of moral uprightness, justice, and equity, but bak when our words and actions come under their scrutiny. In other words, we insist that others bey 4 a according fo a fixed moral standard, but invoke a subjective one when out 40 | biling and Enhancing New teres Across the Crcuum —$<—<$<——<——own poner s questioned. w ‘stice when we perceive ourselves ope victims of wr ie demand justice whi Nadoing, but we suround ourselves with excuses when we do wrong. We insist that others treat us equitably, but are reluctant when treating others with equity costs more than we expected. Eahenee | Today's students have grown up with the Internet that they have become inseparable from their gadgets. Blake (2017) offers helpful reminders to young professionals in terms of social skills in the modern age. This situation underscores the importance of educating students In what could be called social teracy to ensure their academic and career success. Situational Awareness in the Workplace While casual office attire has become the norm in many offices, job interviews typically require more formal dress and behavior to demonstrate a level of respect. Stories prevail of young adults showing up to interviews in casual clothing, texting, or using phones during job interviews or even bringing their parents with them. Such behavior demonstrates a, lack of situational awareness about what Is appropriate to do in different social circumstances. While college classrooms or the actual office atmosphere CHAPTER Social teracy | 41.ST — May allow for a more casual dress code, students need to be Smeal 's socially acceptable in terms of dress or behavior for them 10 s mon above their colleagues. An bility to read social situations ilustrates Sioned 10 employers—quickly picking up on a client's mood of expectations in ¢ : ‘ wee Yotlous business or cross-cultural situations can be the difference between success and failure. Social intelligence in Technological Communication Textspeak and technology use have affected many youngpeople's ay ‘ommunicate, While email has deformalized much of the communication Process, students still need to ensure their writing denotes respect and provides enough context for professors (or future employers) 10 readily respond. In Gddition, textspeak has reduced students’ ability to communicate using correct grammar. Through studying particular communication genres and what they demand, students can leam more about what individual situations demand in terms of the formality of communication. For example, if a professor signs an email with “Dr. Smith," this is a fairly good indication that he expects to be addressed as such and not informally by his first name. toc Social Intelligence in Traditional Communication While email has taken over as the primary method of communication, traditional modes of discourse still exist. For example, many employers stil expect Cover letters in addition to resumes, and the lack of a thank-you note for a gift is often perceived as more than a simple social oversight. An ability fo craft these types of documents illustrates an understanding of social expectations and denotes a level of respect or appreciation. While not related to the traditional educational canon, learning to properly write a cover letter or business letter or a thank-you card not only teaches students that these documents exist and are often necessary but also shows them how to craft such documents, saving them time and energy in the future. Wrap Up + Social literacy concems itself with the development of sociol skills knowledge, and positive human values that enable human beings to act positively and responsibly in range of complex social settings. + Social stils ronge trom the billy t0 iniote, maintain, and fe Conversation to reading soctalsignal tomore complexskitssyon ¢ solvi problems and resolving confict. ving ing New Literacies Across the Curriculum | Building and Enhancing W 42 ES ar+ The modern age calls for young professionals to develop situational owareness and social inteligence in both technological and traditiona communication to succeed in their academic and career endeavors. + Peers and schools play a formative role on the social skil development of children, Questions to Ponder Read the questions and instructions carefully. Write your answers in the space provided. 1. Are you more of a listener or a talker? Which social skis do you think you need to develop? In what ways can you develop it/them? 2. If you were a parent at this time, what would you teach your children on social literacy? How would you teach them? 3. Ifyouwere an employer, what would you look for in aspirants or applicants to your company? CHAPTER 3 Social Literacy | 43Eee 2 eee wadays? What How do teachers educate children of social Hteracy Me gurriculum that specific content and 'eaming experiences are there in th develop social iteracye elu Read the questions and instructions carefully. Write your answers in the space provided. 1. How do computer technology and social media affect your social skills and that of your peers? Cite positive and negative impacts of digital technology to communication. 2. Make a list of Dos and Don'ts in the school and the workplace in relation to social literacy. Present it creatively through an infographic, —— i.e. ti. se eS 0 eS ee Se ee 1d Enhancing New Literacies Across the Curriculum 1g and Enhanci 44 | Building ——__——Remy Andreotti, V. (2006). Soft versus critical global citizenship education. Policy and Practice: A Development Education Review, 3(Autumn), 40-51. Accessed on May: 30, 2016 at http://www. developmenteducationreview.com/ issue3-focus4?page=show. arthur, J. Davison, J., & Stow, W. (2000). Social literacy, citizenship education, and the national curiculum. London: Routledge Taylor & Francis Group. Blake, C. (2017, March 7). In the age of the smartphone, students need help with social literacy. Retrieved from hitps://education.cu-portiand.edu/ blog/classroom-resources/sociaHliteracy/ Cohen, C. (2000). Raise your child's social IG: Stepping stones fo people skills for kids. Silver Springs, MD: Advantage Books. Lawson, C. (2003, January 1). Social skills and school. Retrieved from https:// www.cdl.org/articles/social-skills-and-school/. Oxfam. (2015). Global citizenship in the classroom—A guide for teachers. Oxford: Oxfam GB. Retrieved from hittp://www.oxfam.org.uk/education/ global-citizenship/global-citizenship-guides Photo/Image Attributions: hitps://www.flickr.com/photos/verkeorg/24760972429, p3s ©Photo By: Daphne Jade Gabalunos, p 38 ©Photo B : Lowie Guevara, p 38 https://pxhere.com/en/photo/1557065, p 39 CHAPTER 3 Social Literacy | 45