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This module will explore ³¢¾±³Ù±ð°ù²¹³¦¾±±ð²õ, or L¾±³Ù±ð°ù²¹³¦²â, Across the Life-course, examining reading and writing (and whatever else we may consider to be literacies beyond reading and writing) as lifelong and lifewide. We will examine theoretical approaches to literacy and its role in our lives, including, but not exclusively, education, work, faith, family and political life. In doing so, we will look at language history, language change, language variety, multilingualism, ‘literary’ literacy, multimodality and digital literacies, considering ideas such as the dominance or invisibility of certain practices, the relationships between ‘in-school’ and ‘out-of-school’ literacies and social fears of ‘illiteracy’. The ways in which reading and writing are conceptualized or defined determines their research, policy and teaching, which in turn influence these conceptualizations. This module aims to examine this dynamic as part of understanding the powers, pleasures and perils of literacies across the life-course.Ìý

Teaching delivery: This module is taught in 10 weekly lectures and 10 weekly seminars.ÌýÌý

Indicative Topics: Indicative lecture topics – based on module content in 2023/24, subject to possible changes:

Literacy definitions and debate; theoretical conceptualisations of literacy including Literacy as Social Practice; language, literacy and identity; digital practices; literacy & learning; home, family and religious literacies; public, political and work literacies; and literary literacies.Ìý

Module Aims:ÌýÌý

This module aims to provide students with the following:Ìý

1. Opportunities to expand, develop or challenge their understandings of the roles and significance of literacy both within and outside of formal education;Ìý
2. Developed awareness of the theoretical positions that underpin different conceptualisations of literacy, literacy education and literacy research;Ìý
3. The ability to analyse articles, chapters and peers’ ideas using this understanding and awareness;Ìý
4. Opportunities to engage in critical reflections on literacy use lifewide and lifelong;Ìý
5. Opportunities to experiment with perspectives, explore ideas and enjoy engagement with the module texts, tasks and activitiesÌý

Recommended readings:ÌýÌý

• Duncan, J. D. (2020). Researching protest literacies: Literacy as protest in the favelas of Rio de Janeiro. Routledge.Ìý
• Mace, J. (1999). Playing with time: Mothers and the meaning of literacy. Taylor & Francis.Ìý
• Rowsell, J., & Pahl, K. (Eds.). (2015). The Routledge handbook of literacy studies. Routledge.