This article includes excerpts from a blog post by Jayme Adelson Goldstein that is published on Jayme’s Lighthearted Learning website. We thank Jayme for allowing us to share her post. Be sure to check out her tips and podcast!

Do you hesitate to spend time building English learners’ digital literacy skills? Are you worried that doing so will reduce time to build language skills? In fact, students thrive when you cultivate both literacies in your class. Expert Jayme Adelson Goldstein calls this “fusing literacies.”

Jayme notes that, “fusing literacies” provides a “harmonious blend of robust language instruction and the communication, research, critical thinking, and problem-solving skills that define digital literacy and digital resilience.” Below, you’ll find tips to help you achieve this blend in your classes. At the end of the article, we spotlight upcoming events.

Why Fuse Literacies? What Will It Mean for You and Your Learners?

Fusing literacies benefits English learners in many ways. Just a few of the benefits follow.

1. When you weave digital materials and tools into your teaching: You expose multilingual learners to the rich, dynamic, English language content of websites, videos, podcasts, social media platforms, and more.
2. When you teach learners how to navigate video or audio controls, post a comment, or reply to an email: You enable learners to identify and use vocabulary, symbols, and processes that cross digital platforms. You also help them gain the foundational digital skills they need to pursue their own interests.
3. When you teach classic ESOL content areas—such as civics education, health literacy, financial literacy, workforce preparation, and family literacy—through a digital literacy lens: You increase content areas’ relevance to learners by using authentic online sources that are part of everyday life. These include community websites, online job forms, online communication with teachers, telehealth sites, and digital financial documents, to name just a few.
4. When you align your instruction to the CCRSAE and MA ELPS: You support learners in building their capacity to find, evaluate, create, and communicate information as they engage with informational texts, knowledge building, and evidence-based inquiry.
5. When you and your students face a 404 error or an app crash: You model and build digital resilience. You can also engage learners in using language related to persistence, critical thinking, and flexibility. Jayme points out that, as with language learning, confidence, persistence, willingness to learn, and problem solving are all key to working successfully in a technology-rich environment. 

Jayme’s Tips for Fusing Literacies

Here are Jayme’s three key tips:

• Think in terms of routines: Edtech instructional routines help learners master lesson content, while building the digital skills and/or digital literacy required to complete the routine. See the EdTech Integration Strategy Toolkit for ideas.
• Promote digital exploration: If they don’t already have an e-library card, help learners apply for one and demonstrate how they can use the local library website to access free movies, audio books, or classes.
• Celebrate mistakes: Whether it's a grammatical error or a mistaken click, mistakes are the steppingstones to mastering both language and digital interfaces.

Jayme’s Call to Action

Jayme concludes her blog with these words of encouragement:

“Fusing Literacies” isn't just a catchy phrase (or cool band name); it's a call to action!

It’s a call to connect your rich andragogical approaches to adult English language instruction with the play and promise of digital exploration—to support learners as they cope with the times that are always changing.

New Learning Series

We are excited to announce our new learning series on fusing language and digital literacies. Sign up now to save your spot! Please click each link below to learn more and register. We look forward to seeing you at any or all of these sessions.

Fusing Literacies Session 1: Teaching Listening Strategies and Digital Literacy in the ESOL Classroom

Fusing Literacies Session 2: Teaching Speaking Strategies and Digital Literacy in the ESOL Classroom

Fusing Literacies Session 3: Teaching Reading Strategies and Digital Literacy in the ESOL Classroom

Fusing Literacies Session 4: Teaching Writing Strategies and Digital Literacy in the ESOL Classroom