text: Literacy is one of the fastest changing arenas in education today.  The very idea that literacy simply means the ability to read and write is no longer valid (though that is what the word literally means).  The new ideas of literacy focus on students' individual prior knowledge, how they use that prior knowledge to navigate through particular subject matter and finally what the student is able to accomplish.  I have even heard talk (and I don't by into this much, but it is the 'buzz') that literacy doesn't necessarily mean being able to read about baseball, but if the student can tell you about baseball and play baseball, even if they can't read about baseball, is still somewhat literate in that subject.\n\nWhat does this mean for Language teachers?  Hmmm, I don't think it means much other that we have to modify how we view our assesment of student achievement.  We have to be a little more open and creative when monitoring and assessing the education progress of each student taking into account (and being more cognizant of) individual learning styles and modalities.  \n\nThis is a good thing in the fact that you can, with a little (lot) more effort reach more of your students...but it also gives the legislature more slosh room for "NCLB" standards and benchmarks.  We still, as Language teachers, have to focus on the reading and writing, but the legislation says that we, and esp. if the IEP states, can now take grades and make alternative assessments if if the child in question is unable to do the classical showing of proficiency (as long as they can, in some way show they have learned the material).\n\nSo, I am not sure if I answered the question as you would have liked.  I am in the habit of being verbose and this particular area can get pretty heavy between petagogy, philosophy, legislation, and personal vision.  All in all the effort is to try and make sure all students are able to show a certain amount of proficiency in a myriad of ways...while (by some miracle) being able to perform adaquately on their particular state's madatory assessment tool.\n\nTO me...I still do my job and expect my students to know and be able to do everything I ask of them...even if it is hard.  I follow state mandates regarding benchmarks, IEP's, ESOL, etc...  I do engage in alternative assessment, but it still is a language class...thus they, in the end, have to be able to read, comprehend and compose proficiently.