Cross-cultural competence and the new literacy: the indispensable need for critical thinking

Abstract

This paper draws attention to the importance of new literacy and contrasts it with old one, centred around the ‘three Rs’. Furthermore, it argues against the belief entertained by some that the new approach is just a refurbishment of the old one, with its attendant circumstances updated. It upholds that changing circumstances have instead forced a complete rethink of what it means to be literate in the emerging new world wherein the old order is crumbling fast while new forms of communication are being fashioned at a staggering pace. The new conceptualisation of literacy must take into account the broader context of the world we inhabit today, with the urgent need to go beyond our narrow parochial interests and face up to the challenges presented by an ever-shrinking world and the role of different nations as jointly responsible in the task of attending to our common destiny. The paper also warns against the dangers posed by fake news and the constant misuse of the social media to spread disinformation and underscores the urgent need for investing in literacy programmes with a critical stance. It is argued that, as teachers, we ought to concentrate on encouraging our students to look for hidden meanings in texts, and in the process, helping them to learn to read between the lines, instead of simply taking the printed word at its face value.