Culminating Inquiry: Defining Adolescent Literacy

Abstract

This study explores the diverse conceptual frameworks surrounding adolescent literacies, emphasizing the shift from deficit-based models to student-centered, emancipatory pedagogies. By analyzing scholarly discussions and classroom practices, the research highlights the significance of multimodal literacies, culturally responsive pedagogy, and participatory learning spaces. Through a critical review of academic literature and reflections on classroom activities, the study demonstrates how new literacy frameworks empower students by recognizing their agency, cultural backgrounds, and everyday meaning-making practices. The findings underscore the transformative role of writing as a tool for self-expression, identity formation, and social engagement, advocating for pedagogical approaches that validate students’ lived experiences. Ultimately, this research argues for a reconceptualization of literacy education that fosters inclusive, dynamic, and critically engaged learning environments.