ABSTRACT
This chapter provides the historical, sociocultural and educational basis for using the term multiliteracies to describe literacy. It commences with a section in which the reasons for continuously evolving definitions of the term literacy are explored, concluding with the emergence of the term multiliteracies. The implications for education and pedagogy are discussed in relation to the evolving definitions of literacy, literacies and multiliteracies.
The remainder of the chapter establishes the relevance of, and necessity for, using the term multiliteracies and its associated pedagogies in current and future educational settings. This is addressed through the concept of continuous change as the new constant of societies across the world, focussing on increasing globalisation, social and cultural diversity, and use of developing technologies. The impact of continuous change on the literacy and the literate practices of workplace, leisure, social, cultural and civic environments, together with the implications for literacy pedagogy, are also discussed.
