ABSTRACT
This chapter provides an overview of the activities of the COST Action ‘Digital Literacy and Multimodal Practices of Young Children’ and outlines the theoretical basis for much of the work undertaken. Children develop a wide range of digital literacy skills as they engage in the daily practices. Children’s engagement with age-appropriate apps on tablets can extend their knowledge and skills in multimodal communication. In kindergartens and schools, effective pedagogy and curricula for the development of children’s digital literacy skills in the early years are distinguished by an emphasis on play, creativity and the co-construction of knowledge. Digital literacy describes literacy events and practices that involve digital technologies, but which might also involve non-digital practices. The working group focused on: ‘Young children’s digital literacy and multimodal practices in homes and communities’. Many children access online sites or apps to play games, watch videos, visit virtual worlds and also they use sites and apps related to popular television programmes and popular literature.
