ABSTRACT
Technological developments have led, over the past three or four decades, to significant changes in the ways in which we communicate and undertake daily tasks involving the reading, writing and creation of texts. The impact of this digital revolution on the lives of young children is rarely considered, yet they are as engaged in the social practices of the “new media age” (Kress, 2003) as the older children, adolescents and adults who surround them. In addition, it is vital that educational institutions respond to these wider social and cultural changes in order that they offer children opportunities to develop skills, knowledge and understanding, which will be of value in the new knowledge economy (Luke & Carrington, 2002). This chapter, therefore, examines some of these themes and offers insights into the new media worlds of our youngest children, focusing on their digital literacy practices and considering ways in which parents support these practices.
