CHL2601
Assessment 3
Due 11 July 2025
, CHL2601
Assessment 3: Comprehensive Response
Due 11 July 2025
Children's Literature and Literacy Development
Introduction
Literacy, both as a cognitive process and a socio-cultural construct, underpins
educational progression and personal empowerment, especially in early childhood.
Within the South African landscape—marked by multilingualism, socio-economic
disparity, and cultural plurality—children’s literature becomes a vehicle not only for
learning but also for identity formation and social inclusion. The assignment interrogates
foundational definitions, the transformative influence of technology, the relationship
between emergent and conventional literacy, and the socio-cultural functions of literary
genres. Through critical engagement, it explores how literature serves as both a
pedagogical instrument and a mirror of social reality.
1. Question 1: Literacy and Children’s Literature
1.1 Definitions and Conceptual Clarifications
1.1.1 Definition of Literacy
Literacy refers to the capacity to decode, comprehend, produce, and interact with
written, spoken, and visual texts. It involves applying these skills to communicate, solve
problems, and construct meaning in socially situated contexts. The concept presumes
access to linguistic resources and a socially embedded process of engagement.
1
Assessment 3
Due 11 July 2025
, CHL2601
Assessment 3: Comprehensive Response
Due 11 July 2025
Children's Literature and Literacy Development
Introduction
Literacy, both as a cognitive process and a socio-cultural construct, underpins
educational progression and personal empowerment, especially in early childhood.
Within the South African landscape—marked by multilingualism, socio-economic
disparity, and cultural plurality—children’s literature becomes a vehicle not only for
learning but also for identity formation and social inclusion. The assignment interrogates
foundational definitions, the transformative influence of technology, the relationship
between emergent and conventional literacy, and the socio-cultural functions of literary
genres. Through critical engagement, it explores how literature serves as both a
pedagogical instrument and a mirror of social reality.
1. Question 1: Literacy and Children’s Literature
1.1 Definitions and Conceptual Clarifications
1.1.1 Definition of Literacy
Literacy refers to the capacity to decode, comprehend, produce, and interact with
written, spoken, and visual texts. It involves applying these skills to communicate, solve
problems, and construct meaning in socially situated contexts. The concept presumes
access to linguistic resources and a socially embedded process of engagement.
1
