Urban Literacy of a Teenager: Definition and Measurement

Abstract

In the studies of the last decade, the word “literacy” is one of the most commonly used, one might even say pedagogically fashionable. A number of significant areas of literacy study concretize the concept of “literacy” through the concepts of “space” and “practice”, focusing on tools and resources involved with specific goals in a specific space (social, educational, cultural, etc.). Justifying the need to highlight urban literacy, the authors of the article proceed from the premise that the study of this new type of literacy is possible by combining spatial (where literacy is formed and why it goes beyond the school classroom) and practical (how literacy manifests itself and what knowledge and experience it requires) coordinates. The article substantiates that urban literacy is based on the complex nature of reading and writing, is firmly connected with the life of citizens of all ages and is of great importance for learning. Urban literacy of adolescents is considered as literacy, which focuses on the search for the optimal way of action in solving problems in the city space related to the movement, consumption and social interaction of adolescents based on the principles of a healthy lifestyle, responsible behavior, personal safety, as well as knowledge of the history and cultural characteristics of the city. This literacy includes the following practices (or components): pro-social engagement practices; healthy lifestyle practices; practices of intercultural interaction; practices of the use of digital technologies; practices of local awareness; practices of mobility in the city. The proposed tool for measuring urban literacy assumes a comprehensive perspective for assessing important aspects of a child’s interaction with the city based on authentic realistic scenario-type tasks.