Definitions of Literacy

In addition to global and academic views, literacy also exits at local levels, within societies and cultures, and with varying expectations related to specific contexts. One definition of literacy in a cultural context might be that being literate is having the abilities and skills to read, write, at a level expected by a specific society. Literacy might also be categorized in the following ways:

Bi-Literacy: The ability to read, write, and think in two languages.

Content Area Literacy: The abilities and skills to read, write, and think at a level necessary to function successfully in a specific subject area.

Functional literacy: The level of literacy required to get along successfully on a day-to-day basis.

Functionally Illiteracy: The ability to read at only the 4th grade level or below.

Illiteracy: No ability to read, write, and think at a level expected by a particular society.

Non-literacy: The skills and ability to function in an orate society, but not needing to read and write.

Post-literacy: The ability to use aural skills, rather than literacy skills, for purposes of communication convenience (example using the telephone vs. letter writing).

Pre-literacy: Having not yet been introduced to print (example: infants).

Re-literacy: Having to relearn literacy that has been lost (example: after a head injury).

Other recent literacies may include "testing literacy", "computer literacy", or "technological literacy". This informs educators that English Learners come to the classroom with literacies that are submerged and need to be tapped. None of the above literacies should be devaluated or ignored. All include past experiences upon which can be built shared, personal histories