What is Literacy?

Literacy is a complex phenomenon commonly defined as the ability to read and write, but made up of many subsets of skills including alphabetic knowledge, phonemic awareness, decoding and encoding, fluency and comprehension. Literacy is a developmental and active phenomena. Social and cultural factors influence how literacy is developed and used.  Central to the goal of literacy, however, is the ability to take meaning from print and to use print to communicate – it directly impacts on the quality of life.

Literacy gives people power to live healthier lives. Adults who can't read or write well--whether in industrialized nations or in underdeveloped ones--have poorer health and higher medical costs.

What literacy can mean for both the individual and society at large is betterment of people's lives—enhanced self-esteem, ability to read everyday documents, ability to learn new things, ability to evaluate facts and propaganda. .  Literacy helps people “read the world as well as the word” (Paulo Friere, 1978).

Literacy provides people the skills for becoming members of a self-confident and informed populace that can understand issues, represent themselves, take responsibility for self-improvement and family health, prosper economically, and effectively participate in civic affairs.

There has been much research on literacy since the beginning of the 20th century.  Though researchers do not all agree on how children and adults acquire literacy, they do agree on its central importance in any culture.

Last updated: May 12, 2011