defined

Here are a few definitions of literacy.
Do you agree with any of these? What would your definition of literacy be?

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A person is literate who can with understanding both read and write a short simple statement on his/her everyday life.

United Nations’ Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) 1951

Literacy work, like education in general, is a political act. It is not neutral, for the act of revealing social reality in order to transform it, or of concealing it in order to preserve it, is political. Literacy is not an end in itself. It is a fundamental human right.

International Symposium for Literacy, Persepolis, 3-8 September 1975

Literacy is a person’s ability to understand and employ printed information in daily activities, at home, at work, and in the community in order to reach one’s goals, and develop one’s knowledge and potential.

International Adult Literacy Survey, 1995

Literacy is a complex set of abilities needed to understand and use the dominant symbol systems of a culture – alphabets, numbers, visual icons - for personal and community development. The nature of these abilities, and the demand for them, vary from one context to another. In a technological society, literacy extends beyond the functional skills of reading, writing, speaking and listening to include multiple literacies such as visual, media and information literacy. These new literacies focus on an individual’s capacity to use and make critical judgements about the information they encounter on a daily basis. However a culture defines it, literacy touches every aspect of individual and community life. It is an essential foundation for learning through life, and must be valued as a human right.

Centre for Literacy of Quebec, currently at http://www.centreforliteracy.qc.ca/def.htm