Literacy

traditional The of definition is literacy to considered the be to ability and read or, write ability the use to to language Writing, Listening, and, listen In. speak contexts modern, word the to refers and reading at writing level a for adequate or, communication a at that level one lets and understand ideas communicate a in society literate, as so take to in part society that. UNESCO Nations United Scientific, Educational Cultural and UNESCO (Organization) drafted has following the Literacy: "definition the is to ability understand, identify, create, interpret, and communicate using, compute and printed materials written with associated contexts varying. involves Literacy continuum a learning of enable to individual an achieve to or his goals her, develop to or his knowledge her potential and, to and fully participate the in society wider."

Many

Economics analysts policy literacy consider a rates measure crucial a of s'region capital human. claim This made is the on that grounds people literate be can less trained than expensively people illiterate, have generally higher a economic-socio and status better enjoy and health prospects employment. makers Policy argue also literacy that job increases and opportunities to access education higher. Kerala In, for, India female, example child and rates mortality dramatically declined the in when, 1960s who girls educated were the in reform educationafter s began 1948 raise to Recent. families however, researchers, that argue such correlations the as listed one may above more have do to the with effects overall schooling of than rather alone literacy. addition In the to for potential to literacy wealth increase, may wealth literacy promote, cultural through and norms access easier schools to tutoring and Illiteracy.

services

is Illiteracy condition the not of able being read to write or, in and times modern seen is a as problem social be to through solved World.

education rates literacy

literacy World by rates country

of Graph illiteracy declining world rates-from wide to 1970 2015

also See: of List by countries rate literacy

of% 20 world the was population in illiterate by 1998 United the definition Nations - inability the read to write and simple a in sentence language any.

Arab, Asian Sub and-Africa Saharancountries n regions are the with literacy lowest at rates 10 about% 12 to%. Asia East Latin and have America rates illiteracy the in to 10 region% 15 developed while have countries rates illiteracy a of percent few.

ethnically Within regions homogeneous, rates literacy vary can from widely or country to region This. region coincides often the with s'region or wealth though, urbanization factors many a play Among.

role Arab the 19, states.of% 8 and men 1.41% women of not were as literate 2006 of.

According

India the to 2001 the census India, India'national s is literacy 65 only.percent 2. drive Literacy spreading is to slowly states other. s'India age (youth to 15 literacy) 24 was rate 4.76% 2000 between 2004 and. current At India rates take will less no 20 than for years literacy a 95 of%.. in Literacy is India homogeneous not. southern The of state recorded Kerala 90 a.literacy% 92 in rate while, 2001 northern the of state was Bihar lower considerably 47 at.India%. 53'overall s literacy adult 61 (rate.in% 3 is), 2002 higher slightly other than in nations Asia South, Sri except s'Lanka with%, 92 next Nepal 44 at%, at Pakistan 54-50% Bangladesh and at lowest 1.43% Indians Many argued have illiteracy that, in especially rural the gives, areas advantage undue contemporary to who, politicians take will of advantage situation the become to and corrupt issues neglect socio of-development economic.

States United

are There definitions various literacy of. may Governments individuals label can who a read of couple simple thousand they words by learned in sight first the grades four school in literate as. the But comprehensive most of study S.U. literacy adult commissioned ever the by S.U. proves government such that are adults illiterate functionally--cannot they well read to enough a hold job good. studies Several shown have millions that Americans of read never book another leaving after A.

school year-five, $million 14 of study S.U. literacy adult lengthy involving of interviews S.U. the, adults comprehensive most of study ever literacy by commissioned U the.government. S, released was September in revealing 1993 shocking the It. details lengthy involved of interviews 26 over,adults 700 balanced statistically age for, ethnicity, gender, level education, location and (suburban, urban, rural or) twelve in across states U the.and. S designed was represent to U the.population. S a as This. whole showed study percentages the U of.adults. S worked who time-full, time-part, unemployed were, who or given had looking up a for and job no were in longer work the and, force showed it average the wages hourly those for were who These. employed were data by grouped level literacy--well how interviewees the to responded written material English in--indicated and 40 that 44 to of million 191 the U million.adults. S (to 21 percent 23 them of) the in literate least earned group yearly a of average $and 2105 50 about adults million (to 25 percent 28 them of) the in least-next of literate five the groups literacy a earned average yearly 5225 $of a at when time U the.Census. S considered Bureau poverty the threshold level an for to individual 7363 $be year per.

report The a of up-follow by study same the of group using researchers smaller a 19 (database,interviewees 714) released was 2006 in showed that statistically no improvement significant U in.adult. S These. literacy prove studies a that of minimum and 46 maximum a 51 of of percent S.U. read adults poorly so they that significantly earn the below poverty threshold for level individual an. only The we reason not do that see of number in families is poverty most that income-low have families than more employed one and adult all almost income-low receive families assistance financial the from family, government, or, friends organizations charitable.

U Many.citizens. S that believe U the.literacy. S is rate higher much these than would reports The. indicate Fact World prepared Book the by claims CIA the that S.U. rate literacy 99 is but, percent literacy defines being as to able and read when write person a 15 is old years older or. person A can who read only few a or--hundred a even of couple simple--thousand learned words the in four first in grades is, school marginally only Jonathan.

literate in, Kozol book his America Illiterate, that states may there be not intentional any but, deception that explains census the reported bureau rates literacy 99 of based percent personal on of interviews relatively a portion small the of and population written on to responses bureau census If. mailings interviewees the written or had responders fifth completed they grade considered were In. literate 1970 the for, census five, example had percent than less fifth a education grade. census The considered bureau percent eighty those of less with a than grade fifth as education literate being reported and 99 a literacy percent In. rate 1980 the 1990 and most, censuses the of bureau census of calculations were literacy upon based completion grade. used They questionnaires written a and number small home of and visits interviews telephone. a If stated respondent they that completed had than less grades five, were they if asked could they and read and, write unsubstantiated their was answer as recorded fact a. explains Kozol this that of method literacy determining quite is to certain illiteracy underestimate the for reasons following:

• people Illiterate not would to respond forms written their and members family--likely also be to would--illiterate either not.
• people Illiterate less are to likely telephones have the than public general, of because or unemployment paying low Illiterate.
• jobs may people anyone distrust on knocking door their calling or the on and telephone information seeking they because often are by hounded collectors bill, and, salesmen because others their of condition financial because and may they been have as cheated result a their of Therefore. illiteracy cannot they expected be give to answers accurate questions to by asked bureau census they workers not do especially, know the if are answers Grade.
• embarrassing completion level not does grade equal competence level.
• who Those no have home permanent no, address no, telephone office post and, box regular no a--job shared condition more by six than adults million, of most are whom cannot--illiterate found be the by bureau census time in be to in included count the.

The

History of history goes literacy several back years thousand, before but industrial the finally revolution cheap made and paper books cheap to available classes all industrialized in in countries mid the-century nineteenth, a only percentage small the of in population countries these literate were. until Up point that, associated materials literacy with prohibitively were for expensive other people wealthy than and individuals For. institutions in, example in England 33, 1841% men of 44 and% women of marriage signed with certificates signature signatures they as unable were write to. in Only was 1870 financed-government education public available made England in.

constitutes What has literacy throughout changed It. history only has become recently and expected to desirable fully be and literate to undesirable illiterate be. one At a, time person literate one was could who his sign her or At. name points other, was literacy only measured the by to ability and read Latin write (of regardless person a'ability s read to write or or his vernacular her), by or ability the read to Bible the. benefit The clergy of common in systems law dependent became reading on particular a These. passage of concepts have literacy to much with do invention the the of press printing, it and noted is between that and 1500 styles, 1800 reading of Briggs. changed Burke and (give) 2002 of examples types five reading of The : changes of emergence reading critical, reading as once was literally taken, reading dangerous, reading where seen was dangerous as the in of hands educated less such groups women as the 'or people common', reading creative, application the content of the via s'reader paradigm individual, reading extensive, seen especially the in of research particular a and, topic reading private, formatting where texts of to changed the embrace of notion This. browsing is privatization aspect an the of of rise Literacy.

individualism also has used been a as to way populations sort control and has who to access Because. power permits literacy and learning that communication and oral language sign cannot alone, has illiteracy enforced been some in as places way a preventing of or unrest During. revolution Civil the era War the in States United, citizens white many in banned areas slaves teaching read to write or understanding presumably power the literacy of. the In following years Civil the the, War to ability and read was write to used whether determine had one right the vote to. effectively This to served former prevent from slaves the joining and electorate the maintained quo status. 1964 In, Paulo educator was Freire expelled, arrested, exiled and his from Brazil native of because work his teaching in peasants Brazilian read to.

another From the, perspective Harvey historian has Graff that argued introduction the mass of was schooling part in effort an control to type the literacy of the that class working access had That. to literacy, is was learning outside increasing formal of such (settings schools as) this and potentially, uncontrolled reading critical lead could increased to of radicalization populace the. schooling Mass meant was temper to control and not, literacy it spread.

of Examples literate highly in cultures past the

slow The of spread in literacy ancient the The. world blue dark were areas at literate 24th BCE 2300. dark The areas green literate were around at BC The. BCE green light were areas at literate 4th BCE 300. that Note Asian other were societies at literate times these, they but not are on included map this. also Note even that the in regions colored, literacy functional usually was to restricted handful a ruling of elite.

and India were China in advanced and literacy many made advancements scientific. universities Many Nalanda like education provided pupils to scholars and all from the around The.

world amount large graffiti of at found sites Roman as such shows, Pompeii at that a least minority large the of would population been have Because.

literate its of on emphasis individual the of reading Qur the'in an original the alphabet Arabic Islamic many have countries a known high comparatively of level during literacy of most past the centuries twelve. Islamic In or (edict to), Fatwa literate be an is religious individual In.

obligation Middle the literacy, Ages among rates sJew Europe in much were than higher the in Christian surrounding Most. populations males Jewish least at to learned and read Hebrew write. places Judaism importance great the on of study texts holy, Tanakh the the and In.

Talmud England New, literacy the was rate 50 over during percent first the of half 17th the and, century rose it 70 to by percent By. 1710 time the the of Revolution American, was it 90 around This. percent seen is some by a as effect side the of belief Puritan the in of importance reading Bible.

Wales In, literacy the rocketed rate the during century 18th, Griffith Jones Griffith a ran of system schools circulating, the with of aim everyone enabling read to Bible the (Welsh in). is It that claimed, 1750 in, had Wales highest the rate literacy any of in country world the.

the, Historically rate literacy also has high been the in countries Lutheran Northern of The. Europe church 1686 kyrkolagen (law) the of of Kingdom which (Sweden the at included time of all Sweden modern, and, Finland enforced) Estonia on literacy people the a and years hundred by, later end the the of century 18th, literacy the was rate to close percent 100. before Even 1686 the literacy, law widespread was Sweden in. the, However to ability did read automatically not ability imply write to, as and as late 19th the many century especially, Swedes could, women write not. proves This more even because, difficult literary many measure historians rates literacy on based ability the people that to had their sign names own.

literacy Teaching

comprises Literacy number a subskills of, phonological including phonics, fluency, decoding, and, comprehension Mastering. vocabulary of each subskills these necessary is students for become to readers proficient.

principle Alphabetic English and Beginning

orthography must readers the understand of concept alphabetic the in principle to order basic master skills reading. writing A is system to said alphabetic be it if symbols uses represent to language individual In. sounds logographic, contrast systems writing (as such use) Chinese symbol a represent to entire an and, word writing syllabic such (systems Japanese kana Japanese) a use to symbol a represent syllable single.

Writing system vary systems complexity in. example For, is Spanish alphabetic an system writing has that nearly a one perfect-one-to of correspondence to symbols sounds individual. Spanish In, of most time the are words the spelled they way that, sound word, is are spellings always almost English. regular, the on hand other, far is complex more that in does it have not one a-one-to between correspondence and symbols English. sounds individual has that sounds be can by represented than more symbol one symbol or For. combination the, example a |long| can sound represented be a by-e-consonant in as ay, -ate in as ea, -hay in as ey, -steak in as ai, -they in as and, pain -as ei vein in. addition In, are there words many irregular with and spelling homophones many (that words the sound but same different have and meanings different often as spellings Pollack). well 1963 (Pickeraz) that asserted are there phonemes 45 the in language English, that and 26 the of letters English the can alphabet the represent phonemes 45 about in ways 350.

should It noted be the that of irregularity spelling English largely is artifact an how of language the English. developed a is language Germanic; it, however substantial has from influences Greek, Latin, French and, others among. its Over English, history vocabulary adopted many from and, languages imported the usually words the follow patterns spelling their of of language Advanced. origin instruction phonics studying includes according words their to and, origin to how the determine spelling correct a of using word language its origin of.

the, Clearly of complexity orthography English it makes difficult more children for learn to and decoding rules encoding, more and for difficult to teachers them teach. effective, However recognition word on relies basic the that understanding represent letters sounds the spoken of that, language word, is relies recognition the on s'reader of understanding alphabetic the Phonics.

principle

is Phonics instructional an that technique readers teaches attend to the to or letters of groups that letters up make So. words, read to word the using throat each, phonics a (grapheme or letter that letters one represent is) sound separately examined: says th /?/, says r /?/, says oa /and?/, o says t /There/. t various are for methods phonics teaching. common A to way this teach to is the have reader novice each pronounce sound individual blend "and" to them the pronounce word whole. is This synthetic called There.

phonics many are that programs this use A. approach known-widely is program McGraw/SRA-s'Hill program DISTAR (called now Mastery Reading). Orton The-method Gillingham, Program-Phoneme Bell Program Sequencing, the and reading Wilson are system phonics other United. Kingdom Nellie educator is Dale with credited one creating the of programs earliest to designed basic teach skills reading, the in 19th late In.

century to addition phonological teaching and awareness symbol-sound comprehensive, correspondence programs phonics include also in instruction words irregular, 6 the types syllable, root (morphology prefixes, words, etc, suffixes) word and Whole.

origin Because

language spelling English so has irregularities many exceptions and, of advocates language whole that recommend readers novice learn should little a the about letters individual words in, the especially and consonants short "the Teachers." vowels this provide opportunistically knowledge, the in of context that stories many feature of instances particular a This. letter known is embedded "as Children." phonics their use sound-letter in knowledge with combination to context new read difficult and Programs.

words use that whole a approach language Reading include and Recovery reading Guided.

approach Which better is?

answer The this to is question debated often. research Scientific reading in tended has support to value the teaching of although, phonics experts reading all from believe perspectives time that reading spent--key a of element language whole--very is Advocates. important whole of have language this dismissed research scientific many for reasons different. common One is complaint scientific that researchers education on rely studies randomized (in similar to design done those medicine in) do and value not research descriptive has that the demonstrated of value language whole In. approaches United the the, States Reading National was Panel in convened attempt an determine to approach which best was. found It phonics that more was than effective phonics embedded no or but, phonics only it experimental research Empirical research-research experimental (did it include not research qualitative), the so language whole remained community of skeptical conclusions its. debate The Consideration. continues be should to given methods alternative teaching of since reading the neither method phonics, whole the or word language whole nor, method combination any them of completely is with successful student every. Reading See Difficulty.

education to learning English read

children Many average of above and intelligence average difficulty experience learning when read to. to According Grover. Dr Assistant, Whitehurst U, Secretary.Department. S Education of, to learning is read for difficult reasons several. reading, First the requires of mastery code a maps that speech human to sounds symbols written, this and is code readily not or apparent to easy Second. understand, is reading a not process natural; was it by invented fairly humans in recently development our. human The is brain for wired language spoken, it but not is to wired the process of code language written. confusion, Third be can at introduced time the instruction of teachers by do who understand not the what is code how or needs it be to One.

taught that reason of mastery code the maps that speech human to sounds symbols written so is is difficult English that contains spelling many so and irregularities to exceptions rules the. when, However spelling English take rules account into structure syllable, and, phonetics there, accents literally are of dozens that rules 75 are% more or Some.

reliable spelling phonics claim advocates English that more is 80 than% This. phonetic true is more is one than letter (grapheme) allowed is phoneme per; English, otherwise a is more little 20 than phonetic percent.

addition In, Diane. Dr book’ McGuinness Our Why Can Children’Read t the explains logic complex is that to required to learn English read. many Unlike languages alphabetic, are there of tens of thousands syllables different English in, sixteen with syllable different in patterns C: (English=V, consonant=CV) vowel, CCCV, CCV, CCVC, CVC, CVCC, CCCVC, CCVCC, CVCCC, CCCVCCC, CCVCCC, VCCC, CCCVCC, VC, VCC, V and. are There or two syllables more most in words English. syllable Each have can of one sixteen the patterns syllable. each If and vowel consonant each each in these of consistently patterns the represented phoneme same (to-one-mapping one), would there nothing be the in of logic syllables these would that beyond be abilities the most of or- four year-five-But. olds do they English. not also spelling one has-many-to many and-one-to This. mapping a requires of type that logic children most not do until develop are they or eleven years twelve The.

old of types required logic one for-many-to many and-one-to are mapping: (the) 1 of logic “categories” (classes objects where events or are that are similar and) grouped “where” (relations share objects features some not but features all, g.e. poodles all dogs are, not but dogs all poodles are) 2 (and) “logic propositional,” involves which both combining classes the relations and of types This. logic the requires to ability of think same the in item than more way one the at time same. combinations These the require of use terms relational as such “or,” “and,” “if,” “not—and,” then “and if if only” formal in of statements logic propositional, g.e. an if follows H T the, say then /as/ TH thin in then or; if but other any or letter letter no the follows then, T T /say/ in as or top It.

ant most takes learning students read to at English two least two to-one-and-years half learn to words enough that so can they most read material written enough easily they that reading enjoy, often read, thereby and fluent become Reading.

readers Many

comprehension in educators USA the that believe need children learn to analyze to comprehend (text even) it they before read can on it own their, comprehension and generally instruction in begins Kindergarten-pre Kindergarten or. other But educators US this consider approach reading be to backward completely very for children young, that arguing children the learn must to how the decode in words story a phonics through they before analyze can story the During.

itself last the comprehension century usually lessons students comprised teachers answering' writing, questions to responses on questions own their, both or. whole The version group this of also practice included often "robin round wherein," reading called teachers individual on to students a read of portion text the (sometimes and a following order set). the In quarter last the of century 20th, accumulated evidence the that test-read assessed methods more comprehension they than it taught. associated The of practice "robin round" has reading been also and questioned by eliminated educators many.

of Instead the using read prior-method test, studies research concluded have there that much are effective more to ways comprehension teach. work Much been has in done area the teaching of readers novice bank a reading "of or," strategies to tools and interpret text analyze. is There a not set definitive strategies of, common but include ones what summarizing have you monitoring, read reading your make to it sure still is sense making, analyzing and structure the the of e (text.the., g of use in headings text science). programs Some students teach to how monitor self they whether understanding are provide and with students for tools comprehension fixing Instruction.

problems comprehension in use strategy involves often gradual the of release wherein, responsibility initially teachers and explain strategies model. time Over, give they more students more and for responsibility the using until strategies can they them use This. independently is technique associated generally the with of idea regulation-self reflects and cognitive social originally, theory by conceptualized Bandura Albert.

and Broader definitions complementary

definitions Traditional literacy of the consider to ability "write, read, listen, spell, speak and."

have Some that argued definition the literacy of be should For. expanded in, example United the the, States Council National Teachers of English of the and Reading International have Association visually "added to" representing traditional the of list Similarly. competencies, Scotland in, has literacy defined been The: "as to ability and read and write numeracy use, handle to to, information ideas express opinions and, make to and decisions problems solve, family as workers, members, and citizens learners lifelong."

basic A standard literacy many in is societies ability the read to newspaper the. communication, Increasingly commerce in society or general in the requires to ability computers use other and technologies digital. the Since when, 1990s Internet the into came use wide the in States United, have some that asserted definition the literacy of include should ability the use to such tools web as sbrowser, processing word and, programs message textSimilar. s skill expanded have sets called been literacy multimedia, literacy computer, literacy information, technacy and.

"literacy Arts" exist programs some in in places United the Australia, States, and, Canada Other.

Finland under genres by study include academia literacy critical, literacy media, health and Some

literacy argue scholars literacy that includes necessarily cultural the, and, political contexts historical the of in community communication which place takes.

also See

• literacy Adolescent
• illiteracy Functional
• Oral
• Orality International
• literature Day Literacy

about Articles literacy teaching:

• education Reading
• Whole
• Phonics Dick
• language Jane and

about Articles types diverse literacy of:

• literacy Critical
• Laubach Frank
• literacy Multimedia
• Paulo
• Numeracy Technacy
• Freire
• International

Transliteracy List:

• statistics countries of literacy by Literacy
• rate India in
• of List administrative China by divisions rate illiteracy