Literacy Definition and Description

Being a simple man, and one who likes to read and write, I like a simple definition of literacy. I use literacy as collective noun encompassing reading and writing. For me, literacy is simply using print (in my case English) to understand, interpret, remember, process, or otherwise communicate with the world around us. So, writing a letter to grandma, reading the newspaper, making a grocery list, reading a web page, contributing to a blog--these are all literate acts.

I don't use literacy as a synonym for intelligence, general capability, competence, or fluency. I wouldn't, e.g., describe being capable with technology as 'technological literacy.' Neither would I describe the ability to interpret metaphor in movies or photos or illustrations as 'visual literacy.' Neither would I describe someone who understands the nuances of life in a particular place as 'culturally literate.'

I'm also not convinced that there is such a phenomenon as illiteracy, or, if it exists, I think it is much more limited in scope that typical reference. Illiterate is used popularly to mean people who can't read very well, who experience spelling difficulties, and so on. The prefix il- means 'not.' The people described as illiterate are mostly literate, just not terribly skilled or literate at levels expected for their age.

Technology has increased access to some aspects of literacy. (It may have decreased access to other aspects, but I'll leave that for another time.) I'm thinking of assistive writing technologies, e.g., like Co:Writer, Write:OutLoud, and high-end AAC systems that can be linked to a computer with cables or wirelessly or alternative picture-based keyboards. Co:Writer doesn't make someone who is literate at low levels suddenly literate at high levels. It does, however, increase spelling accuracy and writing quality, increasing the writer's ability to communicate more precisely what s/he wanted to express in print.

AAC symbol systems are interesting (e.g., Minspeak, picture symbols and various arrangements of them to increase rate and clarity of communication...) in that a different symbol system (pictures) can be used to create print. So, using a Liberator or a Dynavox or some other high end AAC device, I might write an elaborate text without spelling. I might also be unable to read this same text later. In much the same way as a young child, who spells nonconventionally, or who scribbles or makes letter-like shapes, can read what s/he writes immediately, but later may not remember or may tell a parent, teacher, or friend, that it says something entirely different than the first time the message was shared.

In this way, I wonder if some forms of technology-supported literacy, like emergent literacy, aren't dependent forms of literacy. That is, the individual is dependent upon another literate individual to communicate or interpret the message. The text is more bound by context, time, location.

The higher the level of literacy, the greater the independence of production and interpretation. I can write in one place at one time and someone else who is literate can read it and understand it at a different time and place.

Hmm, now what about culture or language impacts? Another time.

RE 6575 Blog

These are reflections on literacy and technology as I teach RE 6575 (Literacy and Technology--duh!), a post-master's class at App State. I don't think I've ever attempted to teach something I knew less about. So, here I am reflecting on a blog I have truly just created. I don't read blogs. I haven't previously written a blog. I read an article about them by Frank Catalano, linked to my syllabus. I attended a session at IRA by Charles Kinzer, but I can't find my notes now. This is definitely a learn as you go experience.