EDU409 Handouts

Lesson No. 1 · Teaching of Literacy and Language · Topic 1: Concept of Literacy

What is literacy?

The term literacy refers:

1. often mainly to reading,
2. sometimes to reading and writing,
3. and rarely, to reading, writing, speaking and listening

The activities of reading, writing, speaking and listening in a learning environment are included in literacy. The National Literacy Trust defines: “We believe literacy is the ability to read, write, speak and listen well. A literate person is able to communicate effectively with others and to understand written information.”

As such, these skills are essential components of literacy, and the active ability to combine these skills is known as developing or engaging in literacy skills.

These skills are critical in communication. In today’s world, media and technology are essential components of communication. For example, when you use your laptop to obtain information from some website; you are using the literacy skills.

Topic 2: What is Meant by Literacy Skills?

We use the term of Literacy Skills in many contexts: for instance, while reading, while writing, while speaking, etc. We also talk about literacy rate of a country, and compare it with that of the other. So what do we mean by this term? What are the skills related to “Literacy”? Let us try to define it in more detail.

Literacy skills are those which help in:

•  developing literacy, and
•  improving literacy

Each skill contains several sub-skills. For instance: reading.

When you are reading a text on the page of a book in front of you

•  you pass though unfamiliar words, and search for their meanings to understand the individual words contained in the text
•  you connect the words to understand the meaning of the text as a complete set
•  these activities help you read and understand the text of the book
•  these sub-skills are involved in the “reading” skill

As such the “Reading” skill includes a number of sub-skills, which collectively help in developing “Literacy,” Same is the case with the other skills.

Using literacy skills students gain knowledge though reading as well as using media and

All skills that are needed for reading or writing are included in literacy skills. They include even such things as awareness of the sound of language, awareness of print, and relationship between letters and sounds.

Topic 3: Different Types of Literacy Skills

There are different types of literacy skills:, e.g.:

•  Reading: even if you read a sentence, it is literacy skill because you had that level of literacy which enabled you to read the sentence. Reading a book, newspaper or thesis etc. is all included in literacy skills.
•  Many sub-skills are involved in the reading skill, like reading the words, understanding the words, connecting the words, connecting the meaning of those words, and then collectively understand the message.
•  However, there could be different levels as reading a children story book would require different level of literacy than reading a book of philosophy. There could also be different versions of the same text available for adult reading and for children reading requiring different levels of reading skills.
•  Different levels of skills are also involved in writing a sentence and writing a book.
•  Listening requires familiarity with the sounds; because while listening you pick up different sounds, understand them, and connect these sounds with the message for overall understanding. These are all included in literacy skills.
•  Words are also essential part of literacy skills.

o Literacy is the ability to read and write, but also includes skills like critical thinking, listening, speaking, viewing and presenting. o Numeracy is being at home with numbers, and knowing the smartest way to solve mathematical problems.