Re: [LM_NET] HIT: Literacy Definitions

[Barbara COMBES <b.combes@ECU.EDU.AU>]

Here are 3,
Note the inclusion of understanding/making meaning/critical thinking -
not something many consider as part of the literacy agenda.

Literacy is: 
"... the integration of listening, speaking, reading, writing and
critical thinking. It includes a cultural knowledge which enables a
speaker, writer or reader to recognise and use language appropriate to
different social situations. For an advanced technological society such
as Australia, the goal is an active literacy which allows people to use
language to enhance their capacity to think, create and question, in
order to participate effectively in society."


The National Secretariat for the International Year of Literacy, 1990.

Literacy is:
"... the making of meaning and its clear communication to others. Truly
literate people not only read and write, but regularly do so in order to
sort out their ideas and put them in words, to fit them together and
test hypotheses - ie. to make sense and meaning out of our world. Truly
literate people acknowledge that they need to write things down, to talk
them out, to read widely, to listen critically and to respond
articulately. Truly literate people are thinkers and learners." 

Brown, H. & Mathie, V. (1990). Inside whole language: A classroom view,
Rozelle, NSW: PETA.

Literacy is:
"... the foundation of effective citizenship, human communication and
social integration in a literate society. Therefore it is important to
foster the lifetime habit of purposeful and critical reading for
information, education and recreation. Literacy is the foundation of
learning in all areas of the curriculum."


Holdaway, D. (1979). The foundations of literacy, Sydney: Ashton
Scholastic.

:)
BC 


Convenor for the Transforming Information and Learning Conference
http://www.chs.ecu.edu.au/TILC

Barbara Combes, Lecturer
School of Computer and Information Science
Edith Cowan University, Perth Western Australia
Ph: (08) 9370 6072
Email: b.combes@ecu.edu.au

"Whatever the cost of our libraries, the price is cheap compared to that
of an ignorant nation." Walter Cronkite

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-----Original Message-----
From: School Library Media & Network Communications
[mailto:LM_NET@LISTSERV.SYR.EDU] On Behalf Of Toni Buzzeo
Sent: Wednesday, 7 June 2006 8:20 PM
To: LM_NET@LISTSERV.SYR.EDU
Subject: [LM_NET] HIT: Literacy Definitions

So far, only two folks have chimed in but I wanted to share these:

Literacy is knowing what you do not know and how to find the answer when
you want to know it.  Not a traditional definition but I've always
thought that being truly literate means that one realizes the limit of
his literacy and can use prior knowledge to build a bridge to
understanding.

***

I always start with a simple one & say to my students literacy is being
aware, whether it is information or media or visual or whatever. The key
word is being aware. Then I give examples of ALA definitions.


Toni Buzzeo, MA, MLIS <mailto:tonibuzzeo@tonibuzzeo.com>
Maine Library Media Specialist of the Year Emerita Maine Association of
School Libraries Board Member Buxton, ME 04093 http://www.tonibuzzeo.com

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