Return-Path: <nifl-technology@literacy.nifl.gov> Received: from literacy (localhost.nifl.gov [127.0.0.1]) by literacy.nifl.gov (8.8.7/8.8.5) with SMTP id PAA27951; Sat, 13 Dec 1997 15:36:45 -0500 (EST) Date: Sat, 13 Dec 1997 15:36:45 -0500 (EST) Message-Id: <1.5.4.16.19971213125230.5df726aa@egusd.k12.ca.us> Errors-To: lmann@literacy.nifl.gov Reply-To: nifl-technology@literacy.nifl.gov Originator: nifl-technology@literacy.nifl.gov Sender: nifl-technology@literacy.nifl.gov Precedence: bulk From: Peggy Lewis <mlewis@egusd.k12.ca.us> To: Multiple recipients of list <nifl-technology@literacy.nifl.gov> Subject: [NIFL-TECHNOLOGY:113] : Information "Literacy"?? X-Listprocessor-Version: 6.0c -- ListProcessor by Anastasios Kotsikonas X-Mailer: Windows Eudora Light Version 1.5.4 (16) Status: RO When I questioned information "literacy", I did not questiont that it is important for people to find and use information for a variety of reasons, usually to be defined by the person seeking the information. My concern was (and is) with the broadened use of the term "literacy" which, to me, is in danger of expressing all of the linguistic power of the word "nice". How can I talk to potential corporate funders or county supervisors about supporting efforts for literacy education if I can't say what I'm talking about? To say that "literacy" means being able to use a computer or make a souffle weakens my arguments. If I want to move people to action, I need to be able to make a strong case for the need. I am limited if I can't say pretty clearly what the need is and about how many people in my area could benefit from actions to support literacy educaitoan. Those of us who have been working in this arena of education for a while are familiar that the slippery definition of literacy -- sometimes thought of as equivalent to having a high school diploma, someimtes as being able to sign one's name, sometimes as being able to read a phone bill and write that appropriate check -- has hictorically been a stumbling block for funding, discussion, and accountability purposes. The cases where "literacy" really means "competency", "awareness", or "knowledge". confuse the issue. To say that "economic literacy" does not really work on "literacy" but on competence in no way detract from the importance of teaching people to how to take care of themselves economically. Personally, I am not much of a purist about anything. After 20+ years of work with low-reading adults (and almost 10 years of inmate literacy), I know that learning to read better doesn't move a person from the "illiterate" box into the "literate" box. I think people benefit from having a wide-range of abilities and knowledge bases, including street smarts. However, I resist calling everything I know how to do "literacy". When I used to to tune-up a 4-cylindar motorcycle, I never thought of myself as having "biker literacy" and now that I have forgotten that, I wouldn't say I'm "biker illiterate". I'd say I forgot how to do that, even though I am still capable of reading the manual. (I do remember the scraped knuckles and colorul expressions I needed to learn it in the first place.) Peggy Lewis Elk Grove Adult Educationph ph (916)874-1817) Sacramento, CA fax(916)448-5021 mlewis@egusd.k12.ca.us
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